Come visit us on your next trip to Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth funships tasting & tours.
Our electric boats offer the unique qualities of a more personalized setting that is totally void of the noise, odor, and pollution of diesel or gas engines. Sit back and relax while an informative captain guides you along the Cass River. Enjoy a wine & chocolate tasting or choose from a variety of refreshing beers or soft drinks upon your river tour.
Come join us in our tasting room, open daily and year round. Looking for something unique? Give our popular wine & chocolate tasting a try, or pick your own wines and take home a souviner glass instead. Just a chocolate lover? We have that covered also with 5 of our handmade chocolates.
Looking to relax and go at your own pace? Our rentals provide exactly that. Whether you're paddling or pedaling, our rentals will provide you with the enjoyment of being on the water.
Established in 2009, Frankenmuth FunShips created a business based on three things: our love of wine, chocolate, and relaxing on the water. We provide a wide variety of choices to make your Frankenmuth experience unforgettable. Whether you enjoy a relaxing tour upon our electric boats, a tasting in our store, or stopping in to purchase your favorite wine and chocolates, we promise it will be a "fun-filled" activity. C'mon, Fun is in our name!
445 S. Main Street
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
989-652-3400
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Bavarian Belle Riverboat
Review Highlights
“ The Bavarian Belle was a reasonably priced pleasant way to spend a little time on the Cass River in Frankenmuth. ” in 11 reviews
“ The boat ride lasts an hour and includes an engaging narration by the lead captain and patriarch of the family that owns and runs the boat company. ” in 3 reviews
“ Worth the price that seems a little high at first but the riverboat is owned and operated independently by a father and son team. ” in 3 reviews
Location & Hours
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925 S Main St
Frankenmuth, MI 48734
| Closed now | |
About the Business
Business owner information
Mitchell Q.
Business Owner
Thank you for visiting Frankenmuth. Our family operates the Bavarian Belle riverboat, an authentic Stern Driven Paddlewheel riverboat. We offer a 1-hour historical narrated tour of the Frankenmuth area on our fully restored 150-passenger vessel. The Bavarian Belle is open air canopied on the upper deck and has a fully enclosed lower salon with restrooms. We offer a snack bar and soft drinks on board. The Bavarian Belle is located in the River Place Shopping village, docking at the waterfall. Our dock and lower level are handicap accessible. One hour trips are offered Monday - Saturday 11am till Dusk, (departing every 90min), and Sunday 12:30 till 6:30, (departing every 90min) Early May to Mid-October. Please call for pre-Memorial Day and post-Labor Day hours. Extended hours are available for Group Tours and Special Events (Weddings, Reunions, etc.). Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $4 for children 10 and under. Adult tickets are discounted to $9.00 for groups of 20 or more …
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Overall rating
A flat bottom 2 story paddle boat. The ticket cost $16 and the ride lasted 50 minutes. The ride goes down the Cass river approximately a mile before turning around. The Captain was funny and gave some interesting information. The scenery was great and we got to see some 11 day old ducklings and a hawk. They say sometimes you can see large and apparently fast turtles and the 2nd largest owl in the states. Neither one made an appearance today though, nor did the Bald Eagle! Apparently this riverboat was built in 1981 and floated down the Mississippi River to the Ohio River in Indiana and then the Arkansas River in Little Rock Arkansas. Then came up here in 1999/2000. It is privately owned and Captain by a father and his 2 sons, so very cool. Overall a highly recommended 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely!
See all photos from Chris H. for Bavarian Belle Riverboat
I love this riverboat that takes you up and down the river from the heart of downtown Frankenmuth! They have an interior downstairs space and the upstairs is covered, but open air and it gives you such a lovely view of the Frankenmuth area. Both times that I've ridden on this riverboat have been during the Dog Bowl, when they do special riverboat rides for you and your furry friends! I believe that even outside of the Dog Bowl, they are dog friendly as well, so it's something you and your pets can enjoy together! The riverboat is so gentle and a very slow ride, so it will hopefully not be too difficult or anxiety-inducing for your pups as well! As you ride up and down the river, they patch through the speakers some history of the Frankenmuth area and the riverboat itself. It's educational, the views are great, and it's a wonderful time to share with your friends and family alike! For the price of your ticket (~$15 for an adult), this is more than worth it!! A ride is roughly around an hour, they sell concessions including freshly popped popcorn, and it's just an absolute delight! Definitely more than worth it to be a part of your trip to explore the Frankenmuth area!
See all photos from Amanda L. for Bavarian Belle Riverboat
Do you want to just sit and relax for an hour, this rides for you. Not a lot of scenery, but the gentleman running it was very knowledgeable
This was a great little River tour in Frankenmuth. Run by a family there was a lot of info and a cool boat to take a relaxed ride on. My kids loved that you could buy a bag of popcorn to feed the ducks and watch them race to the boat for the treats.
We brought Jasper the Adventure dog ( http://www.jaspertheadventuredog.com/) to take a trip with us on this riverboat. They are a dog friendly venue. A wonderful employee named Evy sold us our tickets. The trip was amazing. Jasper walked up front, watching the ducks, the water and wildlife along the bank of the river. Pictures from this event will end up on a another future book. I highly recommend this activity for anyone and especially for those with well behaved dogs.
The boat ride was nice. The owners were wonderful. It was informational and relaxing. We enjoyed feeding the ducks. We got to see baby ducks, turtles and even some deer.
See all photos from Allison W. for Bavarian Belle Riverboat
Nice relaxing boat ride. They point out things of interest on both sides and give some history of the town and the boat. There's a small snack bar on the lower level, I recommend the pop corn.
Very relaxing fun! The tidbits that the crew shared were quite interesting along with the recorded information about the area. A nice smooth ride and a chance to chill out after a lot of walking about. Also, very clean and tidy despite serving popcorn and soft pretzels. Worth the price that seems a little high at first but the riverboat is owned and operated independently by a father and son team. Happy to support a family-owned business. Give it a go and you won't regret it.
We had a lot of fun on this boat tour. We caught the first one of the day and it was a gorgeous day. The host of the tour, also the owner of the boat, was friendly and shared some of the great history of Frankenmuth. In addition, you get to see lots of animal life along the ride; turtles, ducks (you should totally buy the popcorn to feed the ducks!), etc. It was a nice break away from the hustle and bustle of town. Note, tickets are cash or check only.
Upon departing you get this amazing view!
Very nice boat ride with info about frankenmuth! The family owning the boat does a nice job! It's about an hour tour of the Cass River running through Frankenmuth. A nice narrative about some history of Frankenmuth wiht some well placed humor. I found a few places that I didn't know where in Frankenmuth that I'd like to check out next time I go back. My kids also enjoy feeding the ducks popcorn before the boat ride begins..lol! On a good summer day, it's a nice break when walking from shopping at Riverplace to chicken dinner at the Bavarrian! Found out the hard way-they don't except debt cards and there isn't an ATM at Riverplace!!! Thank goodness they will except a check.
Bavarian Belle
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