The Legendary Erie Canal

Perhaps the most well-known of the four Canals, the Erie Canal averages 125 feet in width, with a depth of at least 12 feet and has 34 locks.  Originally built as a major commercial waterway, this Canal is now a primary recreational resource and tourism destination. Beginning in Waterford, where the Hudson River meets the Mohawk River, stop at the newly created visitor’s center and walk along the promenade. You can also visit the famous "Waterford Flight," a series of five locks where boats are lifted and lowered to the greatest height in the shortest distance. The total lift is 169 feet, twice as much as the total lift from sea level to the summit of the Panama Canal.

Continuing west, pass through quaint towns and bustling cities created by Canal entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity. As the Erie flows along the picturesque countryside, the town of Canajoharie is home to two major sites – the Beechnut baby food plant and the Canajoharie Library and Art Gallery. The art gallery, though small, houses a permanent collection of over 350 paintings and sculptures. This collection demonstrates the development of American art from colonial times through the mid-twentieth century and includes works from such artists as Homer, Stuart and Winslow. If you tie your boat at Lock E-14 or the Terminal wall, the exhibit and village are only a short walk away.

As you near the town of Herkimer, the Herkimer Home State Historic Site can be seen from the Canal. This site, which includes a dock for boaters is the restored home of American Revolutionary hero, General Nicholas Herkimer, hero of the Oriskany Battle. It also has a visitor’s center, a kitchen garden maintained by interpreters and a 60-foot monument memorializing General Herkimer.

Continuing west, boats can tie up at the Utica Terminal wall and visit a number of sites in Utica including a children’s museum, the zoo and the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institute which serves as a museum, art school and performing arts center. For beer connoisseurs, the F.X. Matt Brewery, founded in 1888, offers tours to the public and brews local Saranac-brand beers and root beer.

As your journey continues, you will come to Sylvan Beach where you can see the only amusement park adjacent to the Erie Canal. This resort community comes alive during the summer months and offers the weary traveler numerous options to rest including cottages, campgrounds and hotels. The recently renovated Sylvan Beach pier is an excellent place to tie up for the night and walk to the local restaurants and shops.

Once you have crossed Oneida Lake, travel down the Seneca River and stop by the newly renovated Inner Harbor. This area has recently been redeveloped and offers boaters easy access to the city of Syracuse and its numerous attractions including the Erie Canal Museum, Carousel Mall, the Museum of Science and Technology (complete with the only domed IMAX theater in New York State) and the Museum of Automobile History. The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the only surviving weigh station and boasts a replica of an original Canal packet boat.

If the history of the Canal System interests you, be sure to stop in Camillus. Located between exits 39 and 40 off the NYS Thruway, this town is home to Erie Canal Park, a 300-acre site where you can picnic, visit the local museum, see a replica of a circa 1860s Canal store (Sim’s Store) or just take a leisurely stroll. You can also take a dinner cruise by sunset along seven miles of historic Canal.

Cruising west, you will encounter energy, excitement and unique Canal features along the water. Adjacent to Lock E-30 is Macedon, a State Canal Park complete with picnic areas, boating facilities and a trail that leads visitors to the remnants of historic Lock 60, built in the mid-1800s as part of the Erie Canal’s enlargement.

In Fairport, you can find numerous shops, restaurants and three Canal-side parks along the water’s edge. Fairport’s sloped lift-bridge is also featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Just down the road, Pittsford is home to a number of water-related activities, including an Olympic kayak training center at Lock 32 and the largest high school crew teams on the Canal, with over 1000 members. Be sure to cheer for your favorite team at the annual "Pull the Plug Regatta" near the end of the navigation season! The city of Rochester is but a short drive from both of these Canal towns and if coming by water, the city can be reached by cruising up the Genesee River and tying up at Corn Hill. Access to the restaurants, shops and cultural attractions is fairly easy and most are either a walk or short ride away. Some "must sees" include the Strong Children’s Museum (with its popular permanent exhibit of Sesame Street), the George Eastman House, former mansion of Kodak’s founder, Susan B. Anthony’s home and the summer laser light shows at High Falls.

The Canalway Trail is quite prominent in this section of Canal. Beginning in Palmyra and ending in Lockport, there is approximately 90 miles of contiguous trail, perfect for hiking, roller blading and walking. For a Canalway Trail map, please contact the New York State Canal Corporation at 1-800-4CANAL4.

Proclaimed by General Marquis de Lafayette in the 1800s as one of the "greatest engineering feats in of the world," Lockport’s famous double locks are a must-see for any visitor to the Canal System. Side by side, you can view the ladder of historic locks on one side and the current operational locks on the other. If visiting, stop and see the Lockport caves and take one of the underground boat rides. This tour combines a walking excursion with an underground boat ride through a 2,430-foot tunnel built in 1859 to supply water to area mills. The area boasts numerous attractions including museums, shops, restaurants and boating amenities.

Celebrating one of the largest Canal festivals each summer, the cities of Tonawanda and North Tonawanda are bustling with entertainment and excitement each July. Thousands of visitors and residents flock to this event each year and celebrate all week along the water’s edge. Among the area’s main attractions is the Allan Herchell Carousel Factory Museum where they built some of the world’s finest carousels. Come take a ride on the beautifully restored 1916 carousel and relive the magic of the past.

As your journey comes to a close in the west, be sure to stop by Buffalo. Though most boaters must travel along the Niagara River to gain access to New York’s second largest city, this city has numerous attractions including the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park (the largest inland naval park in the Nation), the famous Anchor Bar and Restaurant (home of the ever-popular "Buffalo wings") and of course, Niagara Falls is only a short drive away.

ERIE CHARTER BOAT OPTIONS

Self-skippered boat companies

• Erie Canal Cruise Lines – 1-800-962-1771
• Blue Heron Boating Adventures– 1-800-320-1224
• Erie-Champlain Canal Boat Company, Inc. – 518-432-6094
• Mid-Lakes Navigation Company – 1-800-545-4318
• Canal Princess Charters – 716-693-2752
• Amherst Marine Center – 716-691-6707

Tour boats 

• Crescent Cruise Lines – 518-373-1070 – Crescent (daily & specialty cruises)
• Mid-Lakes Navigation Company – 1-800-545-4318 – City of Syracuse – (daily cruises)
• Colonial Belle – 716-223-9474 – Colonial Belle – (daily & specialty cruises)
• Corn Hill Navigation – 716-262-5661 – Sam Patch - (daily & specialty cruises)
• Charter boats w/captain & crew: Force Seven Charters – 716-349-7399 – Meta
• Classic Cruiser Charter – 518-424-3939 – Kay-Dee-Gee
• Premier Charters – 1-800-1309 - Grace

Overnight Cruises w/ Accommodations

• American Canadian Caribbean Line, Inc. – 1-800-556-
• 7450 – Caribbean Prince, Mayan Prince, Niagara Prince –
• (overnight cruises)
• Mid-Lakes Navigation Co. Ltd. – 1-800-545-4318 –
• Emita II – (overnight cruises)