Commonly listed as an 8th wonder of the world, water from 4 of the 5 Great Lakes thunders over Niagara Falls at a rate of 750,000 gallons per second, where once a single waterfall located where the bridge is has since eroded to its current location and formed a horseshoe.
Attracting more than 12 million visitors each year, this marvel of nature is a legacy of the last Ice Age that occurred 18,000 years ago.
Niagara Falls is the 2nd largest waterfall in the world after Southern Africa’s Victoria Falls, but it’s the fastest moving waterfall in the world, having moved 7 miles in 12,000 years to its current location.
Lying between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls is not owned by either country, and should be visited from each since the experiences offered are unique by nation.
ITINERARY
Buffalo, NY
Niagara Falls State Park, USA
Cave of the Winds, USA
Helicopter Tour, USA
Maid of the Mist, Canada or USA
Behind the Falls, Canada
Traveling from the US, you’ll approach Buffalo, an industrial town sitting on Great Lake Erie, before you reach Niagara Falls. Buffalo was settled by the French in the 18th century who called it “Beau Fleuve”, meaning “Beautiful River”.
Buffalo is the home of the original “buffalo wing”, born at Anchor Bar late on a Friday night in 1964 when hungry friends of the owner’s son entered Anchor Bar and his mother whipped up a snack by frying wings, a part of the chicken that usually went into the stock pot for soup.
Tossed in a secret sauce, the wings were an instant hit, and soon people flocked to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. We’re a big fan of wings, so we grabbed some buffalo wings in Buffalo.
If you’re a donut fan, then swing by Paula’s Donuts®, a family owned and operated business for over 25 years making hand cut donuts baked fresh daily on the premises, the old fashioned way.
You know it’s good when there’s enough demand to warrant multiple types of take-out lines.
I’ve seen long lines for donuts before, but I’ve never seen so many take-out orders packed up lining counters before.
Paula’s Donuts insists their special ingredient is love.
As you drive toward Niagara Falls, the plume of mist from the Falls is visible from miles away.
We’ve been to Niagara Falls on multiple occasions over the years, and an ideal first stop is Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in America, established in 1885.
You can drive almost right up to Horseshoe Falls for an instant fix of this magical corner of the earth. Most of the time, this area is jam packed, but early in the morning it’s empty.
There’s a viewing platform and walkways here overlooking Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the 3 falls which make up Niagara Falls.
There is little between you and the rushing current thundering over the falls.
There are few falls of this sheer magnitude that you can stand on the edge of.
It may be empty but it’s still LOUD.
For over 200 years, Niagara Falls was named the “Honeymoon Capital of the World”, which began in 1801 when a wealthy couple from Albany, New York traveled to the falls with nine pack horses and several servants. Other wealthy honeymooners followed suit, and so began the popularity of Niagara Falls as a honeymoon destination.
About 20,000 years ago, southern Canada was covered by ice sheets 2-3 kilometers thick, and as this ice moved south, it created the Great Lakes with vast quantities of melt water.
When the ice retreated north, its melt waters began to flow down through this area which led to the Niagara Falls, which has been steadily eroding through the bedrock since.
The falls have always attracted adventurous souls. In 1829, American Sam Patch jumped down Horseshoe Falls, dropping 175 feet into Niagara River, being the first recorded to survive the plunge.
Holding the record for the first successful attempt over the falls in a barrel is Annie Taylor, a 63 year old school teacher, who survived the plunge in 1901.
The current erosion rate for Niagara Falls is ~1 foot per year, but it has been reduced to 1 foot per 10 years due to flow control and diversion.
Niagara Falls is estimated to have moved back by 7 miles within the last 12,500 years, making it the fastest moving waterfall on the planet.
Horseshoe Falls once stopped flowing due to an ice jam, but it has never actually frozen over because of the volume of water flowing.
Named after the curved shape, Horseshoe Falls has the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America; at 65km/h with more than 2,574 kiloliters of water per second crashing over the ridge.
It’s our mission to raise awareness for the rare genetic condition our older son was born with called Fragile X Syndrome when we travel.
Though are ~500 waterfalls taller than Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls has the highest flow rate, with 34 million gallons flowing over the falls per minute.
From Niagara Falls State Park, you can take a 5 minute stroll to American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls, Horseshoe Falls (largest), American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (smallest).
This is an aerial view of Goat Island, where Niagara Falls State park is located, which shows the viewing platforms of the 3 falls, and the parking and walkways.
From Niagara Falls State Park you can also walk to Luna Island, which separates the rushing waters of American Falls, and the 17 meter wide Bridal Veil Falls.
American Falls forms an impressive 260 meter wide curtain of rushing white water, and during the day rainbows often form in front of it, and at night it’s lit up in festive colors.
The views are different from each of the falls with plenty of viewing platforms.
