Yes, Virginia, Gondola Rides Do Exist In Irving, Texas: Get On Board!

A popular spot for people to propose, the gondolas in Irving, Texas, are the legitimate thing, as The Dallas Morning News recently pointed out in a Facebook video post. For those of you who were perhaps skeptical that such a thing existed in Texas, they not only exist but are a booming attraction 365-days-a-year (weather permitting.) What does one entail?

The Venetian-style gondola cruises in Irving feature a true gondolier dressed in a striped shirt, paddling their passengers through canals in a long black boat, embellished with designs. “We operate silent black boats after dark,” said Greg Mohr, owner of Gondola Adventures which manages the fleet. “We’re like ninjas on the water.”

Through his travels, Mohr met a gondolier who at one time lived in Texas. Mentioning a waterway with canals located just outside of Dallas, it piqued his interest, and he flew in to explore the area. In 2002, his gondola business expanded to Irving, and he began to pursue Gondola Adventures full time. He stated that, for the most part, the clientele consists of couples, many of whom become engaged on their gondola ride. Mohr likes that the Irving location has “a lot of bridges on the canals in Lake Carolyn. If it’s got bridges, then everyone gets excited. Because you have to kiss under every bridge.”