Riverboat Inn & Suites

About Riverboat Inn & Suites

The Riverboat Inn & Suites sits right on the bank of the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana, at the edge of the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark district in the country. The same family runs it as a social riverfront gathering place rather than a quiet roadside stop, with a full bar built into the lobby and live music spilling onto the back porch on weekend evenings in season. A second building, the French Quarters, stands a short walk away on Ferry Street and has kept its 1960s look, giving the property two distinct riverfront perches. The setting anchors everything: the water out front, the covered deck angled at the river, and Madison's preserved 19th-century downtown just up the hill, including the Lanier Mansion and more than a hundred blocks of protected architecture.

What Riverboat Inn & Suites Is Known For

The Riverboat Inn earns its reputation on the life that gathers around the river. Nearly every part of the property points at the Ohio, from the covered back deck to the rooms angled at the water, and the lobby bar has become a genuine hangout rather than an afterthought. On weekend nights in season, live music plays out on the porch above the river with an easy, family-friendly party feel, and the bartenders, Zach and Calli among them, are named again and again for the welcome they give. It is the rare riverfront stay where the social scene is the point.

Amenities

• WiFi
• Covered riverfront deck over the Ohio River
• Full bar in the lobby
• Live music on the back porch on weekend nights in season
• Outdoor pool
• River-view king rooms
• Vintage French Quarters building a short walk away

The Room

Rooms are comfortable and individually finished rather than uniform, spread across the main riverfront building and the vintage French Quarters up on Ferry Street. Many face the Ohio River directly, with king river-view layouts that open toward the water and the passing boats, and each has a private bath, a coffee maker, a mini fridge, and a TV. The French Quarters rooms keep their 1960s motor-lodge character intact, a distinct second option a short walk from the bar and the deck.

The Grounds

The shared outdoor life is the heart of the Riverboat Inn. A large covered deck and patio run along the back of the main building directly above the Ohio River, set up with seating for watching the water, the barge traffic, and the sunset, and this is where the live music plays on weekend nights. A small outdoor pool sits on the property for cooling off between river views, and the French Quarters building a short walk away has its own large outdoor patio. Parking is free and on site, and the riverfront walk into downtown Madison begins just outside the door.

The Experience

Staying at the Riverboat Inn feels like being let in on a river town's favorite hangout. You settle onto the covered deck with the Ohio rolling by, wander up to the lobby bar where Zach and Calli keep the conversation going, and on a Friday or Saturday night in season you catch live music out on the porch with a crowd of guests and locals mixed together. In the morning the river is quiet, the historic downtown is a short stroll up the hill for coffee and old architecture, and Clifty Falls State Park and its waterfalls are only a few minutes west. It is social when you want it and calm when you don't, all from the same riverbank.

Details

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Things to Do Near the Ohio River Valley