NIAGARA FALLS, NY
NIAGARA FALLS, NY
7 hrs from NYC
This is a destination where I come back every year, and each year a few times. It’s relatively close to New York City, the way there is can be very interesting and can be combined with other interesting destinations. sometimes on the way there I stop by at Watkins Glen State Park, or Thousand Island, and on the way home I usually spend time time at Letchworth State Park but happened that instead i stopped by at the Glass Museum in Cornig, NY.
Usually I leave early morning before 6AM. I take interstate 80 toward Delaware Water Gap. If you need a break that’s a perfect location to spend some time here. The Delaware river gives you an excellent view in this gap with mountains behind it. However, if you need gas, I recommend exit 30 and stop by at Quick Check gas station, because the gas is the cheapest in the area on I-80, also you can get food, and free air to your vehicle just to check if all your 4 tires are in balance.
After the Water Gap you are in the State of Pennsylvania, which is kind of pretty. If you have time or you forgot something at home, at Tannersville Outlet you can get anything you need. Then take I-380 North, ad that takes you 84 then I-81 north. After Scranton and Dickson City, PA you will barley see any city or town for about an hour or so. At the border of New York State soon you reach city of Binghamton, NY where I-86 will lead you to the exit of Horseheads. From here Watkins Glen is only about 25 minutes.
Niagara Falls
Niagara, NY.
When finally you reach the Niagara State Park, which I think should be the part of the National Park System, sometimes really hard to find parking spot. Also its important you to stay late, because the falls are beautiful at night, since they light up with changing color LED lights from Canada. Its just stunning. I strongly suggest to stay overnight, because there is a lot to see beside the three main waterfalls.
The Programs by Niagara Falls State Park.
There are a few interesting thing that the park provides for its visitors. of course its cost some money since, the park is free.
1. Made of Mist. This is the main attraction of the entire park. This is the boat ride to under the falls. You get a raincoat once go got all the way down to the bottom of the overlook. once you reached the boat you better to get a good place fro yourself because its quickly will filled up. The boat will go front of the American and the Bridal falls before its reach the Horseshoe AKA Canadian fall. When the boat arrives to the Horseshoe fall, the water in the air will be all over you, you will be wet you have or not raincoat on you. The boat moves up and down, as the power of the fall create the waves. you not only see and hear, but you can feel the power of the Niagara falls. Just stunning. Its impossible to tell, or write it down, you must experience it. The boat slowly turn left and right so the visitors on both sides can see it, but better if you take the left side or the very front of the boat with the beginning.
When the boat arrives back and docking, you have a chance to see the bottom of the American fall for free, you don’t have to pay for the Cave of the Wind unless you want to. In a windy day you will get wet here too.
2. Cave of the Wind. This is another very interesting program that the state park offers you. Here you can see a short movie about the history of the Niagara falls, witch is pretty dramatic. After you leave the building, and you move to the elevator which is in another building. The Elevator goes down pretty quickly and opens into a windy cave, where you have to go trough, and at the end you reach the walkway that drives you up to the stairs that leads you to the bottom of the American Falls. This is so interesting, you almost could touch the water (not the falls) and in a windy day you can count on you will be wet like you swam in the river. You can see all the rocks and boulders that was fallen down and the water flowing trough. Such a beautiful scenery. During winter you can come down here and see the frozen bottom of the fall.
3. Trolley. This is a nice feature of the park, that a hop on trolley takes you around the park stops at all the interesting and important places you need to visit, plus all the parking lots.
FACTS
There are 3 falls in the park. The American, the Bridal Veil and the Canadian Falls.
The American and Bridal Veil Falls
Heights of the fall is 176 feet (53.6m) however due to the rock st the base actual fall is only 70 feet (21.3m). Length of brink: 1060 feet (323.08m).
Volume of water 150, 000 US Gallons means 567,811 liters going down in every second, which wildly would be way more, but two hydroelectric plants draws water into their reservoir prior to the falls. The falls is the greatest at the peak of the tourist seasons June, July and August.
The Bridal Veil Falls is named for its appearance. It is located next to the American falls an separated by a small piece of land called Luna Island.
Canadian Falls AKA Horseshoe Falls. Length of brink: 2600 feet (792.4m).
Hight: 167 feet, (50.9m) Volume of water 600, 000 US Gallons (2,271,247 liters) in every seconds.
Other interesting sites:
Three Sisters Islands. You can reach this 3 tiny islands from Goat Island. The Islands got its names after Celina, Angelina, and Asenath Withney, Before European settlers arrived the Iroquois shamans made sacrifices of food and gifts on the islands and communed with He-No (mighty Thunderer) the spirit who dwells in the mist-enshrouded cave at the base of the falls. Modern day psychics believes you can here the voice of the spirit if you listen well. Its just above the Canadian falls, and here you really can feel the power and speed of the Niagara rapids. This islands is between the falls and the Point of No Return, means if you pass that point, you have no chance left to get out from the river before you meet the fall. I have to tell you, that between 1850 and 2011 5000 bodies were fund at the bottom of the falls.
The Turtle House: This iconic building can be found by the very edge of the Niagara State Park. The building opened in 1881 and closed on 1995. it was the former building of the Native American Center fro Living Art, better known The Turtle. Its should be a historical landmark building before it gets ruing since its over 40 years old but most of its years it was vacant.
The Rainbow Bride is located just at the edge of the Sate Park, and its the borer bridge between US and Canada. You can drive trough bridge for $4 or walk it for only a $1. The bridge is 950 feet (289.5m), and it gives you a nice view to the waterfalls and the Niagara River. I strongly recommend to everyone to cross this bridge by walk. The Bridge was built in 1940 after the ice destroyed the original Honeymoon Bridge in 1938. The water current under the bridge averages 26-30 miles per houser, so that gives you an idea bout the power of the flowing ice up here in the North.
Seneca Casino: Since the Canadian side of the falls is fully developed, beautiful streets, casinos, stores, gift shops, hotels and restaurants, sounds like a fun city, then the US side is really under developed. . Very ugly and not safe at all. Beside the only good restaurant , the Hard Rock Cafe, nothing really here can be found but the Seneca Casino. So I can recommend to swing by if you get bored.
Old Forth Niagara: Its more the a 300 years old well preserved historical building. During the colonial wars in North America, a fort at the mouth of the Niagara River was vita, for its controlled access to the Great Lakes and the westward route to the heartland. Interestingly the forst established the first post here, Fort Conti in 1679. Then Fort Denonville 1687-88 was another short lived fort. Then 1726 the French erected a permanent fortification and the impressive “French Castle”. However the English got the control over in 1759 during French & Indian War. The siege was take only 19 days. But, 1796 the fort was belong to the Americans, then in 1813 the British recaptured. It was ceded to the United States a second time in 1815 at the end of the War of 1812. Today its a great place to visit, its $17 for adults and $12 for children.
In 20022 January a woman crashed her car into the rapids near Niagara Falls, a 100 yards from the American Falls. In a few days the car disappeared, police believe it went over the falls.