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Niagara Falls
Categories: Active Life Parks Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Parks, Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
Niagara St & Rainbow Blvd SNiagara Falls, NY 14303
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
97 reviews for Niagara Falls
Review Highlights
"Awesome, but not as awesome as the Canadian side."
(in 41 reviews)
"1) The Maid of the Mist Ride (I highly recommend this one."
(in 39 reviews)
"...from the mainland to Goat Island also provides good views..."
(in 6 reviews)
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97 reviews in English
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Review from nam n.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
having seen the falls on TVs, postcards, books, videos, movies, etc. one simply cannot fathom the sheer size and power of Niagara unless you've witnessed it in person. simply incredible. who knew watching water rush over an edge can be so mesmerizing?
i took the Maiden of the Mist tour and it was well worth the experience. getting up close and personal with the falls was amazing.
i will say that the Canadian side probably has the better views due to facing the Falls while the US side views the backside.
Either or - if you're in NY... make the trip! -
Review from Lucky C.
Brooklyn, NY
1/17/2012
Are you guys giving this attraction five stars kidding me?!
Niagara Falls, NY-- and we're talking about the falls and the surrounding area-- is a complete and total nightmare.
Let's talk about views. First of all, the worst views are from the NY side. From NY, tourists literally get the ass and "side boob" of the falls while Niagara Falls gets full frontal nudity! No joke! If you want to see the falls in all their glory, go to the Canadian side.
Secondly-- and no disrespect to the residents of Niagara Falls, NY-- but the place is a complete and utter dump in every sense of the word. You wouldn't think that, considering that it's the site of a major tourist attraction, but yes, it's literally a run down, derelict area with boarded up buildings, sad attractions, and horrible accomodations. I was astounded to see a gorgeous art deco skyscraper literally looking like something out of Detroit, but that's Niagara Falls for you-- a dump, dump, dump!
The hotel I stayed at-- true story-- was practically falling apart. The elevator didn't work (it had a mind of its own and went to whatever floor it felt like), the ceiling was full of water stains and cracked plaster, the telephone was an old rotary from the 1960s, and the bottom half of the window of my room was literally loose and propped in place by a staff member to keep from falling out! (I swear to you, I am not lying!) A nice, juicy spider hung from outside the window pane, too.
Food was a joke. Because of the large number of East Asian tourists, practically all of the food was Indian, with the remaining offerings being a Hard Rock Cafe (ugh), some cheapie family style restaurant, and a lousy overpriced food court with such "exotic" offerings as Chinese takeout. Dear Ol' Dad was going so insane out of his mind wanting real food that he made a beeline for Canada and came back with a container of buffalo wings looking like a druggie who'd just gotten his fix after hours of running out of his stash.
Equally awful were the attractions. Beyond pitiful, like something out of a Simpsons or Family Guy parody. They included:
1) A hot air balloon ride. Oh, no, wait-- scratch that-- a basket attached to a large helium balloon, tethered to a rope that is "handled" from someone on the ground. You step in, it gets raised by the handler about 200 feet, and swings in the breeze for awhile as you tearfully pine for the glittering Canadian skyline across the river with all its space age towers, gorgeous casinos, ginormous Ferris wheel, delicious restaurants, and other attractions. Then it gets lowered again and you're back in Dumpsville, USA.
2) A musty old wax museum with a layer of dust so thick on the glass, that you could barely see the equally dusty and depressing wax figure of Abe Lincoln peeking from behind it. I came this close to slapping my father, who in his later years is eager to please and desperately wanted to pay the exhorbitant fee to get inside.
3) A depressing, dimly lit souvenir shop with oversized pencils, dingy viewmasters, plastic tomahawks, and other crap that's probably been there since the Carter era, as their packaging was literally brown and dusty and I literally hadn't seen these types of souvenirs since 1979. And no, I'm not kidding about the 1970s bit, either, because this place actually had a vintage candy vending machine in there, the ones with the old fashioned pull-knobs going way back.
Don't get me wrong-- the falls themselves are gorgeous and worth seeing. But don't come to the NY side expecting it to be like Orlando where once you see the main attraction, you'll be able to spend the rest of your vacation doing other cool and fun things while relaxing at a decent hotel. If you want that, go to Canada. That's where the action is. But don't come to the NY side unless you don't have a choice. You'll be horrified. -
Review from Hymae W.
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here in late December. IT WAS FREEZING! I was kind of disapointed about how "man made" things had become. Come on they tried to reshape the american falls in the 60s! Who does that?! and the whole luna island is super man made.
