Why does one of the world’s great natural wonders so rarely appear on our bucket lists? (Or perhaps we should say must-do lists, given how many daredevils have chosen this way to see Niagara Falls up close?)
Some facts: Niagara Falls is on the border between New York State in the USA and the southern part of Ontario in Canada.
There are two cities, one Canadian, Niagara Falls, and one American, and three waterfalls that form right angles to each other: the gigantic Horseshoe Falls and the smaller (but still powerful) American and Bridal Veil Falls.
We checked into the Giacomo Hotel in the evening and strolled to the Rainbow Bridge that links Canada and the United States. And there, in the twilight, are Niagara Falls: bigger, louder and more magnificent than I had ever imagined.
The Giacomo is an elegant skyscraper from 1929 that dominates the American city of Niagara Falls. From our room on the 13th floor, I can see the illuminated falls and the clouds of spray hanging over the Horseshoe.
Waterworld: Mark Jones discovers the delights of Niagara Falls
In the morning, we crossed the bridge to Niagara Falls State Park. When the park was created in 1885, the falls were in chaos, dominated by industry and cheap housing.
The park became a buffer zone between the city and the falls, a place where you can still walk in peace. Not that the sound of 5.9 million cubic feet of water per minute rushing down a 160-foot vertical drop is exactly peaceful.
We walk through the Cave of the Winds, on the edge of the American Falls. The cave no longer exists: it is actually a wire mesh walkway that runs along the torrent. When we reach the edge of the falls, it is as if we are hit by a force 10 gale at sea, as the spray whips at our ponchos and soaks our socks. (Tip: bring your Crocs and a waterproof case for your phone.) Then we emerge into the calm and sunshine. It is an exciting encounter.
Mark was able to see the falls from his hotel room at the Giacomo (pictured), a “sleek” 1929 skyscraper that dominates the US city of Niagara Falls.
Above, tourists admire the falls at Niagara Falls State Park.
“There are people who say that Niagara County is only worth a two-hour visit on the way to somewhere else, but I disagree,” says Mark
So it’s shocking to discover that the energy isn’t entirely natural, as we discovered when we visited Niagara Power Vista, a power plant downriver from the falls. In 1956, the old Schoellkopf power plant disintegrated and collapsed into the gorge. Then, under the direction of Robert Moses, the famous “master builder” who nearly turned New York City into a giant highway, they created the new plant in just three years. Today, it would take that long to get a permit to build a shed.
We learn that the flow of water is controlled. If the power plant got all the power it wanted, the falls would be nothing more than a trickle of water. That’s why they reduce the flow at night. In essence, Niagara Falls is the largest faucet on the planet.
Later, we’ll take the famous Maid Of The Mist boat, which will get as close to the Horseshoe as it dares. It’s like being in a giant open-air car wash. Then, best of all, we’ll board a helicopter for an unforgettable 15 minutes flying over the falls, which look even more impressive from above.
Mark says the old Fort Niagara (seen here) in Niagara County offers “epic views and fascinating history.”
Less magnificent is the area around Niagara Falls. The decline of heavy industry was followed by an environmental disaster: chemicals were dumped into the Love Canal, a failed attempt to bring the waters inland.
But there are signs of regeneration. The downtown area, long dominated by vacant lots and casino hotels, now has food stalls and outdoor concerts. Third Street is lined with bars and cafes. We had a great time at The Craft, the closest thing to a neighborhood venue that Niagara has.
Best of all, the sprawling Niagara Hotel, frequented by Marilyn Monroe when she filmed the movie Niagara in 1953 but abandoned for 20 years, is getting a $50 million makeover.
Mark recommends visiting Lewiston (pictured), a “beautiful riverside town with wooden houses, antique shops and gastropubs.”
Some say Niagara County is only worth a two-hour visit on the way somewhere else, but I disagree. Visit Lockport to see the five enormous locks that make the Grand Union Canal look like a toy. It’s also the birthplace of novelist Joyce Carol Oates, whose novel The Falls captures the atmosphere of her 1950s heyday.
The impressive Old Fort Niagara, at the northern point where the river flows into Lake Ontario, has epic views (you can see Toronto 32 miles away) and a fascinating history: it was built by the French, taken by the British, and was a flashpoint in the War of 1812 when the Americans tried to enter Canada.
Consider staying a couple of nights in Lewiston, a pretty riverside town with wooden houses, antique shops and gastropubs. But you’ll be drawn back to the falls, a work of nature’s engineering that inspires awe and wonder how you ever left them off your list.