Niagara Falls American Side Highlights Tour with Maid of the Mist

Experience the best of Niagara Falls on a 4-hour tour of the American side. Enjoy a narrated coach tour, a thrilling ride on the Maid of the Mist, and breathtaking views from the Prospect Point Observation Tower.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Niagara Falls State Park - One of the oldest parks in the United States, Niagara Falls State Park includes the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and part of the Horseshoe Falls.

  • Niagara Falls Observation Tower - Offering stunning panoramic views of the famous waterfalls, the Niagara Falls Observation Tower lets visitors admire the natural wonder from a high vantage point. Standing at 282 feet (86 meters), the tower provides a remarkable view of both the American and Horseshoe Falls.

  • Maid Of The Mist - (May-November) Descend 250 feet (76 meters) from the Niagara Falls Observation Tower to the base of the American Falls to start your cruise. Venture into the heart of Horseshoe Falls, surrounded by the refreshing mist and the thunderous sound of 600,000 gallons of water cascading over the cliffs every second. Get ready for an exciting experience as you feel the power of the swirling water beneath you, following its turbulent path down the Niagara River.

  • Horseshoe Falls - Get an up-close view of Horseshoe Falls from the deck of the Maid of the Mist.

  • Cave of the Winds - Enjoy an exhilarating walk along the water’s edge during the Cave of the Winds Gorge Walk, providing a unique view of the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls from their impressive base.

  • Bridal Veil Falls - Stroll along a series of wooden walkways leading to the Hurricane Deck, where you’ll stand face to face with the powerful base of Bridal Veil Falls.

  • Goat Island - The tour includes stops at all the key viewing areas, including Goat Island.

  • Whirlpool State Park - Witness the impressive rapids along the lower Niagara River as they form one of the largest whirlpools in the world.

What's Included
  • Selected downtown hotel pickup and drop-off within Niagara Falls NY
  • Wheelchair accessible transportation, must advise at reservation confirmation
  • Admission to the Observation Tower
  • 4-5 hour guided tour of Niagara Falls USA
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Admission to the Cave of the Winds and Hurricane Deck
  • Maid of the Mist boat ride (May-October)
  • Local Expert Guide
  • Complimentary Poncho at included attractions
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Discover the highlights of Niagara Falls on this comprehensive 4-hour sightseeing tour of the American side. Alongside a narrated coach tour, this experience features a thrilling ride on the renowned Maid of the Mist gorge cruise (May-Oct) and entry to the Prospect Point Observation Tower for breathtaking views of the falls.

Pick-up is available exclusively from selected downtown Niagara Falls USA hotels. Nov-April, New York Power Vista will be visited in place of the Maid of the Mist.

From May to October, the tour includes the Maid of the Mist Boat Cruise, while from November to April, the New York Power Authority Power Vista replaces the Maid of the Mist, which is closed for the season.

We have been sharing unforgettable & safe experiences with guests for almost 30 years. Come join us as we joyfully share the very best of Niagara Falls.

