Group Tours

Our Tour Options

Canal Boat Rides

Enjoy a peaceful cruise on the canal, just like passengers in the 1840’s! We recommend budgeting about one hour for the narrated canal boat tour aboard The Delphi. This will include the approximately 40-minute ride plus time to board and disembark.

The Delphi can accommodate about 25 adults on each trip. We use open bench seating so capacity might be slightly higher or lower. Private rides are available from about April through October. We can operate during rain but not during lightning or extreme winds. If we cannot operate the boat on the day of a tour, we will notify the tour organizer immediately.

The Delphi has a wheelchair lift and is ADA accessible. Having two or more wheelchairs may reduce standard seating capacity.

Interactive Canal Museum

Learn about Indiana’s Canal Era with a unique tour through our award-winning museum! We recommend budgeting about one hour for the museum visit, or at minimum 30 minutes.

The museum tour may be narrated or you can explore at your own pace. Either way, we will provide a docent to answer questions and assist your group.

The museum includes twelve galleries that share the whole story of the canal, from Indiana’s early and pre-statehood to construction, operation, and ultimately the demise of the Wabash & Erie Canal.

Minimum group size: 15 if the group is not taking a boat ride.

Reed Case House

See how the wealthy city-slickers lived during the Canal Era! This historic home, built in 1844, was once the family residence of Reed Case, the man who oversaw construction of the Wabash & Erie Canal in Miami County and from Delphi to Lafayette.

This is a home tour like you’ve never experienced, a portal into the past to glimpse luxurious living. We recommend budgeting 30-60 minutes for this tour, and we will connect you with a docent to lead your group or answer questions as you explore at your own pace.

Minimum group size: 15 if the group is not taking a boat ride.

Pioneer Village

Visit artisans and docents who demonstrate 19th century trades and ways of life! When you add the Pioneer Village to your tour, you will see demonstrations in historic buildings situated along the canal. We recommend budgeting 30-60 minutes for the Pioneer Village.

All tradespeople are volunteers, so specific destinations are subject to availability. Some of your options include: the Blacksmith Shop, the Broom-Maker’s Cabin, the One-Room Schoolhouse, the Loom House, the Cooper Shop, and many more!

Leashed pets are welcome in the Pioneer Village, but not inside the cabins. Groups must have at least 25 people to tour the Pioneer Village.

Guided Trail Hikes

If your group is looking for a more active option to explore the last remaining navigable portion of the Wabash & Erie Canal, sign up for a guided trail hike! We will connect you with an experienced guide who will tell you about the historic and natural wonders along our trail system.

We recommend at least 30 minutes for a walking tour, but we steward nearly six miles of trails so it can be as long as you prefer! There are also dozens of fascinating interpretive panels along the trails your guests can browse as they walk.

Minimum group size: 15 guests.

Green Space to Explore

While you are at Canal Park, you have a variety of spaces you can enjoy at no charge! The replica canal playboat is a hit with children (and kids at heart), plus there are picnic tables throughout the park. Your group is also welcome to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a meal under the Speece Picnic Shelter for free, pending availability.

Some other spots to visit include the seesaw by the One-Room Schoolhouse, the pull-me boat exhibit, the guard lock gates, the railroad track switcher, and more.

Catered Meals

Spare yourself the hassle of organizing a meal for your group and let us handle it! We will work with local caterers to create a menu that will meet all your dietary needs and tickle your taste buds.

Whether you prefer the traditional Canaler’s Lunch (hearty beef stew, homemade cornbread, coleslaw, yummy apple crisp, coffee, and other drinks) or something more modern, you won’t leave hungry!

For the Canaler’s Lunch, group size minimum is 25 people. For smaller groups, we can find a suitable alternative!

Group Tour Policies and Information

We love having groups come to enjoy our park and learn about life in the past. The dedicated volunteers at the Wabash & Erie Canal are ecstatic that you’re interested in visiting our facilities along a preserved stretch of the historic canal. Please be aware of the following information as you plan your tour:

• Reservations for groups of over 12 people must be made at least two weeks in advance of your visit.
• You will be sent an invoice for a $100 deposit to reserve the date. The remaining balance will be due at the time of the visit. Payment must come from a single payer and may be made by check, cash, or card.
• If the group must cancel, please notify the Reservation Manager at least two days prior to the visit at: (765) 564-2870. The deposit will be forfeited.
• The Wabash & Erie Canal is on Eastern Time.
• In planning your trip, please allow 5 to 10 minutes between each venue for embarking/disembarking from the boat, walking time and restroom breaks. If two boat rides are given, there will be a 15-minute break between rides.
• Restrooms are available in the Interpretive Center, in the Pioneer Village, and in the Campground.
• Fresh water is available via drinking fountains, and bottled water is for sale at the reception desk. Food is not available at Canal Park, unless you request a catered meal. We can also provide you a list of fantastic local dining options.
• There are times when the canal boat cannot operate due to weather or mechanical issues. These are rare occasions, but if cancellation is necessary, our staff will notify the group’s contact person as soon as possible and refund the fee for the boat.

Parking & Accessibility

• The facilities at the Canal complex are handicap accessible, including the boat, but we must be notified of this need at least two weeks in advance of the visit. Benches on the boat must be removed to accommodate wheelchairs. Due to typical time constraints, only four wheelchairs can be accommodated on the boat at one time. Wheelchair accommodation on The Delphi creates a reduction in standard seating. People in wheelchairs that can navigate steps with assistance, will not require a reduction in standard seating.
• Plenty of paved parking is available off Washington street on Rhineland Trail.
• Walking is the common mode of travel around the park. There is considerable distance between the various facilities and must be taken into account for the travel time required to reach each venue. If mobility is an issue travel times will naturally increase.
• Well-behaved, on-leash pets are welcome on the Canal grounds. Only service animals/therapy dogs with registration documentation are allowed in the Interpretive Center, Reed Case House, boat and Museum.
• Firearms are not allowed on Canal grounds.