Niagara Falls 2024!

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We put together this Niagara Falls blog post to share the photos and videos of our three-day trip on Monday, November 11, 2024, through Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The first two days, we explored Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. On the third day, we drove along the Niagara River exploring parks, first on the Canadian side and then on the United States side of the river.

It felt strange saying we were going to Canada the week after the United States election, but we had planned this trip out of the country before the turbulent election, and did share that we were coming back after three days.

We have gone to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, in the winter before, so we knew what to expect and had the proper warm clothing. We have memories from when we were first married of driving through a blizzard along the southern border of Lake Erie on our way to the Falls. This year, we had much more pleasant weather, except for some rain on the evening of the first day.

In recent years, we have only been visiting the Niagara Falls, New York, USA, side, so it was great to see what new attractions and improvements have been made by the Canadian Niagara Park System. In particular, we were amazed by the newly opened (in 2021) Niagara Parks Power Station and its tailrace tunnel, which opened in 2022.

We hope you enjoy our photos/videos, along with what we learned during our visit to Niagara Falls, Canada, and the Niagara River. Please watch all of our videos and all the embedded YouTube videos in full screen mode!! It is the only way to see the full beauty of the area.

 

 

Day One: Monday, November 11, 2024 - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

We had a great first day in Niagara Falls, Canada! We ended up doing more than we planned for our first day. It was great to be able to go behind the falls, which we have not done in years.

Here is our video from Day One:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to read the interesting facts that are in the slides!!

 

 

Evening One: Monday, November 11, 2024 - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Niagara Falls Canada at night!! After visiting the Falls and Niagara Parks areas, we visited Clifton Hill which is the Niagara Falls fun zone. We ended up walking many more kilometers than we had planned by the evening of our first day!

Here is our video from Evening One:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Day Two: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

We had a great second day in Niagara Falls, Canada, enjoying the Niagara Parks. We saw many rainbows today!

You will see in our few photos that we used the "Wonder Pass" to get around on WEGO, "Niagara's premier transportation system."

Some of the attractions we saw today included he following:

Here is our video from Day Two:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to read the interesting facts that are in the slides!!

 

 

Evening Two: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

On our second night in Niagara Falls, Canada, we enjoyed the great Niagara Parks holiday lights and the colorfully lit falls, and the fun atmosphere of Clifton Hill. After a "Hershey's Deluxe Hot Chocolate" at Hershey's Chocolate World, we ended our evening out with a ride on the Niagara SkyWheel. We noted that there were 42 heated gondolas on the SkyWheel. After our ride into the sky, we then walked back to our hotel to enjoy the hot tub. Our hotel, the Holiday Inn By The Falls, was decorated with Christmas trees that they had put up while we were out during the day. It was fun to see the holiday decorations!

NOTE: In 2021, we wrote a blog post about visiting Hershey’s Chocolate World in Pennsylvania, before Stuart went on a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail. Visiting this smaller version of Hershey’s Chocolate World in Niagara Falls brought back great memories of our 2021 Pennsylvania trip.

Here is our video from Evening Two:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.

 

 

Day Three: Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - Niagara River - Canada and USA

We spent our third (and final) day in Canada, first heading north, driving along the route of the Niagara River. Julie says that the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is magical!!

We then crossed into the USA to follow the river south, visiting New York State Parks and historic sites.

Here are two Google maps showing our route along the Niagara River in Canada and the USA, followed by a list of the things we saw:

 

Along the Niagara River, Ontario, Canada

• Chippawa Intake at Kingsbridge Park.

• Inlet pipe for the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Station Reservoir

  Upstream of the International Control Dam there are three tunnel intakes which run under Niagara Falls, Ontario, and surface 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream of the Sir Adam Beck Generating Stations. All three tunnel intakes are upstream of the Control Dam, however one of the three tunnels is unseen, under the water, located directly in front of the Control Dam, Control Tower.

• International Control Dam

  The International Control Dam, also known as the International Control Structure, operated by Ontario Power Generation, is a weir that controls the water diversions from the Niagara River and dispatches the water between the New York Power Authority and Ontario Power Generation in accordance with the terms of the 1950 Niagara Treaty. It was completed in 1954.
  