Still badass. Just wish man didnt ruin it. -
Review from Spencer W.
Laguna Beach, CA
1/25/2012
The falls have been a mystery to me since the days of Superman. They completely lived up to the pictures I painted in my mind. Maid of the Mist is a must. Unforgettable.
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Review from Teri W.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely amazing! It sucks that you have to pay for parking, but we didn't have to pay to actually see the falls, so we'll survive. Most of the attractions are closed in the winter (for good reason), however it's been a warmer winter so there were still a lot of visitors when I was there. We got there just before sunset, which seems like the perfect time. Our pictures are amazing, I can't even believe I took them with my crappy little camera! :) You get a really great view from the observation deck, I would definitely suggest going up there.
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Review from Letie W.
9/27/2011
I've wanted to come here as a kid FOREVER! I finally made it and it was AMAZING! The Canadian and US side are both great, but just offer different options. So if you're undecided, see below.
Canadian Side-
* I recommend the Canadian side for the best views (even at night when they light up the falls and have the fireworks-check to see when they have fireworks since it isn't every night).
* Attractions on Clifton Hill (see skywheel, etc)
*Maid of the mist is on both sides
American Side-
* The American side is nice if you want to get up and close views of the falls (go to Goat Island and Luna Island-nice view!). Meaning...you're on top of the falls looking down.
*Cave of the Winds-you walk down to the bottom of the falls
* Trolley ride $2/pp that takes you all around the park (buy at visitor's center) -
Review from Bailey Z.
Niagara Falls has to be one of the best landmarks I've ever seen. Everyone says that the Canadian side is better, which is true for views and pictures, but it's also hard to compare the two. The Canadian side has the casinos, downtown bustle, and tourist glamour, while the American side has kept it relatively clean from any urban pollution. It's mostly preserved as a state park, which is nice.
There are a number of activities to do such as the ever popular Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds tour. I recommend skipping the Discovery Center and the aquarium. The IMAX movie is also not worth $13 individually, but if you happen to buy the package, it's a nice break from all that walking around. The history surrounding the waterfalls are quite interesting, including all the stories of individual triumphs.
There are also fireworks on some nights starting around 10:00 pm. Watching the falls in the daytime is pretty majestic, but they light up the falls from the Canadian side at night and it's just spectacular. I recommend detouring to visit if you're anywhere near this area. -
Review from Suchin H.
La Puente, CA
9/14/2011
AMAZING!
This place was so absolutely beautiful. Nothing I can write of Niagara Falls will do it justice.
P.S. While you are there, if you get the chance, take the elevator down to the bottom of the falls...you'll have to pay some bucks (and wear a bright yellow poncho while climbing up around the slippery path along the Falls) but TOTALLY WORTH IT. There is nothing quite like looking up and watching the water come rushing down next to you. -
Review from Jesse S.
East Troy, WI
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Niagara falls was pretty great. I've been to several placed around the world that were famous and they didn't compare at all to the real thing. The falls, however, were great. They did not disappoint. I was on the Canadian side for my viewing, and was in awe in several locations. Twas a good ol' time.
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Review from Josh M.
Minneapolis, MN
8/8/2011 3 photos
Niagra Falls is the most spectacular creation of nature that I've ever seen. Besides how scenic it is it's also got the best mist and the most awesome waterfall sound I've yet experienced. I've heard that this is actually one of the 7 wonders of the World, and I can definetely see why. It's even illuminated at night which given it's size is very impressive. See my photo's of what the falls look like from Niagra Falls State Park. Wish I couldv'e captured a better photo of them from the NY side but the views aren't as good as the Canadian side and you need a passport to go over there. Pictured is actually 2 angles of only 1 of the several falls that Niagra consists of.
It looked like there was more to do on the Canadian side of the city of Niagra Falls as well, especially if you like casinos. On the New York side there is some hotels and neat sidewalk cafe places but those are a little bit of a hike from where the falls are. There is a gorgeous park with overlooks next to the falls, and the park is accessible by busses made to look like trolleys, or you can take the bike and pedestrian paths to it. If you're to go anywhere else in New York besides NYC Niagra Falls is the place. -
Review from Pinky and the B.
New York, NY
1/22/2011 4 photos
As of 2010 I have fulfilled my bucket list! And yes Niagara Falls was on it! I have nothing to add to the already 75 reviews just some helpful advice for tourists not from NYC. On the web site it says it takes 6 and a half hours at least to drive from the city to Buffalo. http://www.niagarafall...
