Nobody should ever dare skip a visit to these enormous falls. Niagara Falls is a combination of American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls, which is best viewed on the Canadian side. It’s believed that the falls were created from the glaciers 10,000 years ago.
I covered at least 10 cities in 5 states during our 50-day stay in America, with the generous help from some friends and relatives. We had to make it count considering the cost we incurred to get to this country. However, our New York leg was mostly through Airbnb, boat tours, and subways.
I have visited Niagara Falls for four times but these marvelous falls never cease to impress me. I would always go back whenever I get that chance.
EXPENSES
| Expense – as of July 2017 | USD/Head |
| 2-Day Package Tour by TakeTours | 80.00 |
| Thousand Islands Boat Cruise (Optional) | 27.00 |
| Fort Niagara (Optional) | 25.00 |
| Maid of the Mist Cruise (check link for latest prices) | 18.25 |
From New York City (or New Jersey if you stay nearer this city), if you are pressed with time, it’s best to book a 2-day tour which includes pickup from the city, a visit to the 1000 Islands and Fort Niagara for additional fees, hotel accommodation, Niagara Falls definitely, and drop off back at the city. Meals are not included.
A day tour is also available but it would be tiring since the drive is at least 5 hours, one-way. We booked our 2-day tour with TakeTours. However, I think the best way is via road trip! You can stop anytime, anywhere!
Places Visited
1000 Islands
Niagara Falls
1000 Islands
In the 2-day tour that we booked with TakeTours, the basic package didn’t include some sites such as the Fort Niagara (around 25 USD) and 1000 Islands. We had to pay an additional 27 USD at that time (29.5 USD as of this writing) to be able to join the others for the Thousand Islands Boat Tour. And since we didn’t want to feel left out, we decided to ride the boat. Well, it wasn’t that bad.
Wealthy and middle-class summer residents built summer homes such as this. 
1000 Islands constitute an archipelago of 1,864 islands. 
Most wealthy vacationers came from New York City. 
Another island out of 1864 behind me and Dad. 
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the region was widely known as a summer resort. A mansion for the elite in the 19th century. 
It was our first day tour in the state of New York. 
Some of the castles remain as international landmarks. 
The place has long been a center for recreational boating. 
To be an island, a piece of land must stay above water throughout the year and support a living tree.
The crew in the boat, like all the other tours, shared information about the region but I wasn’t paying a lot of attention as I was just enjoying the breeze, the waters, and the mansions so now, I don’t remember any details. Google to the rescue!
With the long drive and boat tour, one day was already gone. We checked in at Holiday Inn for a night and we looked forward to the next day’s main event, to visit the famous Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls has been my favorite ever since I set foot on this Land of Opportunity way back in 2006. I must have visited this place in different seasons except during winter, which I wouldn’t dare anyway. Summer time is still the best season for this grand falls because it would be sunny but the winds would be so cool and refreshing. Besides, you can walk around the falls and just enjoy the day especially when you are not on tour.
During my first visit in the summer of 2006, I was invited by my colleagues to do a road trip and we didn’t have to really rush as we visited the different areas of the Niagara Falls State Park. Moreover, we did it in just 1 day and drove back to New Jersey in the late afternoon.
My second one was I believe by the bus tour in summer. Third was again by road trip with a bigger group in spring. And the latest one was by the tour in summer. Oh, that means I have never tried the autumn feels yet. Must be too cold!
Our first stop in the morning of the tour was the Devil’s Hole. I still wonder up to know why and how the name came to be. There’s a whirlpool down below and the rapids really looked scary. Knowing that I couldn’t swim makes me even more afraid. This is, by the way, connected to the main falls.
As the photo below suggests, one can plan for a hike around the Niagara Gorge. Perhaps, I can do it next time. On second thought, maybe not. I could instead go to Yosemite or Yellowstone National Park.
On the way to the falls, we passed by these massive hydroelectric generating stations that divert the waters from Niagara Falls down to the Niagara River producing 1,997 MW (2,678,000 hp). Good to know!
Prior to reaching the highlight of the tour, we were asked if we wanted to visit the Old Fort Niagara for 25 USD but this time, we didn’t opt for it. We decided to wait outside and took photos of whatever we could find around the border of the Fort.
Finally, we parked beside a small shopping mall and headed straight to the Visitor Center to inquire about Maid of the Mist cruise tickets (18.25 USD), where you can go to all 3 falls namely American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls, as close as possible through a ferry like the one pictured below.
It was summer and I was expecting a crowded park but it wasn’t. We didn’t have to wait for so long to ride the boat and feel the mist on our faces. It was really incredible. We had to wear raincoats due to the strong splashes made by the falls. That also means only waterproof cameras can be used to capture the marvelous falls. I used my newly bought Go Pro 5 camera because I lost my first one in Laos. Negligence!
There are also boats from the Canadian side doing the same thing, bringing in people as close to the foot of the falls as possible, with people in red raincoats.
There is an access to the right side of the American Falls through stairs. After the boat cruise, we followed the crowd and climbed the stairs to touch the cool waters of the falls before heading back up to the top in which we could have a better view from the Observation Tower.
A rainbow is almost always present at the bottom of the falls (see photo) which would always remind us what happened during Noah’s time after the flood. God gave a covenant through the rainbow that He would never send a flood to cover the Earth again (Genesis 9).
It was almost lunch time when we finished admiring almost all the corners of the falls. We had to be back on the bus by 1 PM so we walked back to the small shopping mall where the bus was parked and had our lunch there.
By around 8:30 PM, with some traffic jam, we arrived back in New York City. Our Airbnb was located in Brooklyn so we had to continue our subway-bus journey for another hour or so from the city center.
Seeing Niagara Falls in person is definitely worth it!