  To preserve Niagara Falls' natural beauty and to ensure an "unbroken curtain of water" is flowing over the falls, the 1950 treaty was signed by the U.S. and Canada to limit water usage by power plants.
  
  The treaty allows higher summertime diversion at night when tourists are fewer and during the winter months when there are even fewer tourists. . . .

• We didn't stop to see the White Water Walk, since it was closed for the season, but it looks interesting for a future trip. We had not heard of this walk before this year, but found an interesting article from February 17, 2023, stating that it opened in 2006:

  The walk was constructed in the 1800s, but was not cleared for safety until fairly recently.
  
  It appears that they constructed the current version of the walk in 2005. It then officially opened to the public in 2006. However, they constructed it as part of an effort to enhance the visitor experience at Niagara Falls. Further, it provides a unique perspective on the Niagara River rapids and the Whirlpool Basin.

  Here is information about the White Water Walk from the Niagara Parks website:

  White Water Walk
  Niagara Parks
  . . . Jul 10, 2023
  Feel the thrill of being at the river’s edge!
  
  White Water Walk offers a first-hand lesson in the raw power and peril of the Niagara River’s Class 6 whitewater rapids, some of the wildest in North America. The roar of the river provides a deceptive calmness, the perfect ambiance for your walk among the many platforms that offer incredible views. The sight on this quarter-mile boardwalk will take your breath away!

   

  As part of this self-guided experience, enjoy stories about the geology of the Niagara Gorge and the plant and animal life you may see on your visit to Niagara Parks. . . . Travel by elevator down 70 metres to reach the base of the Niagara Gorge and impressive quarter-mile of boardwalk that runs along the shoreline of the Niagara River. . . . enjoy an excellent view of the 410-million-year-old rock layers of the Niagara Gorge.

• The Whirlpool Aero Car was closed for the season, but we did stop to take a look. The area around the entranceway was fenced off for construction, so some improvements were apparently being made for next season.

  Whirlpool Aero Car
  Niagara Parks
  . . . Jul 11, 2023
  Hop on the historic Whirlpool Aero Car for an unforgettable ride over the vibrant, teal-coloured waters of the Niagara River. Witness spectacular views of the swirling Niagara Whirlpool and the river’s Class 6 rapids as you soar 3,500 feet across the Niagara Gorge.

   

  Although it travels between two points on the Canadian shore, this antique cable car will actually take you across the international border between Canada and the United States a total of four times due to the way the river elbows. No passport required!
  
  . . . Designed by famed Spanish engineer, Leonardo Torres Quevedo, the Whirlpool Aero Car has been soaring the Niagara Gorge since 1916. . . . In the winter of 2023, the Whirlpool Aero Car was removed from its tracks and sent to Saint-Jérôme, Québec, to undergo refurbishments. . . . Today, over 100 years after its first ride, over 100,000 individuals ride the Whirlpool Aero Car annually, . . .

• The WildPlay Niagara Falls Whirlpool Adventure Course was closed for the season, but for those interested, it offers: "walking across tightropes, climbing up cargo nets, ziplining, flying through the air on rope swings, leaping onto swinging logs, and balancing on wobbly bridges."

• Butterfly Conservatory - See our many butterfly photos. We spent the majority of our morning touring this glass-enclosed tropical paradise, and enjoying lunch at its Garden Café.

  Butterfly Conservatory
  Niagara Parks
  . . . Jul 10, 2023
  Step inside one of the largest glass-enclosed butterfly conservatories in North America and discover a tropical garden oasis. The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory features over 2,000 vibrantly coloured butterflies fluttering freely throughout winding pathways adorned with lush vegetation and trickling waterfalls.

   

  The Butterfly Conservatory was built in 1996. It remains the largest facility of its kind in North America. It quickly became a "must-see" attraction and has since welcomed millions of guests to explore and learn about the delicate beauty and fascinating lifecycles of butterflies in a tropical paradise environment. The facility includes an 11,000 square foot conservatory, video theatres, interactive displays and is also the teaching facility for the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture. It also includes laboratories and specialized greenhouses for rearing butterflies and growing plants.

