Niagara Falls
The mighty Niagara Falls is a major tourist destination for both the United States and Canada as the Niagara River is a natural barrier that separates the United States from Canada. The river acts as a natural border between the two countries and because there is a massive waterfall between them, it inevitably leads to people asking which side is better to view the falls from? Is the American side or the Canadian side the best place to view the 188 foot vertical drop?
You have probably heard most people say the Canadian side is better as you can see the full panoramic view of all the falls, while others will say the American side is better because you can get up close and personal with the falls by walking beneath them while getting sprayed by the mist. Some people like the Canadian side better because it’s more like Disney and Las Vegas, as there are many activities for the family and also casinos to spend some money and possibly to win some money, where as the American side has been kept as a State Park and has more of a natural setting. Some say the Canadian side has the best photographic possibilities, while the American side is better for nature shots. Whenever there is a difference of opinion, there will always be a debate, so let Treasures Of Traveling lay out the information for you to decide which side you would like to visit!
Background Info About Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a great place to visit if you are traveling between Buffalo, NY and Toronto, Canada. It’s a short 20 minute drive north of Buffalo and about an hour and half drive south of Toronto. The Niagara River might separate the two countries, but it connects two of the five Great Lakes, which are Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. Most people just say Niagara Falls when talking about this natural wonder, but it actually consists of three different waterfalls. The Horseshoe Falls is about 2,600 feet wide and has a 188 foot drop that is split between the Canadian and American side.
Then we have the American Falls, along with Bridal Veil Falls, both which are smaller in width and have a shorter vertical drop. These two falls are located on the American side.
Niagara Falls might be the biggest waterfalls in North America, but, when compared to other famous waterfalls around the world, they are actually quite small in size. For example, when compared with Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, Niagara Falls looks like the size of an ant, while Iguazu Falls would be the size of a tractor trailer truck. Even though, it might not look as impressive as Iguazu Falls, combined, these three waterfalls have the world’s largest flow rate, with an average of 4 million cubic feet of water falling over the edge every minute and can even be considerably higher when there is more water flowing over the falls causing there to be a higher flow rate. While Niagara Falls are about a third in width of Iguazu Falls and less than half the height of Victoria Falls, they are still an incredible sight to view with your own eyes.
The American Side
The American side of Niagara Falls is located in the state of New York and was actually made into New York’s first state park in 1885, therefore there is not much commercial development around the falls like you see on the Canadian side. It is less crowded and therefore considerably a much quieter place to visit especially if you want to be surrounded by nature. On the American side you can get up close to all the falls from the top side of Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the American Falls. You won’t be able to have a panoramic view of all the falls together, but from the American side you can see the towering city skyline of the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. For some people that might be impressive to see, while others might not enjoy the expansive Canadian skyline. The American side of the falls definitely has a more park-like natural feeling, while the Canadian side has a Vegas-like feeling. The American side is greener and since it is a State Park they even have hiking trails to walk along and experience more of the nature side of the falls. The American side does have a large observation deck with great vistas of the falls and luckily is also free. There are multiple viewing points along the rim and one is on Goat Island, while the other is right between the two American Falls. It’s called Luna Island.
If you visit the Niagara Falls State Park and don’t take any tours or excursions, you will basically be viewing the falls from the top, but you can spend some extra money and experience Niagara Falls in different ways. For example, you can take some paid excursions that allow you walk along the base of the falls to have a more up close Cave Of The Winds experience or you can take a ride on the Maid of the Mist tour boat, which will get you closer to the falls then you ever imagined, all while getting completely soaked!
Below are some photos of what you can expect to see on the American side of the falls.
The Canadian Side
The Canadian side is where you can get gorgeous panoramic views of Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, along with the American Falls and therefore, the Canadian side tends to be more expensive to visit, whether that may be you are just staying in a hotel or parking throughout the city and even eating on this side of the falls.
From the Canadian side of the falls you can also take an elevator down 150 feet on the Journey Behind The Falls experience to stand on an observation deck next to the base of Horseshoe Falls. Just like the American side, you can also ride on the Maid of the Mist tour boat and be drenched by the mist of the powerful water crashing down over Horseshoe Falls.
If you end up staying on the Canadian side of the Falls, you can get a room with a view overlooking the falls from above and for some, that just may be the highlight of your trip. Like I said earlier, the Canadian side is similar to Vegas because they cater to the tourists and have everything from Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Hershey’s Chocolate World, museums, haunted houses and many other things you find in many highly frequented tourist locations. The Canadian side even has multiple casinos for the grown ups to enjoy.
Below are some photos of what you can expect to see on the Canadian side of the falls.
Which Side of the Falls Should You Visit?
The answer without a doubt is you should visit both sides! Why you ask? Well, it would feel like an incomplete experience if you visit only one side of the falls as you would miss out on completely different perspective viewpoints as the Canadian side has the panoramic views while the the American side gets you a more up close and personal experience with the falls. Make sure to plan enough time to visit both sides of the falls even if you only have a day and you split that evenly between each side. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of driving from one side of the falls into the other country, trying to find a parking spot or even paying for parking you can easily walk across Rainbow Bridge, that connects Canada and the United States. Make sure to pack your passport and enquire about any visas you might need based on the country you are visiting from. It’s important that you get the full Niagara experience and both the American and the Canadian have something a little different that they can offer you as a tourist.
Since Niagara Falls is shared between two countries, I thought it was similar to my experience at Iguazu Falls, where you can get a breathtaking view on the Brazilian side while experiencing a much closer encounter with the falls on the Argentinian side. The same can be said of Niagara Falls. You will get the greatest panoramic views from the Canadian side, while the better close up experience is along the US side of the falls, but no matter what side you choose, you will love experiencing the powerful Niagara Falls!
Check out the map below to see where Niagara Falls is located at!
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