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Niagara Falls
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Local Flavor [Edit]
Niagara St & Rainbow Blvd SNiagara Falls, NY 14303
(716) 278-1796
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
60 reviews for Niagara Falls
We live near Niagara Falls and go often as our place of peace. We love to just go sit by the falls and have an ice cream or walk around and pretend we're tourists.
You just never get tired of the majesty of the falls.
If your looking for entertainment OTHER THAN the falls, you should have gotten your passport. Because Canada has so much more to offer.
Sadly, NY has let their side of the falls get so run down (not the park, but the town surrounding it)
Obviously this New York state landmark gets five stars in the summer when you can take the Maid of the Mist boat ride up to the falls. Yet I'm giving it a five in the middle of January too. It may be cold but on a sunny day, the falls are just as beautiful and magical as any other time of year.
It's well worth the $10 for parking.
** Remember to bring your passport, Canada is just a breath away. Can you say dinner in Toronto?
I begged my friend to take me here the first time I came to visit, but some things happened and we weren't able to come. On my second trip to Buffalo, it's one of the first things we did... while it was pouring down snow and super chilly. Yet it was such a magical place all decked out in white!
Now I didn't come here for shops and stores, and without passports, we didn't venture to the Canadian side of the falls (we just simply spied on them... kidding, kidding!). We simply came here to admire the falls and take in the beautiful snow in the park, and fortunately for us the cold weather meant the observation deck was FREE! Definitely froze my butt off (I'm from the south where snow is just a myth), but what a great view from the deck. I don't know how much it is normally, but it's quite possible that it's well worth it. The view from Goat Island was also spectacular, and I actually loved the Tesla statue on the island.
Sure, it's touristy. Sure, your Buffalo friends are probably tired of taking everyone and their mother out to the falls. But there's so much wonder there that it's well worth it just to walk the park grounds and take it all in. I would recommend coming in the off-season as I can see where the crowds could be a star reduction. Hey, if I can brave the snow, so can you!
Niagara Falls is easily the most impressive waterfall I've ever seen; photos don't do it justice. The crash of millions of gallons of water is deafening yet calming.
Stopped here on the way to Toronto. It was summertime, so there were quite a number of tourists out and about, snapping photos.
There's little that I can add that hasn't already been said, so if you get a chance, just go!
Every bit as beautiful and mesmerizing as I expected. The power of rushing water, the moving river, watching the boatloads of raincoat clad visitors on the maid of the mist get soaked-- all good fun. We had absolutely perfect weather which of course, added to the experience. There's not much excitement in the surrounding areas, but then again, you dont really need the surrounding areas to be exciting.
Instead of planning a week stay there, consider a road trip that includes a day at the falls and then drive down to buffalo or even up the coast of the lake to the thousand islands or a visit to some of the farms and vineyards in the region.
But well worth the trip.
Contrary to popular belief, Jim and Pam's wedding was not the most romantic thing to happen in Niagara Falls this year. Earlier this summer I decided to spend a magical evening with the person I love the most at Niagara... ME! I had the awesome opportunity to stop at Niagara Falls during my transcendental voyage across America (http://KananAcrossAmer...).
I had always heard that the Canadian side of the falls was more scenic, and when I arrived I was afraid that was shockingly true. I parked in an area called Terrapin Point, not knowing that there are other points, so I was bummed because you don't get a good view of the falls, so all you can see is the edge of the water about to fall. To make matters worse, I had decided not to take my passport, so crossing over to get the better view, not cool.
So after about 45 minutes of trying to get a good look and not being able to, I found a black, I mean African American squirrel. After chasing this squirrel, whom I named Mike (is that the correct usage of 'whom'?), I grabbed a diet pepsi and people watched on a bench. Enter trolley! I jumped on this trolley thinking to myself 'why not?' Several stops later I get out at something called 'The Visitor's Center.' Turns out THATS where you want to go!
The REAL Niagara Falls view totally blew my mind! Fortunately for me the observation deck wasn't too crowded, so I got a good chunk of staring & wandering off time. SUCK IT CANADA!
(This is a review about the Canadian side of Niagara Falls)
It's 'whimsical' enough, but believe others when they say it's a tourist trap. I live about 15 minutes away, so I've seen the Falls enough to look past the glitz and glamour.
