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Book Now! Pay Later
Take advantage of our low deposits and secure your boating vacation today with just a 25% deposit. 2nd payment (up to 50%) is due by December 31st, 2024. Balance due 90 days before departure.
Gold Trusted Service Award
Gold Trusted Service Award
Awarded by Feefo, which independently collects reviews from our customers, the award recognizes businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
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Boating expertise since 1969
With over 50 years of experience and expertise, we're passionate about providing unbeatable vacations on the water.
Boat
World’s largest fleet
We have more river and canal boats available than any other operator, available to hire between April and October. Our wide range of boats sleeps between 2-12 people.
Buoy
No boat license required
That's right! You can rent and captain your own boat for a short break (3 nights minimum), a week or longer. We'll show you everything you need to know before you set off.
  • Book Now! Pay Later
    Take advantage of our low deposits and secure your boating vacation today with just a 25% deposit. 2nd payment (up to 50%) is due by December 31st, 2024. Balance due 90 days before departure.
  • Gold Trusted Service Award
    Gold Trusted Service Award
    Awarded by Feefo, which independently collects reviews from our customers, the award recognizes businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
  • rozet badge
    Boating expertise since 1969
    With over 50 years of experience and expertise, we're passionate about providing unbeatable vacations on the water.
  • Boat
    World’s largest fleet
    We have more river and canal boats available than any other operator, available to hire between April and October. Our wide range of boats sleeps between 2-12 people.
  • Buoy
    No boat license required
    That's right! You can rent and captain your own boat for a short break (3 nights minimum), a week or longer. We'll show you everything you need to know before you set off.
  • Book Now! Pay Later
    Take advantage of our low deposits and secure your boating vacation today with just a 25% deposit. 2nd payment (up to 50%) is due by December 31st, 2024. Balance due 90 days before departure.
  • Gold Trusted Service Award
    Gold Trusted Service Award
    Awarded by Feefo, which independently collects reviews from our customers, the award recognizes businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
  • rozet badge
    Boating expertise since 1969
    With over 50 years of experience and expertise, we're passionate about providing unbeatable vacations on the water.
  • Boat
    World’s largest fleet
    We have more river and canal boats available than any other operator, available to hire between April and October. Our wide range of boats sleeps between 2-12 people.
  • Buoy
    No boat license required
    That's right! You can rent and captain your own boat for a short break (3 nights minimum), a week or longer. We'll show you everything you need to know before you set off.
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Boating Holidays
/England

Boating vacations in England

237 reviews

English boating vacations are fun packed adventures, through pretty countryside and historic sites.

Hiring a houseboat in England allows you to explore fascinating, out-of-the-way places and tailor your experience to be as relaxing or as 'full-on' as you want it to be. You can steer your boat and stop over wherever and whenever you please on the charming English waterways, which are strewn with historic cities like Oxford and Windsor. The rivers are also bustling with attractions, fishing spots and quintessential English villages with riverside pubs and immaculate village greens.

Boat hire in England is great for...

  • Family fun and plenty to do and see
  • Beautiful green countryside
  • Riverside pubs and immaculate villages
  • Fishing and bird-watching
  • Royal Parks, Castles and Palaces

Regions in England

Rent a boat in England and explore beyond the waters... 

As well as enjoying a fabulous boating vacation in England, why not make the most of your time in this amazing country and visit a nearby area or city? Book a hotel, hire a car, and explore further afield, either before your English houseboat vacation begins, or when you get back to base. 

 

Below are a number of suggestions that we think would make your stay in this part of England even more special - if you have extra time:

Oxford

Most people head towards Henley and Windsor during their boat holiday in England, but you can also go in the other direction into Oxford. So why not spend a few pre- or post-cruise nights there instead? Most famous for its prestigious university, Oxford's rich English history and beautiful architecture have earned it the nickname 'the city of dreaming spires'. View the city from the stunning Radcliffe Camera library, explore the history of Oxford Castle, and relax in Oxford's warm botanical garden. The activities on offer are endless! With markets, an abundance of museums, and even an Alice in Wonderland inspired shop, it's no surprise that people spend more than a few days in the home of the oldest English-speaking university in the world. 

London 

Our cruising area in England runs through the gorgeous English countryside and takes in many towns on the outskirts of the capital, but it doesn't extend right into central London. However, you can hop on a train and find yourself at the top of the Shard in no time. From the iconic sights of Westminster, the bright lights of the West End theatres and the trendy markets of Shoreditch; the royal palaces and parks, world-class museums and countless attractions, London's rich diversity is enough to keep you occupied for days, and will leave you wanting to return again and again.

South Downs National Park

Our boating region is but an hour or so away from a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the perfect accompaniment to a canal boat holiday in England. Mainline trains take an hour from London into Winchester (at the western end) or into Eastbourne (to its East) and many other towns and villages in between.  

 

Other UK boating holiday destinations

Scotland

If you'd like to explore more of the UK beyond The Thames, then a boating holiday in Scotland will leave you with lasting memories. The Caledonian Canal is home to incredible beauty with so much to see, from rugged cliffs, crumbling castles and Loch Ness.

 

Review of a boating holiday in England...

"Brilliant weekend! Loved it! Great fun on the boat navigating the waterways and enjoying the pace of life on the river. Wonderful way to see this area of England. We had a wonderful time on the Tango. It was a comfortable boat and we really enjoyed going along the waterways and through locks, having BBQ's on the side of the river and jumping in for a dip to cool off. Got the hang of boating really quickly and loved it."

Vicky Boughton, Tango