*2025 Cruise Season Has Begun*
Due to weather, and fast river current, July 5th, 2pm public cruise is canceled!
Public cruises are each Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, weather permitting. These cruises last approx. 90 minutes. Reservations are not required for our weekend public cruises, but are encouraged if you are coming in from out of town. Ticket sales begin 30 minutes prior to any cruise. In any case where we would need to cancel our public cruises, we will do our best to cancel in a timely manner, and post it to our Facebook page. We hope to see you soon!
The Scenic City Empress Boat Club was built in 1937, during the depressioin era, as a location for local families to gather and enjoy special events and holidays together. Throughout the years it has become the central hub for many community events.
Over the years the lodge became the hub for the Iowa Falls Water Ski Club, and now as the home for the Empress Riverboat. The cozy riverside logde is available for rent year round. In 2009 a riverfront restoration was organized. A new dock, fire pit, shore stabilization, canoe access, and recycled plastic benches and picnic tables were all part of the project to provide a beautiful riverside recreational area in the city of Iowa Falls. 2012 brought a major renovation and restoration to the clubhouse lodge. The foundation of the building was entirely rebuilt, and the exterior of the lodge was restored. In addition, the lower level was renovated to include a historic Iowa River museum showcasing the Iowa Falls river heritage throughout the years. Each of these projects has helped ensure that the Scenic City Empress Boat Club can continue to be a shining light in Iowa Falls for many years to come.
Over the years the lodge became the hub for the Iowa Falls Water Ski Club, and now as the home for the Empress Riverboat. The cozy riverside logde is available for rent year round. In 2009 a riverfront restoration was organized. A new dock, fire pit, shore stabilization, canoe access, and recycled plastic benches and picnic tables were all part of the project to provide a beautiful riverside recreational area in the city of Iowa Falls. 2012 brought a major renovation and restoration to the clubhouse lodge. The foundation of the building was entirely rebuilt, and the exterior of the lodge was restored. In addition, the lower level was renovated to include a historic Iowa River museum showcasing the Iowa Falls river heritage throughout the years. Each of these projects has helped ensure that the Scenic City Empress Boat Club can continue to be a shining light in Iowa Falls for many years to come.
For over 80 years, the Scenic City Empress Boat Club has been preserving and enhancing our Iowa River resource while serving our community.
The Mission of the Scenic City Empress Boat Club is :
- To promote and encourage interest and support for the preservation of our Iowa River heritage by maintaining the historic lodge for use by the public for special events,
- To preserve the Empress as the last operating riverboat on the inland waterway in Iowa for viewing our natural and scenic river heritage, to provide educational and volunteer programs to maintain and enhance our river resource
- To encourage and support recreation use of our scenic river through water recreation, educational and safety programs.
The purposes of the Boat Club include:
enjoy the scenic Iowa River and understand its heritage. The facility serves mostly Hardin and surrounding
counties, but it also attracts tour groups and others from throughout Iowa and the Midwest.
- Preserving and enhancing our Iowa River resource through environmental and community service volunteer efforts.
- Providing community programs with a focus on education and the environment.
- Maintaining the historic lodge and its unique riverfront property.
- Supporting community development and values.
enjoy the scenic Iowa River and understand its heritage. The facility serves mostly Hardin and surrounding
counties, but it also attracts tour groups and others from throughout Iowa and the Midwest.
empressboatclub.org