The Falls itself is wonderful - the power and majesty of this natural wonder is definitely something to be seen. But then you turn around and see tacky buildings and businesses from the 70's and realize that this town needs help. Badly.
Niagara Falls is hurting, to be honest. Half the businesses aren't even open in the winter anymore, and prices are so high that it scares away the 'econo-tourists'.
It surprises me that people come halfway across the world to see our giant bathtub, but then, I can imagine some Frenchman sitting near the Eiffel Tower and remarking in a thick French accent, "What? People come from all over ze wurld to zee this?"
I'm jaded! -laughs-
The last two days being my first visit to the Niagara Falls area, overall I really enjoyed myself. I should've done a little more homework before coming here, but its fair to say that Ive learned a lot from my mistakes.
The CITY of Niagara Falls, New York, USA is dirty and depressing, if not boring with questionable areas. Watch out where you go. I really hope the city gets a major makeover in the months and years to come because I see potential.
Niagara Falls STATE PARK on the other hand is beautiful, relaxing, with plenty of things to do, and lots of people watching.
The view of both the American and Canadian Falls isn't that great- you really should go to the Canadian side to get "The Full Monty". LMAO. However, you can get pretty good views of the American Falls for FREE at (1) Prospect Point, and (2) Luna Island. You can get a good view of the Canadian Falls for FREE at Terrapin Point, as well as the trail along the Southern Edge of Goat Island.
As awesome as both Falls are, you may need a break from the craziness of the daffyass tourists. LOTS of walking trails in the State Park. Be sure to walk around Goat Island and note that the Northern part of the Island has the calmer waters on the Niagara River, but the East and West sides have the raging rapids and in some cases small waterfalls. Check out "Three Sisters Islands" on the East side of the Goat Island for plenty of Niagara River rapids action!
The pedestrian bridge from the mainland to Goat Island also provides good views of the rapids!
Just as calming as the Northern part of Goat Island is the path that goes away from the Falls and under the Rainbow Bridge and to the Niagara Aquarium. You'll get awesome views of the Niagara River Gorge.
Walking around Niagara Falls State Park gives you plenty of exercise and picture taking opportunities.
Then of course there are the things to do at a cost, which I discussed in separate reviews- Cave Of The Winds, Maid Of The Mist, and the Aquarium.
The downside is that the park is getting more and more worn out and seen better days. The place is also littered with debris. While the natural attractions are awesome and eye pleasing, the State Park as a whole needs major clean up and updating. If it cant provide the best view of the Falls as no cost then it needs to step it up a few notches to really make this place the great place it is.
Of course the other downside is more than obvious: daffy tourists who are rude, have no manners and no sense of American and Canadian culture. Then again, many American and Canadian tourists were the same way. Don't let these bastards ruin your day. I didn't.
I came to Niagara Falls and expected to be wow'd. Instead I was meh'd.
This is cool I guess but the Grand Canyon was much more beautiful in my opinion. Why am I comparing it to the Grand Canyon? Well, the Grand Canyon and it's surrounding areas are over 100-200% cheaper. The falls are pretty but the surrounding restaurants and surrounding businesses jack up their prices because they can.
The Grand Canyon was also less crowded and less aggravating to get to. We drove from Boston to Hershey, PA and Hershey, PA to Niagara Falls. The tolls on the NY I-90 were insane and made Massachusetts tolls look like they cost only pennies.
I came out here to see the falls and go to Canada. Now I can say I did both. Will I come back here? Doubtful. There is so many more things to see, but........I will recommend anyone see it just once. It's something that only requires a day and you can go into Canada and see some sights as well.
I've gone here every summer since my Mum was pregnant with me, and I still get goose bumps every time I see them. Here are somethings you should know:
-The view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls is so much more impressive, you can get really close to the Niagara River and even drive up along the river to the falls themselves.
-There will be millions of tourists there everyday, regardless of the weather
-Niagara Falls, NY is a wasteland
-Niagara Falls, ON is like being in Times Square. If Times Square was on a huge hill and allowed 19 year olds to drink legally
-Niagara On the Lake is a cute town with plenty of little shops and restaurants.
-You have to go on the Maid of the Mist and the Whirlpool Jet at least once, even if they are very cheesy and tourist traps.
