On a recent visit to Niagara Falls, I found out that there is much more to the location than the powerful water spectacle. The Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest in America. It features 15 miles of hiking trails, an aquarium, an arts and culture centre, and architectural gems that range from historic Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical Revival municipal buildings to modern structures like the Prospect Point Observation Tower.
The Falls themselves are beyond words; all three of them have their own character and all of them will blow your mind. Horseshoe is the largest and most powerful; American is unique for its distinctive “talus” (rock pile) formation at the base; and Bridal Veil derives its name from its delicate, veil-like flow of water.
My room at Giacomo Hotel overlooked the Niagara River as it sped towards the cataracts. Even several hundred yards before the climax, the speed of the river and the volume of water feel both impressive and terrifying. As you walk through the astonishing parkland alongside the close-enough-to-touch river, the volume of the crashing plunge to come increases with every step. Take a lift down to a platform below and board the Maid of the Mist tourist boat. Put on the obligatory plastic water protection—it is supposed to be head-to-foot, but in reality, it is a mere fig leaf against the power of the water. On the top deck, you feel as if you are almost inside the falling water, the noise all but deafening, the sheer power of nature, humbling.
Left: Bridal Veil are the smallest of the Falls and offer a unique, up-close visitor experience via the Cave of the Winds tour.
Middle: The Maid of the Mist takes tourists past the American Falls and right into the heart of the Horseshoe Falls.
Right: Horseshoe Falls carry the majority of the water flow and are known for their sheer power.
A ten-minute walk leads to the Cave of the Winds on Bridal Veil Falls, where you can stand directly under the waterfall, where 80,000 gallons of water per second pass within inches of your head. Not something to ever forget.
Niagara Falls is not only about nature but about history and culture too. Here, more American slaves escaped to freedom in Canada than anywhere else via the “Underground Railroad”, the secret network of routes and so-called safe houses used by slaves in the United States to escape into Canada. My guide, Saladin Allah, is a direct descendant of “Uncle Tom”, whose “cabin” was famously chronicled by Harriet Beecher Stowe. At the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, visitors learn about the horrors of slavery and the dangers of escape, which are depicted with the aid of state-of-the-art videos and wall graphics.
Indigenous talent is given due credit at the annual Indigenous Fashion Show at the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino during November’s Native American Heritage Month. The glamorous event celebrates Native heritage with Indigenous designers and models from across North America hitting the runway, showcasing the rich tapestry of Indigenous fashion.
Left: With its powerful and informative exhibits, Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center leaves a lasting impression on visitors.
Right: Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises allow visitors to ride through two of the original “Flight of Five” locks.
The Castellani Art Museum houses a permanent collection of over 5,000 works—including modern and contemporary art, Niagara Falls-themed pieces, and regional folk art. The museum offers year-round exhibitions, public programmes, and educational experiences for visitors of all ages—from students to tourists to lifelong art lovers.
In nearby Lockport, we find the Erie Canal, perhaps the most significant civil engineering project in the history of the United States. Essentially, it linked the East and the West of the north of the continent, reducing freight costs by up to 90 per cent. Politically opposed at the time, this 363-mile canal transformed the country and was pivotal in making New York the most important American port.
Here, a spectacular flight of five locks lifts boats 60 feet to ensure the canal crosses the Niagara Escarpment, which previously divided the country. Whether by boat or by cycling alongside it, the Erie Canal is definitely worth a visit.
The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum offers a unique opportunity to see the birthplace of
many American carousels and to step back into a significant era of amusement park history.
Just a 20-minute drive from the Falls (USA) is the only surviving carrousel manufacturing location in the world. Sitting on a wooden horse on a carrousel, listening to a genuine Wurlitzer organ, unleashed my inner eight-year-old and brought a few moments of pure joy and reflection. Based in the original Herschell factory, the traditional skills are still deployed by mainly volunteers, who do everything by hand. As for the Wurlitzer, again Herschell is the only place that not only has many original scores but also has the only remaining—well, I’d call it a printer—capable of producing new music or replacing worn-out oldies. This is a completely unrepeatable experience.
My trip to Niagara Falls made me experience a different kind of luxury. The kind that comes with being able to walk and cycle over miles of beautiful trails without seeing another soul; with witnessing the power of nature just inches away; with feeling like a child again.
Although there are currently no direct flights from the UK to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Delta and JetBlue will get you there with just one quick stopover.
Author: Jay Fagan
Lead image: American Falls, which sit entirely on the U.S. side of the border and are the birthplace of large-scale hydroelectric power in North America.
Other long-haul destinations from the UK lately reviewed by I-M Inquisitive Minds include Ottawa, the Seychelles and Ifuru Island in the Maldives.
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