90 Minute Walking Tour with Boat Ride
Tours Every Day
No Reservations Required
All Ages Welcome

The only thing traditional about this tour is its name. Because what can be traditional about going 156 feet below the Earth’s surface to explore six million year old caves? This 90 minute journey begins in Lester Howe's above ground study where Howe himself will regale you with a story on how he discovered this great cave. Mr. Howe will then send you on foot after you descend in an elevator to the depths below. Then your experienced tour guide leads you through the enormous main cavern, immense galleries and under huge boulders which hang precariously overhead. You then get to experience the mystique of the River Styx, The Sentinels, Titan’s Temple and The Giant Formation. Not sure what these are? Come see for yourself!

When you begin to feel you’ve delved as far as the caverns will allow, you reach the shores of the Lake of Venus where you board a boat that launches you downriver to the edge of darkness so you can peer out to where no one has gone in over 100 years. On your way back to civilization, you’ll have the opportunity to kneel at the Bridal Altar, where nearly 600 couples have gotten married. This amazing experience concludes after you navigate the 500 foot serpentine passage known as the Winding Way; one of the world’s best examples of underground water erosion.

Prices listed below to tour one of the coolest attractions in Upstate New York!

Anyone age 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older.

For those of you looking for something not so “traditional,” check out our Lantern Tour and Adventure Tour.

Want to stay at one of the best family vacation spots in Upstate New York? Check out our affordable vacation packages, including our Tour and Stay Package.

When you take advantage of our affordable vacation packages, you get more time to enjoy all that Howe Caverns has to offer, including The Cave House Museum of Mining & Geology, gemstone mining, scenic bike rides, nearby hiking trails, and other Upstate New York attractions.

If you’re looking for a great learning experience for a group of kids, check out our affordable school tours and scout tours. Our cave tours make great homeschooling field trips too.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Please dress appropriately for maximum comfort during your tour. Bring a light jacket and wear comfortable shoes that give you a good level of traction. The cavern environment is a constant 52º Fahrenheit / 12º Celsius and 70-75% humidity, year round.

For the safety of our guests and preservation of the cavern, large bags, backpacks, food and beverages, etc. are not permitted underground.

To help protect the cave environment, touching rocks and formations is prohibited. Some cave formations are very fragile to the touch and may break easier than you might think. Also the oils in your skin may stop the growth of cave formations.

Wheeled devices and strollers are not permitted in the cavern. Above ground areas are accessible to mobility impaired visitors. A 25 minute video of the cavern tour is available for those who cannot tour the cave.

The cavern tour is equivalent to a 12 city block walk and has a 15 minute boat ride half way through it. Because we are at the whim of Mother Nature, anyone who has breathing problems or difficulty walking and negotiating steps should take note before purchasing tickets.

Bring your camera! We encourage you to take photographs; however, tripods are not permitted in the cavern.

There are no restrooms in the cavern. Please remember to use the facilities above ground prior to your tour departure. You will be underground for up to 90 minutes.

The cave provides a fun and educational environment for people of all ages; however, parents should be responsible for their child's behavior to ensure their safe enjoyment of the tour.

For the convenience of our guests who travel with their pets, we have seasonal kennels available. Our kennels are comprised of individually fenced and covered pens. We will also provide water for your pet. There is no charge for this convenience. However, donations are accepted and go to our local animal shelters.

If you have any questions or concerns, always feel free to contact us before you plan to visit. For more information about Howe Caverns, please call 518-296-8900. We look forward to seeing you!