We Have Traveled by Plane, Cruise, Bike and on Foot… But Had Never Tried a Floating House Until Now

We travel a lot. By plane, by car, by train, by cruise ship, by bike, and on foot. We have walked long trails, hiked in the mountains, cycled through small European towns, crossed borders by car, slept in hotels, apartments, tents, cabins, and once even in places where comfort was clearly not the main idea.

But somehow, after all these years of traveling, we had never tried one very simple and very beautiful thing: living in a floating house. A real little house on the water with bedrooms, kitchen, dining table, coffee space, deck, views, and the freedom to move slowly from one place to another.

Recently we were invited to the Le Boat Open House in Peterborough, Ontario, and I thought it would be a pleasant afternoon: we would look at the boats, take a few photos, ask some questions, and go home. Instead, we left discussing routes and unexpectedly considering a type of vacation we had never seriously looked at before.

The Road from Toronto Already Felt Like a Small Escape

The Le Boat Open House took place at Horseshoe Bay Marina in Peterborough, about two hours from Toronto. And even the road there felt like the beginning of a mini-vacation. After busy Toronto traffic, the landscape slowly became greener and calmer. Small towns, trees, water, quiet roads – everything started to feel softer. You know that feeling when you are not yet on vacation, but your brain already begins to relax? That was exactly it.

When we arrived at the marina, the weather was perfect. Blue sky, sun, light wind, water sparkling nearby. It was one of those Ontario spring days when you suddenly remember why people survive Canadian winter.

We walked toward the Le Boat tent, and from the first minutes the atmosphere felt warm. It felt friendly, open, relaxed, almost like we had arrived at someone’s family gathering near the water.

First: The Story Behind Le Boat

The event began with presentations from the Le Boat team. Cheryl Brown (Managing Director), Kate Bray (Customer Director), and Mike Greenup (Global Marketing Director), spoke about the company, its history, its routes in Europe and Canada, and future plans for the Canadian fleet.

I always enjoy this part when people are genuinely passionate about what they do. You can immediately feel the difference between “we are here because this is our job” and “we are proud of what we are building.” This was the second one.

They spoke about Le Boat’s routes in Europe, including famous canal regions in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Scotland and Ireland, and also about the Canadian experience on the Trent-Severn Waterway and the Rideau Canal.

For us, it was especially interesting to hear how Le Boat expanded in Canada and how the Horizon fleet here has grown. The company now has 32 boats in Canada and is planning further development and renewal of its houseboat fleet. But numbers are numbers. The real magic started when we went onboard.

Then We Stepped Inside the Boat

From outside, the boats looked beautiful, white and modern, with upper decks and large windows. But inside, they felt much more spacious than I expected.

There was a real kitchen, a dining area, comfortable seating, bedrooms, bathrooms, storage. Large windows everywhere. Places to sit outside. Places to sit upstairs. Places where you can imagine morning coffee, evening wine, books, children playing cards, and someone saying, “Look, there is a heron!” every five minutes.

It did not feel like a boat in the way I had imagined. It felt like a compact floating cottage. And this changed everything. Because when you hear “boating vacation,” it may sound like something for people who already know boats, who understand ropes, engines, docks, locks, and mysterious marine words.

But when you step inside, it suddenly becomes very simple. You see a table and imagine breakfast. You see a bed and imagine waking up on the water. You see the kitchen and imagine cooking dinner after a slow day outside. You see the deck and imagine doing absolutely nothing for once.

A Floating House Changes the Way You Think About Travel

We are used to travel where every day has some movement: check out, pack bags, load the car, drive somewhere, unpack again, find parking, find food, repeat. Or we hike, where the movement is the whole point. Or we cruise, where the ship moves but you are only a passenger.

A houseboat feels like something in between all of these. You are moving, but slowly. You are independent, but not isolated. You have a route, but not the pressure of constant sightseeing. You don’t have to pack every morning because your “hotel” travels with you. This idea fascinated me.

Imagine waking up, making coffee, stepping outside, and already being in a new place. Not because you rushed there, but because your little floating home carried you there slowly.

For families, I can imagine this being especially interesting. Children get adventure, adults get comfort, everyone gets nature, and no one has to spend the whole trip in airport lines or traffic.

And Then They Let Us Drive

This was the part I did not expect. Visitors could go for a boat ride and even try steering. I will be honest: I am not naturally brave with this kind of thing. Give me a mountain trail, and I will try. Give me a complicated travel route through five countries, and I will somehow manage. Give me a large boat and say, “You can drive,” and my first reaction is: absolutely not.

But the atmosphere was so relaxed that I decided to try. And suddenly I was sitting at the helm of a real houseboat. The boat moved slowly. The water was calm. Lisa Mclean, Marketing Manager, explained what to do. Nothing dramatic happened. No movie scene where I crash into the dock and everyone screams. It was actually fun!

Of course, I did not become a captain in five minutes. But I understood the most important thing: this is not as scary as it looks from the outside.

Le Boat explains that no boating license or previous experience is required for many of their vacations, and guests receive instruction before departure. After trying it, I understand the concept much better. You need attention, of course. You need to listen. You need to respect the boat and the water. But you do not need to be born into a family of sailors.

The Best Part Was the Feeling

There were many practical things we learned that day: boat sizes, routes, models, ownership options, Canadian expansion plans. BTW, about Le Boat’s ownership program: the idea is unusual. People can own a boat while the company manages rentals and operations. Owners still get time to use it themselves. I’m not saying I’m suddenly buying a boat. But I found the model unexpectedly interesting.

But what stayed with me most was the feeling. The feeling of slow travel, the feeling that we had accidentally discovered a door into a completely different type of vacation. People around us were smiling, asking questions, exploring cabins, taking photos, sitting on the deck, looking at the water. The Le Boat team seemed genuinely happy to share this world with us. And maybe that is why the event worked so well. It was not only about boats, It made us realize there are still new ways to travel.

Would We Try a Houseboat Vacation?

Before this Open House, I would have said: maybe one day, but probably not soon. After visiting Le Boat, walking through the Horizon boats, seeing the bedrooms and kitchen, watching people enjoy the water, and trying to steer myself, the answer changed. I think we would. Especially as a family trip. Kids are already excited.

It feels like the kind of travel that could combine several things we love: nature, independence, comfort, slow mornings, scenic routes, and just enough adventure to feel exciting without becoming exhausting. And maybe that is the best kind of travel discovery when something you never seriously considered suddenly becomes very real.

We came to look at boats and left thinking: maybe one day we should actually try this.

Have you ever tried a houseboat vacation? Would you dare to drive your own floating home?