Contributed by: Sandi Mulconry / Group M Communications

Whether you enjoy the clear, rippling waters of Skaneateles Lake, the picturesque byways of the Erie Canal or the historical aspects of one of the nation’s few remaining mailboat routes, Mid-Lakes Navigation has a cruise for you.

“Cruising is a great way to experience our region’s natural beauty,” says Sarah Wiles, a co-owner of Mid-Lakes Navigation. “In just a few hours, or a few days, you can explore new environments and establish new friendships. It’s the perfect cap to a stay-cation, which so many families are taking this year.”

Among the cruises offered by Mid-Lakes Navigation are:

€ Dinner (champagne or Dinosaur Barbecue, some with live music), lunch, brunch and sightseeing tours of the Erie Canal on the Emita II, a double-deck tour boat. Cruises depart from Dutchman’s Landing in Baldwinsville, run one to three hours, and are narrated by the captain. Highlights include Lock 24, Mud Lock and the Red Mill Inn.

€ Dinner, lunch, brunch, sightseeing, “Take Out” and U.S. Mailboat cruises on Skaneateles Lake. The mailboat cruise is on the Barbara S. Wiles, a 36-passenger mahogany craft built in 1937; all others are on the Judge Ben Wiles, which seats 100 on two decks. Cruises run one to three hours and are narrated by the captain. Highlights include Stella Maris (originally part of the L.C. Smith estate), Roosevelt Hall (owned by three families of Roosevelts), St. James Episcopal Church, Five Mile Point and Ten Mile Point.

Prices range from $11 adults, $7 children for the sightseeing cruise to $50 adults, $41 children for the Live Music Champagne Dinner Cruise.

€ Lockmaster charter cruises – weeklong and half-week cruises along the Erie Canal in a traditional canalboat. Lockmaster charters depart from Mid-Lakes’ Erie Macedon Marina, near Rochester. Boaters are free to set their own itinerary, visiting such canal towns as Fairport, Pittsford, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Seneca Falls, Waterloo, Palmyra and Phoenix.

Lockmaster charters run $2,300 – $2,975 for a full week, $1575 – $1,875 for a half week.

For more information on Mid-Lakes Navigation cruises, call 315-685-8500, go to http://www.midlakesnav.com or join Mid-Lakes’ fan page on Facebook.