Maid of the Mist American Side (Niagara Falls, NY)

The Maid of the Mist American Side experience is a great way to check out Niagara Falls! Here are some tips for enjoying the boat ride and park.

View of American Falls and heavy mist rising at the rocky base. — American Falls

Niagara Falls is arguably the most awe-inspiring state park of them all. Located at the United States-Canada border near Buffalo, New York, it's also the oldest state park in America.

There are multiple ways to approach a visit: by land, by water, by tunnel, or even by aerial cable car over the Niagara River whirlpool!

But perhaps the most famous experience on the American side is a boat ride on the Maid of the Mist. It draws a constant crowd, but it's worth it. Here's what to know, based on our own experience in the fall of 2023.

New York has other cool state parks too! Check out Evangola and Watkins Glen.

How Do I Find Parking?

There are several parking lots within walking distance of the Observation Tower, which is where you buy tickets for the boat ride.

Parking is also available on Goat Island, about a 15-minute walk back over to the Observation Tower.

You should expect paid parking: we paid $15; some lots were $25 or more.

If the walk seems too long, you can catch a trolley that stops at all the major sights and parking lots. It costs a few dollars per person and runs every 10 or 15 minutes.

Deciding How to View the Falls

If you settle for the free viewing areas on the American side of Niagara, know that this option does not get you a great look at Horseshoe Falls, which is the most impressive section.

One paid (but cheap) option is the Observation Tower ($1.25 as of 2024). It gives you a pretty good far-off view of all the falls.

Boats in Niagara River near Horseshoe Falls with American Falls in foreground. — View From Observation Deck

Another option is to pay to climb down the Cave of the Winds (not an actual cave, but a staircase near one section of the falls). The price varies depending on the time of year.

My favorite option, of course, is to pay for Maid of the Mist, the famous boat ride up to the falls. As of 2024, it costs $28.25 per adult and $17.75 per child.

Ticket in hand for Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist.

The Maid of the Mist ticket also gives you access to the Observation Tower and to the Crow's Nest staircase. After the boat ride you can climb those stairs up to an observation point near the base of American Falls.

View from observation area of American Falls mostly obscured by heavy mist. — Observation Area at Crow's Nest

When Are Boat Rides Available For the American Side Maid of the Mist?

The state park is open year round.

Maid of the Mist, however, operates from spring to late fall, every day of the week, including if it's raining. The boats run about every 15 minutes and are able to take hundreds of passengers at a time.

Should I Buy My Ticket In Advance?

You can buy a voucher online, but it doesn’t guarantee you a spot on a specific boat. Boarding order is determined simply by when you get in line, and you'll still need to go to the ticket booth to use your voucher.

For us it made the most sense to just wait and buy a ticket in person.

Ticket booth for Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist. — Ticket Booth

Note that there are a ton of "tour" companies selling packages to this boat ride. They tend to charge a lot, so my advice is to just buy the ticket on site for cheaper.

Taking the Maid of the Mist (American Side)

We visited on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in late September, and it was extremely crowded. Despite the crowds, we were through in about an hour and a half (about 30 minutes of that were on the boat).

Follow the signs for the Maid of the Mist.

Sign indicating which direction to walk for Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist.

First, you'll wait in line to get a ticket. Next, walk across the observation deck and wait in line for an elevator down to the water level.

Elevator door with people waiting in front of it.

Next, you’ll wait in line again to get your souvenir poncho and then to get on the boat. (It was a lot of waiting in line but actually moved surprisingly fast.)

Signs for Maid of the Mist boat tour with line of people in background and boat barely visible on the river.

Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist boat loaded with people in blue ponchos at boat dock.

Once you board the boat, things move quickly! The boat goes past American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (on the left), and then sits at Horseshoe Falls for several minutes, giving you a nice long look.

Distant view of Niagara Falls from boat. — Heading to Horseshoe Falls

Rainbow International Bridge over Niagara River. — Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge

Finally, the boat turns around and heads back the other direction so everyone on the right side of the boat can see the American and Bridal Veil falls up close.

View of American side of Niagara Falls. — American + Bridal Veil Falls

Once you’re back on shore, you can follow signs for Crow’s Nest to climb stairs to the base of the American Falls.

Signs for exit to elevators or entrance to Crow's Nest.

Long line of people ascending stairs to Crow's Nest observation area over Niagara Falls. — Crow's Nest Staircase

What Should I Wear on the Maid of the Mist?

I was really glad I had on sunglasses, because when I tried to take them off by the falls, the heavy mist made it really difficult to see!

If you’ve got polarized sunglasses, those are a great option. They'll help you see colors more clearly through the hazy mist.

Heavy mist and Niagara Falls seen from Maid of the Mist boat.

Also, despite wearing a poncho, your shoes will very likely get wet (especially if you’re standing on the side of the boat). Wear shoes that can get wet and will dry quickly!