Dinner and Sunset Cruise

Cruise Schedule

July 18 and July 25:	Thursdays, dinner at 5:00 p.m., cruise departs at 6:30 p.m.

Cruise Description

Start your evening with a delicious fixed price dinner* at Walter's Basin Restaurant, followed by a sunset cruise on Squam Lake. This guided tour showcases Squam's beauty as dusk falls. The guide discusses the natural history, wildlife, and people of Squam Lake.

Dinner and Sunset Cruise is $55.00 per person; not recommended for children

The Dinner and Sunset Cruise is 90 minutes in length and departs from the docks at Walter's Basin Restaurant on Route 3 in downtown Holderness. Squam Lake Cruises are on canopied pontoon boats. Binoculars are available for wildlife viewing at no additional cost.

Advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Each boat has a maximum passenger capacity set by NH Marine Patrol. Space on all cruises is limited. Seats are guaranteed for those making advance reservations and payment. Other space is available on a first come, first serve basis. Reserve online or call 603-968-7194 x 7 for tickets.

Cancellations: Ours and Yours

Cruises may be cancelled if we do not have a minimum of two passengers. The Science Center may also decide to cancel a cruise at any time due to weather, unsafe conditions, or other circumstances at our discretion. We will use our best judgement to ensure the safety of our passengers, Tour Captains, and boats. If we cancel a cruise we will contact passengers to reschedule on another date or to issue a full refund. If passengers need to cancel for any reason, please call the Science Center at 603-968-7194 x 7 to reschedule or request a full refund. If passengers cancel at least 90 minutes prior to the start of the cruise and contact the Science Center, payments will be refunded in full. If passengers cancel within 90 minutes of the start of the cruise, payments will not be refunded.

Sample Dinner Menu:

Appetizer for two, choice of:

Mussels - sauteed onions, garlic, shallot and leeks, simmered in a white wine and butter sauce
Crab Cakes - pan fried crab cakes with chipotle aioli
Shrimp Cocktail

Entree, choice of:

Garlic Teriyaki Glazed Steak Tips - grilled steak tips with a garlic teriyaki glaze, served with mashed potato and vegetable
Pan-Fried Trout - pan-fried Rainbow Trout, with blueberry butter, served with orzo and vegetable
Chicken Francaise - egg battered chicken served with a white wine, lemon, and butter sauce served over linguine
Wild Mushroom and Walnut Ravioli Sautee - wild mushroom raviolis sauteed with garlic, mushrooms, and walnuts, topped with shaved parmesan cheese

Dessert: Seasonal Chef's choice

*Tax and gratuity included. Alcoholic beverages not included. Chef reserves the right to change the menu at any time.

Discover Squam

Bald Eagle Adventure

Loon Cruise

Cruise with a Naturalist

Lake Explorers Family Cruise

Dinner and Sunset Cruise

Private Charters

Group Tours

Lynne Kraskouskas, 09/18/18
Great educational facility. Fun and educational for all ages. Very much enjoyed the sub-canopy boardwalk peppered with stations featuring different animals and ecosystems of the surrounding area. There are educational presentations with live animals as well as an otter exhibit. A few times a week, the otters are fed a "fishsicle" and it is amusing to watch them try and get their snacks. Didn't visit gift shop or go for a cruise. That's the great thing about this place, one can come back again and again and have a different experience. Locals or regular visitors to the region can purchase a membership and come and go. There is a nice picnic area and food during the summer season. It was not busy the day we visited, but I could see it being a lot busier. Educational, interesting AND shady.
Cailin Nelson, 08/03/18
Very nice place, clean and informative. Different from other places - lots for kids to learn hands on. I was a little apprehensive due to the cost and not many animals but felt like it was worth every penny. I would recommend packing a lunch and taking advantage of the trails - make a full day out of it.
Jill Cokely, 09/27/18
My family and I had such a great day here. I loved the flower gardens. It's so beautiful and smells amazing! We all enjoyed the exhibits and will return again in the future.
Chip Work, 07/01/18
We stopped by here on the suggestion of 2 NH natives as a place our 10 year old grandson would enjoy. Well to use "enjoy" would be an understatement, if I were to describe my grandson's experience. There are so many different exhibits, each inviting and engaging young and old minds alike. The animal habitats are brilliant in design. We watched a presentation on the porcupine that had my techno-geek grandson filling up the Q & A session with his curiosity gone wild. The whole staff is very knowledgeable, professional, and polite. The trail and exhibits are clean and well kept. The whole experience was great for our grandson and myself as well.
Howard Nash, 10/08/18
Very well presented exhibit on the wildlife of New Hampshire. Coming from the UK, we had some concerns about the moral question of keeping wild animals in cages. This was set against the very obvious great condition of the animals on display and the effort taken to educate on the natural world - a video or even holograph would not have the same impact. The reason we give it only 4 stars is that not enough effort is made to explain why the animals, particularly the large animals, are kept in relatively small enclosures. Looking at the negative reviews that focus on the moral question, your responses are very encouraging. Perhaps you should cut out the middleman and make more effort at the Centre to explain why the animals are maintained in captivity from a conservation perspective.