Canal Boat Rides

Board the LaSalle Canal Boat and enjoy the scenery, history, and relaxation of a mule-pulled ride on the historic Illinois & Michigan Canal.

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Event Spaces

The Lock 16 Center, Vintage Room, and LaSalle Canal Boat are three distinct venues to create the perfect setting for your next event.

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Lock 16 Center

Linger, learn, dine and shop in the restored vintage building now a hub for boat rides, visitor info, exhibits, lectures, and cultural programs. Free Wifi.

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Welcome to the Lock 16 Center & LaSalle Canal Boat!

The LaSalle Canal Boat is a mule-pulled, full-size replica of the 19 th Century canal boats that once carried passengers on the I&M Canal, the hand-dug waterway that opened in 1848, extending from Chicago to LaSalle-Peru. The 76-by-15-foot boat is docked in downtown LaSalle, only five miles from Starved Rock State Park.

A few short blocks from the LaSalle Canal Boat is the Lock 16 Center’s Café & Gift Shop. The restored vintage building was once home to a horse buggy maker and is now a hub for LaSalle Canal Boat rides and activities, visitor information, I&M Canal exhibits, lectures, afternoon teas and cultural programs. The Lock 16 Center is also a place to linger and learn, dine and shop, or have your next special event.

Remember, all proceeds generated from café, gift shop and ticket sales are used to support the operations, mission and preservation of the I&M National Heritage Corridor.