How to Plan a Vacation to Niagara Falls

Visiting Niagara Falls has been on my bucket list for years. Niagara Falls consists of three waterfalls that are 176 feet tall and span NY state and the province of Ontario. During my visit in late September, the Canadian side wasn’t open to U.S. citizens, so we explored the USA side. Although the waterfalls are the most popular site in the area, there are many other attractions to experience in Niagara Falls, NY. Our weekend in Niagara Falls was filled with rich history, beautiful nature walks, and delicious food.

Here’s my guide to planning a fulfilling road trip to Niagara Falls from NYC:

Getting to Niagara Falls

The drive from NYC to Niagara Falls is 6.5 hours long. We broke up the long drive with a pit stop at Watkins Glen State Park, four hours away from NYC. It was well worth the pit stop. We hiked the enchanting Gorge Trail, a 3-mile trail that took us past 19 waterfalls, several caves, and over 800 steps. It took us 2 hours to complete.

For a slightly longer commute (7 hours and 20 minutes), you can travel from NYC to Niagara Falls by train. Amtrak’s Empire Service offers frequent daily train rides between NYC and Niagara Falls.

Where to stay

Giacomo Hotel

If you’re looking for hotels in Niagara Falls, NY, with a view of the falls, I highly recommend the Giacomo Hotel. Located in the heart of Niagara Falls, the Giacomo Hotel provides a classic luxury boutique hotel experience. We stood in the Premier Suite, which had a living area with a bar and full kitchen and a bedroom with a king-size bed. I loved how bright and open the space was and how I could see the falls and Canadian skyline from the living room window. Convenience is also important to me while traveling. I appreciated Giacomo’s location, which is just a few minutes walk away from the brink of Niagara Falls and a short drive to other major attractions.

Things to do in Niagara Falls, NY

Visit Niagara Falls State Park

A visit to Niagara Falls, NY, would be incomplete without stopping by Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in America.

Niagara Scenic Trolley

You can easily spend a day walking around the park, or if you prefer a more guided experience, take the Niagara Scenic Trolley. The Niagara Falls Trolley provides passengers with a park overview, historical stories, fun facts, and pro tips for visiting the park’s must-see attractions. The trolleys are heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer so that they can be enjoyed all year!

Tickets

Adults- $3 | Children aged 6-12 years old- $2

Hours of Operation

Daily: 10 am- 8:30 pm

Niagara Falls Observation Tower

Extending from the Niagara Gorge, the Niagara Falls Observation Tower offers the only panoramic view of all three waterfalls in the park. Weather permitting, it is open all year long.

Hours of Operation

Sun-Thurs: 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Fri & Sat: 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Pro- tip: You will likely do a lot of walking during your trip to Niagara Falls. You definitely should wear a comfortable pair of shoes. My Dr. Martens leather platform boots are soft and cushioned and keep my feet alive after hours of walking. I applied a waterproof spray to protect them against the water from the Cave of the winds.

Cave of the Winds

If you want to feel the power of the waterfalls, check out the Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls. I always get a rush of energy from watching waterfalls, but being immersed in the waterfalls is even more exhilarating. Tickets are timed and limited and must be purchased in person on the day of your desired visit. The Cave of the Winds opens at 9 am; purchasing your tickets early is best because they sell out quickly. We attempted to get tickets at 1 pm on a Saturday, and they were already sold out for the day. You will be provided with ponchos. They no longer give visitors water sandals, but I highly recommend bringing water-resistant shoes because you are guaranteed to get soaked.

Tickets

Adults- $19 | Children (6-12 years old)- $16 | Children 5 and under free

Hours of Operation

Sun-Fri: 9:00 AM – 6:15 PM

Sat: 9:00 AM – 8:15 PM

** The schedule is subject to change. Go directly to the Cave of Winds information page for the latest hours.

Maid of the Mist

The Maid of the Mist is another popular attraction at Niagara Falls State Park. The adventure begins at the Observation Tower, where guests are given a souvenir rain poncho and board the Maid of the Mist double-deck steamer boat. The boat transports you to the American Falls base and onto the Horseshoe Falls basin. Departures happen every 30 minutes.

Tickets

Adult- $22.25 | Children (6–12 years)- $13.00 | Children 5 and under are free

Hours of Operation

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center

The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center is a powerful interactive exhibit that tells the stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists in Niagara Falls. It has an admirable goal of inspiring “ visitors to recognize modern injustices that stem from slavery and take action toward an equitable society”. It took us about 45 minutes to get through the emotional exhibit.

Across the street from the Heritage Center on Depot Avenue and Main Street are colorful street art highlighting Black champions of change.

Pro tip: Visit the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center before you visit the Niagara Falls State Park to have a better appreciation for its inspiring history of leading people to freedom.

Tickets

Adult- $10 | Student (13 years old +)- $8 | Youth (6-12 years old)- $6

Youth (5 and under) – Free | Senior (62+ years old)- $8

Hours of Operation

Thursday-Sunday- 11 am-5 pm

Whirlpool State Park

Whirlpool State Park is a beautiful multi-use recreational trail just an 8-minute drive from Niagara Falls. We didn’t have time to hike along the Niagara Fall Gorge Rim trail, so we just soaked up the lovely views from the scenic overlooks and the park grounds.

Try famous buffalo wings in Buffalo, NY

Buffalo, NY, about a 30-minute drive from Niagara Falls, is home to the original Buffalo Wing. If you love fried chicken wings, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to taste buffalo wings at Anchor Bar, where Teressa Bellissimo first created them. Another popular buffalo wing restaurant to check out is Duff’s. There’s a longstanding battle between Anchor and Duff’s for who has the best wings. I vote for Anchor Bar because their wings had a more distinctive taste with the perfect amount of sauce than Duff’s, whose wings tasted more generic and were saucier than necessary.