The Ride of a Lifetime-The Maid of the Mist

The Maid of the Mist is one of the oldest tourist attractions in North America and  has been running since 1846. The boats have certainly changed, but the experience remains the same: a ride of a lifetime that takes you as close to Niagara Falls as you are ever going to get.  If there is only one attraction you choose to do while visiting the Falls, this should be it.

Going on the Maid of the Mist is an overwhelming experience right from the beginning. You are not able to purchase advance tickets for this attraction, so it is almost guaranteed that you will be waiting in line. Whether it is summer, spring or fall will determine the length of that line. The price to get onto the Maid of the Mist for an adult is $14.50, and the price for a child aged 6-12 is $8.90;  if the child is under the age of five, there is no charge.

Lines in July and August can get quite long, but they aren’t as bad as other attractions because for the majority of the wait you are outside standing on a long, winding staircase and you’ll have views of  the Niagara River and the Falls the entire time. The boats also leave the dock every 15 minutes, so the line moves fairly quickly.

At some point, a photographer will take a picture of your group in front of the Maid of the Mist backdrop (this is par for the course at most attractions in Niagara Falls). These photos are available at the end of the ride in the photo booth.  When you get to the bottom of the staircase, you are ushered inside a building where you will be outfitted with raincoats, as you will likely get quite wet on the boat (unless you chose to sit inside-but what is the fun in that?) After recieving your raincoat, there is another wait on the dock, until finally you are ready to get on the boat.

All the waiting is definitely worth it, because a ride on the Maid of the Mist (map) never fails to impress. The entire ride last about half an hour, and you have the option of either standing on the inside or the outside, or standing on the top or bottom deck. The boat will take you so close to the Falls that you will get absolutely drenched with the mist, and you won’t be able to hear anything else above the thundering of the falling water and the cry of the circling seagulls. It really is a breathtaking experience.

Photo credits:  Photo 1, Flickr, sailorbill; Photo 2, Flickr, basykes