lockport erie canal boat tours

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Experience “Life in the Past Lane" when you get on board for your cruise on the historic Erie Canal, a 363-mile waterway between the Hudson River with Niagara River and the Great Lakes and an important part of American history.

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Your fun and informative cruise will take you past five of the original 1800's locks. Three million gallons of water will fill Locks 34 & 35, the only double set on the Erie Canal, and raise the boat 50 feet. You’ll pass under Lockport's "Upside Down Bridge," Lockport's "Big Bridge" (the widest bridge in the U.S. at 399 feet wide), through the "deep rock cut" and under lift bridges. The lively narration by the Coast Guard Licensed Captains is also accompanied by crowd-pleasing canal music, popular during the 1800's.

Passing through the locks...

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For more about our cruises, call us at 716-433-6155, or toll-free at 1-800-378-0352.

Cruise Schedules and Pricing

Regularly scheduled public cruises, spring: tuesday, may 19, 2024, through thursday, june 19, 2024 every day all week 12:30 pm and 3 pm additional cruise saturdays at 10 am, summer: friday, june 20, 2024, through sunday, september 22, 2024 every day all week 10:00 am, 12:30pm, and 3:00pm, fall: monday, september 23, 2024, through monday, october 14, 2024 every day all week 12:30 pm and 3 pm. additional cruise saturdays at 10 am, private & group cruises : can be scheduled every day, anytime from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. tuesday, may 19, 2024, through monday, october 14, 2024.

$ 24.50 Adults

$ 12.00 Children (4-10), Children Under 4 - FREE

$ 23.00 for AAA & CAA Members Courtesy Rate

Special Discounts Available for Groups, School Programs, Scout and Youth Programs. Please contact us for details.

You and your guests can cruise one of the regularly scheduled cruise times available daily from early May to mid-October. Cruises are approximately 2 hours long.

There are no reserved seats on either boat. You can use this reservation form to tell us when you're coming. Please include your email address and we'll send a confirmation. (Note: This is not an automated system. It may take a day or so to confirm your spaces.)

Please contact us in advance if you have any concerns regarding boat accessibility.

You can also arrange special private charter times for your groups of 30 or more. Charter cruises can travel east for a relaxing canal cruise or choose our regular cruise route which includes 'locking through.'

Reservations are suggested to insure a spot on your desired cruise.

Lockview IV

Lockview IV, a 48-passenger motor vessel built to resemble the African Queen, provided tours in Hilton Head and Mystic Seaport (also appeared in the movie “Mystic Pizza”) before her service in Lockport. 47 Foot single deck US Coast Guard licensed vessel with a beautiful teak interior equipped with 2 restrooms and a licensed snack area. Two small steps provide easy access.

Lockview V, a 125-passenger double-deck motor vessel built for the Great Lakes, previously provided tours in Florida and Booth Bay Harbor, Maine. 65 Foot US Coast Guard licensed vessel equipped with 2 restrooms and a licensed snack area.

Lockview VI

Lockview VI, a 75 Foot double-deck Mississippi-style stern paddle wheel motor vessel. This United States Coast Guard licensed vessel carries up to 150 passengers. Lockview VI has an upper and lower deck, 2 restrooms, and a fully licensed bar.

Back to Top Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises 210 Market Street, Lockport, NY 14094 716-433-6155 or 800-378-0352 [email protected]

© Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises. All Rights Reserved. www.annetteriley.com

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Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises

Experience this AAA GEM attraction featured on the History Channel. Enjoy a unique narrated 2-hour cruise on the Erie Canal, under lift bridges and being raised and lowered 50 feet in Locks 34 & 35. Special pre-arranged group cruise times available. Located 30 minutes from Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY.

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Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises 210 Market Street Lockport, New York 14094

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Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises

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AAA Rating: 4

Group Limit: 201 +

Handicap Access

Tour Length: 2 or more

Experience this AAA Gem Attraction featured on the History Channel. Enjoy a unique narrated two hour cruise past many historic sites and “Flight of Five.” Cruise includes being raised and lowered 50 feet in the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal.

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Visitor Information: 800.283.3256

Main Office: 716.852.0511

Main Fax: 716.852.0131

403 Main Street, Suite 630 Buffalo, New York 14203-1496

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Erie Canal Boat Cruise With Lunch

Duration:  3-4 Hours Tour Times:   Upon Request Availability:   April – November   

Take a cruise down the historic Erie Canal and through the Lockport Locks. Be mesmorized as you elevate 49ft to the top of the Niagara Escarpment with a Coast Guard Licensed captain. After your cruise, enjoy a tasty buffet canal side that included a variety of foods from roast beef and turkey to salads and pasta.