-The Falls do not flow in full force, much of the water is controlled to prevent erosion and also diverted to the various power plants on the river (combined the power plants on both Canadian and US soil produce 4,620,000 Kilowatts of power).
While the falls are beautiful, they weren't as interesting as I expected. This landmark has been turned into a HUGE tourist trap and with that comes congestion, jacked up prices, and rude ass people. I can say I went there once but probably won't go back.
If you do go, take the time to visit both the Canadian and NY side as the views are completely different and offer a variety of photo opportunities. Be prepared to get wet and to suffer through traffic and finding a place to park.
The water falls ok AND....
Don't get me wrong it is a great thing to look at and enjoy, however the drive there always seems to be a pain. The town is alos a pain and very annoying. The view is not so great as it is from the canadian site honeslty rather spend a few more min or an hour and go to the canadian side it will be so writh it.
The boat trip from the NY side does not seem as "full" as it is from the canadian side.
Also you do not get to enjoy the mist cloud that you get on the canadian side.
After being on the canadian side the US side is just MEH
Absolutely spectacular. Go here, you'll never regret it. The only reason i didn't rate a 5 is because the US and Canadian governments both divert water upstream from the falls. If not for that, the falls could have twice the water!
I saw the falls from the American side (didn't have my passport w/ me to go to Canada... stoopid canada). Also took the Maid of the Mist boat ride to the base of Horseshoe Falls... you must do this! And definitely take the Cave of the Mist down to the walkways at the base of the American Falls... you can stand right under the falls, looking up at 75,000 gallons per second of water coming at you. About 3 miles north on Robert Moses Pkwy is the Whirlpool State Park, it's another spectacular view and def worth going to. There's also a tiny little tourist trap called the 'Daredevil Museum' which is kinda cool, they have a lot of pics and info about the heroes/idiots that have ridden in barrels over the falls.
The canadian side looks like it's a lot more fun. Stoopid canada.
This was a great place to visit. It was very scenic and just wonderful to be surrounded by nature. The falls themselves were gorgeous. We walked on the pedestrian bridge between the US and Canada to get some great shots. There are plenty of fun things to do here. I highly recommend the Maid of the Mist Tour and the Cave of the Winds Tour. The Aquarium is ok only because they had a fairly entertaining seal show. The rest of the fish were not nearly so interesting, but maybe that was just because I was expecting something a tad bigger. Either way, this is a great place to visit at least once.
I also recommend investing in the $33 ride combo pack if you plan to stay more than one day. This was the best deal ever, although not so much monetarily. The real reason to get this is because getting all the tickets beforehand meant that you did not have to wait in the long lines where people were trying to buy individual tickets. That saved a LOT of time.
The $33 combo pack came with tickets to:
1) The Maid of the Mist Ride (I highly recommend this one)
2) The Cave of the Winds Tour (I also highly recommend this one on a warm day... the water is FREEZING - but fun)
3) The Aquarium (This was ok, but the seal show was nice)
4) The Movie (This was not really worth the 45 minutes)
5) The Discovery Center (This was not really worth it)
6) The Trolley Scenic Tour (This is a waste of time because it takes 4 times as long to get anywhere since the Trolley stops every few minutes and waits at the various stops for people. They also get really crowded to the point where people are standing and smushed together.
The price of individually visiting the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, and the Aquarium is about $33, so it was worthwhile getting the combo just to save the waiting in line (same price with the option of going to the other attractions if you're curious).
Overall - I do highly recommend visiting the falls at least once, although I would suggest giving yourself at least 2 days to have the time to take in all the attractions.
I didn't like this place before I even got there... and that feeling was developed off of that cheesy Superman movie starring that now dead cripple who was in that horse accident or whatevs. After I visited here and learning about the history, I kind of left dissapointed....
Niagara kind of reminds me of that annoying problem that many people have with their kitchen sinks. A little slow drip drip that doesn't ever seem to stop! So gauche...
I want to see this baby flow naturally... let's get rid of the barriers that heavily restrict the water flow and see Niagara flow on in all her natural glory! WHO'S WITH ME!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Okay. You can pretty much guess the waterfalls are pretty. I am here to tell you to:
1. go see the waterfalls from the Canadian side, the Canadians don't bite.
