Indeed, the primary reason for deciding to go on a vacation and explore the United States is to encounter beauty with a capital “B.” It’s this desire that drives us to venture into vast and remote natural parks, to admire endless horizons, and to discover the most unusual and majestic feats of Mother Nature.
Niagara Falls, in essence, represent just that – the opportunity to be amazed once again by nature and its most powerful and overflowing aspect. Today, we dedicate ourselves to the discovery of the astonishing Niagara Falls, situated right on the border between the USA and Canada.
Where is Niagara Falls Located?
Niagara Falls is located in North America, on the course of the Niagara River, a river that flows from Lake Eire to Lake Ontario, two immense lakes shared between the United States and Canada. As mentioned earlier, Niagara Falls is also shared by both the United States and Canada.
More precisely, the three impressive Niagara Falls, named Horseshoe Falls (Canadian side), American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls (American side), are situated between the province of Ontario and the state of New York, at the southern end of the Niagara River Gorge. Their location is approximately 17 miles northwest of the city of Buffalo and 75 miles southeast of Toronto, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls (Ontario) and Niagara Falls (New York).
If you find yourself in New York and absolutely want to go see them, keep in mind that the distance is considerable: from Times Square to the edge of the falls, there are over 412 miles to cover! However, there are alternative ways to reach them, which we discussed in our article on how to plan a tour from New York to Niagara Falls (upcoming).
How Was Niagara Falls Formed?
According to historians, the formation of Niagara Falls was the result of the convergence of two phenomena: the retreat of glaciers during the last ice age (at the end of the Wisconsin glaciation) and the influx of water from the newly formed Great Lakes region, which carved a long path through the Niagara Escarpment towards the Atlantic Ocean. We may be simplifying it a bit, but essentially what resulted were falls that are not exceptionally tall but are astonishing in terms of their width and vastness, recording the highest water flow in the world.
Tioga: Does this name ring a bell? Perhaps you’re thinking of Tioga Road, the road in California that cuts through the Sierra Nevada to Yosemite, but that’s not what I’m referring to. Tioga is also the name of the third and final phase of the Wisconsin Glaciation, which began with the Tahoe phase (like California’s Lake Tahoe), continued over millennia with the second phase called Tenaya (again, like California’s lake!), and concluded with the Tioga phase, approximately 10,000 years ago.
This event caused significant changes in the North American geography, primarily the formation of the Great Lakes region, which originated from the gradual melting of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. When you look at the vast expanse of the Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario), you might wonder how large this glacier must have been to bring about such a change in the area’s topography. Well, it’s quite simple: the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered a significant portion of Canada and a substantial part of the northern United States, from New York to Montana, extending southward to Missouri.
The melting of glaciers, in addition to transforming rivers into lakes, contributed to the creation of new rivers, including the Niagara River. Over centuries, the Niagara River continued its process of erosion, creating a northward passage towards the Atlantic Ocean. The Niagara River connected Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, but at Queenston (on the Canadian side) and Lewiston (United States), the powerful flow of the river faced the challenge of eroding much older and more resistant marine and dolomite rocks than the rock material it had encountered on its path so far.
These rock formations significantly slowed down the erosion process, which resumed more rapidly and devastatingly upon contact with the rocks immediately beyond them. This explains how the notable waterfall drop that characterizes Niagara Falls was formed and helps us understand why the rapids before the drop are so vigorous. By the way, if you enjoy the spectacle of rapids, you should know that just a few miles from Niagara Falls are the Whirlpool Rapids, observable from various vantage points (in the USA from Whirlpool State Park, in Canada from Thompson’s Point). These rapids are used for hydroelectric power generation.
If the falls are located further south today, near the twin towns of Niagara Falls, it’s because the erosion process of the rocks underneath has moved them nearly 7 miles toward Lake Erie. It is estimated that in about 50,000 years, the erosion process will cause Niagara Falls to disappear from the face of the Earth, “absorbed” by the lake.
Niagara Falls Information
Now, let’s look at everything you need to know to visit Niagara Falls.
How to Get There
Certainly, there are various ways to get there:
- By air: The best airports on the American side are Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, which is a 25-minute drive away and served by virtually all major airlines, and Niagara Falls International Airport, which is closer but has fewer services. On the Canadian side, Hamilton International Airport is about a 45-minute drive, while Toronto Pearson International Airport is about 1.5 hours away.
- By Train: Trains traveling directly from New York to Toronto stop at a station just 2 miles from the center of Niagara Falls.
- By Bus: If you’re in the vicinity, such as in Buffalo, you can take a bus (remember to bring exact change, as they don’t give change). The Metro Transit System is the primary provider for this route. For more information, you can read our tips on how to get from Buffalo to Niagara Falls.
- By Car: The falls are about a half-hour drive from Buffalo, which is a more vibrant city than you might expect. If you’re coming from Toronto, it will take you about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the falls. Other major cities are more distant but still manageable if you have a few days:
- Approximately 6.5 hours from New York.
- Around 8.5 hours from Chicago.
- About 7 hours from Boston.
How to Get to Niagara Falls from New York
Given the immense interest in the topic, we’ve dedicated an in-depth guide to planning a trip to Niagara Falls from New York, offering our advice for organizing a 1, 2, or 3-day excursion (upcoming article).
Distanze, città e aeroporti nei dintorni di Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls Guided Tour
There’s also another, and perhaps the most convenient, way to visit Niagara Falls: by booking one of the numerous travel packages, excursions, and tours dedicated to this attraction. The main starting point for these tours is New York, but not exclusively, and they often allow you to discover some hidden gems in the surroundings. Here are some that I find particularly interesting:
Tours from New York:
- Niagara Falls Airplane Tour from New York: Flight from New York to the waterfalls, with a cruise and lunch included.
