Kayaking for Kids Open
Portland Electric Boat Company
4.6(92)4.6 out of 5 stars, 92 reviews Portland, OR
About Portland Electric Boat Company
The Portland Electric Boat Company offers a unique, private electric boat experience on the Willamette River, perfect for family outings, birthdays, and social gatherings. Boats are noted for being clean, easy to operate, and spacious, supported by exceptionally helpful and friendly staff. Convenient on-site refreshments and supplies enhance the experience.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Family outings, especially for groups of 7 (e.g., 4 adults, 3 kids) or families with multiple children (e.g., 5 kids).Birthday celebrations or other special occasions for both adults and families.Unique social gatherings with friends (e.g., a party for 6 friends).Introducing children to their first boat ride.Evening cruises for unique views and a dining experience on the water.
Why families love it
- Boats are clean, fully charged, and easy to operate, suitable for first-timers.
- Ample space, accommodating groups of up to 7 people (e.g., 4 adults and 3 kids) or 6 friends comfortably.
- Staff consistently praised for being wonderful, helpful, polite, patient, and fun from check-in to docking.
- The experience is enjoyable even during colder, darker months (e.g., December), though warmer months are expected to be even better.
- Kids, even 5 on their first boat ride, loved the experience.
- No boat sickness was reported by families, providing comfort for parents concerned about motion sickness.
Insider tips
- Consider a night cruise to enjoy dinner on the boat and see Portland's night lights for a unique experience.
- Be prepared that the Bluetooth music connection might not work, so have alternative entertainment in mind if music is important.
- Bring your own drinks to utilize the provided cooler with ice, as this is permitted.
- Don't expect to travel long distances; the experience involves circling a more confined area of the river.
- The experience can be enjoyed even in colder months, though warmer months might offer an even better ambiance.
Good to know before you go
- Avoid if having reliable on-board music via Bluetooth is a critical element for your group's enjoyment, as connectivity issues have been reported.
- Bluetooth connection for music can be unreliable or non-functional; one group reported multiple attempts by all on board without success.
- The boating area is confined, meaning you will mostly circle around rather than travel far up or down the Willamette River.
- Crowds
- The experience involves private boat rentals, so crowding within the boat is managed by your group size.
- Value
- Approximately $60 per person for a 2-hour boat rental. The value is enhanced by the provision of a cooler with ice, reasonably priced on-site snacks/drinks, and a unique private group experience on the Willamette River.
- Food
- Allows for bringing your own drinks, as a cooler with ice is provided on the boat.
- Accessibility
- No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.
- Safety
- Boats are reported as clean, fully charged, and easy to operate, contributing to a smooth experience.
What parents say
"We had a wonderful experience! The boat was clean, charged, and easy to operate. There was so much space for our group - 4 adults and 3 kids. The employee was wonderful, so helpful, and it was great to have so many options for drinks and snacks to purchase at such a reasonable price. We will definitely do this experience again in the future!"
a year ago
"My wife's birthday is in mid-December and she wanted to throw her a party on the PDX Electric Boat. We invited six friends and we had a great and unique experience sailing the Willamette. Even during the cold and dark December, everyone had a great time cruising through Portland. I can only imagine it would be even better during the warmer months. The folks working at the Portland Electric Boat Co are very helpful and friendly. I thank them for operating such a fun venue and I totally recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and unique experience."
4 months ago
"Had a nice time, about $60 per person for 2 hrs. They provide a cooler with ice for your drinks etc. Staff was nice, only negative was our Bluetooth connection never worked so we didn’t have music (all of us on the boat tried). You don’t get to go super far up or down the river, but we didn’t mind circling around."
10 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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