With bathroom breaks and other nonsense it took us 9 hours. It is not a day trip from the city. Do yourself a favor and fly or take a train. But do go it's not to be missed! or (mist)Listed in: Bucket list!
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Review from Chelsea D.
New York, NY
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I realize that the American Falls are not as awesome as the Canadian side, but they were beautiful nonetheless. Boyfriend and I visited twice this past week, and while the river was very much frozen (preventing a Maid of the Mists ride) we had a good time taking photos and viewing from the observation deck.
Our only complaint is that we each paid $6 for the Cave of the Winds thing but only one deck was open and no one took our tickets anyway. I'm all for supporting state parks but that was kind of lame. -
Review from Richard D.
New York, NY
4/7/2011
The Canadian side is definitely better, but I still think it ain't all that compared to the massive waterfalls in South America.
If you're really curious, check out Iguazu falls in Brazil/Argentina. It's truly amazing. -
Review from Murray R.
Cleveland, OH
7/25/2010
Every Ohio kid came here as the big family vacation spot back in the day. My family made more than the average number of trips, because we had family in Toronto. Other family would visit from Italy, and we had to shuttle them back and forth between the two. The Italians always loved Niagara and Toronto, but hated Cleveland. Screw them.
So when the wife and i were thinking of a destination wedding location, this one was a no brainer. That and her cousin is a Buffalo area Lutheran minister who specializes in marrying folks here. It was a windy October day. We all got ready at the American side Travelodge and marched down to the falls to seal my fate. We took our vows on a little island almost ten feet from the river. It was almost pagan to be surrounded by trees, wind and water during a religious ceremony. After the fact, we took pictures all over the park. Foreign tourists all gawked at us in our fancy get-up, and one guy even posed with us for some shots.
True, the American side is run down, which is a shame considering this is one of the world's natural wonders. The local economy is extremely depressed, while the Canadian side flourishes. Sounds like a microcosm for our whole country. But the park is still run well and kept clean.
As a kid, i always feared someone i knew would fall into the water. Now i just worry that they'll call me from jail. I also shuddered to think anyone would ride that cable car across the river. I still wouldn't do that. Or ride the Maid of the Mist. But i did take the walk behind the falls tour as a kid. That was pretty neat.
In the winter it takes on an even more mystical persona being half frozen. It really needs the same attention and pride that people have for some reason now shifted to OBX. -
Review from momo k.
Medford, MA
6/23/2011
I prefer the american side b/c there's less ppl and more green. you can see the river and enjoy the water more. the city itself is not as good as the canadian but natural scenes are better.
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Review from Daniel K.
8/11/2011
Pretty awesome natural spectacle. I've only seen them on the American side, but they definitely should be on everyone's bucket list.
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Review from Brandon B.
Chicago, IL
8/21/2011
I guess we can rate wonders of nature. How can you give it less than top ratings? Compared to Iguazu falls, which I went to the year before, its a relative 4 but its still amazing. Whole cheesy crazy fun park tourist trap town can't distract from the beauty of the falls at night with the lights shining on them, or the mist that envelops you within hundreds of feet of the site. Try to see it from all angles, I was only on the Canadian side but I heard its better.
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Review from Igor A.
South Windsor, CT
9/4/2011
Totally worth visiting once in your life! The town itself is pretty run-down with lots of boarded up places, cheap motels/hotels. and lots of shady people. The Niagara Fall State park is very nice, however: it's clean and well-kept. Be prepared to wait in long lines during holidays.
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Review from Nicole C.
Grand Island, NY
5/19/2010
Take it from a local - Niagara Falls could be so much better than what it actually is. The American side has very little to do, other than just taking pictures of one of the world's largest waterfalls.
A few of the things you can do around the area to stay amused are Maid of the Mist & Cave of the Winds. Those are two long standing tourist attractions that are worth your time & money. Otherwise, if you're over 21, check out the Seneca Niagara Casino when you're done gawking at the falls.
If you have a passport or an EDL, you can head over to the Canadian side of the falls, which has better views (in my opinion) and many many more attractions all up & down Clifton Hill.
There are plenty of trails around the falls to walk along, but unfortunately, due to our cold cold winters here, Niagara Falls is at it's best in the summer. If you come here in the winter time, you will find yourself with little to do, other than freeze your butt off.
It's definitely something to see at least once in your life time, but if you are going to plan a trip to Niagara Falls, don't bother staying around for more than a day or two. -
Review from Tonia O.
