IN A NUTSHELL
One of the world’s great geological wonders! Niagara Falls is the name of a group of waterfalls that is comprised of three waterfalls on Niagara River. It is located on the border between USA [New York State] and Canada [Ontario Province]. The biggest waterfall of the three is named Horseshoe Falls [due to its shape] and is the most powerful waterfall in North America. Moreover, Niagara Falls [the combined three] are the most powerful falls in the whole world!
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WHAT TO DO/SEE
The American Side… is definitely more laid back and relaxing. It has nice walking trails andGoat Island. Locals run the natural paths and most parts feel like a little oasis away from tourists.
Goat Island… is the island formed betweenHorseshoe Falls and the other two falls. The only way ontoGoat Island is from the American side. It’s a great place to walk around, see the river on either side of the island, and relax.
The Canadian Side… has the better view of the entire falls, but be prepared for silly tourist stuff that doesn’t fit in at all! Haunted houses, mazes, mini golf with dinosaurs, rides, crazy themed-restaurants, etc… The Canadian side is an absolute joke – take a few pictures of the falls and then run!
Lady of the Mist… is a boat tour that goes as fall intoHorseshoe Falls as possible. The tickets are about $20/person which includes a rain poncho – trust me, you’ll need it!
Straddle
Two
Countries.
While walking over the bridge, you’ll see the exact line over the river that separates USA and Canada… not something you’ll see every day…
Casinos. If you like to gamble, there are a few casinos to keep you entertained. Something I really like to do is play the penny slot machines and then drink for free – as long as you’re “gaming”, then the casino keeps giving you free alcohol to try to make you lose your judgment… even on the cheap machines like the penny slots! Canadian Side: As long as you’re over 19 on the Canadian side, you can gamble and drink for free. American Side: If you’re over 18, you can gamble but not drink. If you’re over 21, then you can enjoy this great perk of the casinos! I stick to the American side because it’s not like a giant cartoon and there aren’t loud 19 year olds…
Getting Around:
Drive there and park for the whole day for about $5. Once you’re in one of theNiagara Fallstwin cities [either American or Canadian], everything is within walking distance [even to each other]…
*IMPORTANT* Bring your passport if you want to walk across the bridge, over the border to eitherUSA orCanada. The bridge costs 50 cents fromCanada toUSA [but is free fromUSA toCanada].
Did You Know? …that in the 1960’s, American Falls [the waterfall on the American side] was “shut off” due to conservation efforts. Think about how crazy that is – to block off that massive waterfall!
A short drive from the falls is Niagara on the Lake, a cute town with coffee shops, antique dealers, some interesting buildings. It’s worth the trip to spend an afternoon in a quiet town, away from the crowds.