Maid of the Mist

Hornblower Cruises is amazing! They take you down an elevator and then ship you on a boat. It doesn’t seem like a very long ride, but when you look at the time afterwards it actually takes a bit of time. YOU WILL GET WET! This is not the best opportunity for photos, but rather take it as a fun experience that you and your party share all to yourself! The boat takes you right by the American falls, and then right into the mist of the Canadian falls, where it waits for a little bit, and then brings you back.
The cool thing about Hornblower taking over the contract for the Canadian side is that you can tell the two countries apart and can wave to the other as you go by! They also take your photo, but as usual here, it is green screen and they look so fake!

Maid of the Mist gets an instant 5 Stars because, c’mon, absolutely gorgeous views and boat ride through some of the greatest falls on the planet?! Yep, 5 stars no matter what negatives tag along with an international tourist spot.
As expected, the place is a zoo. Its as organized as college students waving orange pointer cones can make it but with the crazy amount of tourists, yeah right, it’s a free for all. {Be prepared for that. Just head to the far parking garage and make the 200 foot walk} We made our way to the parking deck and walked over to the Niagara Falls National Park area to head to the MOTM entrance. We stopped in the main gift shop on our way in for the restrooms and anything related to the Falls is there, for sale, and probably with your name on it. Keep walking.
At this time of year, the boat opens at 10am and we arrived at around 1130ish. We waited 4 minutes behind three people in line to buy the tickets, we were told there was no wait, we got right on the elevator on the observation deck, and basically walked right on to the boat. I doubt that always happens but it made the experience all the better.
We put on our lovely ponchos {Wear the poncho} and stood on the bottom of the boat towards the very front tip and we held on tight. It takes about 5 minutes to get everyone on the boat but whats nice is they don’t overpack it so that you cant move around — there is plenty of space. Understanding that we were taking a boat tour right into the bottom of the Falls, we were dressed appropriately but if it needs to be pointed out — dress knowing you will get a little wet (the ponchos only do so much).
It was beautiful. You’re not going fast but instantly you are hit with the mist of the first Fall and then you make your way to the two larger ones. The view is truly breathtaking. The Canada side is the largest Fall and its almost hard to take your eyes off of it. It is uncanny to me that the boats are able to get this close but you feel like you’re right in there and like you can touch it.
You don’t get to do something like this very often and yes, It is windy at the bottom and you will get a little wet and there are tons and tons of people… but it is completely worth it.

PROS: Breathtaking and exhilarating experience
CONS: You’ll likely get soaked — oh well!
TIPS: Wear some flip flops or water-​proof shoes
I was prepared to be miserably cold and drowned in algae-​infested, foamy water, but when we went, the weather was nice and warm, and the sight of the falls crashing down all around the Maid was incredible. Plus, they provide you with an ultra-​thin plasticy poncho that shields you from watery splashes. I wished that the trip around the base of the Niagara lasted longer!

I have family that lives in Buffalo, NY and we go up every few years to visit. Everytime we are here, it’s a «must-​do» event to go see Niagara Falls and most importantly to take a ride on the Maid of the Mist.
This little boat looks so tiny next to the tall and powerful falls, but it’s an amazing experience and allows you to get as up close and personal as you can without taking a barrel ride over the falls. The tour guides who operate the whole venture are friendly and informative. The ride is fun and it’s definitely a life-​long memory experience. The prices are reasonable for what you are getting. There is also a pretty impressive gift shop that you can walk through after getting off the boat ride and of course they offer tons of knick knacks, t shirts and other memorabilia.
Beware: You will get wet! Don’t have any electronics out in the open once you start getting closer to the falls, because they will probably get wet too. Be quick when snapping photos! There are ponchos available for those who need them, which is probably a good idea unless you want to walk around soaking all day.
You absolutely cannot visit Niagara Falls without hopping aboard the Maid!