Chicago, IL
10/7/2010
This review is NOT about the natural wonder of America that is Niagara Falls. This review IS about the area surrounding this natural wonder.
Niagara Falls, NY...is well...a dump. It reminded me of a mix between Flint + Detroit, MI...a hot mess. The streets are poorly made, the parks need more restoration done, the tourist attractions/shops are disgusting. It was like dollar-mania, except everything was higher priced. Canada puts the American side to shame! All the gleaming lights, excitement, and attractiveness was clearly on the other side of the border. Uggghhh...don't get me started about Buffalo..... next time I am taking a direct route to Canada....blech NF,NY! -
Review from Adam L.
Beacon, NY
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Im cleaning this language up a bit BUT this place is friggin awesome...great service a bottle of wine and a perfect view....not alot of choices but try the fish you wont be sorry
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Review from Donna P.
7/13/2011 1 photo
Should be everyones bucket list! Be sure to go to the Canadian side so you can see all the falls.
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Review from Jennifer P.
San Francisco, CA
6/17/2010
I love Niagara Falls in all of it's touristy glory. Have to admit though, the evening lights were not as impressive as the postcards make it out to be (there is definitely some Photoshopping involved). The fireworks were a nice touch but also random.
Going behind the falls and riding the Maid of the Mist are definite must-sees. I recommend the city bus tours offered by the hotels (at least by our hotel, Four Points).
Note that you will be doing a lot of walking. There isn't much parking available to move from place to place, but note that they have a lot of wheelchair access everywhere, so that shouldn't be a problem for anyone. -
Review from DIANE S.
5/13/2011
So pretty one of the worlds 7 wonders!! So well maintained clean and beautiful! Definitely visit it's worth a trip! Go in the summer if you can. I went in April almost may it's still really cold but none the less gorgeous! I'm going back hopefully in the summer! The ny side is where the falls actually are but when you cross the bridge to the canada side you'll see the view of the falls, so when they say the canada side is nicer its only because you get the view of the falls on the ny side.
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Review from Dave H.
10/15/2009
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! -
Review from Sun E.
Bay Area
9/10/2008
Stunning!
Gorgeous!
Picturesque!
As a child, my dear, dear grandparents were kind enough to
let me join them for a vacation to New York to visit my great aunt.
The memories of our visit to Niagra Falls are fabulous!
It's definitely an experience a person must see to believe. -
Review from Lis K.
4/16/2009
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).Listed in: Exile
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Review from Marie Y.
Azusa, CA
5/15/2008
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. -
Review from Tony L.
8/5/2007
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. -
Review from Elissa S.
4/5/2008
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.Listed in: Blaze of Glory 2007 - A Road…
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Review from Denis K.
Parsippany, NJ
8/6/2008
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. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
8/6/2008
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. -
Review from Sarah S.
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
We loved our trip to Niagara. We are nature people and didn't care to do most of the touristy stuff. We did Maid of the Mist, but mostly we walked around the park on the American side, across the bridge to Canada, and all the way down the walkway from the bridge to Horseshoe Falls. It's a GREAT walk and you get the best views that you could get by doing it, especially on the bridge and Canadian side. It's a wonder of America - yes, there are other bigger waterfalls elsewhere, but this is closer and more affordable. You need to see it sometime in you life. We loved it!
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Review from Mike P.
Broadview Heights, OH
7/7/2009 2 photos
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.Listed in: Niagara Falls, USA and Canada
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Review from Chris C.
New York, NY
2/11/2009
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!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! -
Review from Alena B.
5/23/2011
I love love love Niagara Falls. It was one of the best trips that I have taken in a long time. It is beautiful. We stayed on the Canadian side and I am really glad that we did. We booked on expedia so we even booked in USD so that's a good thing. The Canadian side is a bit touristy and cheesy but the American side is a national park and there is less going on, but it's much prettier. We did the Maid of the Mist (do the tour from the Canadian side!!!), the Cave of Winds and Journey Behind the Falls. This place is fun summer and winter...we went in spring. Just make sure that things like the Maid of the Mist are open when you go because it's a must do!
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Review from Roselle E.
Chino, CA
7/20/2008
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. -
Review from Debbie W.
New York, NY
9/12/2009
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.Listed in: W3
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Review from Dave C.
Herndon, VA
6/23/2008
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. -
Review from Matthew P.
Berkeley, CA
2/6/2009
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.