2. avoid Niagara Falls, the town, at all cost. It's a mini version of Vegas, except much much much more horrid.
3. drive your rental car up the Niagara Parkway and go visit Niagara-on-the-lake, the town. The ride is pleasant (skip Whirlpool and go see the botanic garden), the wineries are worth seeing (I thought ice wine was too sweet, but who can pass up on free wine tasting?), and the town is incredibly cute.
Words can't describe it. It's truly an amazing sight. I didn't mind the hike along the wooden walkways all over the place. Even carved our names into the wood!
We saw it from the US and Canada side and the Candanian side was much better.
You even can see where they filmed Superman. I think it was the 2nd one.
Stunning!
Gorgeous!
Picturesque!
As a child, my dear, dear grandparents were kind enough to
let me join them for vacations to New York to visit my great aunt.
The memories of our visits to Niagra Falls are fabulous!
It's definitely an experience a person must see to believe.
Three visits there and all three times we were awe-struck.
It was actually difficult to leave because it was such an
amazing adventure.
So my cousins took my family to Niagara Falls for a couple days. It was roughly a 7-hour drive from Philadelphia, but we practically drove across the entire state of New York.
After seeing the Maid of the Mist tour in Bruce Almighty, I suggested that we do it to get an up close look at the falls. Its pretty crazy to see how massive the falls were, whether it be on the U.S. side or the Canadian side (Canadian side is better though). The view from the boat was a bit overwhelming since it looked like our boat was going to get pwn3d from going too close.
On the Canadian side, you can also get a good view of Niagara since the street is almost level with the top of the falls. Need a date idea? Go here at night and look at it while its lit up with different lights. Bonus if you come here during July. I went here a few days after July 4th, and they also set off fireworks in addition to the lights. Very intimate experience apparently, since I saw many couples enjoying the view.
I still need to travel more often.
WOW! Go on the maid of the mist tour! the $13.50 one, no need for the $69 one and no need to book in advance either. Def. worth seeing. Breath taking. Expect to get a bit wet though!
I love nature and this place is GORGEOUS!!!
We stayed on the american side but we saw the falls from the american side and also the canadian side, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza on the american side and walked to the falls. We also drove to the canadian side to see the falls from there. You get a much better view of the falls from the canadian side. The view from the canadian side is AMAZING!!!
I've seen the Falls first from the US side and then, years later, from the Canadian side. There simply is no comparison. The Canadian view is absolutely stunning. The river thunderously crashing down is, in a word, awe inspiring. The Falls dominate the scene. It is hard to imagine the raw natural power of the Falls until you see it. Very very cool.
review 8/7/2008
I.M.Y.
I wasn't expecting much when I came to Niagara Falls. I knew it would be an impressive natural phenomenon, but I had heard so many bad things about the American side that I didn't have very high expectations. This place blew my expectations away, and I'd honestly come visit again if I were in the area.
The falls themselves are very impressive. I had always been told that the Canadian side was more awe-inspiring than the American side, but I visited with American locals, and I saw how the two experiences are different.
On the Canadian side (Horseshoe Falls), the falls themselves are much bigger, and they wrap around so that it's really an amazing sight from down below. But I think Horseshoe Falls is best viewed from the American side, as you get a much more accurate impression of the scale of things from above. (I say this without having gone on one of the Maids of the Mist, the boats that takes people close to the falls.)
The two falls on the American side are much smaller, but you can get right up next to them and even go between them on Luna Island. I was also really interested in Goat Island and the Three Sisters (connected little islands named after someone's daughters) and Little Brother Island. It's really amazing that you can get right up next to the rushing water. I'm actually surprised that more people don't fall in a little bit upstream. When you go, make sure you stay out of the water (even though at points upriver it looks calm) and that you always know where you are in relation to the flow of the river.
There are so many little things to look at besides the falls themselves. There are the new and old power stations and the Rainbow Bridge and the Whirlpool Bridge.
Going across to Canada on foot is fun, although if you're an American citizen you need two forms of ID. I only had my license, and they hassled me both ways, but I was OK. Until passports are required, I suggest bringing a license and copy of your birth certificate.