- 2-Day Tour from New York to Niagara Falls: Includes nighttime illuminations, a visit to the Finger Lakes region, and shopping
- 3-Day Tour from New York to Niagara Falls: Passes through Watkins Glen Canyon, includes a visit to Toronto and the Thousand Islands
Tour From Toronto:
- Classic one-day from Toronto to Niagara Falls
- Nighttime illumination tour from Niagara Falls to Toronto
- 1-day excursion, with a stop in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls from Toronto
If you prefer a DIY trip, the following tips might come in handy!
Canadian Side of Niagara Falls vs American Side
Once you arrive on the American side, the first falls you’ll get a close-up view of are the American Falls. However, my advice is not to limit yourselves to the American side alone; the Canadian side, in fact, will offer you a close-up view of the most impressive falls, the Horseshoe Falls.
Cross the Rainbow Bridge, enjoy the two falls from a different perspective, and get ready for a nice walk to cross into Canada, bringing you within arm’s reach of the Canadian Falls! It will take about forty minutes in total, but the walk is pleasant, and you will be rewarded with a stunning view, the best of all Niagara Falls.
You might even catch a glimpse of a rainbow among the waters, as shown in the photos below:
You might be wondering why not cross the bridge by car? Here are two valid reasons:
- It’s more expensive (3.25 dollars versus 50 cents), well… on this one, you can indeed overlook it
- Parking on the Canadian side can be costly
Once you’ve drained your phone battery with all the photos, it’s time to board the Hornblower (you can also take it from the American side, where it’s called the Maid of the Mist). What is it? It’s a boat that will take you right up close to the falls, so you can admire them up close and get a bit wet (don’t worry about your clothing; they provide raincoats).
The ferry departs every 15 minutes, and the tour lasts for a total of 20 minutes, but we have discussed it in more detail in our article dedicated to the Maid of the Mist and Hornblower cruises.
On the American side, the Cave of the Winds (open from mid-May to late October) is also very interesting. From here, a pathway of walkways will take you just a few feets from the American Falls. Both attractions are accessible with the Discovery Pass, a pass for American side attractions that can be purchased at the visitor center. However, please note that the Discovery Pass does not include the following panoramic points:
- Observation Tower, the panoramic platform accessible from the American side.
- Terrapin Point on Goat Island, which offers the best panoramic view of the Horseshoe Falls from the American side.
The Canadian side also has numerous interesting attractions, such as the Journey Behind the Falls excursion or the Skylon Tower observation tower. If you want to learn more, we have dedicated an entire article to all the points of interest on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
As you may have gathered, there are many things to do and see, and if you don’t want to spend a lot of time organizing your visit to the Falls but still want to make sure you fully enjoy all the surrounding attractions, there are pre-packaged options available at various prices that might be suitable for you. Here they are:
Combo Tours
- Half-day tour including Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Observation Tower, and Goat Island. Click here for more information
- 6-hour luxury tour on the American and Canadian sides. Click here for more information
- Various tour options and tickets for Niagara Falls. Click here for more information
Alternatively, if you want something more, there are also some scenic tours available.
Helicopter Tours
A good portion of the most interesting panoramic guided tours depart from the Canadian side (as mentioned, easily reachable on foot by crossing the border). What’s even more interesting is that it’s by no means certain that you have to shell out large sums to do them. Unlike other similar offerings in other areas (for example, the Grand Canyon helicopter tour or helicopter or the helicopter ride in New York), you can find panoramic packages at decidedly affordable prices. Here are two examples:
Magnificent helicopter tour of Niagara Falls: It gives you the opportunity to fly over the falls from above, as well as the surrounding wine region. The cost is approximately $208 per person, although a minimum booking of 2 people is required.
- Flight Duration: 20 minutes
- Fully narrated tour
- Excellent reviews
- Flights depart from 10 AM to 4 PM
- Hotel pickup not included; you will need to reach the Canadian Niagara-on-the-Lake airport on your own (a 15-minute drive)
Exclusive Niagara Falls tour with helicopter ride and lunch at Skylon Tower: Here the price goes up, approximately $365 per person, but the offering is also significantly enriched. It’s a comprehensive 5-hour tour that includes:
- Skylon Tower: The panoramic observation platform of Niagara Falls
- Journey Behind the Falls: Exploration of tunnels behind the falls
- Hornblower Cruise: A cruise that takes you right up to the falls
- 12-minute helicopter ride
- Lunch in the revolving dining room of Skylon Tower
- Hotel pickup and return in Ontario
- Multilingual guide
- Stops with explanations by the guide at the following points of interest:
- Edge of the falls
- Origin of the falls
- Power plant
- Rapids observation platform
- Floral Clock
But that’s not all! For a complete overview, take a look at our article on Helicopter Tours of Niagara Falls.
Finally, among the panoramic experiences, I also point out the one at Skylon Tower, the most economical attraction on the Canadian side which offers a breathtaking view of the falls from both sides.
Complete List of Niagara Falls Tours
Accommodations
Of course, the best place for accommodation is in the neighboring towns that have already been mentioned. You can find our recommendations on where to stay in the Niagara Falls area on the hotel page for Niagara Falls. To find and book a hotel directly in the vicinity, you can also take a look at the link below:
List of Hotels in Niagara Falls
Best Time to Go
When starting to plan an itinerary, one of the desires is to be able to visit an area at the best time of the year. If you want to know the temperatures and climate of the area throughout the year, I invite you to read our in-depth article dedicated to the best time to visit Niagara Falls.
Video
To give you a clearer idea of what to expect, here’s a nice video:
