Scenic Views of Niagara Falls - Maid of the Mist Boat Rides

Earlier this month we took a trip up to Niagara Falls New York and Niagara Falls Canada to visit Niagara Falls State Park. If you've never visited the falls, it's definitely a destination that should be on every traveler's bucket list.

Two years ago when we were up we didn't have the opportunity to view the falls from the bottom, aka...the water. This time around we were determined to see the American Falls, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls by taking the boat tour offered by Maid of the Mist.

When visiting, you can board the Maid of the Mist from the Canadian side or the American side of Niagara Falls. During our visit, we elected to bored via the American side and took our tour during the late afternoon hours on a sunshine-filled spring day.

We paid our admission fee at the gate and were handed blue plastic rain jackets to wear during our cruise. Trust me, you'll be getting wet, so please put on those rain jackets and wear comfortable shoes! If you're taking along your camera and smartphone, you'll want to protect them from the water too.

On the day that we visited, the tour boats were leaving the docks every 15-20 minutes, so we didn't have to wait long. Once on board, we were all excited and ready to see Niagara Falls up close and personal. The tour boat was full and even with it being crowded, we had gorgeous views of the Falls.

Our tour started out with seeing the American Falls, then Bridal Veil and then Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side. You'll then circle back around for another look before the boat heads for docking. The entire ride took us about 20 minutes from start to finish.

If you're going to be visiting Niagara Falls, we highly recommend that you take the Maid of the Mist boat tour! The views that you get are absolutely breathtaking and it's well worth the price of admission. Everyone who was on the tour with us stated that they would do it all over again. Yes folks, if you're going to see the Falls, Maid of the Mist is definitely the way to go!

Afterwards we headed to the Maid of the Mist gift shop and picked up a few souvenirs for ourselves and for our grandchildren. You'll find your typical souvenirs like t-shirts, hoodies, hats, key chains, refrigerator magnets, collector's spoons, postcards, etc. in their gift shop. Personally, I felt their prices were pretty reasonable and I'm glad that we went.

You can learn more about Maid of the Mist boat rides at Niagara Falls by visiting their website online. The tours operate from late spring through early fall, weather permitting. You can find free and paid-parking nearby.

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