Gondola Rides in Stillwater, MN

Gondolas have glided through the canals of Venice for over a thousand years, evolving from simple wooden transport boats into elegant, asymmetrical works of floating art. Traditionally hand-built by master craftsmen and passed down through generations, these slender boats were once the primary means of getting around Venice’s maze of waterways. Today, authentic Venetian gondolas are rare even in their home city, with only a handful of boatyards left that still know how to build them the old way. That a piece of this centuries-old tradition now glides along the St. Croix River in Stillwater, Minnesota is a story worth telling. If you want to plan the ultimate romantic date in Stillwater, read on to learn more about how a gondola came to the St. Croix River. 

Key takeaways from this post:

• John Kerschbaum has been a gondolier in Stillwater, MN for 25 years, rowing an authentic Venetian gondola built in 1991.
• John traveled to Venice in 2000 to learn from a boat-maker and purchase a genuine gondola, which he later shipped to Minnesota.
• Gondola Romantica offers several cruise options, including a 45-minute picnic cruise, a one-hour ride, nighttime and full moon rides, and custom packages for special occasions.
• Rides are priced for two people, with room for up to four additional guests for an extra fee.
• The boat operates seasonally, from May through October, by appointment seven days a week.
• It’s a Stillwater tradition for couples to kiss under the Stillwater Bridge while aboard the gondola.
• Thanks to their 1,000-year-old design, gondolas are remarkably stable and will not tip over like a canoe.

John Kerschbaum never set out to become a gondolier. It all started with a newspaper article in 1998 about a gondola operating in Chicago, of all places. Something about the idea stuck with him, and over the next couple of years he found himself digging deeper into the history and craftsmanship of Venetian gondolas. What began as curiosity turned into a genuine fascination, and by 2000 he decided to see the real thing for himself, booking a trip to Venice, Italy.

Before he ever set foot in the city, John reached out over email to Thomas Price, a man working in one of the last five remaining boat-making shops in Venice. Their correspondence continued for a while before John finally flew overseas to meet him in person. What he learned during that trip stuck with him. In Venice, gondola-building isn’t just a trade, it’s a legacy. Designs are passed down from one generation to the next, refined and perfected over decades until each boat becomes as much a piece of art as it is a vessel. Sadly, John also learned that this legacy is fading. Fewer young people in Venice are interested in carrying on the rowing tradition, and the number of working gondoliers and boat builders continues to shrink each year.

Despite hearing about the decline of the craft, or maybe because of it, John fell even more in love with the idea of owning and rowing a real Venetian gondola. Thomas ended up helping him track down an authentic boat for purchase, one that had been built in 1991. Once the deal was made, the gondola began its long journey from Venice to Stillwater. Shipping a boat like this isn’t without risk. John knew that gondolas sometimes arrive at their destination in pieces, damaged from the long trip across the ocean. Fortunately, his arrived intact and ready to be put on the water.

Most Venetian gondolas have a lifespan of about 20 to 25 years, but John has gone out of his way to care for his boat, making repairs as needed to keep it in good shape well beyond what many owners manage. He didn’t stop at one boat, either. John also owns a second gondola, this one built in 1985, adding even more history and character to his small fleet. Before he ever rowed a single stroke on the St. Croix, Thomas made sure John had a real education, giving him a hands-on lesson in how to row a gondola the traditional way, right there in a Venetian canal.

Twenty-five years later, John is still out on the water, and he says the job fills him with genuine joy every time he pushes off from the dock. There’s something special, he explains, about watching the faces of his passengers light up during a ride. Many of the people who step onto his gondola are celebrating something meaningful, whether it’s an anniversary, a wedding night, a proposal, or simply a milestone worth marking. For John, being part of those moments never gets old.

Beyond the celebrations themselves, John also loves what the river and the surrounding nature do for his clients. Out on the water, away from phones and traffic and daily stress, people tend to relax in a way they don’t expect. The slow pace of the ride, paired with the quiet rhythm of the oar moving through the water, has a way of pulling people into the present moment. It’s not uncommon for guests to arrive a little tense and leave completely at ease.

One tradition in particular has become a hallmark of the Stillwater gondola experience: the kiss under the Stillwater Bridge. According to John, sharing a kiss beneath the bridge is said to seal “True Love Forever,” and it’s a moment many couples look forward to well before they ever step onto the boat. Over the years, John has witnessed countless proposals, first dates, anniversaries, and quiet, private moments between couples, and each one adds another story to the long list he’s collected. It’s these stories, he says, that keep his heart full and keep him coming back to the water season after season. In many ways, that connection to his passengers is what truly makes John’s boat float.

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