Four-Hour Single Kayak Rental
A single kayak from Brew City Kayak for 4 hours on the river, 4.9 from 32 reviews, from $55, free cancellation.
Check availability
Milwaukee River Boat Tours: Kayaks, Donut Boats And Prices
The lineup holds five listings: one donut boat cruise, one guided kayak tour and three rentals, from downtown docks to the Lake Michigan lakefront.
- $18lowest per-person from-price in the lineup
- 3.1 milesRiverwalk Length · along both banks of the Milwaukee River, open around the clock
- May to OctoberPublic Cruise Season · Edelweiss public cruises run May through October and stop from late fall to early spring
Milwaukee River Kayak Rental
from $55 per kayak
Seasonal: runs May to October. The listing shows no open dates right now; it reloads dates for the next season.
Check Price & Availability →Opens the operator's official listing with live dates. Book there; nothing is charged on this site.
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Meets
- Harbor District, 820 S Water St
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation
- Run by
- Brew City Kayak LLC
Milwaukee River Boat Tours By The Numbers
$18
Dock Paddling From · per person, 1 hour from the Discovery World dock on the lakefront
$55
Single Kayak Rental From · 4 hours on the Milwaukee River, paddle, life jacket and instruction included
$89.75
Tandem Kayak Rental From · 4 hours, per tandem kayak
$83
Skyline Kayak Tour From · per person, 1 hour 30 minutes, guided, maximum 12 travelers
10
Donut Boat Capacity · passengers on a private electric donut boat, 1 hour 45 minutes, your group only
5
Listings Here · water listings on this site, rated 4.6 to 5.0 by travelers
Milwaukee River Boat Tours By Type
Kayak tours and rentals
Tandem Kayak Rental
Brew City Kayak offers tandem kayaks for 4 hours, 4.9 from 10 reviews, from $89.75 per tandem kayak, free cancellation.
Check availability
Skyline Kayak Tour
Brew City Kayak guides a small group paddle beneath the skyline, 4.6 from 9 reviews, 1 hour 30 minutes, from $83 per person.
Check availability
Discovery World Dock Paddling
Forward Outdoor hosts a 1 hour dock paddle session at Discovery World, rated 5 from 5 reviews, from $18 per person, free cancellation.
Check availabilityBoat cruises
Private Donut Boat Cruise
Boat MKE runs this 1 hour 45 minute donut boat cruise with free cancellation, rated 5 across 19 reviews.
Check availabilityNarrow The Milwaukee River Boat Tours List To Your Trip
A starting shortlist of well-reviewed picks. Answer a question below to rebuild it around your plans.
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Private Donut Boat Cruise
1 hour 45 minutes · Free cancellation
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Compare Milwaukee River Boat Tours Side By Side
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All 5 tours, most reviewed first. Tap a sort chip twice to flip the order.
| Tour | Length | Meets | From | Rating | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four-Hour Single Kayak RentalBrew City Kayak LLC | 4 hours | Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) | $55Runs May to October | ★ 4.932 reviews | Check availability |
| Private Donut Boat CruiseBoat MKE | 1 hour 45 minutes | Boat MKE Dock (end of Mason Street) | See live priceRuns May to October | ★ 5.019 reviews | Check availability |
| Tandem Kayak RentalBrew City Kayak LLC | 4 hours | Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) | $89.75Runs May to October | ★ 4.910 reviews | Check availability |
| Skyline Kayak TourBrew City Kayak LLC | 1 hour 30 minutes | Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) | $83Runs May to October | ★ 4.69 reviews | Check availability |
| Discovery World Dock PaddlingForward Outdoor | 1 hour | Discovery World Dock | $18Runs May to October | ★ 5.05 reviews | Check availability |
| No tours matched those filters. Clear the duration or category pick and the full list of five tours comes back. | |||||
Milwaukee River Boat Tours Month By Month
Average High
Average Low
On The WaterEdelweiss public cruise season opensSummerfest weekends begin on the lakefrontPeak season; Summerfest weekends and the Air and Water Show on the lakefrontPeak season for evening sailingsCruises run; some happy hour sailings drop to SaturdaysSeason winds down; Saturday happy hour sailings
- Under 32 F
- 32 to 50 F
- 50 to 70 F
- Over 70 F
- Not named
- This month
January
Average High: 31 F Average Low: 17 F Rain: 1.79 in On The Water: No public cruises
February
Average High: 34 F Average Low: 20 F Rain: 1.69 in On The Water: No public cruises
March
Average High: 44 F Average Low: 29 F Rain: 2.20 in On The Water: Public cruises not yet running
April
Average High: 55 F Average Low: 38 F Rain: 3.86 in On The Water: Public cruises not yet running
May
Average High: 66 F Average Low: 48 F Rain: 3.54 in On The Water: Edelweiss public cruise season opens
June
Average High: 77 F Average Low: 58 F Rain: 4.38 in On The Water: Summerfest weekends begin on the lakefront
July
Average High: 82 F Average Low: 65 F Rain: 3.40 in On The Water: Peak season; Summerfest weekends and the Air and Water Show on the lakefront
August
Average High: 80 F Average Low: 64 F Rain: 3.65 in On The Water: Peak season for evening sailings
September
Average High: 74 F Average Low: 56 F Rain: 3.16 in On The Water: Cruises run; some happy hour sailings drop to Saturdays
October
Average High: 61 F Average Low: 45 F Rain: 2.78 in On The Water: Season winds down; Saturday happy hour sailings
November
Average High: 48 F Average Low: 33 F Rain: 2.24 in On The Water: Public cruises have stopped for the year
December
