The Sam Patch is a replica 1800s packet boat that serves as a floating history museum and leisurely 90-minute cruise for visitors and locals alike.
Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours are a great way to immerse yourself in the canal’s commercial history, engineering innovations, and influence on today’s recreational use.
Day Trips Around Rochester, New York
Take a 90-minute cruise
Offered 2-3 times daily May-October
Even if you’ve grown up here with the canal in your backyard, a ride on the Sam Patch is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon.
Daily cruises depart from Schoen Place in Pittsford.
Locking through Lock E-32
You can visit any of the locks along the canal and watch boats lock through, but there’s nothing like experiencing it in a boat!
Check out Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours’ special events
Past themes have included sunset yoga, live music, wine tastings, and a Fourth of July fireworks cruise.
Most event cruises depart from Pittsford. Some events begin at Brooks Landing near the Staybridge Suites hotel, like cruises during the Corn Hill Festival or ROC the Riverway.
Sam Patch packet boat tours on the Genesee River
If you’re lucky you’ll hop on one of their rare 2-hour excursions from Pittsford to Corn Hill Landing in the City of Rochester.
These are usually one way, meaning they depart from Pittsford and end in Corn Hill, or visa versa. You’ll need to think about return transportation.
They do this because they need to move the boat to a new location, maybe for a wedding, and why not offer people an opportunity to ride along!
We’ve parked cars at both ends in the past.
More information about Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours
Cost: Varies by excursion
Located at Schoen Place in Pittsford, 21 minutes / 13 miles from Rochester (get directions)
More Information: sampatch.org
Walking around The Village of Pittsford
Pioneer settlers were farming the land here prior to the development of the Erie Canal. Look to Pittsford Farms Dairy as an example, established in 1814 as a farm, livery and stagecoach operation.
Many of the villages along the canal, especially those that include the word “port”–Fairport, Spencerport, Brockport–developed to fill the needs of the new canal and the settlers who traded there.
Pittsford thrived once the canal, as well as the railroad, routed through the area, establishing Monroe County’s oldest village in 1827.
As you’re exploring the village, waiting on your Sam Patch excursion to begin or walking to a restaurant afterward, take a look at the buildings and historic markers. They tell the story of this extraordinary place.
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What do you love most about a ride on the Sam Patch?
Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.
People often ask me if I get free access to places while exploring. The answer is no unless I’m invited to previews or granted behind-the-scenes access as part of my media role. Generally, I don’t mention my project, Day Trips Around Rochester, NY, because I want the same experience you would have. I create and share content simply because it brings me joy. I would appreciate your support—a cup of coffee or two to help fuel future field trips—if you have found valuable information here that has helped you explore the Rochester area.
I’m still trying to figure out what the excursion cost, I’ll never understand this kind of advertisement. Put the damn price and schedules up front and all the amenities you offer rather than having to dance around on a website looking and looking and I still haven’t found it it’s such a turn off
Hello Frank! Are you looking on Sam Patch’s website to buy tickets? https://www.sampatch.org/