Maid of the Mist

An absolute must do visitor attraction if your going to the Niagara Falls state park. The parking is easy with wheelchair access to the boats too. The price for a family ticket is not outrageous but it’s certainly value for money. The staff are great and see you onto the boats safely and ensure everyone is looked after. The trip upto the falls is not rushed so you can take in the scenery and look at the landmark buildings on the American side of the falls. Once at the falls the boat slows to nearly standing for at least 5 minutes and it’s not a case of if you’re going to get wet it’s simply how wet you want to get. As part of the crickets price includes a printed logo poncho. The trip back to the dock again is not rushed and the captain try’s to get as close to the American falls as possible to view the viewing platforms & caves.

Visited during the beginning of October (they don't operate year round so be sure to check the schedule). This is a must do experience if visiting the Niagara Falls state park. How else can you get so close to the majestic waterfalls? I mean there's also Cave of the Winds but that's a more intense experience. I decided to visit during late afternoon so there wasn't much of a crowd. They load the ships every 20 minutes or so as each trip takes about 20 minutes. Definitely wear waterproof clothing or clothing that easily dries if you can because from the knees down, it will get soaked and maybe the sleeves too. I put my phone into a waterproof bag to capture the ride and a good thing I did because otherwise it would've gotten drenched. Tickets can be pre-purchased online or day of. Check the hours before visiting as they change depending on the season. An elevator took me down to the bottom where I got my poncho and lined up to board the ship. Apparently these ponchos are thicker than the ones at Cave of the Winds (so the rumors say). I made sure to pull the hood on tight and secured it with the plastic strings and it definitely held up against the waterfall winds! I got a blue one when I visited but noticed the next day, they were handing out red ones (twinsies with the Canadian Hornblower). Top deck is the spot to be to get the best experience. The ship brings us by one of the falls that has a light mist blowing towards us with a gentle wind. Then as we got closer to Horseshoe Falls, boy could I feel the wind and mist blowing my poncho around. My sleeves, pants and shoes were drenched and the water was blowing so fast at me that I could barely see! It was actually so much fun to experience! How else can I get this close to the falls? Wearing sunglasses also helped to keep some of the water out of my eyes. The ship stayed there for quite a while before making a U turn to head back to land. It really felt like I was in the middle of a torrential downpour. Afterwards, take another elevator up to the observation deck to get another great view of the Niagara Falls. Honestly this was so much fun, I definitely want to try the Canadian version too next time! And maybe Cave of the Winds (on Goat Island).

I must admit I was hesitant to go. That was a good amount of money for a short boat ride and to see the waterfalls from a different angle but my wife talked me into it. Must admit it was a great experience. One gets an appreciation of the falls and the amount of water falling continuously from above. The tour was handled efficiently and the crew obviously knew how to handle the crowds and were experienced in handling situations. The views were breathtaking and everyone well behaved for the most part. After the boat ride were went up on the observation deck for more photos and views.

This is a fairly quick ride to the falls and back (about 20 mins). When you are close to the falls in the boat, you really don’t get great views because there is so much spray and/or it’s like being in a cloud. It’s fun if you want to get wet. Stay at the front on the bottom on the way out to get the most wet. Go to the back at the top to get the best views when heading back. Honestly We enjoyed the views from the Canadian side and above on the America side much better than from the boat but it was fun. It’s efficiently run. These lithium powered electric boats are new. There are only a few seats on the boat, but it’s so quick you don’t really need them unless you can’t stand 20 mins. The boat is remarkably stable even though there is so much water turbulence from the falls. I never felt unsteady. They provide you nice quality disposable ponchos. It cost $30 per person . There are many companies who sell you tours that include this but you can buy a ticket for just the boat .

What an amazing experience riding the Maid of the Mist! I was not sure what to expect but was absolutely loving it! Seeing the falls up close is really stunning. It will get a little crazy between the wind and water so prepare for it! Overall was a really fun and surreal experience! Would do again!