Water Taxi Provides North Loop Views From The River
Back for another year of cruising the Mississippi River, Minneapolis Water Taxi offers tranquil views of our city from a vantage point that many don’t usually get.
The company, co-owned by licensed captains Greg Hoseth and Cory Parkos, is offering mostly one-hour pleasure cruises in which passengers are allowed to bring their own drinks and snacks onboard. But in the future, as more docks are added along the riverbank, they intend to provide more of a “taxi” or ferry service, getting people from one point along the river to another.
The trips are quiet and peaceful because the three boats in the Water Taxi fleet are all electric–with one of them getting most of its power from the solar panels on its roof.
The company had a surprisingly strong 2020 season during the pandemic, largely because of one week last summer when they were featured not only on WCCO’s Finding Minnesota segment but also by a couple with a huge following on TikTok. “Between the two, we covered all age groups,” said Hoseth, “so last year was really phenomenal. We never expected that.”
The water taxis, which now include a pontoon, depart and return primarily from the docks near the lighthouse on Boom Island, and they operate 7 days a week by reservation between 11am and 10pm. There’s a maximum of six passengers per boat.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer
