Erie Canal Tour Boat in Herkimer, NY

You’ve probably taken lots of boat tours, but have they moved through a working lock? Taking an Erie Canal tour boat is a fun activity that’s great to do with your kids.

Erie Canal Boat Rides Through the Working Lock 18

Erie Canal Cruises is located in Herkimer, NY, where you’ll travel back to a time when the canal was just a vision and the barges were pulled by mules and horses.

We climbed aboard the Lil’ Diamond II and sat down to relax and enjoy our history lesson. Our captain was knowledgeable and entertaining – even calling up one of the kids to pilot the boat.

As we traveled down the Erie Canal to the one-hundred-year-old Lock 18, we learned lots of New York State history.

The Erie Canal locks allow for raising and lowering boats between uneven stretches of a river or canal. They helped make the canal more navigable and provided a more direct route between Albany and Buffalo.

What Happens on an Erie Canal Cruise

Once our boat entered the lock, the gates closed behind us. At that point, a valve is opened to allow the water to drain from the chamber inside the lock where our boat was.

Our boat began to very slowly descend. You can barely feel it moving. But then you start to notice the concrete wall that appears to be rising beside you!

This was the view behind us with the gates closed. This is where our boat entered the lock.

Next, the gates opened in front of us and we were on our way!

While the lock operation was a small part of an interesting and educational tour, it was certainly the highlight – especially for my kids.

As someone who grew up in upstate NY, I remember learning all about the Erie Canal in elementary school. There’s even an Erie Canal song! It’s called Low Bridge by Thomas S. Allen.

I’ve got a mule, her name is Sal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
We’ve hauled some barges in our day
Filled with lumber, coal, and hay
And every inch of the way we know
From Albany to Buffalo

You can listen to the Erie Canal song on YouTube.

I wholeheartedly recommend an Erie Canal boat tour through a working lock. It’s a great stop on your road trip to Herkimer.