Portland Electric Boat Company
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
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.
Key Highlights
- ✓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.
- ✓Opportunity to enjoy dinner while cruising and viewing Portland's night lights.
Standout Features
- ⭐Boats are easy to operate, even for those new to boating.
- ⭐On-site store with options for drinks and snacks available for purchase at reasonable prices.
- ⭐A cooler with ice is provided on the boat for your own beverages and food.
- ⭐Offers unique views of Portland from the river, particularly enchanting at night.
- ⭐Boats are equipped with a stereo system (though Bluetooth functionality can be an issue).
- ⭐Staff provides comprehensive assistance, from check-in and explanations to docking.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →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.
Things to Consider
- ⚠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.
Price & 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.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Allows for bringing your own drinks, as a cooler with ice is provided on the boat.
- •An on-site store offers a variety of drinks and snacks for purchase at reasonable prices.
- •Groups can enjoy dinner on the boat (implying outside food or take-out is permitted, or purchased on-site).
🚗Parking Info
- •No information regarding parking facilities or costs was mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •The experience involves private boat rentals, so crowding within the boat is managed by your group size.
- •No mention of crowding at the dock or difficulties with booking due to high demand was made.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Boats are reported as clean, fully charged, and easy to operate, contributing to a smooth experience.
- •No instances of boat sickness were reported by families, even with children on their first boat ride.
- •Staff provides clear explanations and assistance with check-in, operation, and docking.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Avoid if having reliable on-board music via Bluetooth is a critical element for your group's enjoyment, as connectivity issues have been reported.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 4 reviews)
- Great for birthday parties (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Heidi Mehaffey
a year agoWe 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!
mschram25
4 months agoMy 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.
Gabriela Zapien
10 months agoHad 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.
Angelique Baird
2 years agoSuch a fun experience!! Barbara was awesome!! From check in, explaining, and to docking us. She was polite, patient, and had a fun personality! The boat ride was a super fun family outing! 5 kids on their first boat ride loved it. We enjoyed dinner while seeing the Portland night lights. And no one got boat sick! Definitely recommend this for families!
Ivan Miovsky
11 months agoThis is literally such an amazing experience !!! Great way to celebrate bday or just have fun :) So easy to ride the boat , great stereo , amazing views, very helpful and fun stuff! You can get everything you need for the ride right there in their store ! Can’t wait come back this summer with group of friends !