The Canadian side is better maintained than the American side, but the Canadian side is also much more crowded, and you'll definitely get wet over there whereas on the American side you can avoid the mist or go down into the Cave of the Wind and get drenched.
Nearly as spectacular as the NYC waterfalls that artist erected last summer. Seems like an awful waste of water though!
CAVE OF THE WINDS IS AWESOME!!! Great for a really warm day especially for the Hurricane Deck. They give you a free poncho and free Cave of the Winds sandals!
I didn't think Niagara Falls park would be so much fun! You need a whole day here...just for the American side. There's a trolley that takes you around (Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, aquarium, discovery gorge, Goat Island, Luna Island). Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time for Three Sisters Island. I heard that it's only $0.50 to cross over to Canada on foot (with passport). Should've gone on the Canadian side to view the lights on the Falls at night. Also didn't have enough time to experience Journey Behind the Falls on the Canadian side. There's a lot more going on in Canada...it's definitely more happening there at night. Too bad, we stayed on the American side at night. Next time, next time.
Wow, this place is absolutely amazing! The falls feel so powerful, yet give you a sense of serenity and is just beautiful. It's fun walking by the falls and watching the Maid of the Mist boat enter the falls. If there's excessive wind, you might even get a little wet, since there's obviously an enormous amount of water.. falling. You might also want to bring a jacket, since it gets kind of cold - actually scratch that. VERY cold.
My only issue was that my mother had visited 20-some years ago and said that the city of Niagara Falls is completely commercialized now, turning into a lot like Las Vegas (with the casino and all). Back then, it was just you, the small hotel, and the falls - much more serene, calming, and had much more of the "nature" feel to it. I wish I could have witnessed Niagara city back then.
Nonetheless, everyone should at least see the falls once in their lifetime, it's so worth it. Besides, isn't it like one of the 8 World Wonders??
Oh, I can't leave out Niagara Falls!
We got there kind of late, so we were unable to ride the ferry that takes you up to the falls. But we could still see all three falls (Niagara, Horseshoe and American) from the observation areas above. What a breathtaking view.
There was also an opportunity to meet the Niagara and American falls up close and personal. At the bottom of these falls, there's an attraction called "Cave of the Winds." We were given rain ponchos and rubber sandals to wear and we took an elevator down to the bottom. Then we climbed up these stairs that lead up to falls and when we reached the top, there they were. I got to dance under a rainbow!
Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three. Talk about the power of nature...I felt it standing next to the falls. It was awesome.
http://static.px.yelp....
We wanted to visit the Canada side too, but because we didn't bring our passports, we couldn't. Well, that gives us a reason to return to Niagara Falls again - and hopefully, we'll get there in time for the ferry tour.
wow, traffic and people GALORE. i went over memorial day weekend so things were extra bad but wow, it was crowded! if you are entering from 324, once you get to the falls, turn right as soon as you can (think it says "goat's island") and go towards the shops. there you'll see the parking garage. we made the mistake of going towards the niagara falls sign just to end up in the same place... and stuck in traffic for 30 extra minutes.
once you're parked and out of the car, there will be TONS of ppl. TONS. b/c of that we didn't do any tours which was a bummer (the lines were just too long). nonetheless, it was very worth the trip - it's a sight to see. we also checked out the three sisters islands. you'll see signs pointing toward the trail, it's about a 10 minute walk. there you can actually dip your feet in the water and see a nice view of canada (their side looked way cooler! grrr).
I have a lot of dislike for Canada. There, I said it. I'd also like to clear up a misconception about Niagara Falls: almost all of the Falls is on the American side. I will grudgingly admit the better VIEW is on the Canadian side, but the better activities are on the American side.
See, I had a DUI in 2000 here in the USA. When I went to see Niagara Falls on the Canadian side in 2001, apparently they didn't see it at the border when they checked my ID, so they let me pass through. So I have seen the Canuck side. However, I tried many times to sneak through since then and got busted each and every time. I've been told now that if I try again, they're going to put me into jail, so I'm going to "retire" from that game until the end of 2010, when I am eligible to get into Canada again. But, when that time comes, I'm not sure that I will even bother, because such extreme and inflexible visitation policies seem ridiculous to me. Couldn't they use the tourist dollars anyway? Sheesh. Although, the funniest situation was when we went to a small border crossing in Manitoba and the border guard who had a HOOK for a hand threatened me. That's definitely a story and a memory.
