Niagara Falls

ErichSpiez's picture

Location

Ontario
Canada
43° 4' 42.996" N, 79° 4' 34.968" W
CA
General info: 

An unstoppable flow of rushing water surges over the edge with thunderous force. The mist rises for hundreds of meters as the waters collide. Niagara is not the tallest waterfall but it is the most powerful one in North America and among the three most powerful ones on the globe. Every second a whopping 7000 cubic meters (or more than a million bathtubs) of water plummets downward.

Despite the raw power of the falls, they are one of the easiest to access and view from all sorts of angles. The Niagara Falls consist of three separate waterfalls. From largest to smallest they are the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls.

The natural beauty of the Niagara Falls can sometimes be forgot due to the huge tourist industry around it. Nevertheless, these are one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world.

Getting there: 

OWN CAR
There are several parking lots on Canadian and US sides. Parking costs $3 to $20 a day on either side of the falls.

BUS
The Bus Station is right across the street from the Amtrak station, about 3km from the falls. 4555 Erie Ave; 7am-10:30pm. There are several daily connections to Niagara Falls from the major cities.

TRAIN
Amtrak station is about 3km from the falls. Daily trains from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, Toronto and New York City ($63, nine hours).

PLANE
Niagara Airbus connects Niagara Falls to airports in Toronto($62 - 1½ hours) and Buffalo ($71 - 1½ hours) with frequent door-to-door coach service.

Costs: 

On Canadian side there is no fee to see the falls. On the US side the Niagara Falls State Park entrance fee is $36 for adults and $29 for children. 5 yrs and under for free.

There are loads of different activities around. Some examples with prices:
Maid of the Mist Steamboat cruise- Adults $17.00 US - Children $9.90 US
Grand Lady Lunch Cruise - Adults $45.00 Children $23.00
Rainbow Air Helicopter - 10 minute flight - Adults $105 US - Child $90 US (minimum two per flight)

Interesting places nearby

Seven Springs presents 31 slopes and trails on 285 skiable acres with terrain gentle or daunting enough for skiers of any level. This is a complete, four-seasons resort, one of the largest and most popular in the region.

Shawnee Mountain Ski Area has earned a reputation for aggressive snowmaking and quality grooming. Located in the heart of the Pocono Mountains, Shawnee offers day and night skiing, snowboarding and a tubing park.

Shawnee Peak is celebrating their 75th year of skiing and riding in Maine, making it the longest operating Mountian in the state.

Ski Roundtop has around 600 skiable acres. Tubing and a snowboarding park are available.

BASE: 800ft
SUMMIT: 1400ft
VERTICAL DROP: 600ft

NO. OF. LIFTS: 8
Gondolas: 0
Chairs: 5
Surface: 3

Royal Mountain Ski Area, located in Caroga Lake, NY, is a small ski area with 13 ski trails served by 3 lifts. The Ski Area is an easy hour and a half drive from Albany, and 4 hours from New York City.

Saddleback Ski Area opened in 1960. Saddleback features the most extensive beginner terrain in the northeast, with four miles of gentle sloping trails that are found below the base lodge and away from the rest of the mountain.