Niagara Falls is all year round American vacation heaven. Tourists all around the world crave this place and add it to their bucket list. For New Yorkers, Niagara Falls is a weekend escape from city life. Niagra Falls draw the borderline of the United States and Canada. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, and you can enjoy the view from the two different countries. The Niagara Falls State Park is so vast and spread around 400 acres. This waterfall is a significant attraction and the biggest waterfall in the United States. Here is all you need to know about Niagara Falls a year round Destination.
Besides viewing Niagara falls, there are some adventures you should give it a try. Moreover, there is not just one spot to get a glimpse of the waterfall, but enjoy the breathtaking view of falls from different angles.
How to reach Niagara Falls
There are three airports to reach Niagara Falls. The Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Niagara Falls Airport are in New York State, US. The third airport is Pearson Airport in Toronto, Canada. Many tourists prefer to take the flight to JFK, New York and drive to Niagara Falls.
Tip to explore Niagara Falls
- Wear comfortable shoes as you are going to explore the park on foot.
- Keep yourself hydrated, especially if you are visiting during summer.
- There are only 2-3 outlets in the park where you can find food and beverage facilities. Hence, prepared with your Water bottle and some snacks.
- At least spare two days to enjoy the Niagara Falls.
- Don’t miss the light show. To do that, check the illumination Schedule before your visit.
Niagara Falls a year round Destination
The Niagara Falls state park is open all year round. As the flowing falls, give immense beauty, but winter is an excellent time to see some icy magic. There are various ways you can explore the park.
- If you are fit and can walk miles and miles, then I would recommend you to Hike through the park. Here is a list of Hiking Essentials.
- Take a Scenic trolley ride. It takes you through the lush green forest. It makes few stops on its way; feel free to get down and explore around.
- You can also take a Bus tour, which takes almost four to five hours. They have different packages you can pick according to your choice. It will take you through the state park and makes a stop at the majority of attractions.
What to expect?
Niagara Falls is very popular all over the world which attracts around 30 million visitors per year. Hence Expect a large number of tourists if you are visiting in the summer. The peak season is from May to October. Be prepared to wait in a long queue. Especially for Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist wait can be anywhere from 20 mins to 150 mins.
Things to do in Niagara
Cave of the Winds tour
Cave of the Winds is the only attraction that will take you within feet to Bridal Veil Falls. Either you buy a ticket or Discovery Pass and, in return, receive special footwear, poncho, and admission to the Cave of the Winds. It gets super crowded in the summer, hence better to reach early. I have waited for almost 75 mins to get to the elevator. I will recommend you to wear those footwear and poncho, so you don’t get wet, and your shoes can also stay dry. Those who want to experiment with their electronics for water-resistance ability go ahead and rest like me store your electronics safely. The elevator will give you a ride to 175 feet deep and land you at Niagara Gorge. When you come out of the cave, you will feel the moisture in the air due to the waterfall. It will lead you to a wooded trail through which you will enjoy the view of the Niagara River. A breathtaking view of the Bridal veil Falls from the bottom of the fall is fantastic. You also get to enjoy some splashing.
Maid of the Mist
The Maid of the Mist boat tour is open May through November. The opening date varies every year; it all depends on ice conditions. The Maid of the mist has been in operation since 1846. Over the years, there are a lot of changes, and as of this year, Maid of the Mist VII is in operation and transporting 600 passengers in one single ride. These boat ride will take you to the basin of Horseshoe Falls. The tour includes an elevator ride from the observation tower to tour landing and 20 minutes of a boat ride. This tour also provides hooded poncho, and please wear them, so you don’t get wet.
Niagara Scenic Trolley
The Niagara Falls state park is enormous, and if you are not willing to walk around so much, the best way to explore the park is the Niagara Scenic Trolley. This vintage style guided trolley ride is fun and convenient. And also you will get an overview of the park during the journey which includes history, fun facts about the park and its attractions. You can take the whole tour at one time, or you can jump off at one or several stops and explore the points and board again when you finish it.
Observation Tower
Observation Tower is the only place to provide a panoramic view of Niagara Falls. From the observation tower, you can view both American Falls as well as Horseshoe Fall at the same time. It has an extended deck, which helps to give a fantastic view of the Falls. If you are planning to see an Illumination show of the Falls, then this is the best place to see colors in the Falls. And from the observation center, you can ride through the elevators to board the Maid of the Mist boat tour.
Hiking in the Niagara Gorge
The Discovery Center provides a natural and local history of Niagara Falls. It is also house to the Niagara George Trailhead Center. There are four guided hikes offered 5and if you are planning to hike than get comfortable and sturdy shoes.
Gorge scenic overlook hike: – It begins at Trailhead building and takes one hour.
Upper great gorge hike: – It begins at Trailhead building and follows the great gorge and takes two hours.
Devil’s Hole state park: – It begins from the Devil’s hole state park and takes two and a half hours.
Whirlpool rapids adventure hike: – It begins from the Whirlpool state park and takes three hours.