How to Enjoy New York’s Canal Towns this Summer

Jul 6, 2024

Did you know that the New York State Canal System is the nation’s largest inland waterway? At nearly 200 years old and 524 miles of navigable waterways, including the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals, the canal system has seen it all, transporting much of the nation’s agricultural and industrial products as well as playing a vital role throughout American history. Today, experience the canal for yourself! Paddle through locks and lift bridges, cycle through stunning scenery, cruise on historic vessels, stroll charming main streets, and more.

Get Out on the Water

Cruises and Tours

What’s better than a sunny summer day out on the water? Sit back and relax aboard a guided boat cruise through the scenic Canal Corridor, all within an hour of every major canal city. In Schuylerville, Mohawk Maiden Cruises offers a Lock and Waterfall tour aboard their authentic chain-driven sternwheel paddle boat, the Caldwell Belle, taking you through Lock C5. With Corn Hill Navigation, set out on the historic Sam Patch, a 1800s replica packet boat, from Pittsford. Take a sightseeing tour with Erie Canal Cruises in Herkimer through Erie Canal Lock 18, one of the last operating with all of the original 100+-year-old equipment. Enjoy the peace and quiet of Captain JJ’s Duffy electric boat in Fairport on a cruise through Erie Canal Lock 30. In Watkins Glen, head out on the water with Schooner Excursions to experience the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. Visit the Erie Canalway website for a full list of canal cruises.

Vacation Boat Rentals

Become your own captain and spend a night in style aboard your own private vacation boat! Traverse the Cayuga-Seneca Canal with Stivers Seneca Marine in Waterloo, where you can stay in a luxury houseboat with four bedrooms, two full baths, a full kitchen, and an upper deck with its own hot tub and water slide. Spend a night on the Erie Canal with Finger Lakes Water Adventures’ Seneca Dreamer, a four bedroom, two full bathroom houseboat with a waterslide and hot tub off the top deck. In Seneca Falls, Erie Canal Adventures offers a perfect set up for families with private cabins, a full kitchen, AC, and more.

Paddle the Water Trail

Credit: @visitoswegocounty on Instagram

Experience New York’s canals up close on a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboarding adventure on the Canalway Water Trail! Comprised of 450 miles of canals, interconnected lakes and rivers, and more than 140 access sites, this trail offers a wealth of sights to see. Navigate century-old locks, pass stunning stone aqueducts, paddle alongside tug boats and cruisers, and experience beautiful birds and wildlife. Before heading out on the water, be sure to grab a copy of the free NYS Water Trail Guidebook with maps, launch sites, places of interest, tips for going through locks, and more.

Rentals and Tours

Gear up and get out on the water with rental and tour companies spanning from Albany to Buffalo. For rentals on the Champlain and Eastern Erie Canals, check out Upstate Kayak Rentals. In Geneva, Roy’s Marina has you covered with kayaks and paddleboards on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal. Captain LJ Tomboy in Macedon offers kayak rentals as well as historic Erie Canal tours, where you’ll get to pass through a lock. Plan a full day self-guided excursion or deep dive into Buffalo’s Waterfront history with BFLO Harbor Kayak Tours.

Day Trips

With 450 miles of waterways, it can be difficult to decide where to begin your canal excursion. Start with a day trip and spend a few hours or full day out on the water. On the Erie Canal, experience Buffalo’s lively Canalside, then take a 6.6-mile round-trip journey up the Buffalo River passing towering grain elevators. Pass through a lock and admire the passing scenery of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal on a 4.4-mile trip from Waterloo to Seneca Falls, the latter home to the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Follow the 10-mile annual Oswego River Paddlefest route on your journey from Fulton to Oswego, featuring four locks on the Oswego Canal and a stop at scenic Minetto. For those looking to mix river and land-cut paddling, try a day trip from Fort Edward to Schuylerville on the Champlain Canal, passing through Lock C6 Fort Miller, Lock C5, and Hudson Crossing Park.

Prefer to stay on land? Cycle a few miles or all 360 on the Erie Canalway Trail! Following along both active and historic sections of Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo, this trail actually forms the east-west spine of the 750-mile Empire State Trail. No matter how long you plan to pedal, this route provides easy access to route highlights including communities such as Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Lockport, and Fairport, and attractions like Buffalo’s Canalside, the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, Fort Stanwix National Historic Site in Rome, the National Museum of Play at The Strong in Rochester, and the famed Flight of Five Locks and Erie Canal Discovery Center in Lockport.

