Concert Cruise on the Milwaukee River

A two-hour boat ride with live music & cocktails

Have you ever cruised the Milwaukee River on a boat? I've been on a rented pontoon boat, and also a larger party boat. On that particular occasion, the vibe was this: inside was for clubbing, outside was for sightseeing. Our group stayed outside, though we were momentarily lured in by the promise of a free nacho bar. Sadly all it took was one friend saying "How long do you think that sour cream's been sitting out?" for us all to scurry back to the deck sans nachos.

But enough about questionable nacho bars! This past weekend I went to see Soul Low on the high seas (Milwaukee River) through Milwaukee Boat Line's Concert Cruises. My coworker is friends with the band, so you know. VIP experience. Not. It really was a good time though! You can purchase tickets for the concert cruises in advance for a slightly reduced price, or wing it and get your tickets at the dock. 

One free drink is included in the $23 ticket cost — in our case, it was a choice of margarita or sangria. If you're planning to drive later, like I did, know that if you want to switch to water it's gonna cost you. "We only have bottled water," the bartender said with a slightly patronizing frown. I'm so sure. Granted it wasn't pricey, just ruffled my feathers at the time. 

But luckily the band cured any feather-ruffling. Soul Low was really great! I will warn you, however, to do your research before boarding a concert cruise. You don't want to be stuck on a boat with some band playing a genre of music you hate because there is literally no escaping it, unless you want to swim to shore. 

My favorite thing about the cruise though — not unlike my first Milwaukee River cruise experience — was playing the tourist. Ooh-ing and aah-ing over the lights of Rock Bottom Brewery, the ferris wheel at Summerfest, and our rather non-existent Milwaukee skyline. We glided past hoity-toity Third Ward condos, then floated father south where massive industrial ships and structures loomed in the darkness. Seeing all sides of Milwaukee from the water really was amazing — a worthwhile trip for even long-standing Brew City natives.