Tour Prices

Special Group Pricing for Groups of 10 or more!

Duration:  3 – 4 Hours Tour Times:   Upon Request Availability:     April –  November

Tour Itinerary

• Take a cruise down the historic Erie Canal and through the Lockport Locks and Experience a unique 2-hour cruise which includes “locking through” and being raised the 49 ft. elevation of the Niagara Escarpment (the same one that creates Niagara Falls) in the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal. You will pass under bridges that raise straight up, see water cascade over Lockport’s famous “Flight of Five” 1840’s locks, and travel through the solid walls of the “rock cut” as your Coast Guard licensed captain describes the architecture, sights, and folklore along the way.
• Enjoy a delicious Buffet Luncheon Canal side after your boat cruise. Includes: Salad, mashed potatoes, Pasta Station, Roast Beef, Turkey, Corn Beef, gravy, apple sauce, cranberry sauce, hot buttered bread sticks, tea, coffee and dessert.
• Transportation to and from Niagara Falls to Lockport
• Erie Canal Cruise with Luncheon All Inclusive of taxes and gratuity
• All Tolls/Bridge Tolls/Parking Fees

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Call: 1-716-283-8900

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Over the Falls Tours 8888 Porter Rd Niagara Falls, NY 14304, USA

Office: (716) 283-8900 Toll Free: 1-877-783-8900 (US & Canada) Fax: 1-716-282-3656

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Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises

• 210 Market Street
• Lockport, NY 14094
• (716) 433-6155 | (800) 378-0352

Experience this AAA GEM attraction featured on the History Channel. Enjoy a unique narrated 2-hour cruise past many historic sights and five original locks. Cruise includes being raised and lowered 50 feet in the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal. Only 30 minutes from Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY. Banquet and meeting rooms open all year.

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Tours & excursions, accessible amenities, blind/low vision.

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• Staff Orientation to Venue: Yes
• Accessible Car Parking Onsite: Yes
• Assistive Equipment: Yes
• Service Animal Relief: Yes

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• Accessible Bathroom: Yes
• Accessible Entrance: Yes
• Accessible Route: Yes

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Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises

While the Erie Canal is busy celebrating its 200 th birthday, Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises is celebrating its 30 th year of providing visitors to the Erie Canal a great opportunity to get out on the water on one of their cruise boats. In addition, if you’re looking for a venue for a company event or a wedding you won’t need to look any further.

The main building, originally built in the 1840’s was renovated to resemble an 1800’s Canal Town and with over 100 windows overlooking the historic Erie Canal, the Canalside which is open year-round and houses banquet and meeting space for over 200, a café, gift shop and outdoor landscaped picnic area with 100’foot shelter that can accommodate another 300 people.

The original stone walls are the remains of what was once Niagara Preserving Company one of the first companies to effectively preserve food in metal containers. The property at one time was also home to the Western Block Company, a business that manufactured block and tackle for pulleys used on canal boats. Many of the original artifacts can still be found throughout the spacious building.

Today the spillway still caries water under the Canal into an 18-mile creek and on to Lake Ontario. The building still in it’s original condition serves as the Lockport & Erie Canal Heritage Museum with hands-on canal related exhibits, a working model of a lock and many interesting and educational displays and artifacts.

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises is located Canalside at 210 Market St. Lockport NY (716) 433-6155

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Taking a Historic Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruise in Niagara County

The Erie Canal cuts its way across New York from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, and there are many fascinating places to visit along it, including the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse . However, none quite encapsulate the combination being both educational and relaxing as much as the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises in Niagara County .

Located approximately 40 minutes from both Niagara Falls and downtown Buffalo (home to the excellent Buffalo River boat tours ). Lockport, New York is a community that was built around the Erie Canal and the community’s famous Flight of Five Locks that raised boats over the 49-foot Niagara Escarpment in five steps.

While the historic locks are closed to boat traffic, two modern locks still raise and lower boats up this hillside in the heart of downtown Lockport.

Wanting to experience riding through this historic double lock, my family and I were invited aboard the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises for their two-hour tour along the Erie Canal.