Rentals and Tours

Bike rental and tour companies are scattered throughout the Erie Canalway Trail, ready to make your trip one to remember. Rent a bike with Great American Bike Tours and embark on a 10-day tour from Buffalo to Albany along the Canalway Trail, where you’ll spot dozens of lovely lift bridges, aqueducts, locks, canal parks, and more. Leave the car behind and join hundreds of other cyclists for Parks & Trails New York’s annual eight-day Erie Canal Cycling Tour (July 7-14, 2024), covering 400 miles from Buffalo to Albany and making stops at historic sites, art galleries, breweries, restaurants, historic towns, and more.

Kid-Friendly Rides

Lock in a day of fun on the canal for the whole family! The Lockport Ice Cream Ride is as sweet as it sounds, coming in at a 12.6 miles round-trip with a midway stop for a frozen treat at Uncle G’s Ice Cream. Families with younger cyclists should give the Camillus Erie Canal Park Ride a try; it’s two miles round trip and features stops at the Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct and Sims Store Museum. Plus, on weekends in the summer you can take a boat ride over the aqueduct.

From vibrant festivals to historic tours, enjoy a day of celebration alongside the beauty of the Canalway Corridor. Don’t miss out on festivals like Fairport Canal Days (early June) and Oswego Harborfest (pictured, July 25-28, 2024), two of the canal’s and state’s most popular festivals, attracting thousands of visitors each year with a variety of artists, live music, local food vendors, fireworks, and more. Experience Erie Canal history by bike and then enjoy a pint at Beers, Bikes, and Barges tours held on Thursdays (through September 19, 2024) at an array of locations along the canal. Witness more than 30 tugboats, workboats, and barges gather at Wateroford’s 25th annual Tugboat Roundup (September 6-8, 2024) for a weekend featuring a tug parade, tug tours, boat rides, tug talks, and fireworks. You may know of Oktoberfest, but the canals celebrate Locktoberfest! Be sure to add Lockport Locktoberfest (September 28, 2024), Fort Edward Locktoberfest (October 19, 2024), or Phoenix Locktoberfest (September 30, 2024) to your itinerary and check out the full list.

On the Canals: Free Outdoor, Cultural, Accessible & Educational Adventures

Looking to get out on the canals, but don’t know where to start? Check out On the Canals’ lineup of free and inclusive summer recreation programs that are sure to have something for everyone to enjoy. Take an inclusive kayaking excursion in Brockport or adaptive cycling adventure in Fairport, where adaptive equipment will be provided. Learn about the history of the Women’s Right Movement along the Erie Canal on a walking tour in Syracuse, or let out your inner artist with an Inclusive Intuitive Painting Workshop in Rochester, Spencerport, or Fairport.

Up for a challenge? Set your sights on adventure and take on the Canalway Challenge! Whether you prefer to cycle, paddle, run, hike, roll, or walk, take a journey along the 524-mile NYS Canal System or 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail. Choose your mileage goal ranging from the beginner-friendly 15-miler to the 360 end-to-ender, reserved for those who tackle the entire trail from Buffalo to Albany. People with disabilities are invited to take on the 1st Mile challenge, plus 15 Peloton-style videos are also available for those looking for a virtual challenge. Use your favorite fitness app to track your mileage and once you hit your goal, you’ll earn a certificate, mileage magnet, sticker, and ultimate bragging rights.

Explore Charming Canal Towns

Credit: @bekkadawn on Instagram

New York’s charming canal communities offer a wealth of scenic waterside vistas, iconic cultural and historic sites, quaint main streets, and delicious food scenes. Dive into America’s Revolutionary history in Schuylerville on the Champlain Canal, home to Hudson Crossing Park and Champlain Lock 5, the historic General Phillip Schuyler House, Saratoga Battlefield, and Mohawk Maiden Cruises. Coined as the “Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal”, Fairport truly dazzles with Colonial Belle cruises, striking canal views from Perinton Park, a delightful farmers market, and a picturesque lift bridge. Known as The Port City, Oswego combines lively city energy with canal history, with attractions like Fort Ontario Historic Site and the H. Lee White Maritime Museum, plus a variety of specialty shops and restaurants. Visit Seneca Falls (pictured) to learn about women’s history along the canal and make stops at Cayuga-Seneca Locks 2 and 3, Women’s Rights National Historical Park, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame. On the Western Erie Canal, you’ll find the charming city of Lockport, where you can experience the iconic Flight of Five Locks on a boat cruise or guided walking tour, explore the Erie Canal Discovery Center, or dig into the area’s renowned culinary scene.