Maid of the Mist … USA

Oh, Niagara Falls, how could we resist your misty charms? Yes, we returned to do the ultimate American touristy thing: hop aboard the Maid of the Mist and get up close and personal with those thundering waterfalls. And boy, did we ever!

First off, let’s talk about our brilliant strategy. We thought we’d outsmart the crowd by coming on a Monday instead of the weekend. Ha! Joke’s on us! It felt like every school, family, and possibly even the cast of a “Niagara Falls: The Musical” was there. Seriously, the only thing missing was a marching band and a parade float.

Despite our smug pre-purchase of tickets, we ended up in a line that looked like it stretched to Canada. We spent 45 minutes shuffling forward, contemplating our life choices. The first 25 minutes were just to get our tickets scanned. You’d think we were trying to gain entry to an exclusive club, but no, just scanning tickets. The last 20 minutes were a scenic tour of the Observation Deck, a thrilling elevator ride to the ground floor, and a brisk walk to the boat.

All in all, it was a hilariously chaotic adventure. But hey, nothing like getting drenched by a waterfall to wash away the memory of an epic line, right?Read more