Did you know that there are different types of houseboat vacations? While the concept is similar, it's an experience that is far from one-size-fits-all.

Lakes:

The most common type of houseboat experience, akin to camping but with the comforts of home. We like to say a houseboat is like an RV on water. The perfect way to immerse yourself in nature without sacrificing comfort.

On the lake you can fish, swim, kayak, and do any watersports with a powerboat or pontoon.

With varying scenery, from the tree-lined shoreline of Shasta Lake in California, or Lake Cumberland and Dale Hollow Lake on the border of Kentucky/Tennessee, to the desert of Lake Mead or Lake Mohave in Nevada, and red rock canyons and arches of Lake Powell on the border of Utah/Arizona - each location is unique in its own right.

Check out what each location has to offer by region in our recent articles: (and keep an eye out for upcoming posts)

• Houseboating in the PNW
• Houseboating in Kentucky/Tennessee
• Houseboating in the South

Rivers:

Among the cypress marshes, spotted with natural springs that house manatees on the St Johns River in Florida, part of the Ocala National Forest.

Visit Silver Glen Springs or Blue Springs State Park, where West Indian Manatees spend their winters. The year-round 73 degree spring water can be enjoyed by swimmers and snorkelers all year.

Along the river, keep your eyes peeled for alligators, turtles, and exotic birds such as heron or osprey.

Canals:

On lakes and rivers, there aren't places to stop for dinner, shopping, or sightseeing, but that's different on a canalway. On these canals, you can go through locks, stop in charming canal towns along the way, experience historical sites and feats of engineering, with a mix of natural sights in between.

Erie Canal in upstate New York, In Ontario, the Rideau Canal just south of Ottawa, or the Trent-Severn Waterway outside of Peterborough.

• Compare what makes each of these locations special in our recent article: Houseboating in the North East

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park is the outlier here, as it technically doesn't fit in any of the above categories - another example of just how unique a houseboat experience can be.

Florida Bay is fed by the Kissimee River, Coot Bay offers spectactular fishing and a popular canoe trail through mangrove tunnels. Whitewater Bay is the second largest body of water in the state of Florida, where houseboaters can enjoy the giant coves along the outskirts of the Bay.

You may spot a West Indian Manatee, an endangered Leatherback turtle, American alligator and crocodile, and other species of birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals.

• Compare the Everglades and St Johns River experiences in our recent article: Houseboating in Florida

See all of our destinations here: Houseboat Locations to start planning your houseboat adventure. Give us a call at 888-454-8825 or send an Online Request and an agent will reach out to you, we're happy to answer any questions!