Anyhow, back to Niagara Falls, NY. The minus is that you can't see Horseshoe Falls as well as the Canadian side. It's mostly American territory, but the view is on the other side. But on the plus side, you can get pretty close to the other falls and the walking trails in the State Park are really pretty serene and beautiful. I say serene because it isn't as choked up with tourists as the other side, which is awesome if you're a person who likes relative quiet and space from other gawkers.
The other great things are Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds. I have not personally done these yet, but on our next trip we will. All I've seen and heard about them make them seem quite an experience, and since my wife is from Buffalo it isn't as if we ever have a shortage of opportunities to go back.
As it is, I'll stay away from critiquing the Canadian side of the falls, as I think I may get a bit rude and stray REALLY far off topic. :)
I remember seeing the Falls the first time as a teenager. From the American side, during the daytime. I thought it was beautiful then.
Little did I know that a few hours later, I would be walking across the border and staring at the majestic beauty of the Canadian side of the falls at night. With the Falls lit up in bright greens, purples and reds, it was an awesome sight to take in.
I remember crossing that border again one night in college, after a night at Casino Niagara. We walked slowly back to the US border so that we could take in the sight and sounds of Niagara Falls. So that we could smell the spray of the water in the night air. It was a fantastic night - even if we weren't big winners at the casino (see my Casino Niagara review to get the exact amount of our winnings...).
Niagara Falls could never be anything less than magnificent and I'm happy to have experienced it more than once in my lifetime.
Maids of the Mist (the boat ride)
This is why the US side is worth checking out, cos you go right under the falls. You don't get all soaked unless you're an idiot, and you get the cutsie poncho which is yours to keep (I chucked mine)
Yes, you need some class of ID to get into Canada, it is a foreign country (although gettin into Quebec from VT was always easy, just tell em you're going to Montreal to have dinner and shop, no ID required in my experience) Ontario is just really anal, so deal with it.
The VIEW of the falls from the Canada side is most spectacular, but if you're like me and coming from US you're going to hit this park first before picking up your duty-free booze crossing the border, so just do it right and expend a few of your worthless American dollars on the boat ride, you won't regret it
I can't imagine rating this place any less. It's one of the world's natural wonders and was amazing.
The only thing is, the Canadian side looked much better than the American side and unfortunately, no one in the group bothered to bring their passports to cross over. Next time, I will remember and will definitely pay this place another visit.
Oh and the fireworks show was also amazing.
What a beauty!
I walked on this small, creaky, run down, wooden bridge. You had to cross it one person after the other, you couldn't walk side by side. Pretty scary knowing I could slip and fall into the water. But it was a great experience. Amazing. I'll probably never go again, not because I didn't like it, but because I don't trek to the east coast as much.
On their website they say the best time to go is mid June to September. I went during the summer.
http://www.niagarafall... Check it out!
But yes, definitely one of the places to see before you die.
Everyone says that the view of the Falls is best from the Canadian side, and they're right. But that doesn't mean there isn't fantastic stuff on the US side, and the State Park of Goat Island is right at the top of the pile. The park includes some major highlights. Here are a few:
1. Cave of the Winds. Visitors descend down an elevator to a series of passages that lead out to a pathway next to the American falls. The park provides a plastic poncho for each visitor, which you don as you walk the pathway to a wooden deck which is rebuilt each year (because the winter snow and ice destroys it each season). Visitors can climb the various stairways of the deck, close enough to touch the falls, until you get to the Hurricane Deck. This is where the force of the falls is strongest, falling on the decking and creating massive amounts of mist. We stood right on the deck and went under the falling water -- a really thrilling experience which I doubt we'll ever repeat anywhere else!
2. Terrapin Point. This bit of land juts between the American and Canadian falls, so you can see them both just a few feet from you. The water surges past, only to cascade down -- all 200,000 gallons per second -- right in front of your eyes.
3. Three Sisters. These are three small islands that sit at a tangent to the rest of Goat Island. Bridges traverse them, until you get to the very end of the last, where you can climb rocks to get a perfect view of the whitewater and, beyond, the falls.
