Niagara Falls, Maid of the Mist tours are one of the most popular tourist experiences at the natural wonder that’s shared by both Canada and the United States.
The boats bring passengers from the New York side, to the bottom of the falls in the lower Niagara River. The tours begin the 2017 season this Saturday, April 1st.
From the Canadian side, the boat tours are operated by Hornblower, and they open on Saturday too.
The inaugural Maid of the Mist boat began operating in 1846.
The early opening is the result of a milder winter that created less ice on Lake Erie. This is the body of water that flows into the Niagara River and then over the falls.
Last spring was the previous earliest launch date, which was April 2, 2016.
“Our captains, crew members and associates are prepared to welcome guests from around the world as we build on last year’s record season” Christopher Glynn, president of Maid of the Mist, told the Associated Press.
The ferries, Maid of the Mist VI and Maid of the Mist VII, are ready to move into the waters of the Lower Niagara River to take visitors to the base of the Horseshoe Falls.
1.6 million people boarded the Maid of the Mist vessels last year during the company’s 131st year. The inaugural Maid of the Mist voyage took place in 1846.
In those days it was more than a tourist experience, the first Maid of the Mist was a steamboat that was big enough to carry a stagecoach and horses. It also transported mail and cargo.
Eventually, the construction of the first suspension bridge, left the Maid of the Mist and the Canadian tours, to the tourists.
The season runs until early November.
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