Canal cruising, a European-style holiday, is truly a vacation filled with adventure. New York Canal System cruising can include renting a houseboat, an old-fashioned canal packet boat or even taking a cruise on a cruise ship for a week or two. Some vacationers choose to rent a boat with captain and crew. Others skipper the boat into the wild frontier themselves. From new canal harbors and waterfronts, to more than 220 miles of Canalway Trails along its waterline, no matter how you float it, boaters enjoy 524 miles of surprise after surprise.

“Most people still do not realize that the New York Canal System offers boaters an alternative to cruising the ocean or lakes,” said Matthew Behrmann, Director of the New York Canal Corporation. “Traveling along one of the Canals is a wonderful boating trip because each mile is filled with new adventures.”

Owned and operated by the New York State Canal Corporation, the 524-mile New York State Canal System is a network of navigable, inland waterways that take travelers to nearly every major city in New York State – a necklace of more than 40 communities. The Canal System includes the legendary Erie Canal, the Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Whether you have a weekend or several weeks, the Canal System can be experienced whether you own a boat or not.

The Canal System, which is open from May until mid-November, has public and private boat launch sites and marinas across the state. With more than 70 marinas to offer boater services and amenities such as transient and overnight dockage, utilities, fuel and pumpouts, the Canal System is well equipped with boater conveniences. Additional tie-ups, improved waterfront dockage, restrooms and picnic facilities are also available in many canalside communities for boaters to dock and set out on landside adventures. Some docking is permitted at Canal System locks.


For More Information:
New York State Canal Corporation
P.O. Box 189
Albany, NY 12201-0189
800/4CANAL4

Vacationing in New York State:
New York State Division of Tourism
One Commerce Plaza
Albany, NY 12245
800/CALLNYS

Regional Tourism:
Call a regional tourism professional for help with making your travel plans.