The Falls are obviously the main attraction in this area but the park offers the most stunning and, for my money, appropriate way to view them. The Canadian side is a wasteland of tourist nonsense (Ripley's Believe It Or Not, anyone?), hiding the natural beauty of the place, whereas the American side has preserved the essence of the Falls for centuries to come.
Before you go to Niagara Falls, you must read a book. Find a copy of Pierre Berton's 'Niagara: A History of the Falls.' You can't even begin to fathom all that went on here, but the great Mr. Berton will lay it all out for you in a very compelling read.
Niagara Falls has been described in every language by people the world over, so what can I possibly say? Well, if you really want to appreciate Niagara Falls, focus on the falling water. It's really that simple. Most folks don't do that. Would you go to the Grand Canyon and complain about the ice cream? You get the point.
The Falls attracts millions of people every year and almost all of them visit in the warm summer months. If you go in the fall and winter months, you may find it a relatively peaceful place, indeed. Don't begin and end your visit at the Falls, though. Just a short drive down Robert Moses Parkway will take you to various points at which you can hike far down into Niagara Falls Gorge. Here, you can really get a feel of what the area looked like before all of the Disneyland and desolation took place above.
Since the white man first saw Niagara Falls, the Falls themselves have been in competition with what has been built around them. Give some respect to the Falls and let it have all of your attention. It's said that at that point you realize the only thing preventing you from jumping in is you -- and that's not a strong enough argument.
Ok, I didn't actually view Niagara from the American side, but I don't think Yelp allows me to review international venues, so this is a review for the Canadian side.
First piece of advice - Go to Canada to see Niagara Falls. Matt and I kind of felt bad for the people on the American side, because it looks like the view sucks. You essentially see the falls from the back, instead of the front. That's lame. Get your passport ready.
Second piece of advice - Canada Day is July 1st. It's quite busy if you go around that time.
Third piece of advice - Food is expensive if you buy lunch around Niagara. We spent $31 on a mildly crappy take-out lunch. Pack a picnic, and bring a blanket. There's a lot of space to set up a picnic.
Fourth piece of advice - Do one of those special views thing. The people on the boat looked like they were getting soaked, so we opted to walk through the tunnels instead. Some parts of the tunnel open up right under the falls, which was awesome. Seeing and feeling how powerful the falls are was quite amazing. During the tunnel walk, you also learn a lot of the history of Niagara Falls. There's also a viewing platform right near the base of the falls, which was pretty cool.
Fifth piece of advice - Go.
A Must See. Magnificent.
Do as many of the tourist things that you can i.e. helicopter and boat rides
Absolutely Breathtaking, from both sides of the border!
I took over 300 pictures, and I still don't think I caputured everything I saw or wanted to capture. The cave of the winds tour is amazing, and you get right up under the viel waterfall, and you will get very wet (so keep that camera dry! The view from the canadian side is the more photogenic, and be ready for a delay getting over the rainbow bridge through the border station, but you have to, you just do.
It's big. It's beautiful. And it's hella far out of the way. I actually visited from the Canadian side of the border (same difference, right?). You actually can see the Falls from the plane on the way to the airport, which makes for a very impressive view. Around the observation areas, the falls are so massive, you can't capture the whole thing in one shot.
When I came with some relatives, the weather was bright. A slight breeze filled the air with a damp mist. I guess there isn't much else to say about this place. Aside from the falls, you face a barrage of tourist traps, everything from Planet Hollywood to Ripley's Believe it or Not, and you can find those in almost any big city. Once you're done taking in the natural beauty, you can put Niagara Falls on the list of places you don't ever have to come back to.
I agree with the other reviews of Niagara Falls that it's very impressive, and that although the American Falls is nice, the Canadian side is even more impressive. They must've zoned it differently, since there's mostly just gardens and trees on the American side, whereas the hotels and restaurants and fun consumer human stuff is built almost right up to the sightseeing side of the Canadian side.
Mainly, I want you to know that if you book a place to stay, go for the Canadian side, or bother with the drive in from Buffalo, because Niagara Falls the city is a sleepy little town: good for driving through and stopping for a snack, but not really interesting to stay in. Don't forget your passport if you cross the border, and to clear your car of all those suspicious items covered in white powder!
I suppose there is also that casino on the American side to note, but I'm not a big fan of those..
