Tickets 
Category: News
Maid of the Mist supports state literacy initiative
04/15/24
Learning to read is the single most important activity in a child’s education. Studies show that children who read at home are better prepared to succeed in formal education. For the second, consecutive year, Saints Peter & Paul School in Williamsville, N.Y., hosted a weeklong program to encourage childhood literacy.
PARP (Pick A Reading Partner) is a statewide literacy incentive program that asks a partner (parent, grandparent, babysitter, older sibling, cousin, friend, etc.) to read with a child for 15 minutes a day. PARP, developed in 1978 by New York State Senator James Donovan, encourages a love of reading in children and cements the necessary bond between the home and school.
Saints Peter & Paul School brought the program back this year to encourage a lifelong love of reading in its students. The year’s theme is “Every Hero Has a Story.” On Apr. 12, local heroes read books and answered questions about how reading is important in their work.
Maid of the Mist provided tickets that will be used as incentives for students to continue their reading adventures.
“The purpose of PARP is to motivate a love of reading and strengthen communication skills between school, community, and home,” said school principal Marc Bandelian. “Saints Peter and Paul School is hosting PARP again this year because of our mission to encourage strong literacy in our curriculum and foster a lifelong passion for reading.”
Eclipse: Maid of the Mist featured on NYC TV
04/09/24Maid of the Mist President Christopher M. Glynn was interviewed live on WCBS-TV out of New York City on Apr. 8, 2024, ahead of the solar eclipse in Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Local Voices: A Captain’s Story
03/26/24The following profile of Maid of the Mist Captain Mike Dennis was originally published by Destination Niagara USA, the official Destination Marketing Organization for Niagara County, including the iconic Niagara Falls.
Maid of the Mist captain Mike Dennis started his career as a deckhand on the storied ship. Find out how he rose to the top and get his insider tips on how to make the most out of your ride!
When he started his first job on the fleet, Captain Mike Dennis had no idea he would earn the title of “captain.” In 2014, the local native applied for a job as a deckhand on the Maid of the Mist, leveraging his knowledge and love of boating on the upper river. What would follow was a meteoric rise to captain by 2021 — the first time anyone has climbed the ladder from deckhand to captain in the Maid of the Mist’s 178-year history.
Swabbing the deck
This is not to say that deckhand is an insignificant role on the ship. Dennis describes it as “an important job. The deckhands are keeping an eye on all the customers, all the passengers, and they tie the boat up. When we pull up to the dock, they untie the boat, they put our gangways, our ramps on for loading. They keep an eye out for security and safety.” A pretty big job for an 18-year-old straight out of high school.
After five years, Dennis saw his opportunity to move up the ranks. Throughout the 2019 season, Dennis put in the required sea time (the amount of time spent on the water) and took the tests to be licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard. By early 2020, he had his license and started driving a few days a week, moving him up to the rank of first mate.
A life-changing experience
Dennis was made captain in 2021, an opportunity and responsibility he was grateful for, especially considering how many people ride the boat every single day (up to 600 per outing). He still relishes the opportunity to see how blown away passengers are by riding the Maid of the Mist. Dennis describes multiple people telling him that it’s been a life-changing experience, and he can see why. “You can feel it with all your senses,” he says. “You’re hearing the water. It’s like a thunderous sound, especially on these new boats because they’re so quiet. And then obviously the views are incredible. You’ve got the mist just hitting your face.”
Ready for Launch – 2024 Season Begins Apr. 4
03/07/24
The iconic all-electric Maid of the Mist, which has been in continuous operation since 1885, sets sail on the 2024 season at 10 a.m., on Thursday, Apr. 4. Tours will depart every 30 minutes, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. The hours of operation will be extended throughout the summer. This year marks the 139th consecutive season, making Maid of the Mist among the longest-continuously operating tourist attractions in North America.
“A mild winter will allow us to open early this year,” said Maid of the Mist President Christopher M. Glynn. “Our crew is ready to welcome the world to Niagara Falls for a bucket list experience that is like no other.”
Maid of the Mist is excited to offer extended hours (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) the day of the Total Solar Eclipse (Monday, Apr. 8) to accommodate the projected high volume of eclipse enthusiasts at Niagara Falls State Park. Vessel tour operations will be open for our normal operation throughout the day of the eclipse on a first come, first served basis.
For the day of the eclipse, the Crow’s Nest will be closed and Observation Deck only tickets will not be available for sale.
Adult tickets are $28.25, tickets for children (6–12 years) $17.75, and children 5 and under are free with an accompanying adult. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets online. Maid of the Mist opened last season on Apr. 15. This year’s season runs through Nov. 3, 2024.
From watch parties to music festivals, choose your April 8 total solar eclipse adventure
03/05/24
NEW YORK (AP) — Where will you be watching the April 8 total solar eclipse? There are just a few weeks left to pick your spot to see the skies darken along a strip of North America, whether by land, sea or air.
For those who live inside the 115-mile-wide (185-kilometer-wide) path of total darkness, it may be a matter of just stepping outside and donning special eclipse glasses to watch the spectacle unfold. For the millions outside the path, or those who just want to improve their chances of clear skies, it could mean hitting the road with a game plan.
The eclipse reaches Mexico’s Pacific coast in the morning, cuts diagonally across the U.S. from Texas to Maine and exits in eastern Canada by late afternoon. Most of the rest of the continent will see a partial eclipse.
Where are the eclipse watch parties?
With the eclipse falling on a Monday, cities and towns along the path have lined up a weekend full of activities and watch parties to attract visitors. There are a multitude of music festivals and gatherings planned at museums, parks, wineries and other businesses hoping to capitalize on the buzz.
Niagara Falls has a slate of events for days and is expecting July Fourth-sized crowds for the eclipse, said Sara Harvey, spokeswoman for Destination Niagara USA.
There are multiple vantage points to watch the show from Niagara Falls State Park, and the famous Maid of the Mist tourist boats may be running, weather permitting, she said. Even if it’s cloudy, visitors will get “a beautiful view of the falls,” Harvey said.
Credit: Associated Press
