Visiting Niagara Falls

If you’re considering visiting Niagara Falls here’s a run-down of our trip to help you plan. It’s a worthwhile adventure!

Niagara Falls

I didn’t have an updated passport, so we stayed on the New York, USA side. My husband repeatedly reminded me of how much better the Canadian side was, so having a passport is not a bad idea. However, you can have just as great of a view if you do the Maid of the Mist boat tour which takes you up close to the two major falls: Bridal Veil and Horseshoe. You even get to cross into Canada by going over the halfway line of the Niagara River. No passport or long border crossing line needed!

If possible, get to the front or back of the boat and stand near the railing on the top level. The view was fantastic and the falls are more massive than I imagined. You hear, feel, and see the power of the 600,000 gallons of water that flow over Niagara Falls every second. The boat drove right into the mist of the Horseshoe Falls. And you’ll need the free poncho. The sheer force of the water made quite a bit of wind and mist and we were soaked! I wouldn’t recommend doing this in the winter.

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7 Helpful Tips:

1) Parking. If you stay in a hotel near the falls, you can leave your car at the hotel and walk from there. Otherwise, parking is about $30.

2) Do the Maid of the Mist if you can. It was exhilarating. The cost is about $25 for adults and $15 for children. It’s free for children 5 and under. I don’t think babies would enjoy this because of all the wind and water in your face (while lots of people brought babies), but toddlers and up would love it. You can’t reserve your spot ahead of time, so you may as well buy your tickets on the spot. It doesn’t save you any time to buy them ahead.

3) Expect to wait in some long lines. We went over a holiday weekend (labor day) and the traffic was about 3x the norm. The line to get on the Maid of the Mist was at least an hour, and after the boat ride, it was another 45 minutes to exit (everyone has to take an elevator). So, avoid going over a holiday weekend if you can. The lines and traffic were hard to not get frustrated by, so if you have realistic expectations, you’ll fare better.

4) Don’t fall for the guided tour trap if you’re able-bodied. Right outside of one of the visitor’s centers was a man in a tent that looked like an official park guide. But, he was trying to sell his bus tours for $90 a person. This included the Maid of the Mist ticket, but he also advertised he would give us a free poncho (which comes with the Maid of the Mist tickets anyway). He was doing a great job taking advantage of new tourists! My recommendation is to save $90 per person unless you need assistance walking.

5) But there is a lot of walking, so bring some drinks and snacks in a backpack. Plenty of people had strollers and all the paths are paved in the main viewing areas. There are places to stop and eat, but the lines were long. After doing the Maid of the Mist, we went to the outlook points on Goat Island (great views of the falls if you don’t want to pay for Maid of the Mist!). We then planned to hike the Niagara Gorge Trails but, our kids were breaking down and we ended up skipping the hiking. Their 7 and 9-year-old little legs couldn’t walk another step without a hefty amount of complaining. I heard the trails are gorgeous though, so if you can, do them!

6) Exploring the Niagara Gorge, recommended hiking trails: Whirlpool Rapids and Devil’s Hole Trail were highly recommended to us. If we were staying a second day, these would have been our pick.

7) The falls are lit up at night!

Super cool facts about Niagara Falls:

• Check out the history on the first person to plunge down Niagara Falls and survive: Annie Edison Taylor in 1901. She was strapped for cash after her husband died in the Civil War. Read more about her fascinating story here.
• About 20% of the drinking water in the United States goes over Niagara Falls
• The water that flows over Niagara Falls comes from four out of five Great Lakes
• Fish travel over the falls! About 90% survive. Experts think that the white foam from the rushing water cushions their fall.
• Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in America, established in 1885.

Worthwhile stops if driving from the West:

We drove from southern Illinois to Niagara Falls all in a long weekend. On the way there, we stayed in a hotel partway, and on the way home, we did the whole drive in one day. Either way can work. If you’re driving from the west like we were, add some intrigue with these worthwhile stops.

Presque Isle State Park

On the drive there, we stopped at Presque Isle State Park in Erie Pennsylvania. It, of course, is on Lake Erie and the sunset was beautiful. There were sand dunes and deep beaches with lots of smooth stones perfect for rock skipping. Our kids didn’t want to leave. You could spend all day here, but we just stopped for an hour and a half.

Also in Erie, we enjoyed a very cool ice cream place nearby called Fat Lennys. I was tempted to spend my life savings trying all of their ice cream rollups. The area of town and the decor is eccentric.

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Holiday Valley Resort

In Ellicottville, NY there is a hidden gem in Holiday Valley Resort. It’s a family-friendly ski resort with hotel and condo lodging, par-70 golf course, pools, and mountain biking. We swung by and were impressed by how nice the facilities were and the town is super cute with coffee shops and boutiques. Western, NY is rural but the rolling hills and natural beauty make the drive a peaceful journey.

There’s a reason Niagara Falls is one of the natural wonders of the world! I hope you get a chance to go and enjoy your trip!