The Ohio River Pontoon Experience — Hillcrest Retreat
Private pontoon boat on the Ohio River — 10 minutes from the estate. Morning fishing, sunset cruises, and river days exclusively yours.
The River Is Waiting
Hillcrest Retreat does not end at the property line.
Ten minutes from the estate, at the Historic Holiday Yacht Club on the Ohio River, our Sun Tracker pontoon boat sits ready for guests who want to take the Hillcrest experience onto the water.
The Ohio River at Chester, West Virginia is one of the most beautiful stretches of the upper Ohio valley — wide, calm, and flanked by the forested hills of West Virginia and Pennsylvania on both sides. A river that has moved people, goods, and history for centuries. And for the duration of your booking it is yours.
Whether you want a quiet morning of fishing as the mist lifts off the water, a relaxed afternoon cruise with drinks in hand, or a sunset experience that ends the perfect day at Hillcrest — the pontoon is your private waterway.
Your Sun Tracker Pontoon
Our Sun Tracker pontoon is a proper river boat — stable, comfortable, and built for exactly this kind of day. Plenty of seating for your group. Shade canopy. The Ohio River in every direction.
Brian knows these waters. He will get you out on the river, show you the best spots, and make sure your time on the water is everything a river day should be.
Choose Your River Experience
The Morning Fishing Trip Cast off early before the heat of the day. Bass, catfish, walleye, and more in the upper Ohio River. The mist on the water. The West Virginia hills emerging from the dawn. A thermos of coffee and a fishing rod in hand.
This is the morning that reminds you what it feels like to slow down completely.
Available from — sunrise to midday. Best for — couples, small groups, and dedicated anglers.
The Afternoon River Cruise A relaxed afternoon on the Ohio River. No agenda. No schedule. Just the boat, the water, the hills, and your people.
Bring your own drinks and snacks. Anchor in a quiet cove. Watch the river traffic pass. Let the afternoon go wherever it takes you.
Available from — noon to late afternoon. Best for — groups, families, and anyone who just wants to float.
The Sunset Cruise The Ohio River at sunset is something genuinely special. The sky turns amber and gold over the Pennsylvania hills. The water goes mirror flat in the evening calm. The last light catches the ripples as the day ends perfectly.
This is the add-on that honeymooners and anniversary couples book without hesitation. The evening begins on the river and ends back at Hillcrest — hot tub, fire pit, and the stars of West Virginia above you.
Available from — two hours before sunset. Best for — romantic couples and anniversary celebrations.
The Wedding Party Farewell Cruise The morning after your Hillcrest wedding. Your inner circle — the people who were there for the ceremony, who toasted you at the pub bar, who stayed the weekend on the estate — boards the pontoon for a farewell brunch cruise on the Ohio River.
Nobody wants the weekend to end. This extends it perfectly.
Available — Sunday mornings by arrangement for wedding weekend bookings. Best for — wedding parties and celebration weekends.
What Is Included
- Private use of the Sun Tracker pontoon for your chosen duration
- Brian as your captain and guide on the Ohio River
- Access from Historic Holiday Yacht Club — Chester WV
- Life jackets for all passengers
- Local knowledge of the best spots — fishing holes, quiet coves, scenic stretches
BYOB — bring your own drinks, snacks, and food for the river. We recommend picking up supplies in Chester or Weirton before heading to the yacht club.
The Ohio River At Chester
The Ohio River at this stretch of West Virginia and Pennsylvania is genuinely beautiful and largely undiscovered by visitors from Pittsburgh. Wide enough to feel expansive. Quiet enough to feel private. Surrounded by the forested hills that define this corner of the country.
The Holiday Yacht Club has been part of this community for generations. Brian keeps the pontoon here. It is 10 minutes from the Hillcrest gate — a seamless extension of your stay rather than a day trip.
On a clear day from the middle of the river you can see the hills of both West Virginia and Pennsylvania simultaneously. That view — water, forest, hills, sky — is something the city never gives you.
Perfect For
Romantic couples — a sunset cruise on the Ohio River after a day at Hillcrest is the kind of memory that does not fade. Add it to a cottage or Skyview cabin stay for a complete romantic weekend.
Honeymooners — your honeymoon at the Skyview cabin deserves a river day. Wake up in the field above the estate. Spend the afternoon on the Ohio River. Return to the hot tub under the stars.
Fishing enthusiasts — the upper Ohio River is excellent fishing water. Bass and catfish are the primary targets. Brian knows where they are.
Groups of friends — an afternoon on the pontoon with your people, your drinks, and the Ohio River is the kind of afternoon that becomes a story.
Corporate retreats — add a river afternoon to your Hillcrest corporate retreat package. Two hours on the water does more for team bonding than any conference room exercise ever invented.
Wedding parties — the farewell Sunday morning cruise is the perfect ending to a Hillcrest wedding weekend. It turns a two day celebration into a memory that lasts a lifetime.
How To Book
The pontoon experience is available as an add-on to any Hillcrest Retreat booking — cottage, Skyview cabin, pub unit, or event booking.
Contact Brian directly to check availability and arrange your river day. Booking in advance is recommended as availability is limited especially during summer and fall foliage season.
Available seasonally — May through October. Subject to weather and river conditions. Brian reserves the right to reschedule in unsafe weather — your experience will always be rescheduled not cancelled.
Pricing
Half day — up to 4 hours — $150 per booking Up to 6 guests. Morning, afternoon, or sunset slot.
Full day — up to 8 hours — $250 per booking Up to 6 guests. Full river day from morning through late afternoon.
Sunset cruise — 2 hours — $100 per booking Up to 6 guests. The most romantic option. Two hours on the river at golden hour.
Wedding party farewell cruise — Sunday morning — $200 per booking Up to 8 guests. Sunday morning by arrangement for wedding weekend bookings only.
All prices include Brian as captain and guide. BYOB for food and drinks.
Combine With Other Hillcrest Experiences
The Ultimate Hillcrest Weekend — our most popular combination:
Friday — arrive at the Skyview Cabin. Brian's welcome growler of real ale waiting cold. Fire pit in the evening under the stars.
Saturday — add the Hillcrest Pub Experience. Spend the evening in the 1890s historic pub. Carved bar. Pot belly stove. Real ale. Homemade snacks. The screened porch bar under the West Virginia sky.
Sunday — board the pontoon at Holiday Yacht Club. Morning on the Ohio River. Fishing or cruising. The farewell your weekend deserves.
Three days. Three extraordinary experiences. One historic West Virginia estate.
Book the full package and contact us for combined pricing.
A Note From Brian
I have been on this river my whole life. I know where the bass hold in the morning. I know the cove where the river goes completely still in the late afternoon. I know what the Ohio looks like at sunset when the sky turns colors over the Pennsylvania hills.
I built Hillcrest Retreat so people could experience what I get to live every day. The pontoon is one more way to share it.
Come out on the river with me. Leave your phone on the dock for a few hours. Let the water do what water does.
You will go home different than you arrived.
— Brian
Location
Holiday Yacht Club Chester, West Virginia 10 minutes from Hillcrest Retreat estate
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Hillcrest Retreat · Chester, West Virginia 26034 [email protected] · HillcrestRetreat.com Hosted by Brian and Charlene Mahaffey 1 hour from Pittsburgh · 30 minutes from Pittsburgh Airport · 10 minutes to the Ohio River