• We had started out the day seeing the inlet pipe for the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Station Reservoir. After lunch, we stopped at the Niagara Falls Power Generating Plant Lookout, where we saw where the water from the intake is used to generate electricity in Canada. Across the Niagara River, we also saw the New York Power Authority plant in the United States.

  Hydroelectricity – Falling for the power of water
  opgvideos
  . . . Aug 8, 2019
  Learn the basics of how water produces electricity and why it's such a great source of power.

   

  Hydroelectric power, or water power, is a timeless, renewable resource that has fuelled Ontario's economic growth since the beginning of the 20th century. Today, it accounts for more than one-third of Ontario Power Generation's (OPG's) electricity production.
  
  See why clean hydroelectric power is an important part of OPG’s energy mix for Ontario.

  The Sir Adam Beck (SAB) hydroelectric power generating complex is located at Queenston Heights, Ontario, Canada. It consists of two power generating stations – Sir Adam Beck I and Sir Adam Beck II. The complex is owned and operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), one of the largest electricity producers in North America. OPG supplies about 70% of Ontario’s annual power requirements.
  
  OPG is constructing a major tunnel to divert additional water downstream to the SAB II power station from upper Niagara Falls, with the help of gravity. It will increase the output capacity by 14%. The C$1.6bn project is being funded by Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation (OEFC) and the Province of Ontario.
  
  The project will help in meeting the energy requirements of Ontario through clean and renewable hydropower. It will allow power generation for more than 100 years with minimal maintenance.

  Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Stations are two hydroelectric generating stations in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Sir Adam Beck Generating Station I, Sir Adam Beck Generating Station II and the Sir Adam Beck Pump Generating Station are all owned by Ontario Power Generation. Following the development of several smaller generating stations around Niagara Falls in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Province of Ontario authorized the construction of the first major publicly owned generating station in the province.[2] At the time it was built, it was the largest hydroelectric generating station in the world.
  
  The stations divert water from the Niagara and Welland rivers above Niagara Falls which is then released into the lower portion of the Niagara River, and together produce up to 1,962 MW (2,631,000 hp).

• Floral Clock- Of course, we needed to have our photo taken with the famous Niagara Falls Floral Clock!

  Here is an official Niagara Parks video that we found while writing this blog post, that shows this year's Floral Clock design:

  Niagara Parks: 2024 Floral Clock
  Niagara Parks
  . . . Jul 23, 2024 Every year, the iconic Floral Clock is meticulously redesigned and curated by the Niagara Parks Horticulture Team! This year's intricate designs on the face of the Floral Clock are created with over 16,000 plants and takes a journey back in time to reimagine our designs from the 50s and 60s.
  
  Ready to visit? Travel along the scenic Niagara Parkway, towards Niagara-on-the-Lake, and witness the famous clock that chimes every quarter hour! For more info visit niagaraparks.com/floralclock

  Travel along the scenic Niagara Parkway, towards Niagara-on-the-Lake, to visit Niagara Parks' famous Floral Clock. The intricate designs on the face of the Floral Clock are created with thousands of carpet bedding plants and are changed twice each year. The planted face of the Floral Clock is maintained by Niagara Parks horticulture staff, while the mechanism inside is kept in working order by Ontario Power Generation. The tower at the back of the clock houses Westminster chimes that greet each quarter hour.
  
  The Clock Face
  
  Measuring 40 feet in diameter, the face of the Floral Clock is filled with as much as 16,000 carpet plants and colourful annuals, including alternanthera, santolina and privet. Its intricate faces are designed and planted by expert horticulturalists and students from the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture.