I first sailed on the Maid of the Mist when I was 5. I was obsessed with the show «Land of the Lost», which starts off with the family sailing into a waterfall and then getting stuck in alternate universe that had dinosaurs and stuff. Yeah, I can’t tell you how excited and terrified I was when I first got on that boat. Then the immense disappointment when we didn’t sail into the waterfall and get sucked into an alternate universe. I’m actually still a little disappointed.
Then, when was around 20, we went on another family vacation to Niagara Falls, and again we did Maid of the Mist. Although I was older and wiser (and had that jaded assholish quality that only those between 16 — 23 can have), I was still impressed (not that I let that stop my whining about how boring the trip was), by the awesomeness of seeing the falls up close and personal. I also remember that I found it hilariously funny that we were all in blue raincoats with hoods — which made us look like blue condoms… and said so. Repeatly. And loudly. Like I said, nothing compares to the assholishness of 20 year olds.
Fast foward a billion years. It came to my attention that my husband did not understand the GLORIOUSNESS of Niagara Falls despite coming here as a kid. He barely remembered the Maid of the Mist, and he totally didn’t get how ridiculously awesome this place was as tourist attraction (but then, he also doesn’t understand my love of corny and trite tourist attractions).
So I planned for a weekend roadtrip up here… in April. Completely forgetting that although it’s within an 8 hour drive, it’s still CANADA, and thusly, still in the throes of arctic winter even in the spring.
Heh.
Needless to say, the Maid of the Mist made a SERIOUS impression on my husband this time… although, it was probably because we were on the verge of hypothermia due to the ridiculously icy cold mist from the Falls.
But you know what? It still hasn’t lost it’s charm. I love love love love love Maid of the Mist and Niagara Falls and it’s still one of my favorite places to visit.
So — pro-​tip: Don’t do the Maid of the Mist in the winter, which for Canada is from September — May. Oye.
P. S. We got the «Adventure Pass» which got us the Maid of the Mist, with the Journey Behind the Falls and something else. Totally worth it, you save a few bucks, and to be competely honest if you’re here for more than 2 days and kidless, you will be looking for stuff to do… haha!

Well worth the $ 20+ and a must-​do if you’re in Niagra Falls. I think I saw that kids 12 years and under go for about $ 13. The boat ride itself doesn’t last too long, but considering how drenched you can get, the timing is just perfect. And despite the amount of people that go on this, the line moves very quickly. We had no wait. If there is a line, be sure to wait to put on your poncho, especially if it’s hot out. You won’t need the poncho until the boat get closer to and idles by the falls.

I heard that Maid of the Mist is running out of money and will soon either shut down or be run by different management. Either way, make sure to visit sooner rather than later because you never know what will happen with today’s economy.
There were lines and lines of people when we came. Thankfully the line moved relatively quickly. Unfortunately for us, after we had left the dock, someone had a medical emergency on the boat so we needed to go back to the dock (basically 3 minutes after we had just left it). After the medical emergency was resolved, we had to wait about 15 – 20 minutes to go back into «rotation» with the other boats.
Despite the inconvenience, we still had a good time and enjoyed the views of the falls. We were pretty wet afterwards, despite the free poncho that they gave us. Thankfully the weather cooperated and it did not rain (only sprinkled) on us.
I highly recommend going up to the top deck for the best views and the best experience. I’ve been on the Maid of Mist for the Canadian side two times now and I never get bored of it. Loved it!

How was she?
WET. Just how I like her.
Note: Get on the first excursion (9:00) to avoid the tourists and chaos.

You can’t go to Niagara Falls and not go on the Maid of the Mist! The tickets are not cheap, and the boat tour is not that long, but it is just one of those things everyone must experience in their lifetime!
My husband and I went on the first tour of the morning. It was not crowded at all at that time, and the line looked ominous when we returned. If you don’t want to wait, go early!
They provide the signature ponchos (added plus: they seem to recycle them after! I love Canada!). If it is hot outside: NO NOT BE THAT PERSON THAT PUTS YOUR PONCHO ON RIGHT AWAY! You will thank me later. Wait until you board the boat. I was that person and I hate myself for it.
Make sure you stand on the top deck of the boat for maximum falls splash and views. You will get soaked! Also– don’t be that person who ruins their ipad taking pictures. I saw that person, sucks to suck.
All in all, an enjoyable experience. They provide a recorded falls history in both French and English, but it was impossible to hear over the roar of the falls.

Ah, in the middle of the most pathetic, cheeseball tourist trap of a town I’ve ever seen, the Maid of the Mist is a shining star.
The line was super long, but I managed to resist the urge to use my blue poncho to suffocate all the people who shoved, stepped and cut around me. And boy was it worth it. The frustrating line was worth it, I mean — although I guess using my poncho for its intended purpose was also worth it.
We jetted to one of the outer rails of the boat, stayed pretty dry just by pulling the drawstrings on the hood, and managed to get some pretty amazing pictures. There was even enough space between «mistings» to take a panoramic shot.

I seriously can’t believe this famous attraction is only 15 bucks! What a bargain! If you visit Niagara Falls, you definitely have to jump on board. Being really close to the falls, getting splashed – so much fun! I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again!
Also, everyone is very friendly and the upkeep is excellent!