The tour leaves from their visitor center and boat dock just downstream on the Erie Canal from the locks. There are three different boats in their fleet, and I assume that the boat picked for each day depends on the expected size of the crowds.

While the smallest boat only features one deck and would seem to have somewhat limited views and ability to move around, the two largest boats offer both a covered lower deck and an upper deck. All three boats also have restrooms and a small snack bar serving a somewhat limited selection of drinks and snacks.

Since the boat dock is near the locks, it’s only a few short minutes from the start of the tour before the boat reaches the locks.

I had never been inside of a working lock before, so it was a really neat experience watching the boat get lifted 25 feet up through the power of water. All told, it takes 3 million gallons of water to raise the boat through each of the two locks.

After ascending the two levels of the Lockport Locks, the cruise continued west along the Erie Canal. As I learned at the nearby Erie Canal Discovery Center , this portion of the canal was blasted out of solid rock to keep it level for the rest of the trip to Lake Erie.

Of course, the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises trip doesn’t go all the way to the lake. Instead, it travels around 1.5 miles west of the locks, turning around near the Route 93 bridge.

As you travel along the canal, the boat’s driver offers narration about the history of the canal, the community of Lockport, and how locks work. I found the narration to be really well done and quite educational. In fact, there were a few times that questions popped into my head that were soon answered by the narrator.

When the guide wasn’t talking, the boat’s loudspeakers played authentic canal music, much of which was written by people riding on the canal or about the Erie Canal. These songs really added a lot to the experience, and I’m glad they opted to play this type of music instead of more modern selections.

The cruise sails back into Lockport, and, of course, must once again ride through the locks. Probably my favorite part of the entire cruise was pulling up to the top lock as it was full of water. From here, you can see the main channel of the Erie Canal far below. It’s almost a bit intimidating seeing how high above the water you are currently sitting.

Once back at the bottom of the locks, you might think your cruise is over. However, the ship doesn’t return directly to the dock. Instead, it continues further east on the Erie Canal.

This section of the canal is interesting for a few reasons.

The first is because the boat passes underneath several small bridges. However, these bridges are unique in that the entire surface of the bridge raises and lowers to allow passing boats through. Definitely something that you don’t see every day.

I also enjoyed this part of the cruise because the narrator offered some really interesting information on both the buildings along the canal as well as how the canal is used today. Did you know that you can still take a boat from Lake Erie all the way to the Hudson River in Albany?

The tour boat travels a mile east on the Erie Canal before turning around again for the trip back to the dock. All told, the ride takes roughly two hours, though the length of the tour can vary a bit depending on if there is any other traffic on the locks.

Overall, I thought the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises trip was a ton of fun. I not only learned a lot about the Erie Canal, but it also gave me the chance to experience how a lock works, which I thought was really neat.

If you are looking for something fun and unique to while visiting the Great Niagara region , I’d definitely recommend taking a ride out to Lockport to experience this great boat tour.

Also worth noting is that you can walk up to and explore the locks themselves in downtown Lockport. It was a really fun experience to not only see the giant locks up-close from the shore but also to look out over the historic Flight of Five locks that helped the Erie Canal conquer New York State.

Note: My ride on the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruise was hosted by the site. However, the opinions expressed are my own.

Looking for more to do in the area? Check out the Old Fort Niagara , Glen Falls , Medina Falls , the Jell-O Museum , and Holley Canal Falls .

Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises

See map below for other area attractions., more nearby places worth exploring.

Festive Fun at the Festival of Lights near Buffalo, NY

The Buffalo Zoo: Exploring the United State’s 3rd Oldest Zoo

What It’s Like to Visit the Buffalo Museum of Science

Visiting the Millard Fillmore House Near Buffalo, NY

Find more things to do in greater niagara.

Jim Cheney is the creator of Uncovering New York. After spending 5.5 years exploring Pennsylvania, Jim discovered a love for New York and is excited to spend time exploring this great state and uncovering the best things to do here.

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Erie Canal Cruise Tour

The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing the costs of transporting people and goods across the Appalachians. On this tour, we will be taking three different canal cruises traveling from east to west, while enjoying beautiful views and visiting historical and interesting sites.