• Queenston Heights Park - Brock's Monument

  Queenston Heights Park combines leisure and history in one scenic location. Nestled high atop the Niagara Escarpment in the north end of Niagara Parks, Queenston Heights Parks offers picturesque hiking trails, picnic areas, tennis courts, two picnic pavilions and a children’s splash pad. Queenston Heights Park is also home to the Landscape of Nations Memorial and serves as the southern terminus of Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, the Bruce Trail. At the entrance to this historic park, see the grand carpet bedding displays that surround both the Brock and Laura Secord Monuments.

• We crossed into the USA on the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (Niagara Falls Bridge Commission).

  NFBC LQ Stream

 

Along the Niagara River, New York, United States

• New York Power Authority

  The Niagara Power Project: Clean Energy for NY
  It’s New York State’s biggest electricity producer, providing up to 2.6 million kilowatts of clean electricity. That clean energy is generated by two facilities, the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant and the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant, with a combined 25 turbines spun by 748,000 gallons of water per second. NYPA sells the power to state facilities, municipal and rural electric coops, and large utilities. Located in Lewiston, NY, 4.5 miles downstream from Niagara Falls, the Niagara Power Project uses a gated tunnel under the City of Niagara to divert water from the Niagara River into two reservoirs. Releasing water from the reservoirs creates the power. The overall facility includes two intake structures, two underground conduits and associated pump stations, a forebay, the Lewiston Reservoir, the Lewiston Pump Generating Plant, the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant, and the Niagara Switchyard. When the Niagara plant produced its first power in 1961, it was the largest hydropower facility in the Western world. NYPA investment and engineers keep it cutting-edge, efficient, and, as President John F. Kennedy called it, "an example to the world of North American efficiency and determination."
  
  The Opening of the Niagara Power Project
  President John F. Kennedy recognized the launch of the Niagara Power Project in 1961.

• Devil's Hole State Park

  Devil's Hole State Park overlooks the Devil's Hole Rapids. The park has picnic areas, scenic overlooks and hiking trails, and is one of the more popular spots for fishing. A stone staircase leads down to the base of the gorge and the Devil's Hole Trail, which offers spectacular views of the rapids and gorge rock layers. Gateway of the Niagara Shoreline Trail connecting to the Empire State Trail.

• Whirlpool State Park

  . . . the street level has many scenic overlooks with spectacular views of the Whirlpool and rapids. There are picnic facilities and a playground, as well as the gorge natural history room . . .

• While at the Freedom Plaza and Gorge Stairs Trailhead, we stopped to see the site of the historic bridge that freedom-seekers used to cross into Canada. While there, we learned about the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, which is across the street. We didn't get to go to this museum, since it was too late in the day, but we hope to visit the next time we are in the area. The sign at the bridge described it as "A Bridge To Freedom" (pause our photos video to and zoom in to read the sign).

  The Heritage Center’s mission is to reveal authentic stories of Underground Railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists in Niagara Falls that inspire visitors to recognize modern injustices that stem from slavery and take action toward an equitable society.
  
  Standing on the border of freedom, Niagara Falls was one of the most important points on the Underground Railroad. For some people of African descent, it was home and a safe place to work and live. For others, the city was a crossing point over the last barrier to freedom – the Niagara River.

  Here is a video from the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center that we watched and shared on social media while writing this blog post. It tells some of the history of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge:

  On Site - Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
  Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
  . . . Feb 15, 2021
  Join our Visitor Experience Specialist Saladin Allah as he discusses a pivotal crossing point for freedom seekers to Canada, the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.

   

• Niagara Falls, New York, United States of America

• The Three Sisters Islands are fascinating, and we highly recommend exploring them. We make it a point to stop here every time we visit Niagara Falls. We hope you enjoy our photos of the Niagara River flowing around the islands.

  The Three Sisters Islands are islands which lie off the south shoreline of Goat Island. The islands are part of Niagara Falls, New York.
  
  Accessible from Goat Island, the Three Sisters Islands are located just beyond the Canada/U.S. border in Niagara Falls, New York.[1] The islands are named after Celinda, Angelina, and Asenath Whitney . . .

