The world famous Niagara Falls is the largest waterfall in the world, in volume of water. The mighty Niagara River plunges 160 feet over the Niagara Escarpment in spectacular fashion and must be seen to be appreciated.

THE AMERICAN SIDE

From Niagara Falls, NY you can get up close and personal with the American Falls. This is the smaller, straighter, classic waterfall north-east of the Horseshoe Falls. You can feel the rush of the water, and the mist of the falls and you get a true appreciation for the shear amount of water plummeting over the escarpment every second. It is an impressive amount of water, and it makes you realize just how insane the people who went over the falls in the barrels had to have been. A view of the brink of the American Falls can be found right behind the visitors center/gift shop. For a close-up of the Horseshoe Falls, you’ll have to head to Terrapin Point on Goat Island. You can walk there (1 mile) or drive, but you will have to pay another parking fee on the island. Depending on how busy the Falls are on any given day, it may be faster to walk. Goat Island is also where you’ll find the Cave of the Winds (see below). From Goat Island you can head over a pedestrian bridge to the even smaller Luna Island to get a view from between the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.

CAVE OF THE WINDS AND HURRICANE DECK

If standing at the precipice of the falls isn’t enough for you, you can walk right up to the foot of the falls as well. The appropriately named Hurricane deck will have you feeling like a weatherman out in the storm. A series of metal grated walkways and decks take you nearly face to face with Bridal Veil Falls (the smallest of the three waterfalls here). The amount of mist and wind from the force of the falls itself is staggering. A series of decks, each one closer to the falls than the last, lets you decide how much you want to get pummeled. You have the option of wearing complimentary ponchos and flip flops, which are not nearly enough to fully protect you from the amount of mist and spray from the falls. The view is great, but trying to stare up at an enormous waterfall from directly beneath it is difficult to do without constantly blinking. Bring a set of swim goggles with you, preferably ones with built in windshield wipers! Also, make sure you have a waterproof case for your camera (and a wrist strap) if you want to take pictures.

OBSERVATION TOWER

The observation tower’s primary purpose is the elevators that take tourists to the bottom of the gorge, where you board the Maid of the Mist. Down here you can also walk a set of concrete stairs up toward the edge of the American Falls. The view isn’t incredible as it is partially blocked, but you will still get misted. The observation tower has a viewing platform on the back side of the elevator shafts that juts out ~30ft from the gorge rim, overlooking more of the American Falls, but you must pay to get to this deck and in my opinion isn’t worth it. If you’re already going down the elevators, then take a look, but I wouldn’t pay just to go out onto this platform. You can get most of the way out to deck without paying, if you’re interested in a slightly bird’s-eye-view of the falls.

THE CANADIAN SIDE

The Canadian side of the falls gives you a better overall view of both the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, but you are further removed from both. In order to enter Canada you will either need a the appropriate documentation (Passport, Enhanced License, or Real I.D.). A beautiful paved walkway and park run the length of the rim of Niagara Gorge from the Rainbow Bridge to the Horseshoe Falls. At the southernmost end of this path is a close-up view of the western side of Horseshoe Falls. For a truly remarkable view of Horseshoe Falls go Behind the Falls. A network of manmade caves takes you to an observation deck roughly midway down the falls, surrounding you with a panoramic view of a rushing wall of water. The Hornblower boat tours are the Canadian equivalent to the Maid of the Mist (see below).

YEAR ROUND, NIGHT AND DAY

In my opinion there are actually three Niagara Falls to see: The normal waterfalls, the falls at night, and the falls in the winter. Even after dark there is plenty to see here. The falls are completely lit and visible at night, sometimes in rather beautiful colors themed around the time of year. In the winter, the falls become riddled with ice from the constant presence of mist in the air. It can be quite cold and windy here in the winter, and the frozen mist does not help. Dress warmly. Do not be discouraged if you can only see the falls in the winter or at night, they are still spectacular in their own right.

THE MAID OF THE MIST

The aptly named Maid of the Mist is an open-air ferry-style boat tour that shuttles passengers through the churning, undulating, waters at the foot of the falls. This is the best way to understand just how much water cascades over the cataracts. The tour takes you past all three waterfalls. Expect to get wet. The falls produce a lot of mist, and on windy days it will seem like a rainstorm. Complimentary ponchos are provided, but parts of you and your clothing will still get wet. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children under thirteen, and free for children under six. Tours run every 15 minutes and last about twenty minutes. Reservations can not be made in advance, so you may have to wait in a bit of a line, but the staff are professional and efficient, so even on the busiest days you shouldn’t have to wait long. The Hornblower on the Canadian side is nearly identical, except you are given a red poncho instead of a blue one. These tours are an icon of Niagara Falls and are featured countless times in pop-culture (this is where Jim and Pam run off to, to get married)

JET BOAT TOURS

Just down river from the falls, the river takes a sharp 90 degree turn and the water in this part of the gorge is notoriously turbulent. This is no problem, though, for the enormously powerful jet boats that take groups of people into the rapids at breakneck speeds. The boats are impressive on their own. If you are a fan of engineering muscle the roar of the massive diesel engines is enough to send shivers down your spine. The open air boats soar full throttle into massive rapids and waves, and the pilots take pride in getting everyone as wet as possible. If conditions are right, they will turn the engines off and drift somewhat peacefully down the raging river for a bit, and if you get a particularly skilled driver, they may show off with a rockford turn. You are given a poncho and random miss-matched water shoes for the trip, but be advised you will get very wet.

TIPS

On the American side, the city of Niagara Falls, New York directly surrounding the waterfall is very touristy. The rest of the city has gained a reputation throughout New York state as being run down and dangerous. The city has become associated with delinquents and drug addicts. A local radio station morning show has a running gag of reading the Niagara Falls police blotter on a regular basis, reporting the whackiest and cringe-iest crimes. On the other hand, the Canadian side of the falls, while still being touristy, is clean and fun. A variety of spectacles attract all sorts of people. Since the legal drinking age in Canada is only 19, many young Americans cross the border to partake. The area known as Clifton Hill is like a small Canadian Las Vegas Strip/ boardwalk carnival combination.