What To Do In Niagara Falls

If you’re considering traveling to the state of New York, be assured that you won’t be disappointed in all that there is to see and do. Many people think about visiting New York City, but there is so much more to the state than just that wonderful city. There are many great regions in this state, each that has something different for you to  enjoy. New York travel options are wide open, and you can make a whole vacation based on visiting just a few different parts of the state. The City is great, but the rest of the state has a lot to offer as well.

Many start New York travel in the Big Apple. New York City certainly has a lot to offer and many vacation there without going anywhere else. The City is a great place to go if you want to see many different cultures with many different types of liberal entertainment. As you know, NYC is famous for Broadway, which is where you can see many great productions. There are also great eateries, clubs, and other types of attractions that would take years to see. You should definitely make NYC a part of your New York travel package when visiting.

On the other side of the state, some like to include the Buffalo area as part of their New York travel plans. This is a blue collar town with a lot of personality. If you love Buffalo wings, this is a great time to visit the city in which they were born. You can also find great attractions in and outside of Buffalo and travel to Niagara Falls if you wish. Don’t forget the nearby city of Rochester, NY, Lake Erie, and the Erie canal. There are museums, outdoor activities, and other great family adventures to be had in this northwestern corner of New York State.

There are many people today that like to include the Finger Lakes region in their New York travel plans. The Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier of New York have a lot of things to offer. There are water sports and some of the most sought after lakeside property in the country there. Vineyards are very popular with wine tours that you can take. Corning, NY is a great town to see and experience the arts, and Elmira, NY was once home to Mark Twain and anchorman Brain Williams of NBC news. Dansville, NY hosts a balloon festival every year that features hundreds of hot air balloons that take off  and roam the countryside.

Do not forget about what is called upstate New York when you plan your visit. The Catskill Mountains are full of amazing scenery and a lot of legend. You can find great fall and winter activities like apple orchards that make their own cider, great skiing, and trails that wander throughout the magnificent mountains during the summer and fall. This is a great area to include in your New York travel when you want to unwind on your vacation. There is most definitely something for everyone in New York State.

Views of Niagara Falls in winter.

Venturing to Niagara Falls soon? Check out these hotel deals from Expedia. You’ll save an extra 10 to 30% on hotel rooms. These hotels are on the Canadian side of the border BTW.

DID YOU KNOW?:

• one-fifth of the world’s fresh water passes over Niagara Falls
• Niagara Falls supplies 10% of all the electric power for New York State
• Niagara Falls is now a highly-managed “natural wonder”. One-half to three-quarters of the water doesn’t go over the falls anymore. Instead, it gets diverted into tunnels for the production of electricity. In fact, at night…after the lights are turned off, the falls are “dialed way back” and a huge percentage of the water is diverted for electricity generation.

Niagara Falls are massive waterfalls on the Niagara River. They straddle the border separating the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York. They are located 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, NY… 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto… between twin cities both named Niagara Falls (one in Ontario, Canada and one in New York state).

Niagara Falls is composed of two major sections parted by Goat Island: Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side) and American Falls (US side). The smaller Bridal Veil Falls also is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island.

Niagara Falls formed when glaciers receded toward the end of the Wisconsin glaciation (about ten thousand years ago). Water from the newly-formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. Though not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. Between 4 and 6 million cubic feet of water fall over the crest line every minute, making it the most powerful waterfall in North America.

The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power in the area. Trying to manage the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls for well over a century.

Peak numbers of visitors occur in the summertime, when Niagara Falls are both a daytime and evening attraction. From the Canadian side, floodlights illuminate both sides of the Falls for several hours after dark. Currently, some 20-30 million tourists a year visit the Falls. The oldest and best known tourist attraction at Niagara Falls is the Maid of the Mist boat cruise, which has been in operation since 1846, carrying passengers into the whirlpools beneath the Falls.

From the U.S. side, the American Falls can be viewed from walkways along Prospect Point Park, also featuring the Prospect Point Observation Tower and a dock for the Maid of the Mist. Goat Island offers more views of the Falls. It’s accessible by foot and automobile traffic. Beginning from Goat Island, the Cave of the Winds is accessible by elevator and leads hikers to a point beneath Bridal Veil Falls. Goat Island is also the located for the Three Sisters Islands, the Power Portal where a huge statue of Nikola Tesla can be seen, plus a walking path which enables views of the rapids, the Niagara River, the gorge, as well as the rest of the Falls. Most of these attractions are located within Niagara Falls State Park.

Additional attractions include The Niagara Scenic Trolley, the Flight of Angels helium balloon ride and helicopter rides. The Niagara Gorge Discovery Center showcases the natural and local history of Niagara Falls and the Gorge.

common misspellings: niagra falls, niagera falls, niagura, niagira, nyagra, niagar