2-Hour Lockport Double Locks Cruise

Regularly Scheduled Public Cruises runs through Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises. Rated 4.8 across 865 reviews. Runs About 2 hours. From $26.

Overview

This cruise exists for one reason: Lockport holds the only double set of locks on the entire Erie Canal, and the boat goes straight through them. Departing from 210 Market Street, the vessel spends about two hours on the water while three million gallons of water fill Locks 34 and 35 and lift everyone 50 feet. You watch the gates close and the water climb from the deck.

The rest of the route keeps things moving. The boat passes five of the original locks from the 1800s, runs beneath the Upside Down Bridge and the Big Bridge, said to be the widest bridge in the United States at 399 feet, then travels through the deep rock cut and under lift bridges. A captain licensed by the Coast Guard narrates the whole way, with canal music from the 1800s mixed into the ride.

Families, groups, and anyone who wants the lock-through experience will all fit here. Cruises run daily from early May to mid-October, seats are never reserved, and every boat in the fleet carries restrooms, with a licensed snack area on two vessels and a bar on the third. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own arrival at the dock.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in at Market StreetThe cruise starts at 210 Market Street in Lockport, New York. No seats are reserved, so arriving ahead of departure gives you the first pick of where to sit.
2. Cruise out on the canalThe boat heads onto the Erie Canal with live narration from a Coast Guard licensed captain. Canal music popular in the 1800s plays during the ride.
3. Pass the original locksThe route glides past five of the original locks built in the 1800s.
4. Lock through Locks 34 and 35This is the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal. Three million gallons of water fill the chambers and raise the boat 50 feet while passengers watch from the deck.
5. Run the bridges and rock cutThe boat passes under the Upside Down Bridge and the Big Bridge, 399 feet wide, then goes through the deep rock cut and beneath lift bridges.
6. Return to the Lockport dockThe cruise ends back where it began, at 210 Market Street.

What To Expect From The Tour

The points below come from the operator's own schedule and fleet information. They cover the small practical details that decide how the day goes.

• Getting there. Hotel pickup is not part of this cruise. Everyone makes their own way to 210 Market Street in Lockport, New York, so plan your own arrival at the dock.
• Seating. No seats are reserved on any of the boats. Arriving early is the only way to claim a deck spot with a clear view of the lock walls.
• Food and drink. Lockview IV and Lockview V each carry two restrooms and a licensed snack area. Lockview VI, the Mississippi-style paddle wheel boat, has two restrooms and a fully licensed bar.
• Accessibility. The operator asks anyone with concerns about boat accessibility to make contact in advance. The smallest vessel, Lockview IV, is boarded by two small steps.
• Season and timing. Cruises run daily from early May to mid-October, with set departure times that shift by season. Reserving ahead is the operator's own advice for getting on the cruise you want, and confirmations can take a day or so because bookings are handled by hand.
• Photography. The lock chambers, bridge undersides and rock cut all pass close to the boat.

Common issues. The operator's own information flags several limits. Seats are never reserved, so a full departure leaves little choice about where you sit, and the vessel can be any of three, from a 48-passenger single-deck boat up to a 150-passenger paddle wheeler. Bookings are confirmed by hand and can take a day or so, which penalizes last-minute decisions. The season runs only from early May to mid-October, and all narration is in English.

Choosing Your Erie Canal Cruise