Lake Austin Private Boat Cruise: 2 Hours, Swim & Float Pad

Two hours on 22 miles of waterfront: restaurants, mansions, a Venetian inlet and the 360 Bridge.

A 2-hour private pontoon boat cruise on Lake Austin with a captain, departing from Oysters Landing near downtown Austin. The boat carries up to 15 people and includes a foldable canopy, cooler with ice, floats, and an 18-foot lily pad for swimming. You bring your own drinks. Restrooms are available at the dock, and the captain can stop at a midway point if requested.

Step-by-step itinerary

2-hour private boat cruise on Lake Austin

• Board private pontoon boat at Oysters Landing
• Cruise past Quince restaurant
• Pass by Hula Hut restaurant
• View Laguna Gloria museum grounds
• Drift through Little Venice waterways
• See Mount Bonnell from the lake
• Pass The Holdsworth Center campus
• Approach Bull Creek area
• Pass under 360 Bridge
• Cruise by Austin Country Club
• Admire Laguna Loma Park shoreline
• Optional stop at halfway point for swim
• Return to Oysters Landing dock

The experience

The boat leaves from Oysters Landing, a dock just 5 minutes from downtown between Quince and Hula Hut restaurants. You board a pontoon with a foldable canopy that opens or closes depending on sun and shade preference, and the captain guides the route through 22 miles of Lake Austin. The water level stays constant year-round, so the scenery (multimillion-dollar homes, restaurants, limestone formations) holds steady for photos and video.

The cruise passes Laguna Gloria's Italianate villa and art collection, the narrow winding canals of Little Venice lined with mansions, and Bull Creek's mouth where clear water meets limestone cliffs. You'll see the 360 Bridge's rust-colored steel arch spanning the lake, the Austin Country Club's championship fairways, and Mount Bonnell rising above the water. The boat carries floats and an 18-foot lily pad, so you can swim at stops the captain arranges or at the halfway point if you request it.

The 2-hour trip includes a large cooler with ice, bottled water, fuel, and a live English-speaking captain. Restrooms are at the pickup dock before departure. Children must be with an adult, infants sit on a lap, and the minimum drinking age is 21. Bring your own beverages to keep cold in the cooler.

What’s included

• Captain and live English-language guidance.
• large cooler with ice.
• bottled water.
• fuel.
• floats and an 18-foot lily pad for swimming.
• foldable canopy for sun or shade.
• restroom access at the dock.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Saturday5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 17:00

Book up to8h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Austin Rental Boats

Is this one for you?Two hours is enough for the full 22-mile route without eating into the rest of your day. The captain handles navigation and timing, so you arrive back at the dock with the afternoon still open. If you need longer on the water or want to explore beyond the main lake, this cruise leaves room for a second activity afterward.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the water like for swimming on Lake Austin?

Lake Austin stays at a constant level year-round, and the water is clear enough for swimming at stops the captain arranges. The boat includes floats and an 18-foot lily pad so you can get in safely.

Can we see celebrity homes on this cruise?

Lake Austin is home to celebrities including Matthew McConaughey, Joe Rogan and Sandra Bullock. The cruise passes their waterfront properties along with the Laguna Gloria villa, the 360 Bridge and Mount Bonnell.

How long is the boat ride and what's included?

The cruise is 2 hours total, with boat travel time included in that duration. It includes a captain, cooler with ice, bottled water, floats and the lily pad. You bring your own drinks to keep in the cooler.

Where do we pick up the boat and how far is it from downtown?

Pickup is at Oysters Landing between Quince and Hula Hut restaurants, just 5 minutes from downtown Austin. Restrooms are available at the dock before you board.

Can we stop swimming or take a break during the 2 hours?

The captain can stop at a midway point if you request it when booking. The boat has floats and a lily pad for swimming, and the foldable canopy provides shade whenever you need it.