Experience The Erie Canal In New York From A Whole New Vantage Point On This Delightful Tour

You may think you know the Empire State. You've walked the streets, wined and dined, visited the museums...but this is an experience you may not have had! The Sam Patch cruise down the Erie Canal will let you experience the canal in an all-new way. You'll be able to relive history by taking a tour of the canal in a replica boat just like those used centuries ago.

The Erie Canal is one of the most impressive engineering projects to ever exist. It's no exaggeration at all to say that it made New York the powerhouse of business and politics that it is today.

The idea of constructing a canal was first proposed in the 1780s. After much debate and planning, the canal was finally opened for use in 1825. It cut transportation costs by 95 percent. In its heyday, it saw more than 30,000 freight shipments a year.

While the canal does see some commercial traffic today, it is mostly used for recreational boating.

A tour on the Sam Patch Cruise allows you to ride on a replica of an 18th-century packet boat. Packet boats were narrow ships used to transport passengers, mail, and small freight through canals.

You'll see the beautiful sights of the canal on this 1.5-hour tour. You'll travel through several towns and see some of the many birds that call the canal area home.

On the tour, you'll have the unique experience of traveling through a lock. The canal features 36 locks, a few of which are among the steepest in the world.

Tour guides will provide facts about the importance of the Erie Canal and its history. This is a fun and educational experience you won't want to miss!

For more information about the Sam Patch cruise, check out their website. Erie Canal enthusiasts also won't want to miss the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum in Chittenango.