River Discovery Tours
River Discovery Tours
Explore the Susquehanna aboard the Chief Uncas!
Built in 1912 for beer tycoon Adolphus Busch, this electric-powered launch cruised Otsego Lake, the headwaters of the Susquehanna, for over a century. Today she cruises the Susquehanna 400 miles downstream as the flagship for SNHA’s River Discovery Tours!
Susquehanna National Heritage Area is hard at work preparing for our 2024 River Discovery Tour Season aboard the Chief Uncas. The Chief Uncas is undergoing regular boat maintenance and will launching into the Susquehanna in early May.
Our Boat Tour Team is looking forward to welcoming you aboard this Summer – Fall.
Tickets will be released for our tour season in mid-May. In the meantime, reserve your seat on the Chief Uncas this summer by purchasing gift certificates. Gift certificate holders have the chance to schedule their tour experience before tickets are released to the public. See below for details.
Memorial Day through October, tours depart from the Zimmerman Center located at 1706 Long Level Road Wrightsville, PA 17368.
Stay up to date with all boat tour news by following SNHA on Facebook, signing up for our e-newsletter, or checking this website page for updates!
Boat Tour Gift Certificates
Reserve your seat on the Chief Uncas this summer by purchasing gift certificates!
Pay now and schedule your tour experience later. Each gift certificate can be redeemed for 1 ticket on a River Discovery boat tour, theme tour, or Sunset Cruise during SNHA’s 2024 boat tour season. With your gift certificate purchase you have the opportunity to schedule their boat tour experience before tickets are released to the public. Gift certificate holders are contacted by our boat tour team is early May with information on scheduling their tour experience.
Chief Uncas gift certificates make the perfect gift for the ones you love! Give the gift of a boat tour experience they will never forget!
Click here to purchase your Chief Uncas Gift Certificates!
Boarding the Chief Uncas
Currently, to board the Chief Uncas passengers must navigate a staircase of 3 metal grated stairs with handrail to reach the height of the boat’s entrance. Then passengers must navigate the 3 step ladder into the boat with assistance of handrails. A crew member is outside the boat and explains how to board and is there to assist you and the captain is inside the boat doing the same. While our property is fully ADA accessible, our historic vessel is not, but we are working to increase accessibility in the future.
River Discovery Tour
SNHA staff guide 22 passengers on a 1-hour tour of the river, sharing the history of the Chief Uncas, stories of Lake Clarke’s special landscape, and the Susquehanna River’s lasting legacy! You will experience the joy of being on the water aboard a historic vessel, hear stories of the river, and view beautiful scenery and wildlife.
A great experience for all ages!
This 2024 season tickets are $24 for adults and $12 for youth (ages 5 to 17). If you are 65 or older take advantage of the senior discount by purchasing a senior ticket for $22. Children under 5 years old are $5.
Sunset Cruise
Watch the Sunset over the Susquehanna!
Limited to 14 passengers, these 1.5 hour cruises offer you the chance to roam the historic Chief Uncas as it silently cruises the Susquehanna under the setting sun.
Use its original ice box to store your cold drinks and watch its vintage lights glow as evening begins aboard our elegant 110-year-old launch.
Bring aboard food and B.Y.O.B. alcoholic beverages and enjoy a relaxing evening cruise under the setting sun. Tickets cost $50 per person.
Private Chief Uncas Experience
Request information about a Private Cruise. For more information on booking your private experience aboard the Chief Uncas please review and complete our request form so we can find the best experience for your interest and budget.
About the Chief Uncas
The Chief Uncas was built for Adolphus Busch, co-founder of the famous American beer company, to enjoy cruises at his summer estate on Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, NY – the very headwaters of the Susquehanna River. After cruising those headwaters for 109 years, the Chief Uncas begins a new chapter in its life 400 miles downriver as Susquehanna National Heritage Area’s flagship tour boat! You can learn more about the history of the Chief Uncas here.
Support the Chief Uncas
Donations are essential to help SNHA provide boat tour experiences aboard the Chief Uncas for years to come. It is your continued interest and support that will make the Chief Uncas cruise the Susquehanna for another century! Your tax deductible donation to the Chief Uncas goes toward the maintenance, storage, and boat tour operations of our historic vessel.
Photo Gallery
