Staying in a floating home for a night or more can be a lot of fun. The necessities are already on board, so you can cook your own food (bring your own groceries) and sleep comfortably whether you’re leaving the dock or not. Another plus: in popular vacation destinations like Florida, California, and Minnesota, houseboat rentals are much cheaper than homes on land. The best houseboat rentals offer plenty of onboard amenities, from kayaks and bikes to water slides that slide off the top deck.
Houseboat Rental Tips
While houseboats might not be the first thing that comes to mind, they’re easy to find on sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and niche sites like Houseboating.org. It’s also worth checking out the local marinas and harbors where you’ll be vacationing, as they often have several houseboats available for rent.
But before you start looking for a houseboat, there are some factors to consider. For example, if you’re planning a group trip, how much privacy do you need? Even if a houseboat rental states it can accommodate a certain number of people, that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will have a cabin. Dinettes and sofas on board can usually be converted into beds, so the houseboat’s common areas and galleys can also be used as sleeping quarters.
Depending on the season and location, air conditioning can make or break your trip. No one wants to sleep miserably in a cramped space in the summer heat, so any newer houseboat should come equipped with air conditioning.
When it comes to operating a houseboat, you don’t need a special boat license to operate one, as long as you have a valid unrestricted driver’s license. Many rental owners will take the time to walk you through the basic operations and test runs so that you’re comfortable operating the boat.
Here are nine of the best houseboat vacations in the country: Houseboat rentals are extremely popular during the summer months, so be sure to book early.
Perfect place for a houseboat vacation
Sutton Lake, West Virginia
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Sutton Lake has 40 miles of shoreline to explore from your houseboat. The clear waters are perfect for swimming, but you can also hike the forested hills that surround the lake. The lake is free of commercial businesses and homes and is surrounded by public land that’s home to white-tailed deer, turkeys and ruffed grouse (it’s rumored that a Bigfoot-like creature roams the forests, so keep an eye out). Anchored in one of the hundreds of coves and spend the night under the pitch-black skies of central West Virginia.
Sutton Lake Marina has three 59-foot deluxe houseboats, each with a waterslide on the upper deck, a gas grill and four queen beds that can sleep eight people.
Wolf River, Wisconsin
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The Great Lakes and hundreds of other inland lakes are often the focus of summer trips to Wisconsin, but rather than a typical lakeside cabin, we recommend a houseboat vacation along the Wolf River near Fremont, Wisconsin, where you can cruise other lakes in the area, including beautiful Partridge Lake upstream, as well as Lake Poygan and Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh.
Anchor Point Marina rents a no-frills 50-foot houseboat that sleeps up to 10 guests, with four queen beds and a queen-size sleeper sofa so everyone can get some rest.
St. Johns River, Florida
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Central Florida’s St. Johns River is one of the few rivers in the world that flows north with the Nile, making it a great waterway to rent a houseboat (but be careful of alligators as you explore the banks). A trip to Silver Glen Springs turns the water turquoise, making it perfectly clear for swimming.
Holly Bluff Marina in DeLand offers 10 houseboats for rent, ranging from the 38-foot Catfish Bend, which sleeps four, to the 60-foot Silver Glen, which sleeps up to 10. The Silver Glen has a spacious indoor lounge and a rooftop deck for soaking up the Sunshine State’s abundant Vitamin D. All linens are provided, as are gas grills and flat-screen TVs with DVD players.
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
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Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota, an International Dark Sky Park, is a place of extraordinary natural beauty. It offers clear waters, towering pine trees, and a world-class houseboat experience. Located near the Canadian border and border waters, the park spans five natural lakes and has no roads passing through it.
Ebel’s Voyager Houseboats offers one of 13 houseboats for rent, accommodating 2 to 12 people. Spend your days swimming, fishing, or picking wild berries. Some houseboat models have screened porches or decks on all four sides, allowing you to make the most of the spectacular natural views that surround you. Newer models also feature onboard air conditioning and hot tubs.
Table Rock Lake, Missouri
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A houseboat on Table Rock Lake in southwest Missouri can be whatever you want it to be: take a dip in the lake, then visit the lakeside restaurants and bars or escape further into the reservoir in the Ozark Mountains.
Table Rock Lake Houseboat Rentals offers the best houseboats in the Ozark Mountains. For larger groups, the seven-bedroom Carlyle sleeps 16 and has a six-person hot tub, swimming platform, and wet bar on the top deck.
Erie Canal, New York
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Stretching more than 300 miles from Albany, New York, to Buffalo and Lake Erie, the Erie Canal is lined with 19th-century canal towns and modern boat marinas. These picturesque communities are perfect for a boating vacation, but for that you’ll need a canal boat – a beefier version of a houseboat designed to navigate in and out of locks and marinas.
At Erie Macedon Landing, you can rent a canal boat for three, four or seven nights. Cruise at your own pace and stop off at Finger Lakes wineries and Amish quilt shops, the quaint beauty of which is said to have inspired Norman Rockwell.
Everglades National Park, Florida
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Florida’s Everglades National Park attracts more than a million visitors each year. But few realize that the park’s vast wilderness extends deeper than the trails allow. Rent a houseboat and cruise to Whitewater Bay, where manatees, sea turtles and swordfish are often spotted. Enjoy world-class fishing for tarpon, redfish, speckled trout and more.
Flamingo Adventures is located deep within the park at Flamingo Marina and offers four houseboats for travelers. Designed to sleep six people, the 42-foot houseboats come equipped with 70-gallon water tanks, generator-powered air conditioning and propane grills.
Lake Billy Chinook, Oregon
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This beautiful central Oregon reservoir spans several river valleys and boasts 72 miles of shoreline. Stocked with several species of trout and bass, the lake is mostly surrounded by public land, giving it a pristine and tranquil feel.
At Lake Billy Chinook Houseboats, you can rent a houseboat that sleeps 10-14 guests and head off to explore for a few nights or longer, watching towering basalt spires, changing color canyon walls and, if you’re lucky, eagles soaring overhead.
Lake Shasta, California
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Less than an hour south of Mount Shasta, Lake Shasta is California’s largest man-made lake and a popular spot for boating. Its shores are mostly steep mountainous terrain lined with tall evergreen trees, and there are plenty of coves and waterfalls to explore. When you’re not hiking the wilderness trails, cast a fishing line and reel in the lake’s prized fish, including salmon and a variety of trout, then cook them up on the grill.
Holiday Harbor Lake Shasta houseboats offer options for sleeping anywhere from 6 to 16 people. Some boats have slides and most have swim platforms. Thanks to propane-powered appliances, you won’t have to rely on coolers to store food.