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National Baseball Hall of Fame

Lil Diamond II Erie Canal Cruise

The Stanley Theatre

New York Kitchen Dinner with Chef Demonstration

George Eastman Museum

Artisan Works

Colonial Belle Erie Canal Boat Tour

Vidler’s Five & Dime

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruise

Niagara Falls Illumination

Seneca Spirit Cruise on Seneca Lake

10 Meals Included

Motorcoach Transportation

Hotel Accommodations

Requires Extended Walking

This morning we depart for our 5-day tour along the historic Erie Canal. We will stop for rest and lunch enroute to Cooperstown, NY, where we will visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Here we will enjoy a self-guided visit of the baseball-related artifacts and exhibits honoring those who have excelled in playing, managing and serving the sport. The Hall's motto is "Preserving History, Honoring Excellence, Connecting Generations". We will then check-in to our Utica, NY lodging. Dinner will be included at a nearby restaurant.

After breakfast we will enjoy a 90-minute, narrated journey through history on the calm waters of the Erie Canal while enjoying the spectacular scenery of New York's beautiful Mohawk Valley. Join your United States Coast Guard licensed captain aboard Lil Diamond II and enjoy a few entertaining tales of the canal. The thrill of our voyage is being raised and lowered over 20 feet in an Erie Canal Lock! Lunch will be included in Utica followed by a guided tour of The Stanley Theatre. Originally built to be a movie palace, this theatre opened on September 10, 1928 with 2,963 seats. Designed by famous architect Thomas Lamb, this baroque theater is a stunning cornerstone of this region. This evening dinner is included at New York Kitchen. The chef will demonstrate making some of the food we will enjoy for dinner. Televisions give everyone a perfect view of the process. Our lodging for the next three evenings will be located in Batavia, NY.

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we will have a self-guided visit at the George Eastman Museum, the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives. World-renowned for its collections in the fields of photography and cinema, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and photograph conservation, educating archivists and conservators from around the world. Next, we will stroll through Artisan Works, a fantastic world of art, with nearly 500,000 pieces of artwork, antiques, automobiles, and memorabilia. It's not like anything you've ever seen! After lunch on our own in Rochester, we will enjoy a narrated 3-hour cruise along the Erie Canal aboard Colonial Belle. This cruise departs from Fairport, travels up and down through Lock E32 in Pittsford, then returns to Fairport. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant this evening.

Today after breakfast, we will enjoy a full-day guided tour of Buffalo and the surrounding region. First, we will visit Vidler's Five & Dime, the largest in the world! Here you can enjoy time strolling through the past. Next, we will have a guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House, the architect's quintessential Prairie house and one of the great achievements of his career. Lunch will be included at Anchor Bar, where Buffalo Chicken Wings were invented. This afternoon we will enjoy a 2-hour Lockport Locks & Erie Canal cruise. Three million gallons of water will fill Locks 34 & 35, the only double set on the Erie Canal, and will raise the boat 50 feet. You'll pass under Lockport's "Upside Down Bridge", Lockport's "Big Bridge", through the "deep rock cut" and under lift bridges. The lively narration by the Coast-Guard-licensed Captain is also accompanied by crowd-pleasing canal music, popular during the 1800's. Dinner tonight is at Hard Rock Café in downtown Niagara Falls, NY. Each evening Niagara Falls is illuminated in a fantastic display of color. After dinner, a nearby stroll will allow us to enjoy this unique event. We will then return to our lodging.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will check-out and depart for home. We will stop in Watkins Glen, NY where we will enjoy a 50-minute cruise along the stunning shores of Seneca Lake aboard The Seneca Spirit. After lunch on our own at Seneca Harbor Station, we will continue home. Arrival home is scheduled for early evening.

Please note

Our intention is to run each tour as originally planned and published. However, if deemed necessary to do so, Perkiomen Tours reserves the right to make changes to tour components, schedules or itineraries without prior notification. Tips for Perkiomen motorcoach drivers and tour escorts are not included in the price of this tour. We feel that these gratuities should be extended on an individual basis and dictated by the level of service provided. Motorcoach seating is assigned at the time of reservation but cannot be guaranteed. Although we do our best to keep each traveler in the seat assigned at the time of reservation, there are times that it is necessary to move seat locations. Please be sure to verify your final seat number(s) with your driver at the time of boarding. Historically, daily seat rotation was practiced on most multi-day tours. We have suspended this practice for a period of time. Seat rotation will be explained by your driver or tour escort if reinstated. Perkiomen Tours recommends that you consider purchasing Travel Insurance for your tour. Travel Insurance is purchased directly by you from a third-party of your choice. One option is Travel Safe Insurance. You can purchase insurance directly from Travel Safe through our website. www.perkiomentours.com To fully participate in this tour may require extended amounts of walking. There may be steps, inclines, uneven surfaces or extended periods of standing. Participants with physical limitation should take this into consideration.

