When something is good, you want it to last. And last it has.
For 22 seasons, Bay City Boat Lines has partnered with local businesses to offer individuals a chance to do something special for free – the opportunity to cruise the Saginaw River by boat and learn about the history of the river and the communities surrounding it.
The staff of Bay City Boat Lines takes particular pride in offering this service to the public because it allows locals and visitors of all ages access to the boats and the riverfront. Many passengers have lived in the area their entire lives and have never seen their hometown from the river, where the perspective of the community is completely different.
Onboard tour guides delight in sharing colorful stories of the lumbering, shipbuilding and industrial eras, showing off recent developments along the banks and helping riders spot a variety of wildlife including waterfowl, deer and bald eagles along the way. The trip is relaxing, informative and appreciated by all ages.
The Saginaw River is typically peaceful and quiet on these weekday morning tours, which is a great start to a day of exploration in the Great Lakes Bay Region. Departing at 10 a.m. and returning at 12 p.m., the next logical step after the tour is to enjoy one of the area’s restaurants or visit one of the riverfront parks you cruised by for a picnic lunch. Lots of other attractions, shopping and recreation is available nearby to complete a day of fun for families, friends or out of town visitors.
Often, visitors are amazed when they hear the annual tours are free. They wonder “what’s the catch”? Fortunately, there isn’t one, thanks to the generosity of others. Bay City Boat Lines has been fortunate to find several community partners who consistently step forward to help fund the tours every year. This year, seven weeks of tours will be offered beginning July 8 and continuing through August 23. The route varies by day, heading North, or downriver through active areas such as downtown Bay City and beyond on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday trips take the South route upriver through more quiet and natural scenery, while still offering interesting stories.
The History Tours take place aboard Islander, an iconic red and white boat originally used to ferry passengers to offshore islands in Wisconsin. Built in 1946, she is a sturdy steel double-decker and is perfect for sight seeing from either deck with comfortable seating, shady cover and a snack bar to tide you over until lunch.
This year’s series of tours kick off July 8 -12 courtesy of the Bay City Fireworks Festival Committee and BaySail. Come into town the weekend prior to enjoy one of the state’s biggest and best known Fireworks displays. A three day Fireworks Festival features entertainment, a carnival, craft show and other activities, all capped off by nightly Fireworks Displays. The Princess Wenonah will also host a dinner cruise on Saturday, July 6th with a live band to celebrate the holiday and raise funds for the festival.
The following week, Krzysiak House Restaurant underwrites free tours July 15 – 17. This is a shortened week, followed by special events for the much anticipated Tall Ship Celebration when Bay City plays host to a dozen Tall Ships for four days. International ships and their crews, international musicians and thousands of visitors make this an exciting time. The ships are impressive and well worth a visit. For information on admission and ship tours, events & activities, plus special boat tours see www.tallshipcelebration.com and Bay City Boat Lines special events.
The Bay County Realtors Association brings you Week 3, with tours every weekday morning from July 22 – 26th. The end of the week is capped off by Downtown Bay City’s Sidewalk Sale Days, beginning Thursday, for those who enjoy shopping sales street fair style. Bay City is known for its boutique and specialty shops, featuring everything from unique women’s clothing, home decor, antique stores, vinyl record purveyors and used books to name a few.
Week 4 is made possible by Ieuter Insurance Group July 29 – August 2. After the morning tours stick around to enjoy a free Wednesday evening concert in Wenonah Park or attend the HopRiot Beer Festival on Saturday, August 3.
Chemical Bank anchors Week 5, August 5 – 9. One of our longest running sponsors, Chemical Bank has been a terrific partner and is well known for encouraging their employees to volunteer in the community. This week you can also enjoy a free movie in Wenonah Park on Tuesday night or stay for the weekend and check out the Urban Salvage Vintage Market August 10 and 11.
Week 6, August 12 through 16, free History Tours are brought to you by Skorupski Family Funeral Homes, who are active in many community events. After the cruise, grab some lunch and check out the Third Street Waterfall Park, where you can sit and enjoy ice cream from the nearby St. Laurent Brothers, an iconic candy shop at Third and Water Streets.
Finally Bay City Boat Lines picks up Week 7 to end the summer series of Free History Tours, at 10am daily August 19 -23. Stay in town to check out A Taste of Downtown Bay City in the new Nickless Pavilion Saturday afternoon, with a dozen local eateries offering samples of their wares. All summer long you can also catch Bay City Boat Lines other vessel, Princess Wenonah for a Friday night Entertainment & Dinner Cruise. The Princess Wenonah is the larger of the two fleet mates and the evening atmosphere is lively, with top side dancing and a full bar onboard.
Because they are free, the tours are extremely popular and all seats are generally reserved in advance. Reservations open two weeks ahead through Bay City Boat Lines website and have a limit of six per household, to ensure that as many different people enjoy the tour and that no seats go unused (groups are referred to paid Saturday tours or private tours to keep free seats open for families and travelers).
If you haven’t visited Bay City or the Great Lakes Bay Region, or if you live nearby and keep meaning to “be a tourist in your own town”, what are you waiting for? A warm welcome and a new adventure awaits!