Maid of the Mist: tickets, season and tips

How much are Maid of the Mist tickets in 2026?

$30.25 per adult and $19.75 per child aged 6 to 12; children 5 and under ride free with a paying adult.

The ticket covers the elevator to the landing and a souvenir rain poncho. The park takes cash and major cards, and boarding is first come, first served, so a ticket does not reserve a sailing time.

When is the Maid of the Mist open?

In 2026 the boat runs from April 24 to November 8; in October and November it sails from 9 AM to 5 PM.

The spring opening depends on ice on Lake Erie, so it moves a little each year. Tours list the boat as closed from early November to April and substitute another activity, so check the dates when you book.

Where does the Maid of the Mist leave from?

From the Observation Tower in Niagara Falls State Park, at Prospect Point in Niagara Falls, NY.

You board at the tower and ride the elevator down into the gorge to the landing. The ticket office closes 15 minutes before the last departure.

How wet do you get on the Maid of the Mist?

Very wet below the waist: the poncho keeps your top dry, but spray soaks shoes and trouser legs near the Horseshoe Falls.

Guests' most repeated line is simply "you will get wet". Hold the poncho closed at the front, keep your phone in a pouch, and see what to wear to Niagara Falls for shoes and layers.

What is the boat ride like?

A double-deck boat sails past the American and Bridal Veil Falls and into the roaring, misty basin of the Horseshoe Falls, then turns back.

Tour operators list about 20 minutes on the water. The upper deck has the open view; the lower deck gives a little shelter. Expect noise, wind and rainbows on sunny days.

Want the boat with a guide? The American side tour adds the cave, the tower and Goat Island.

★ 4.9 8,820 reviews · 4 hours · from $125

Explore the American side tour →

Is the US Maid of the Mist different from the Canadian boat?

Both boats sail into the same Horseshoe Falls basin; the Maid of the Mist leaves from New York, while the Canadian boat, Niagara City Cruises, leaves from Ontario.

Pick the boat on the side you are staying on. If you are in the US you need no passport for the Maid of the Mist; crossing to the Canadian boat means a border crossing. Compare the two sides in American vs Canadian side.

Which tours include the Maid of the Mist?

Almost every US side tour: the all-inclusive tour, the American side tour, the small-group, skip-line, walking, evening and helicopter tours, and the two-sides day.

The cheapest guided option is the walking tour with the boat at $57. The all-inclusive tour at $120 adds Cave of the Winds, the tower and hotel pickup.

What if the boat is closed when you visit?

From November to spring, the all-inclusive tour swaps the boat for a wine tasting with an appetizer, and the two-sides tour swaps it for Journey Behind the Falls in Canada.

The falls are still worth seeing in winter, with ice on the rocks, but the close-up boat view only exists in season. If the boat is the reason for your trip, plan for late April to early November.

Coming out of season with a passport? The two-sides day goes behind the Horseshoe Falls instead.

★ 4.9 10,016 reviews · 6 hours · from $190

Explore the two-sides day tour →

Frequently asked questions