I’m so glad I came to maid of the mist. It really is the most amazing view of the falls. Here are my tips:
— If you stand on the deck of the boat (vs below), you will get wet.
— They give you ponchos to wear that are clean and keep you totally dry. they have hoods, which you can pull complete over your face to, you know, keep your mascara from running
— wear flip flops, your shoes will get wet and no one likes squishy socks
— It’s $ 15.50 per adult to get in
— I went in August at 1pm and waited a total of 30 minutes between getting tickets, getting in elevator and boarding boat to get going. Super fast!
— Best view: stand in the front of the boat

Extremely overpriced and they only take cash, which I find annoying; however, it’s great when you have visitors. I went on Saturday with my cousin visiting from Japan. The line-​up seemed long, but within 15 minutes we were on the boat with our blue ponchos. The ride is not more than 20 minutes, but you get to go really close to the Falls — which is cool! My drenched cousin was content with our little boat ride, which is what matters the most.
Good for: out-​of-​towners

I thought to myself as I boarded the boat «Cheezy touristy fun.» As I stood pummeled by the sprays, drenched head to toe, trying to take photos while barely able to open my eye let alone keep my iphone dry, I thought «alright, this is more fun than the usual touristy fun»
Short boat ride, you WILL get wet, but it’s a beautiful sight to behold and definitely worth the boat ride.

If you’re visiting the Niagara Falls, you have to do the Maid of the Mist boat ride. For $ 20 you get to experience the waterfall at its full glory (kids are cheaper and there’s only 2 prices: adult and children age 6 – 12). It’s one thing to see the waterfall from the top where all the tourists are walking around; it’s a whole other level of amazing to see the waterfall from below at the bottom where 3,160 tons of water is crashing down every second.
During the ride, you will get soaked and the wind will be super strong so get a good grip of your blue poncho and make sure you are covered well. Someone mentioned using rubber bands to secure your poncho at the wrist area. I think that’s really smart and will definitely help to keep you dry. The kid standing next to me was screaming his head off because the water and wind were so strong. I think at one point he was choking because the water got into his pipes… oops.
I thought it was really cool that you can do the boat ride from the US or Canada side of the Falls depending on which side you are visiting. Although on the day I visited, Canada was getting way more business than the US for the boat ride.

Bring rubber bands and rubber band shut your sleeves, hold your collar shut and tuck bottom slack in between legs and YOU WILL NOT GET WET! Toby was drenched while I stayed completely dry under my poncho!
If you do nothing else in Niagara, DO THIS! It’s so worth the $ 15, kids and adults alike will get a kick out of this. My boyfriend brought his GoPro and got some really awesome footage of what it’s like to be just under the falls. The only downside is that you’ll be crammed on a boat with a bunch of strangers and your feet will get soaked but those are all little feats to what you really get out of this activity. Purchase the Adventure Pass at your hotel to get discounted admission to this, Journey Behind the Falls, White Water Walk & Niagara’s Fury.
I believe there’s a Maid of Mist port on the US side as well.

After I have seen the both sides of Niagara Falls from the USA and Canadien side now that, I have seen the both sides of Niagara Falls and to see and hear the awesome roar of the water falls!!! And now it was time to get even closer to the water falls… This would be my very first time ever for me that, I have taken a Maid Of The
Mist boat ride and when the Maid Of The Mist boat ride came to a end after experiencing this awesome boat ride of the falls… All I can say is that this is one of the most nicest boat ride that I have ever taken a ride on!!! If you are ever visiting Niagara Falls this is the one thing that you gotta do… And if you didn’t take a ride on The Maid of the Mist boat… Like the tourist people would have said you didn’t see Niagara Falls Canada or the USA side!!!

C’est LE passage obligé quand on visite le site des chutes du Niagara ! Je n’aurai même pas imaginé être de passage là-​bas et né pas monter dans l’un de ces fameux bâteaux qui t’emmèné au plus près des tourbillons des chutes.
Au départ on se dit: c’est bon, le bâteau est un peu protégé, ça n’a pas l’air si méchant ces petits embruns qui rafraichissent ! Et finalement, tous autant que nous sommes, nous avons été balayé par les vents et les courants ! Verdict: la douche ! Heureusement qu’on nous fournit un joli poncho bleu, sinon, on est à peu près sûrs de ressortir trempés !
Ce qui est très drôle également, c’est qu’avec nos impers tous identiques, on né reconnait personne et on est tous aussi ridicules les uns que les autres ! Ce qui rend ce moment convivial et mémorable !!! A faire absolument, sauf si vous tenez à votre bushing !

Let’s first get out of the way –yes it touristy, yes, there will be many people… So what – it’s Niagara Falls — A Natural Wonder of The World – Get Over Yourself! This is a Must Do if you are in the area – if you are not – make a special trip. I would suggest that you arrive early – be prepared to be herded like cattle. but remember — it will be worth it!
If you are about adventure — go on the top deck — get to a railing & hold on for dear life! You will see breathtaking views of the falls that will make you humble. The tour lasts about 30 minutes –trust me – it’s enough time or you to take it all in. It will be hard to take pics when you are drowning in the mist of the falls. but do try.
TIPS:
Bring Ziplock bags to put your money, camera & phone in (Best Tip Ever – got this from reading reviews prior to going).
Dress comfortably –there is a long walk down the gorge to get to the complex –so remember –when you go down the hill — you must come back up.
Have fun & enjoy the ride.

