Niagara Falls - tips by travel authority Howard Hillman

Niagara Falls

travel wonder shared by Canada & the USA

Why
Niagara Falls
is special

It is one of the mightiest falls on earth. Although Niagara Falls is smaller and less breathtaking than Iguazu Falls in South America and Victoria Falls in Africa, it is awe-inspiring in its own right.

Niagara Falls
is the collective
name of three
separate nearby falls

Horseshoe Falls

It is by far the most spectacular of the three falls. Its shape gives it its name (see photo). Horseshoe Falls is also known as Canadian Falls because it is situated entirely on the Canadian side.

American Falls

It's less grand than Horseshoe Falls because nine times less water flows over it. Also, its brink is linear, not curved, thus not as visually striking.

Bridal Veil Falls

These falls are tinier and less remarkable than the Horseshoe and American Falls. Like the latter, it's on the American side.

Niagara Falls

tips & insights

Sightseeing

There is no shortage of organized Niagara Falls tourist attractions. Many are not worth the time or money. These are some of the worthy attractions:

Maid of the Mist
For a close look at the falls, take the 15 minute Maid of the Mist tour boat ride. If you look hard, you will see the boat in the photo above. Boats leave frequently from both the Canadian and American sides. You disembark where you embarked.

Journey Behind the Falls
This walking tour takes you behind the plunging Horseshoe Falls. It literally gives you an insider's perspective.

Illumination of the Falls
Niagara Falls on both sides of the border are lit at night. The colors change during the presentation.

Observation tours
Both the Canadian and American sides have tall observation towers that provide bird's eye views of the Niagara Falls.

IMAX
The IMAX theatre presents an awesome yet educational cinematic perspective of Niagara Falls on a super-sized screen.

Note: I did not include the Cavern in the Wind tour because the somewhat similar Journey Behind the Falls tour is much more interesting.

When to visit Niagara Falls

The time of the year makes a big difference.

Summer - Positive
Summer is best in terms of water fall strength. The greater the volume, the more spectacular the viewing experience.

Summer - Negative
Unfortunately, summer is the season when the lion's share of the 15 million annual visitors come. Crowds can be overwhelming and line waits unbearable.

Winter
Winter is the least desirable time to visit. It can be bitterly cold, a major factor considering that watching the falls is primarily an outdoor standing activity. Moreover, in deep winter, layers of ice can hide the falling water.

Compromises
The two best compromise times are early May and late September.

Other Niagara Falls

tips & insights

Honeymoons

Niagara Falls is famous as a honeymoon destination for amorous Americans and canoodling Canadians.

Best side for hotels

Book a hotel on the Canadian side. It offers better views of the falls.

Time of day

During the peak tourist periods, avoid long lines by scheduling your visits to the popular attractions in the morning (before 10:30 a.m.) or late afternoon (after 4:00 p.m.). And, if possible, avoid weekends.

Less majestic than before

Niagara Falls was once grander. Since the middle of the last century, about half of the upstream Niagara River water is diverted for use by two hydroelectric plants. That water bypasses Niagara Falls by being channeled underground directly into the Niagara River downstream of Niagara Falls.

Daredevils

Niagara Falls is renowned for daredevil exploits. Over the past 100 years, 15 people have gone over the falls for fame or fortune in or on a device like a barrel, kayak or ski jet. Scorecard: 10 survived, 5 died.

Lucky kid

In 1960, a seven-year-old boy accidentally went over the falls. Happily, he lived.