FAQ

You just need to be able to prove that you are 21 years old with a valid photo ID! Our knowledgeable dock attendants will provide you with information to keep you safe while enjoying a day on beautiful Lady Bird Lake..  It’s comparable to driving a golf cart with a forward and reverse throttle.  All boats are electric with a maximum speed of 4.5 miles per hour.  Boats are equipped with life jackets, anchor, paddles, and a blow horn.

We accept all major credit cards and offer gift cards so you can share this experience with a friend or family!

As long as parents are on the boat with the children and feel comfortable taking them, we allow children of all ages. We do require children age 13 and under to wear life jackets and have sizes specifically for infants, youth, and children, in addition to adult life jackets.

Retro Boat Rentals ATX is a seasonally dog friendly operation.

We welcome dogs on our dog friendly boat, Dorothy – from November through May. Please note this can be subject to change due to the weather and waterway circumstances. (i.e – weather exceeds 100 degrees or there is reported toxins in the water).

We will not allow dogs to go out on the retro boats during the months of June through October. There are no exceptions to this time frame.

A maximum of 2 dogs are allowed on board.

We ultimately care about our dog friends and want to make sure the elements and water can be safe for them!

We encourage you to bring your own beverages in non-glass, reusable containers.

Please refer to the online booking FareHarbor for hours of availability. Our standard rental times are 90 minutes.

There are a few things we highly recommend taking with you. While we provide complimentary speakers and umbrellas at the dock, we do recommend you bring sunscreen, water, or whatever you feel will best prepare you for the outdoor elements. Cruising down Lady Bird Lake provides a lot of opportunities for amazing pictures of the Austin skyline, Congress Bridge and much more.

Waller Creek Boathouse has NO public parking nor affiliation with area parking garages. Guests are encouraged to find parking in advance of checking in for rentals or Guided Tours.

Parking options for guests are as follows:

• Downtown metered street parking and walk to us.
• Parking meters in the downtown area (IH-35 to Lamar Boulevard, and Lady Bird Lake to 10th Street) operate during the following times: Monday and Tuesday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday – 8 a.m. to 12 midnight. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 midnight.

The boats cruise at approximately 4 MPH. Retro Boats abide by wake and speed protocols on Lady Bird Lake.

All swimming and fishing off the boat are prohibited.

This depends on availability and scheduled launch times of the boats. If you would like to book more than 1 boat, we do have additional guidelines and safety measures that need to be followed. The guideline for any group rental is below:

• Mandatory boat insurance ($20 / boat – this can be purchased through the booking platform)
• A $200 safety deposit hold. We place an additional hold of $200 per boat on the card(s) you book with at the time of the rental until the boats are returned in good condition and then we release the hold on the card.

We recommend emailing us in advance at info@retroboatsatx.com to make sure that there are no conflicts with renting multiple boats.

Yes, we do place certain boundaries on the waterway. This is ultimately for the safety of patrons. We hand out a detailed map (see below) during our safety and instructional guidance prior to leaving the dock. For written reference, our boundary line is the First Street Bridge. Boats will not be permitted to go to the west of that marker.

We try to make everything as easy as possible for our guests by giving clear and concise instructions before departure. We highly recommend purchasing Boat Insurance for an additional cost. This can be added to the reservation during booking process.

“Retro Boats ATX offers an insurance option for all renters. There is a standard $5,000 deductible for any loss or damage to the vessel against our own insurance policy. As the renter you assume all responsibility for the care of our vessel and should damage result, you recognize that you are liable for the total repairs up to the $5,000 deductible. Should you choose to accept our insurance option, the most out of pocket expense you would incur in the event of an accident would be $500.00.This insurance option covers ONLY damage to the vessel and does NOT cover you for your personal liability, damage to personal property, other property, or injuries that result. Should you deny this coverage and the vessel is damaged either beyond repair OR should it need to be taken out of service for repairs, you may be liable for extra loss of income per our waiver”

Rescue fees:

• Retro Boat Rescue Fee: $150
• Duffy Boat Rescue Fee: $250