Maid of the Mist Boat Ride: A Must-Do on any Niagara Vacation
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
I took my first visit to Niagara Falls many years ago. Since relocating to Cleveland, I planned a return trip as it is a really easy 3.5 hour drive. I always wanted to go back and take the Maid of the Mist boat ride that I missed out on the first time around. I can say that this ride definitely tops my list of bucket list attractions in this area!
First off, a little history info
Surprisingly, Niagara Falls is not considered one of the official Wonders of the World. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it’s right up there with Yellowstone, The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Horseshoe Bend, and the Redwood National Forest as a US bucket list contender. I would definitely recommend a roadtrip if you live in any nearby cities like Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Detroit. It’s an easy roadtrip and well worth seeing at least once.
I would say that it would make my list of must-sees on the East coast. With its’ close proximity to many big cities in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, it’s a lot more accessible to a lot of people than the ancient wonders. Seeing this magnificent waterfall is an easy and relatively affordable roadtrip in comparison.
Niagara actually consists of 3 immensely powerful waterfalls:
- American Falls at 167 ft (US side)
- Bridal Veil Falls at 181 ft (US side)
- Horseshoe Falls at 158 ft (Canadian side)
More impressive than the height is the volume. According to the state park, 700,000 gallons of water flows over the falls per second. The falls can generate over 4 million kw of electricity. You can learn more about the history by reading this article or visiting the state park visitor center.
The many ways to see the Falls
As expected, Niagara is a super popular summer vacation destination. There are lots of people around and hotels can be pricey. Fortunately, there are a number of touristy attractions to help disperse the traffic a bit. On our first trip to the region, Mike and enjoyed the Cave of the Winds experience where we got to walk on a wooden boardwalk and stand within 20 feet of Bridal Veil falls. This is a really great attraction which I recommend putting on your itinerary. You can really get the closest to the falls and the views are wonderful.
There are many ways to take in the beauty of the falls including: observation decks, helicopter tours, and hiking at the state park. The boat ride is a really cool & exciting way to experience the scenery and the only way to enjoy a perfect view of the Horseshoe Falls without venturing over to Canada (which requires a passport). I recommend taking a look at my Niagara travel guide for full details on area attractions, hotels, and dining.
Boat tours: the most exciting experience
The first Maid of the Mist tours started in 1846, although the 2 boats have been switched over to electric in 2020 to protect the environment. The tour is only 20 minutes long but the overall experience may be much longer depending on the line and time to load the boat. It’s all over just a little too quickly (I wanted the ride to last longer!).
I’ll say that it is definitely a great value for only $30 per person. You also get access to the observation deck with your ticket (the views are fabulous), so it’s a great deal. If you are interested, you can learn more about the boats and history of this attraction.
The Experience
First, you will buy your tickets online. You will not be booking for any specific time – simply show up during operating hours, get your ticket scanned and stand in line. Boats depart every 15 min. I actually like the fact that you do not have a specific reservation time so you can keep your trip a bit more spontaneous. Personally, I try to avoid any timed entry attractions as I feel like they are hard to fit into my trip plans. Sometimes, I like doing things on a whim.
Park in the state park parking lot or walk from your hotel (best option).
After checking in you will stand in line (luckily we had no wait time on our visit). Next, you will take an elevator down to the boarding area. Staff will give you a poncho which you can keep as a free souvenir. You can see the colorful blue poncho in the photos below.
Your tour will take you upclose for an awesome view of the American and Bridal Falls and then Horseshoe Falls. The views are really amazing, although it is really difficult to take pictures with all the mist and boat rocking. Overall, it was an amazing experience which I definitely recommend to everyone.
You will see American and Bridal Veil Falls first. Where you stand on the boat determines if your view will be better on the first half or second. Our view was best when heading out towards Horseshoe. If you are lucky, you will likely see a gorgeous rainbow like we did.
It was difficult to capture a great picture of Horseshoe Falls with all the crowds on the upper deck. Not to mention the water pouring onto the boat and my phone getting soaked! I almost fell out of the boat a few times trying to get a picture. I recommend waiting until you are further away as the water can get a bit choppy and move the boat around a lot. It was all a great time though! We got totally soaked, but fortunately it was an unseasonably warm and sunny September day so we didn’t mind.
As we started moving away from Horseshoe back to the boarding area, we were able to capture a better picture. The mist led up a bit and I could finally see.
Overall, this boat ride was such a wonderful experience. I really don’t know if I would rate Cave of the Winds or this ride higher. Honestly, they are both fabulous and I would try to fit both into your trip plans if possible. If you can only choose one though, you really cannot beat the incredible viewpoints on this ride!
Things to Know
- Tours run from the beginning of May until the beginning of November. The observation deck is open year-round. Check the website for this year’s opening date.
- Prepare to get drenched. Even wearing my poncho with the hood, I got so soaked that my shoes and socks were filled with water. I recommend booking a hotel nearby and changing afterwards.
- You do not need a passport even though the boat technically crosses over into Canadian waters.
- Tours operate rain or shine. Fortunately, we visited on a pretty hot day (rare for September) and didn’t mind the cool down.
- You can take a wheelchair on the boat – it’s totally ADA accessible.
- There are a few seats which are first come, first served. I prefer standing on the upper deck for the best view.
- There are no enclosed sections – prepare to get wet. You won’t get as wet on the lower level.
Tips for a great visit
- Plan your ride during the summer season. The hot and humid temps will have you craving a cool down.
- Stay at a hotel in the area. It’s super convenient to walk to this attraction and others.
- Wear sandals and quick drying apparel.
- Use a waterproof cover for your camera.
- Do not put your poncho on until boarding (it gets really hot really fast).
Location & parking fees
The state park is located at: 332 Prospect St.
The fee is $10 per day, expect for weekends (from May 23-Oct 12) where the fee increases to $15.
Lodging & dining options
There are numerous hotels in this area, many within walking distance of most attractions.
A few decent options within a half mile include:
- The Sheraton (a family friendly option with an on-site Rainforest Cafe and Starbucks)
- Seneca (a 4 star hotel with many amenities including a casino, several restaurants, and a great spa)
- Doubletree (features an indoor pool and hot tub and on-site restaurant).
In terms of dining, there are endless options including: snack stands, pizza by the slice, ice cream stands, and a general cafe at the visitor center. You will find a number of popular touristy themed restaurants including: Rainforest Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe, and Margaritaville. We stop by any Hard Rock Cafe in any touristy destination as the food and ambiance are always predictably good! You really cannot beat their amazing menu of comfort food. I highly recommend starting with their awesome nachos and flatbread and treating yourself to the delicious Twisted Mac and cheese!