   

• Old Stone Chimney

  The Old Stone Chimney, is located in the city of Niagara Falls, New York. It is a masonry chimney built as part of a two-story barracks on the site of the French "Fort du Portage," or "Fort Little Niagara,"[1] by Daniel Joncaire in 1750, when the Niagara River and its shores were part of New France on the North American continent.

• The last stop for the day, as it started to get dark outside, was the Upper Niagara Intake Observation Area. Just like we started our day at a water intake tower on the Canadian side of the river, we ended our Niagara journey at the intake on the USA side.

  NIAGARA POWER STATION INTAKE, NEW YORK
  
  These towers hold the equipment that adjusts how much water flows over Niagara Falls. Beneath the towers are the valves that open and close the intake pipes which divert water from this point, a few miles upstream of the falls, through massive underground pipelines to the New York Power Authority's hydroelectric project, 4.5 miles downstream. While it is rarely done, the infrastructure exists to virtually turn off the flow over the falls. A 1950 treaty with Canada (located on the other side of the falls) requires that at least half the normal flow over the falls is maintained, at least during the daytime of the tourist season, but at night and during the winter months, the flow may be reduced to a quarter. For over a century, Niagara Falls has been the focus of grand ideas about power production and industrial utopias. This electrical generation system, comprised of the intake pipes, two turbine stations, and a massive forebay and water storage reservoir downstream, was the largest hydropower facility in the country when it went on line in 1961. It was a project of New York's master builder, Robert Moses, who was head of the New York Power Authority. The forebay bears his name.

We hope you enjoy the photos of our journey along the Canada and USA Niagara River as much as we enjoyed taking them. It was a most enjoyable way to spend the last day of our trip.

Here is our video from Day Three:

I recommend viewing videos in full screen mode.
Please feel free to pause the video to read the interesting facts that are in the slides!!

 

 

Related Blog Posts

We always like to include a list of related blog posts that may be of interest to the readers of this blog post, so here are our past "Travel" blog posts. Please make special note of our November 10, 2019, blog post that included an earlier visit to Niagara Falls, and our August 17, 2021, blog post which included a visit to Chocolate World!

1. Blog Date: September 2, 2024 - Alaska!

2. Blog Date: October 26, 2023 - Norman Rockwell Museum - Amazing Original Art

3. Blog Date: September 7, 2023 - Summer Vacation 2023: South Haven, Michigan and Merry-Go-Round Museum

4. Blog Date: September 23, 2021 - Spur-of-the-Moment Trip South

5. Blog Date: August 17, 2021 - After Backpacking Adventure: Exploring Appalachian Trail Highlights & New York Water Destinations

6. Blog Date: August 17, 2021 - Before Backpacking Adventure: Hershey’s Chocolate World & Knoebels Amusement Resort

   Friday, April 30, 2021 - Hershey’s Chocolate World!
   This was our first big outing since receiving our COVID-19 vaccinations. The three attractions that we went to were adapted to encourage social distancing, but this was still the first time being around so many people in an inside venue. It actually felt kind of strange. Everyone was required to wear masks in all areas of the Hershey’s Chocolate World building.
   
   It was very appropriate that we started our journey toward Stuart's starting point on the Appalachian Trail at this "sweet" place, since he has often visited Hershey’s Chocolate World as part of his many previous backpacking trips on the A.T. in Pennsylvania. A chocolate treat goes perfectly with backpacking.

7. Blog Date: March 31, 2021 - Rockin' Hocking Hills

8. Blog Date: November 10, 2019 - From Waterfalls to Wilderness Workshops

   Niagara Falls
   When we are in this part of New York, we always love to stop at Niagara Falls. What made this trip special is that we had not been on the Maid of the Mist (@MaidOfTheMist) boat trip in many years. We really enjoyed how close the boat actually gets to the falls -- you are in the midst of the mist!

9. Blog Date: March 18, 2019 - Family Train Day: Touring the Warther Museum and Dennison Depot Museum

10. Blog Date: July 15, 2018 - Michigan Journey: Mackinaw -> Mackinac -> Frankenmuth

This blog post about our Niagara Falls trip is our eleventh "Travel" blog post. Watch for future blog posts about our local activities and travels.