  • If joining from the Canadain side, a valid Passport or Visa is Required to cross the US/Canadian border. Passengers will not be allowed to travel without proof of identification.
  • If joining from the US side, passports are not required UNLESS guests have chosen the cross-border upgrade. In this case, additional documentation may also be required to enter Canada depending on your country of citizenship.
  • Advance notice is required when traveling with a foldable wheelchair or walker, or if an ADA lift vehicle is required. Please contact us 24-48 hours prior to your tour date.
  • Parts of Niagara Falls State Park are pedestrianized. Guests should be prepared to walk during portions of the tour.
Location
One Niagara Welcome Center
Rainbow Boulevard
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(3810 Ratings)
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431livv
Jul 19, 2024
Amazing - Mr Bob was amazing!!! He was nice and fun, we had a great time! We also did learn a lot about because of mr Bob. Nice nice nice nice.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brandida1989mn
Jul 16, 2024
Amazing - "Showtime with Shelly" was the absolute best tour guide! We had the only black trolley in Niagra Falls, NY, which was cool. She took us to places we would have not known about, which we liked. We saw so much stuff in 4 hours. We rode on the Maid of the Mist and did the Cave of the Winds. They were both so awesome!! I 100% recommend doing this if you get a chance and hopefully you will get Shelly as your tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jodywitcher
Jul 14, 2024
Take the tour! - We took the 10 am tour with Shelly on the black trolley. We loved every minute of it! Shelly is very knowledgeable about the area, she grew up here. She went out of her way to show us places she felt we needed to see and she had been going to since she was a child. If you book a Grayline tour, ask for Shelly!
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Yellowslugbug
Jul 2, 2024
Hometown gal, tour guide shares her love for Niagra! - Showtime with Shelly was phenomenal. Her enthusiasm for Niagra was infectious. She had so many great stories that greatly enhanced the experience. We felt very special in that she took us to several "extra" places---three sisters island, DiCamillo bakery, Lewistown, and the whirlpool. Don't do this tour without her! She was also very helpful in previewing the accessibility options as we had my 84 yo father with us. He did great with his cane and Shelly's extra care and attention.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Culture48022602306
Jul 2, 2024
NY Niagara Falls Experience - What a great tour! Shelly was a true NY’er! We loved her down to earth vibe, her knowledge history, her off the beaten path stops and her overall no-nonsense approach! This tour was the way to go! We enjoyed The Maid of the Mist, the 3 sister islands, Cave of the Winds, DiCamillos Bakery, Goat island, Lewiston, The Whirlpool. So. Much. Fun. So efficienct. Thank you Shelly! Wishing you healthy and happiness! Thank you for making our day perfect!
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958jodyd
Jun 16, 2024
Wet and wonderful! - Showtime with Shelly was great in the Black Trolley. It was personal and we felt like family. Shelly was knowledgeable and answered every question! Well done!
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U6494qwruthr
Jun 14, 2024
Awe-inspiring - The tour was fantastic! Shelly took us to all of the highlights in Niagara Falls! She explained everything and gave us the history. The falls were breathtaking, awe-inspiring! To my surprise, there was more to see than the falls! It was an incredible day! Thank you to Shelly for making this trip a great experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dougf48
Jun 11, 2024
The best way to experience the US side of the Falls - Shelly made a wonderful trip even more special than we expected. She far exceeded our expectations as did the trip. Our grandsons loved everything!
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Shutson1027
Jun 21, 2024
Your WHOLE day is gone with this one - This is a tricky review to write. There were some high and low points, so here we go. We booked the US and Canadian highlights version, and our confirmation read 4-5 hours for the tour. I believe this time was for the US portion only, because our tour went from 10:20am-7:00pm…MUCH longer than we were led to believe. Two people in our group were picked up at 8:30am from the Canadian side, so they had an even longer day! This company should NEVER agree to pick up their guests from both sides of Niagara because the wait in the customs line is a total unknown. The extra back and forth across the border is ridiculous for everyone. There were some great highlights (Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds), and it was nice having all admissions and transportation paid for, but the sweet older gentleman giving the tour was simply not good. He was very nice and had a couple good pointers at the stops, but he just droned on and in and was an uninteresting guide. The tour stops at an absolute tourist trap on the Canada side and the syrup tasting/fudge sampling is not worth it. It was the only stop of the day for food (at 3:30), so we were hungry! My husband and I split an order of poutine for $17 and shared an icewine tasting for $29!!! Overall, our guide made the day even longer, and we were all pretty desperate for the tour to end. In retrospect, I would have rather done the two US attractions mentioned above and crossed over to see the Canadian views on our own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kyras834
Jul 1, 2024
Worst tour experience of my life - This was the worst tour experience I’ve ever had in my life. I was extremely excited to see Niagara Falls for the first time, but this tour ruined it. The front desk associate told me the tour would be 4 to 5 hours, and when I got to the tour bus, they mentioned that this was a new tour guide they had never seen before. Throughout the entire tour, I couldn't understand a single thing the guide was saying. He had no knowledge of Niagara Falls or the places we visited. We drove around aimlessly for about two hours, and the guide even took us to his family's pizza shop to get food. Everyone on the tour bought food while he got free pizza for "bringing them business." We only managed to visit two of the stops listed in the brochure. The guide forgot our lanyards, which made it hard to keep track of everyone, and he lost multiple people throughout the day. I felt incredibly uncomfortable and unsafe. After 5 1/2 hours, we had to walk ourselves back to the center. Upon returning, we spoke with the front desk representative, who acknowledged that none of this should have happened. The guide should have known more about the falls and taken us to all the advertised places. When I called customer service, all they offered was a 10% discount on my next tour, without even an apology. The other tour guides from the company seemed wonderful, which makes this experience even more disappointing. We didn't even see half of the stops, and yet we can't get a partial refund. The customer service was terrible, and the tour guide was the worst I've ever encountered. For the cherry on top, when we told our guide that we were not pleased with the service and were going to walk back to the center he begged us for a tip and said the company doesn’t pay him well and that he lives on these tips and needed us to give him one. I do not recommend this tour at all.
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September 2024
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