Unlike Horseshoe Falls, which does not freeze in the winter, American Falls is more likely to freeze in low temperatures because the volume of water is lower.
There’s plenty of opportunities to walk close to the falls to experience the rush of nature’s force as over 3,000 tons of water flows over Niagara Falls every second.
Having visited over the years with various friends and family, this is a destination magical for any age.
A stroll along the walking paths is therapeutic in the misty air listening to loud flowing water while viewing rainbows.
Rainbow bridge is the border crossing between the US and Canada, and the name is fitting.
Beyond Rainbow Bridge a few minutes downriver is North America’s largest series of standing waves called the Whirlpool Rapids, and numerous operators offer speedboat rides through them.
An unforgettable experience, unlike any on earth, is only offered on the US side, called Cave of the Winds.
Cave of the Winds, located at Niagara Falls State Park is a viewing platform located underneath the roaring Bridal Veil Falls. It is loud, wet, and heart-pounding as the weight of the falls pounds your body. It’s one of the most thrilling experiences of my lifetime. The observation deck is torn down and re-built every year.
On the New York side, Niagara is fairly quaint and less built up than on the Canadian side.
For a unique view of the falls, it’s worth the splurge for a ride over the falls.
We’ve flown Rainbow Air twice, and their short trips provide incredible views.
If a helicopter ride isn’t for you, the Skylon Tower in Canada offers a restaurant sitting 775 feet above the falls with a revolving dining room which silently rotates 360 degrees every hour, giving diners a constantly changing vantage point.
If you’ve never flown in a helicopter next to the pilot, it is nothing like being a passenger in an airplane, and you should try it at least once.
Helicopters tend to float above the ground, so the views are much more incredible than from an airplane.
It can be a lot louder though.
Fish travel over Niagara Falls and most survive because of their ability to flow with the water.
Space is non-existent inside a helicopter, and sitting on top of the pilot and controls in a glass bubble is not for the faint of heart.
The water arriving in Niagara is from the Great Lakes, which is the world’s largest surface freshwater system in the world, containing 18% of the world’s supply. From the Falls, the water travels down the Niagara River to Lake Ontario, then to the St. Lawrence River and finally to the Atlantic Ocean.
Power generation facilities can be seen along the Niagara River, and harnessing the energy from here, they supply more than 25% of all power used in New York and Ontario.
The gorgeous green color of the Niagara River is attributed to the erosive power of water, where 60 tons of dissolved minerals are swept over Niagara Falls every minute.
After a 10 minute helicopter ride, drive a few minutes to the Canadian side.
You can’t beat the hotels perched on the edge of Horseshoe Falls with floor to ceiling windows, which allow you to enjoy the views from the comfort of your room day and night.
After checking into the hotel, it’s a pleasant walk to board the Maid of the Mist, a must for every visitor to Niagara Falls.
The Maid of the Mist is a boat tour into Niagara Falls that was launched in 1846, originally ferrying people between the US and Canada.
The Maid of the Mist became a tourist attraction in 1848, changing its course to bring passengers close to the falls.
Today it sails right into the heart of Horseshoe Falls.
This is an activity everyone can enjoy, and we’ve done it with both small children and seniors.
On the Maid of the Mist, you sail past American Falls, and its impressive 260 meter wide curtain of rushing white water often cast with a rainbow.
The American and Bridal Veil Falls were turned off in 1969 by the US Army Corps. of Engineers to study the effects of erosion.
Originally, 5.5 billion gallons of water per hour flowed over Niagara Falls, but now half of this water is diverted for power by the United States and Canada.
The ponchos help, but you still get wet.
After sailing on the Maid of the Mist, walk over an experience only offered on the Canadian side called Behind the Falls, where you can walk behind them, especially since you are already wet.
It is loud, dark, and slippery, but the viewing platforms here are also exhilarating. The deepest section in the Niagara River is just below the falls, and it’s depth is 170 feet, which is as deep as the falls are high.
On the Canadian side you can also get very close to the top of Horseshoe Falls where you can witness about 20% of the drinking water in the United States going over Niagara Falls.
Summer evenings in Niagara Falls are spectacular because the falls are lit up and constantly change colors in front of your eyes, as are the skies.
The Niagara Falls Illumination Board offers special color illuminations for charitable and non-profit organizations, and on July 22nd, which US Congress declared Fragile X Syndrome Awareness Day, the falls are illuminated in teal to shine a light on this rare genetic condition our son was born with that impacts 1 million Americans.
Fireworks over the falls take place throughout the summer, but were suspended in 2021 due to COVID, and will hopefully resume in 2022.
Niagara Falls continues to erode as you read this, but thankfully the rate has been greatly reduced due to flow control and diversion for hydro-power generation. Niagara Falls can only be experienced, and it won’t exist as we know it forever, so GO.