Bön donc le but de venir à Niagara Falls, c’est bien de voir les chutes; n’est ce pas ?
Au lieu de les voir au loin, prenez le Maid of the Mist boat; l’ATTRACTION de Niagara Falls.
Donc en quoi consiste cette attraction?
D’abord on fait la file qui très très longue mais bon tout le monde vient pour ça après on vous fait mettre une sorte de K-​Way bleu, puis on monte à bord d’un bateau.
Le bateau démarre et les chutes sont de plus en plus proches… vous avez devant vous une merveille. Vous avez devant vous de l’eau qui s’éclabousse sur votre tête, visage, cheveux si vous né les avez pas couverts mais bon c’est pas grave vous êtes trop occupé à prendre des photos et «capture the moment and the view».
Le bateau fait demi tour et tout ce que vous avez envie de faire c’est de né pas retourner sur terre ou sinon apprendre à faire du bateau pour essayer de se faire embaucher par the Maid of the Mist et faire cet aller retour et voir cette vue pendant un bon moment dans sa vie.

My first exposure to Maid of the Mist was The Niagara episode of the office. Jim and Pam board the ferry boat and the ship’s captain marries them right below the falls! Awwww cute and romantic and I love it!
Maid of the Mist lived up to all of the hype for me. Do NOT miss this when you go to Niagara Falls. Also, do not bring babies or tiny children on this ride. I was surrounded by screaming children yelling for their lives. It’s a bit much for adults so please do your kids a favor and spare them the nightmare experience.
It’s exciting, it’s loud, it’s thrilling — it’s just so fun! On the Canadian side, it will run you $ 19.75. I couldn’t find any good bargains other than buying the Adventure Pass. The Adventure Pass wasn’t a good buy for me because you need to visit a few other things to make it worth the $ 45 price… but definitely look into it if you’re a deal seeker like me. Sadly I couldn’t find any prebuying discounts or coupons so I choked it up and paid the full $ 20 price tag. It’s well worth the price, I promise you. I would definitely do it again!
The boat ride is just about 15 minutes and takes you right into the falls. The feeling is amazing and it gives you a whole new perspective on the amazing grandeur around you. You feel it. And it feels staggering.
Pro-​Tips:
–Get there prior to opening. Spare yourself the long waits & get on that first ship out in the morning.
–Wait to put your poncho on! Everyone immediately put their ponchos on and looked silly & I’m sure was frying in the 90 degree sunshine in that thing. Cool as a cucumber me 8) (smiley with sunglasses) waited until just as the boat was boarding to throw the thing on.
–If you want pictures, you need a waterproof camera. Anything else will not survive.
–You will get soaked from head to toe. Dress accordingly. Don’t style your hair all fancy & wear your cute heels. Throw your hair up & wear those shameful Crocs pridefully!
–Hurry yourself up to the upper deck, grab a place along the railing, and enjoy!

Things like this reminds you of how beautiful mother nature can be. The size is impressive, the beauty of it is impressive, and the sheer volume of water is unbelievable!
The Falls is one of the top attractions at Niagara, and to come here without doing the Maid of the Mist boat ride is a travesty. This ride alone easily topped my Toronto/​Niagara trip, so for a measly $ 20 ticket you better be doing it!
You purchase your ticket at the top entrance, take an elevator down to the bottom of the cliff, and then you’re handed blue plastic-​bag ponchos. Well, it keeps you a little bit dry, but not too much. Then with a bunch of other blue people you get on the boat and start the journey when the boat fills up.
The ride circles all the way around the two falls, so its actually a pretty long ride (again, great bang for your $ 20). It gets very close to the falls where everyone will be covered in mist from the falls.
When you first get on the boat, grab one of the side spots quick! You don’t want to be left standing in the middle having to look over a bunch of people. It’s also nice to have something to hold on to as the ride gets rocky. The boat circles around, so it doesn’t even matter which side you stand on, you’ll get a great view and experience either way.
Again, doing this ride you WILL get wet, so come prepared. I brought zip-​lock bags for my wallet /​camera /​cell. I even went a step further and took pics with my camera inside a zip-​lock bag. Pics aren’t as clear, but at least you wont end up with a broken camera. I ended up being able to film the whole thing while everyone was trying to protect their cameras.
Luckily I went on a bright and sunny cool day, so it wasn’t too hot or cold. This is probably the funnest touristy thing I’ve done. Unless you’re allergic to water or an infant, I highly recommend it for everyone.