Rollin’ on the River with Nashville Riverboats
The new best way to see Nashville just cruised into town! We took a ride on the “Capitol” - Nashville Riverboats’ flagship boat and it’s hands down one of our favorite attractions in town. Perfect for tourists and locals alike, this 2 hour cruise (30 minutes of boarding & entertainment and 90 minutes of sailing) takes you from the Riverfront in Downtown Nashville up and down the Cumberland River.
The boat itself if gorgeous - so well-kept and easy to enjoy. There are 3 decks open to the public (and a fourth tiny deck on top where the wheelhouse and captain are located.) The 1st and second levels both have an indoor dining room with tables and chairs and air-conditioning! Although we wanted to spend as much time outside as we possibly could, we loved being able to pop into the dining room to cool off a bit in towards the end of the cruise.
Our cruise was their “sightseeing” cruise option. There were two full bars available as well as an incredible wait staff that went around with food to order. We ordered the chicken tenders and pretzel bites and they were SO yummy. The bill was also very reasonable especially given the generous food portions plus drinks. There is also a dinner cruise option that you can choose that serves a full meal! We will definitely have to go back and try that as well.
We boarded right at 3:00 for the 3:30 cruise (we had our advance tickets downloaded on our phone and boarding was a breeze). There was live music for the first 30 minutes during boarding and we loved walking around and taking in the views (and nabbed ourselves a top-deck porch swing to enjoy!). Once we started sailing “Jimbo” the tour guide gave a live narration of the Cumberland River. It was a fascinating account of Nashville history, the modern buildings and sights and riverboat facts. He regaled us with stories as we cruised up the river towards Demonbreun’s Cave and then the singer/songwriter gal picked up with live music again as we headed back past downtown to Germantown and then turned around and docked again.
Our family of two adults and an 8 year old loved this excursion and I honestly can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t! The boat is fully equipped with a lift between all 3 decks to accommodate wheelchair users, the inside-or-outside atmosphere means you can enjoy air-conditioning or the great outdoors, there are snacks, live music…there is truly something for everyone. They also have some exciting new things headed to the river soon including Brunch cruises and a second, steam-powered boat!
Want to book your own tour? Here are the details*:
🎟️ Cruises daily at 11:30, 2:00 & 4:30 plus other meal-cruise options at 5:30 & 7:00 on select days. Check the website for availability!
🎟️ Pricing starts at $39.95 & $79.95 for adults and $29.95-$49.95 for kids
🎟️ Departs from Downtown Riverfront on Broadway; 100 1st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201
🎟️ Click → THIS LINK ← to book***
*Some details might vary seasonally - always check the website and booking link for most current pricing/schedule etc!
*** We are so excited to be an affiliate partner of Nashville Riverboats which means we earn a small commission on any tickets purchased through this link. We wouldn’t participate in this if we hadn’t absolutely loved our experience so much that we wanted to recommend it to all of our friends anyway! You get the same amazing experience and support our small business in the process. A huge thank you to our friends and Nashville Riverboats!