B=Full Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

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Lockport Caves & Underground Boat Ride

Explore the historic and newly rehabilitated “flight of five” erie canal locks 67-71, constructed in 1838, and more....

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ERIE CANAL SIGHTSEEING CRUISE

Our sight seeing cruises depart daily! Enjoy the scenery of the Mohawk Valley as you cruise the calm waters of the Erie Canal, learning about the history of the area and locks.

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Erie Canal Cruises, Inc

We welcome you to beautiful Mohawk Valley and Erie Canal Cruises. Erie Canal Cruises tour boat Lil’ Diamond II is docked at Gems Along the Mohawk, the Official Mohawk Valley Visitor Center. Located at 800 Mohawk Street in Herkimer, NY, we are directly across from the New York State Thruway Exit 30.

We invite you to join us on our USGC Certified vessel for a fun and historically fascinating cruise, back to a time when the canal was just a vision and the barges were pulled by mules and horses. Travel thru a hundred-year-old lock, relax and enjoy – you’ll be glad you did.

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Make your plans now to get on board the most popular cruise on the Erie Canal.

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OVER 1,000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON TRIPADVISOR!

A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR ALL AGES

This cruise was very informative and narrated well by the captain as well as a recording. The price was very reasonable and my husband and I really enjoyed how the lifts worked. A very enjoyable day!

WHAT A GEM!

We thoroughly enjoyed this hidden gem of a cruise! Everyone was friendly and the captain was incredibly knowledgeable. Kids should take this cruise to learn about the rich history of our canal system.

INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL

Cruising the Erie Canal was a beautiful adventure. It was exciting to actually enter the lock and see how the water is controlled for boats along the Mohawk River. The historical and geographical information was very interesting, as well. A very worthwhile experience.

FUN AND EDUCATIONAL

The captain had a wonderful personality, and great knowledge. The mate was very helpful as well. Great cruise, lots of history and wonderful views.

ERIE CANAL CRUISE

Great cruise. Very informational. Had a great time. Very comfortable ride. The Locks were exciting. Captain was very entertaining. Had dinner after the cruise in the Waterfront Grille and it was excellent. Great service and great food.

CANAL CRUISE

Very nice cruise. The captain was very informative narrating the cruise. The scenery was very peaceful and we even saw a bald eagle! The locks were interesting and fun to be in while we went to different levels of the river. Great trip. Really enjoyed it.

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Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride

Lockport's Downtown Attraction

The Lockport Cave Walking Tours are closed for the season. We regret any disappointment this may cause our visitors. The staff and management of the Lockport Cave would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this unique and difficult period.

Begin With The Walking Tour

You will explore the historic and newly rehabilitated “Flight of Five” Erie Canal Locks 67-71, constructed in 1838 and Locks 34 & 35 which allow boats to travel “uphill” 60 feet through the Niagara Escarpment ridge of rock. View the Historic Engineering Marvels on the Erie Canal from the 1800’s and examine industrial ruins, allowing a glimpse into America’s industrial revolution and the fortitude it took to build the Erie Canal. Once inside you’ll view stalactites, flow stone, various geological formations in their early stages of development and artifacts left behind by the workmen who built the tunnel and factories.

Let History Surround You

Walk through a 2100 foot water power tunnel blasted out of solid rock. The Hydraulic Tunnel provided water power to several industries. The tunnel was the invention of Birdsill Holly, a mechanical genius, whose inventions might never have been realized without the water power provided by this tunnel. Holly’s inventions include the life-saving fire hydrant, central steam heat and the rotary pump. During his lifetime, Holly held over 150 patents.

This was an awesome tour, the kids and I really loved it. I never knew it existed. It’s worth the trip! A real must see when visiting Lockport, NY!!!

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Home of America's Stairway

We are the Lockport Locks Heritage District, and we offer the premier Erie Canal experience on the New York State Canal System. Begin your visit  to Lockport, NY, at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, immediately adjacent to restored Canal Street, located on the north side of the Lockport  Locks. 

