Purchased our tickets in advance, but that probably wasn't necessary for weekdays in July. It seems like a lot to pay, but in retrospect, I decided it was worth it. We used the hop-on hop-off bus to get around downtown. We didn't have to worry about navigating, and paying for parking. But do note - if you are elderly and have mobility issues -- there is still walking to do from where you get off the bus to the spot you want to be. It wasn't a problem for us, but we did get incredibly sweaty in the 100+ heat. The drivers were nice, and knowledgeable. A shout out to ANGEL - our favorite!
We were a party of three on the riverboat cruise. Two of us enjoyed it, one (who is usually optomistic) thought it was too "touristy" Well, I would recommend it. Again, the only drawback is waiting in line in the heat. While waiting our turn, and even before that, as we dined along the Riverwalk, we noticed the guides - some were - umm more enthusiastic than others. So when we got to the front of the line to get on the boat, we let others go ahead of us until we got the boat we wanted.