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

Gore Mountain is located in the Adirondacks, on Peaceful Valley Road in North Creek, N.Y. The area is an intermediate's delight with 60 percent of the runs just made for cruising. There's a vertical drop of 2,100 and 344 skiable acres.

The Mountain Top at Grand Geneva Resort is one of Wisconsin’s premier ski and snowboarding destinations. Their snowmaking capabilities provide skiing and snowboarding on their 18 downhill trails all winter long.

Granite Gorge, located on Route 9 on the Keene/Roxbury, N.H., line, offers winter recreation for the whole family.

The locals call Gray Rocks their private ski mountain because the area is so family friendly. But don't be fooled - you will find terrain diverse enough to satisfy the most advanced skiers and riders as well as beginners.

The Greek Peak Ski Resort is the largest ski area in Central New York with varied terrain suitable for skiers and boarders of all skill levels. The area has 32 trails, from treed glades and cruisers to super steeps.

There are 180 skiable acres at Elk Mountain with 27 runs serviced by six lifts including one quad and five double charlifts. Elk's vertical is around 1,000 feet. BASE: 1692ft SUMMIT: 2692ft VERTICAL DROP: 1000ft NO. OF.