eisenhower lock

The people in charge of information and lookouts are very welcoming and knolidgeble.Amust see those ig commercial ships going through those locks.

lots of ongoing construction, hoping they improve it. Gift shop with the usual crap, nothing special. Not worth a stop.

Hidden finds in and around this community. Views of all the water and ships going through the locks are amazing.

This lock is unique in that there is a tunnel that goes under the lock and you can drive your vehicle under the water while ocean going ships pass over you either into or out of the lock. We go there several times per year to get a nice view of the ships passing up or downstream. If you have a marine radio you can hear them communicate with the control tower on channel 12. We often drive our boat near the lock to see the ships traverse the Seaway up close. Before 9/11 you could get really close to the ships but it is still pretty neat. There is an observation tower that enables you to climb up for a better view.

It's known as a tourist attraction, and it's pretty neat to see how the big ships are raised in and out of the locks. The water levels are different on each sides and these locks help the ships get through. It's pretty neat to see some of the international ships that come from the ocean and journey into the great lakes, or vice versa. Best time is summer or fall, and the locks eventually close in the winter.

The last time we visited the Locks was in 1970 and at that time we were able to go right up to the edge of the lock without any barriers. Post 9/11, we were still able to get a great view behind chain link fences on 3 different levels. We took a chance and drove out to the Locks without looking at the schedule and were treated to a large tanker bound for Lake Ontario to pick up steel. Once the ship enters the lock, the water will rise (or lower depending on which way the ship is going) approximately 80 feet in 7 minutes.The new welcome center was under construction when we arrived and we weren't quite sure if the place was open because of all the barricades. Improved signage is definitely needed. A security guard advised us of the schedule and the in-bound ship, which would arrive in an hour.We spent time touring the exhibit below the overlook. The exhibit is the original one from 1961 and needs a little upgrading. And, there was that ever present musty smell of an old building (or mold). We also bought some souvenirs from the gift shop. If you pay by credit card be prepared to wait several minutes for the transaction to go through due to the phone lines.The locks are always amazing to visit. And, it's free. NOTE: the Visitor's Center is now closed until Summer 2015 but there is a north overlook parking area available.

This is always an amazing place to stop while visiting but don't go at night! I called to get the arrival schedule and the recording said a ship would arrive at 8 PM. We got to the Lock around 7:30 and the Security Person promptly informed us that the ship was in bound but would not make it there in time for us to view it. He told us that we had to leave at 8:45 because the gate was on a timer to close. There were 10 of us that decided to stick it out to catch a glimpse of the ship and around 15 or more that were persuaded to leave by the Security Person. We did go over to the Look Out area but it was further away. The ship was on it's way by 9:15. If we could have stayed until 9 PM as advertised, we could have gotten some great pictures looking into the vessel and watching the water to come back up before it exited the locks. How sad that this fascinating place has a timed gate and not a real person to close up because it is beautiful to see a ship all light up at night passing thru.

Pretty cool seeing big ships pass through. Amazing seeing locks lower and raise ships. Nice visitor center and close by to campground.

My husband and I visited the lock recently and were fortunate enough to observe a very large ship pass through. The observation area is up very high so we could see every aspect of the process. We both marveled at the simplicity of the lock system while understanding the human labor that went into creating it.

Our timing was great. We were able to watch a ship come from each direction. They information specialists were very friendly and helpful. They told us about the new Power Authority building. That was our next stop.

While visiting family in Potsdam, N.Y. we traveled to Messina to the Eisenhower Locks. Wearrived and went to the visitor center and overlook. There were two ships waiting to pass through the locks from opposite directions. It was an amazing sight to see. I would recommend this for families of all ages. Very worth while trip if in the area. Also a very nice gift shop.

Drove up to this place while up in NY fishing. It was closed for some sort of construction work. Quite disappointed. the parking lot on the other side offered an obstructed view, but that was it. There is no signage anywhere to help you find this place, we stopped and asked in Messina, and info on the net seems to be non existent. a simple page with directions, hours, just basic info could not be found. Only went on the recommendations from trip advisor. I suggest calling ahead to see if they are open before wasting time going. The other attraction in the island, a power plant tour, we could not find, also NO signs, at all, there was a security checkpoint, so might have been in there. The gates had a drive up intercom to talk to the guards that would not talk to you. Some nice picnic areas on the island though. I am filling out the info form to the best of my knowledge since it wasn't actually open on my visit.

Ocean going vessels transit Snell and Eisenhower Locks in roughly a two mile distance. Eisenhower is the only one that has a visitor center and overlook. Spend a few hours watching huge ships lowered or raised almost ninety feet on their way in or out of the Great Lakes System. Well worth the time and a huge excitement for kids and adults alike.

Going thru the museum was interesting but the best part was watching a ship traverse the locks. Took a while but we had a great time and an informative experience. Highly recommend this for a learning experience for children of all ages . Never quite understood how the lock system worked until we spent the afternoon here. Well worth a trip !

Something kids should experience, can get up close to ships, watch them come into the locks, usually deckhands very friendly