Thank you to the Goodtime III for providing complimentary tickets for my family. As always, all opinions are my own.
Our family spent an amazing summer afternoon cruising on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River aboard the Goodtime III, Cleveland’s largest sightseeing vessel. The ship’s four decks offer indoor and open air seating for up to 1,000 passengers to enjoy the view of Cleveland’s skyline, its many bridges and all the new development at the East Bank of the Flats. This family owned tour boat was established in 1958 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer. The Narrated Sightseeing Tour is especially kid friendly and a great way for visitors (and residents!) to learn about Cleveland’s downtown from a unique perspective. A ride on the Goodtime III with kids is a particularly good first boating experience for young passengers, and the views just can’t be beat.
Goodtime III Parking
Parking is conveniently located at the East Ninth Street Pier Parking lot and costs $10 for 2-3.5 hours. The kids’ excitement started escalating as I parked along the side of the enormous Goodtime III. My only challenge was locating the pay station, but lucky for me, my eight year old has a keen eye and pointed it out for me. Our car was parked only a short distance from the ticket booth, and we had to walk only about 20 steps after disembarking.
Goodtime III Tickets
After paying for parking, we headed to the ticket booth. There were separate lines for visitors with pre-booked tickets and for those purchasing tickets. General admission for the two-hour Narrated Sightseeing Tour costs $18 for adults and $10 for children, and reservations are available online for a small booking fee. Children under five are free, but need a ticket to board. Advance reservations are required for special events and all trips that include a meal.
The ticket booth is easy to find
- Pro-Tips: Tours are offered Tuesdays through Sundays. The Goodtime III offers kids a special $1 admission on their 3 p.m. Narrated Sightseeing Tour from Memorial Day to July 4th.
Boarding the Goodtime III
Getting ready to board
I was happy to walk right up to the will-call booth and secure our tickets with my picture ID. We arrived at about 2:20 p.m., collected our tickets and made our way to the boarding area by about 2:25 p.m. and had only a few minutes to wait before boarding for our 3:00 p.m. cruise, which began sharply at 2:30 p.m. The kids really enjoyed experiences on smaller boats while touring the Kerala backwaters and whale watching in Dalvik, Iceland and were ecstatic to board this massive vessel.
Because this mid-week cruise afternoon cruise had about 150 passengers, we had plenty of seating options. The kids excitedly tried out a half a dozen views before the ship even left the dock. While there was plenty of room on our cruise, the Goodtime III, which has a maximum capacity of 1,000, never exceeds 800 to maintain comfort for all passengers.
Checking out the views while docked on the Ninth Street Pier
An Afternoon Cruise on the Goodtime III
The ship departed exactly at 3:00 p.m., so visitors need to arrive on time or will be stuck on shore. We enjoyed an hour of narration about Cleveland’s history, buildings, bridges and trivia and then a second hour of music on the ship’s sound system, which was fun to listen to while watching the ever-changing views.
The Flats have had significant development over the past few years
The facilities on board were excellent and kid-friendly, and it is clear that safety is a huge priority for the Goodtime III. After previous rides on much smaller boats with kids, I was relieved to see that all side railings provided a safe enclosure for little people. Although I still had to remind my kids to keep their feet on the ground and not to lean out of the ship, I did not have to spend the entire cruise holding my daughter. There were also bins full of adult and child-sized life vests strategically placed around the ship, and the crew provided a demonstration on how to use the life vests before we departed. The restrooms featured running water and even a diaper changing station not common on smaller boats.
He spent a lot of time just gazing at the city.
We ordered popcorn for the kids, which was reasonably priced at only $2 a box on the second level. Of course, after popcorn, they needed water, which was $2 a bottle. We also treated them to ice cream sandwiches, which were available on the main level and cost only $2.50 each. The Goodtime III also offered burgers, grilled chicken, nachos and a full bar on board.
Cleveland’s Public Square
I always love the idea of boating but am prone to seasickness and have regretted several boating or sailing excursions. However, I had no issues on the Goodtime III, which was large and very stable. Every staff member we met was also helpful and friendly. I apologized to crew member Ashlynn for the popcorn crumbs surrounding my daughter and even offered to sweep them up myself. She replied that she was happy to have something to do.
It was fun to see planes taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport.
My favorite piece of trivia from the narrated portion of the cruise was that The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, originally included the sentence, “I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie.” However, Seuss removed the line 14 years after publication when Ohio Sea Grant Program researchers informed him of efforts to clean-up the Lake.
We spent the last 15 minutes of the boat ride on the main deck, and my daughter took full advantage of the empty dance floor to try out some moves.
The dance floor and seating area on the enclosed main level
The Goodtime III docked at 5:00 p.m. on the dot. We loved the punctuality, especially because my boys had evening swim lessons that we had to rush off to make.
- Pro Tip: Make sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, light jackets, hair bands and a charged camera. It was a warm and sunny 73 degree afternoon, but it got chilly on Lake Erie due to the wind. Even my son who never gets cold was happy to have a jacket. My camera battery died with about 30 minutes before the cruise ended, and I had to rely on my mobile camera for the last pictures.
- Pro-Tip: With four different levels, the Goodtime III is not stroller-friendly. There isn’t much walking needed, so I’d recommend leaving the stroller on shore unless it’s need for nap time.
- Pro-Tip: While buying tickets in advance can save time, I recommend pre-booking the Narrated Sightseeing Cruise only after checking the weather or just purchasing tickets upon arrival. Note that the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Cruise sells out annually, so advance reservations are definitely needed for that.
We were lucky to take advantage of a beautiful summer afternoon and truly enjoy our hometown from a perspective we rarely get to see. We recommend a ride on the Goodtime III with kids. Our kids would love to make an afternoon on the Goodtime III an annual tradition, and I’m sure they would see and learn different things on each cruise.
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features! Also, be sure to check out all our category of posts on Cleveland with kids.
