BB Riverboats
Rating
Family of 4
Cruise pricing varies widely between a short sightseeing trip and a full dinner cruise, and rates change seasonally, so pull current prices from bbriverboats.
Duration
About 1 hour for a sightseeing cruise, 2-3 hours for lunch, dinner, or themed cruises, plus 30-45 minutes for parking and boarding
Best Ages
3 to 12 for the standard sightseeing cruises, with the strongest reaction from kids around 4 to 9 who are thrilled by being on a real boat. Babies and toddlers travel fine because you can stay on an enclosed deck and there are seats, but you will be the one holding them near railings the whole time. Tweens and teens do better on the themed and dining cruises, where there is a meal, music, or a holiday event to anchor the hour, than on a straight narrated sightseeing loop. Confirm any age or height related boarding rules for your specific cruise at bbriverboats.com.
About
BB Riverboats operates out of Riverboat Row in Newport, Kentucky, directly across the Ohio River from downtown Cincinnati, and it is the most dependable way to actually get your family onto a boat here. The lineup runs from short narrated sightseeing cruises to lunch and dinner sailings and seasonal themed cruises through the year.
Here is the practical read for parents. A one hour sightseeing cruise is close to ideal for a 4 to 9 year old. It is long enough to feel like a real trip and short enough that nobody unravels.
You get the Cincinnati skyline, the Roebling suspension bridge passing overhead, working barge traffic, and the stadiums along the Banks, all narrated. If you are bringing tweens or teens, the straight sightseeing loop can feel thin, and a dinner or holiday themed cruise with a meal and music holds them much better.
Logistics are where families get tripped up. Give yourself 30 to 45 minutes before departure for parking at the landing and boarding, and understand that the boat departs on schedule regardless. The boats have multiple decks connected by stairs, so a stroller is more burden than help.
Most families with a baby leave the stroller in the car and use a carrier. Confirm restroom and changing arrangements onboard with BB Riverboats at (800) 261-8586 if you are traveling with an infant, since layouts differ from boat to boat.
One useful feature: this works in bad weather. The enclosed decks are climate controlled, which makes a river cruise one of the few outdoor-adjacent Cincinnati activities that survives a rainy afternoon. Check the specific weather and cancellation policy for your sailing before you drive over, but you are not automatically out of luck the way you would be with a walking tour.
Dress for the water rather than the parking lot. It runs cooler and windier out in the middle of the Ohio than it does on the bank, and the open top deck, which is where kids will want to be, gets full sun and full wind. Light jackets in spring and fall, sunscreen and hats in summer.
Budget carefully, because a sightseeing ticket and a dinner cruise ticket are very different numbers and both move with the season. Check current pricing at bbriverboats.com. If you are already planning a meal out, compare the bundled lunch cruise against a cruise plus a restaurant, since the bundle often wins on both price and patience.
Pair the trip with Newport on the Levee or the Newport Aquarium and you have a full day without moving the car twice.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Limited
Nursing / Changing
Unknown
Kid Meals
Limited
Setting
Indoor & Outdoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Weekday or early afternoon sightseeing cruises in spring and fall, when the boat is less full and the temperature on the open top deck is actually pleasant
Wait Times
Boarding usually opens well before departure and takes 20-30 minutes on a full boat. Arrive at least 30 minutes early, and closer to 45 for holiday and dinner cruises when the parking lot backs up
Nearby Food
Newport on the Levee is a short walk from the Riverboat Row landing and gives you a cluster of casual restaurants and quick options that all handle kids easily, which is the simplest plan before or after a sightseeing cruise. Across the river, Arnold's Bar & Grill is the closest listed Cincinnati sit-down option, reachable on foot over the Purple People Bridge if your crew is up for the walk. On lunch and dinner cruises the meal is part of the ticket, so you can skip the restaurant question entirely. Onboard concessions exist on sightseeing sailings but are priced accordingly, so feed everyone first if you are watching the budget.
Why Kids Love It
It is a real riverboat on a real working river, and the moment you pull away from the Newport landing kids stop asking how long it will be. The Cincinnati skyline slides past on one side and Kentucky on the other, the Roebling suspension bridge passes directly overhead, and there is usually a barge or two to point at. Kids who get to stand at the rail on the open top deck with the wind going and the city moving by tend to call this the best part of the trip.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before departure. Boarding is a real process at Riverboat Row, the parking lot fills for popular sailings, and the boat leaves on schedule whether your family is aboard or not.
- Ask about deck layout when you book if you are bringing a stroller. Boats have multiple levels connected by stairs, and most families find it easier to leave the stroller in the car and use a carrier for a baby.
- Pick your cruise type by age. A one hour narrated sightseeing cruise suits younger kids. Tweens and teens do much better with a lunch, dinner, or holiday themed sailing that gives them something to do.
- This is a legitimate rainy day option, unlike most river activities. Enclosed climate controlled decks mean the cruise runs in weather that would ruin an outdoor plan, though confirm the weather policy for your sailing before you drive over.
- Combine it with Newport on the Levee. You are a short walk from the Levee complex and the Newport Aquarium, and the Purple People Bridge walk across to Cincinnati is free and gives kids a second river view.
What to Bring
- A baby carrier instead of a stroller, since the decks are connected by stairs
- Light jackets, because it is noticeably cooler and windier on the water than on shore
- Sunscreen and hats for time on the open top deck
- A charged phone or camera for the skyline and Roebling bridge views
- Cash or a card for onboard concessions if you are not on a meal cruise
Cost Info
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Cruise pricing varies widely between a short sightseeing trip and a full dinner cruise, and rates change seasonally, so pull current prices from bbriverboats.
com before you budget.
Beyond tickets, plan on parking at the Riverboat Row landing, which is typically a modest flat lot fee, plus roughly $20 to $40 if you buy snacks or drinks onboard on a sightseeing cruise.
A dinner cruise bundles the meal into the ticket, which makes it the better value comparison against paying separately for a cruise and a restaurant.
Tips to Save
- Book online in advance rather than at the dock, and check the site for seasonal promotions, since sightseeing cruises are priced differently across the season.
- Compare the sightseeing cruise plus a restaurant meal against a lunch cruise, because the bundled option is often close in price and saves you a second stop with tired kids.
- Ask about child pricing and whether there is a free or reduced rate for very young children when you call (800) 261-8586.
- Eat before you board on a sightseeing cruise, since onboard concession prices are captive audience prices.
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