Average High: 36 F Average Low: 23 F Rain: 1.88 in On The Water: Public cruises have stopped for the year
Season by Month
| Month | Average High | Average Low | Rain | On The Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 F | 17 F | 1.79 in | No public cruises |
| February | 34 F | 20 F | 1.69 in | No public cruises |
| March | 44 F | 29 F | 2.20 in | Public cruises not yet running |
| April | 55 F | 38 F | 3.86 in | Public cruises not yet running |
| May | 66 F | 48 F | 3.54 in | Edelweiss public cruise season opens |
| June | 77 F | 58 F | 4.38 in | Summerfest weekends begin on the lakefront |
| July | 82 F | 65 F | 3.40 in | Peak season; Summerfest weekends and the Air and Water Show on the lakefront |
| August | 80 F | 64 F | 3.65 in | Peak season for evening sailings |
| September | 74 F | 56 F | 3.16 in | Cruises run; some happy hour sailings drop to Saturdays |
| October | 61 F | 45 F | 2.78 in | Season winds down; Saturday happy hour sailings |
| November | 48 F | 33 F | 2.24 in | Public cruises have stopped for the year |
| December | 36 F | 23 F | 1.88 in | Public cruises have stopped for the year |
Rent A Kayak, Join A Tour Or Book A Private Boat
| Single Kayak Rental | Tandem Kayak Rental | Skyline Kayak Tour | Dock Paddling | Private Donut Boat | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Self-guided rental | Self-guided rental | Guided small group | Dock session with safety orientation | Private electric boat |
| Time On The Water | 4 hours | 4 hours | 1 hour 30 minutes | 1 hour | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Group Size | Up to 20 travelers | Up to 20 travelers | Maximum 12 | Private session | Up to 10 passengers, private |
| From Price | $55 per kayak | $89.75 per tandem kayak | $83 per person | $18 per person | Shown at booking, per boat |
| Starts At | 820 S Water St, Harbor District | 820 S Water St, Harbor District | 820 S Water St, Harbor District | 500 N Harbor Dr, lakefront | 104 E Mason St, downtown river |
| Included | Kayak, paddle, life jacket, instruction | Kayak, paddle, life jacket, instruction | Paddles, life jackets, guide, instruction | Life jacket, dry bag, sunscreen, safety orientation | Cooler, ice, speaker |
Where Milwaukee River Boat Tours Start
Loading the map. Every place is also listed below.
Map tiles and place names: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Departure Docks
- Four-Hour Single Kayak Rentalfrom $55 (May to October)
- Private Donut Boat CruiseSee live price (May to October)
- Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District)Departure Docks
- Boat MKE Dock (end of Mason Street)Departure Docks · 1.2 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- Discovery World DockDeparture Docks · 1.1 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- Historic Third WardRiver Landmarks · 0.7 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- Milwaukee Riverwalk (Theater District)River Landmarks · 1.1 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- Lakefront BreweryRiver Landmarks · 2.2 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- Milwaukee Art MuseumLakefront · 1.3 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
- North Point LighthouseLakefront · 3.4 miles from Brew City Kayak (820 S Water St, Harbor District) in a straight line
What Travelers Say About Milwaukee River Boat Tours
These reviews are quoted as written from the live tour listings. This site did not ask for them, collect them or edit them, and it chose which ones to show.
“Enjoyed being on the Milwaukee River seeing the city and learning of its history from an entirely different vantage point.”
“My sister and I had a 4 hour kayaking trip down the river and it was fabulous. The people working were very helpful and friendly.”
“Great time! Fun experience but it does feel like a workout after lol! Beautiful scenery of the lake and city.”
“The staff were polite and very friendly. They took their time to give us safety guidance and recommendations about where along the river we could stop to shop and sightsee around Milwaukee.”
Where To Stay Near The Milwaukee Riverwalk
Tru by Hilton Milwaukee Downtown
Downtown Milwaukee, 515 N Jefferson St
Check ratesResidence Inn Milwaukee Downtown by Marriott
Downtown Milwaukee
Check ratesKimpton Journeyman Hotel by IHG
Historic Third Ward, 310 E Chicago St
Check ratesMilwaukee River Boat Tours FAQ
What will a Milwaukee boat tour cost?
Four of the five listings publish a from-price, and those prices run from $18 to $89.75. The $18 Discovery World dock paddle is the lowest of the group, while the Donut Boat Cruise price appears only on its live listing.
What happens if I need to cancel?
All five listings on this page carry free cancellation, so nothing locks you in without a way out. The exact cutoff for each booking is set by the operator and appears before you pay.
Where do the tours leave from?
Most departures leave from the downtown river stretch, where the docks and put-ins cluster. The Discovery World dock paddle is the exception, meeting on the Lake Michigan lakefront.
Why is there such a price range?
Duration alone does not set the price here. The 1 hour dock paddle starts at $18, the 4 hour single kayak rental at $55, the 1 hour 30 minute guided tour at $83, and the tandem rental at $89.75 per kayak, since guiding and boat type weigh in too.
Do I need kayak experience?
The Donut Boat Cruise is the one listing here that asks for no paddling. Your group rents the electric motorized boat for 1 hour 45 minutes.
What should I bring along?
Pack a windproof layer you can shed as the afternoon warms. Air off Lake Michigan can chill the river quickly on sunny days.
