Stay aboard the historic carferry S.S. City of Milwaukee! 

We offer several different rooms, all located on the Passenger Deck. It is a truly unique and unforgettable stay, including continental breakfast in the morning, free Wi-Fi, exploration of the upper decks, star-gazing, sunset/rise watching, and more! This is a historic experience and we can not offer all of the modern luxuries of a hotel. While we do provide fans, we don't have heat or A/C in the rooms. In addition, we have two showers onboard, along with a men's and women's room. Staying on the S.S. City of Milwaukee gives you an opportunity to experience life in the 1930's.



The Ship
The SS City of Milwaukee is a 360' long ship, built in 1931, and is now a National Historic Landmark. We have passenger staterooms and crew quarters that are available. Staterooms and quarters have all been restored to the original 1929 design and sleep 1 to 4 people in a room.
The passenger common area provides a comfortable place to relax and socialize. The Grand Saloon has comfy vintage chairs and oriental rugs. The observation room provides an airy space to write, play board games, and/or cards. The interior of the ship allows you to feel as if you were transported back in time to an era before televisions (though cell phones still work!). Wi-Fi is provided on the ship.
The ship's deck space provides the perfect advantage to lounge in the sun and enjoy nature from our provided deck chairs. The boat is moored on Lake Manistee with beautiful views of natural wetlands and the surrounding town activity.

 
 





 
 
 
 
A small continental breakfast will be available from 7:30am to 10:30am in the Galley.
Restroom facilities are shared. We provide both men's and women's restrooms and two showers on board. The rooms do not have private restrooms. The sinks in the state rooms are not usable. Restrooms are closely located to all rooms. We do provide linens, and extra pillows/blankets upon request.
The City of Milwaukee is a true 1930's experience and does not offer air conditioning or heating, but every room has a window and fans are provided.
The S.S. City of Milwaukee's passenger deck is where your room will be located and to access that deck you will have to climb our outside staircase. We suggest that you pack light for your stay.
Check-in begins at 3pm, and we ask that all guests are checked in by 9pm. Once you are checked in, you are free to come and go as you please! Our check in cut off time is 11pm, out of respect for our other guests. Check out time is 11am. The lower levels of the ship are only available during our regular tour hours, with a paid guided tour. The top three levels are available for you to enjoy during your stay.  After you have checked in and have been shown to your room, we encourage you to enjoy the ship and our surrounding areas. The ships crew will assist you in checking in and provide you with any services you may require. The ship's Purser will stay on board and can answer any questions you may have concerning the ship as well as the surrounding area; we are well versed in both the history of the ship and the local area.
 
Our Location
We are located on US 31 between the Little River Casino Resort and Downtown Manistee, Michigan. Manistee is located on the Manistee River as well as Lake Michigan. This quaint town offers many activities ranging from sitting on the beach to world-class fly fishing.
The Manistee National Forest is close to town and has ample trails and river activities. The National Forest has over a million acres of public land across Northern Michigan. In addition to hundreds of miles of two-track jeep trails, the Big M and Red Bridge mountain bike trails offer more intermediate rides. Hiking on the North Country Tail and many smaller trails help to make this a great place to experience the ecological wonder of Michigan.
For entertainment Manistee offers a mix of the new and old! The newly renovated Vogue Theater is a 1938 movie house offering first run movies. The Ramsdell Theater is a 100+ year old theater offering a variety of stage shows through the summer. Many of the bars in downtown offer live music throughout summer. If you are looking for more excitement, the Little River Casino and Resort has many live shows and events.
Manistee has three public beaches and a riverwalk. Freighters and sail boats can often be seen passing through the towns two drawbridges. The public beaches offer amenities such as shelters, fish cleaning stations, and two piers. Many public access rustic beaches can be accessed along Lakeshore Drive to the north.
Downtown dining ranges from classical fine food, great bar food, family style dinning, and local organic fair. Select from a variety of bars for nightlife or simply go for a nighttime stroll down the boardwalk.  You can also enjoy Manistee's historic downtown shopping area. The local casino offers fine dining and buffet style food. The crew can offer recommendations for fine dining or the best dive bar!

Our 2024 Boatel season begins May 24th, and ends September 1st. Please note that rooms are typically not available Monday - Wednesday nights (excluding the 4th of July).

We are NOT currently accepting reservations for 2025. Reservations will open in December 2024.

For large group stays, and private events, please contact us. Thank you.