The  Locks Heritage District features the Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks, which date back to the 19th Century Enlarged Erie Canal Era. Visitors can enjoy the  Lock Tenders Tribute Monument and the Locks District Museum throughout the fall and winter months as well as during the spring and summer.  Visit https://discoverlockport.com to plan your Lockport visit.

The Lockport Locks Heritage District

Erie canal discovery center, erie canal flight of five locks.

Begin your visit to the Locks District at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, operated by the Niagara History Center (niagarahistory.org). The Erie Canal Discovery Center provides an excellent orientation to the Locks District, and it offers an exciting virtual canal boat ride through our Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks.

Erie Canal Locks 67 through 71 constitute the Flight of Five – the largest intact section of the historic Erie Canal still remaining. The reconstruction of Lock 68 was completed in 2019 and is now operational, along with Locks 69 & 70. 

Learn about the era of the 19th Century Enlarged Erie Canal Locks that are being rehabilitated and the era of the 20th Century Erie Barge Canal Locks that operate today. The Museum graphically tells the story of the changes in construction methods and the changes in operational technology from the Erie Canal eras present in Lockport.

Locks District Tours

Erie barge canal locks 34 & 35.

Enjoy three walking tours that provide excellent information about Lockport and the Erie Canal. The docent-led Flight of Five Lock Tender Tour is offered daily from June 21 through September 15 and includes stops at the Flight of Five Locks, Lock Tenders Tribute Monument and Locks District Museum. 'Lockport on the Erie Canal' is an audio 

Enjoy three walking tours that provide excellent information about Lockport and the Erie Canal. The docent-led Flight of Five Lock Tender Tour is offered daily from June 21 through September 15 and includes stops at the Flight of Five Locks, Lock Tenders Tribute Monument and Locks District Museum. 'Lockport on the Erie Canal' is an audio tour of 10 narrated destinations, and the self-guided Riley's Way Walking Tour incorporates 16 landmark signs located at street level and within the Lockport Locks.

Lockport remembers and celebrates those who labored 12 hour days from April  through November every year to enable boats to navigate through the Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks and deliver their freight to Buffalo and points west, or east to New York City and subsequent final destinations  including other continents. 

The Locks District is also home to Locks 34 and 35 (constructed 1910-1915) on the currently operating Erie Barge Canal. Walk across the catwalk above Lock 35, the western-most lock on the NYS Canal System, and marvel at the 25’ lift of each of the combination locks and the massive 50-ton steel lock gates. Enjoy the manicured canalside gar

The Locks District is also home to Locks 34 and 35 (constructed 1910-1915) on the currently operating Erie Barge Canal. Walk across the catwalk above Lock 35, the western-most lock on the NYS Canal System, and marvel at the 25’ lift of each of the combination locks and the massive 50-ton steel lock gates. Enjoy the manicured canalside gardens on the south side of the locks and visit the Masonic capstone memorial along the Lockview Walkway. 

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Gov. Hochul signs oversight bill stemming from fatal Lockport Cave incident

B UFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill Friday stemming from a fatal incident just over one year ago at the Lockport Cave, in which a boat capsized and resulted in the death of a 65-year-old Niagara Falls man .

The summary of  Senate Bill S9241  and  Assembly Bill A10399  states that it “Provides that the inspector shall at least annually inspect any vessel operated on privately or publicly owned underground non-navigable waterways with no navigable inlet or outlet that carry passengers for compensation; makes technical corrections; makes related provisions.”

Eleven others were injured in the incident last June, and a day later, the  underground attraction was deemed unsafe  because of electrical issues.

No criminal charges  were filed as a result, with the Lockport Cave later reopening in August for walking tours.

The New York State Senate and Assembly later passed legislation to require annual inspections of boats operated underground. With this, the state’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation would be the agency responsible for oversight.

Wednesday in Lockport, New York State Sen. Rob Ortt and Assemblymembers Mike Norris and Angelo Morinello discussed the legislation’s passage and called for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.

“In the course of the investigation of this tragic incident, it came to light that there is no state agency tasked with overseeing these types of attractions,” Ortt said. “One of my top priorities this legislative session was to change that.

“The signing of this legislation now ensures a state agency clearly has oversight and responsibility for inspecting the vessels used in one of the most unique attractions along the Erie Canal, closing a gap in coverage discovered following last year’s tragic incident. I’d like to thank the Governor for championing this important bill and signing it into law so promptly.”

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