Travel: Mighty Niagara

One of the first things you learn on a visit to Niagara Falls is that there are actually three sets of falls — and two major ways to see them. Both Canada and the U.S. have prime viewing spots of the mighty cataracts. Canada, rightly, claims to have the best panoramic views. But the American side of Niagara gives visitors the chance to get much closer to the falls, near enough to feel the ground shake and feel the spray on one's face.

'The falls are beautiful from any spot,' says Carol Rogers, an interpreter from Niagara Falls State Park. 'But there's something about standing right next to them that gives you a visceral sense for their incredible power.'

The huge volume of water (about 750,000 gallons a second) passing over the falls is due to the fact that the Niagara River is an outlet for the four upper Great Lakes. After flowing for just 35 miles, the river plunges over a cliff of dolomite rock, forming the American Falls on the U.S. side of the border and the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian. Bridal Veil Falls, a much narrower body of water, is located next to the American Falls.

This is a good time to visit the Niagara Falls area, which is undergoing the biggest restoration and renovation in its history. More than $50 million in improvements are being made in Niagara Falls State Park alone, while the surrounding area is seeing the construction of new hotels and shopping areas.

'Since 9/11, Americans have needed a passport to cross to the Canadian side of the falls, which has meant that a lot more people are staying on this side of the border,' says Michelle Blackley, communications manager for the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation. 'We're delighted to have improvements in our infrastructure to make sure that all our visitors have a great experience.'

While the waterfalls have no doubt been amazing visitors for millennia, the first written description of them was in 1678 by the explorer Father Louis Hennepin, a member of the La Salle Expedition from France. In the mid-1900s, the falls became a popular wedding destination, a tradition that continues to this day. The first person to go over the falls in a barrel was 63-year-old schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor. More recently, daredevil Nik (sp is correct) Wallenda gained international attention by walking a tightrope across Horseshoe Falls in 2012.

In addition to the falls themselves, the crown jewel of the area is Niagara Falls State Park. Established in 1885, it's the oldest state park in the nation, with grounds designed by the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Its attractions include the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, Aquarium of Niagara, and Niagara Adventure Theater, all of which give information on the geology, biology and cultural history of the falls. The park's 230-foot Observation Tower provides stellar views of the three falls, while a trolley provides convenient transportation as well as a guided narration.

The park has two iconic attractions that are the high points of many people's trip to Niagara Falls. The first is the Cave of the Winds, a tour that allows visitors to get the closest to the water of any spot on either side of the border. Its elaborate wooden scaffolding must be rebuilt every year, including the aptly named Hurricane Deck, which is located in the path of the spray that billows out from Bridal Veil Falls. Some say that the negative ions formed by all the crashing water helps increase the levels of serotonin in visitors, relieving stress and boosting energy.

The most famous attraction of all is the Maid of the Mist, a sightseeing boat ride taken by almost every visitor to Niagara Falls since 1846. The sturdy little boats take visitors (clad in complimentary bright blue rain ponchos) directly into the spray between the American and Horseshoe Falls. Passengers can stand at the front of the boat for the full experience, or hang toward the back for a more sedate trip.

The American side of Niagara Falls attracts 8 million visitors a year. Many of them are from other nations, an indication of the stature the cataract has in the international imagination.

'I think one of the pleasures of Niagara Falls is the people watching,' says Carol Rogers. 'People from around the world come here to stand in awe at the falls. It's one of the wonders of the entire globe, not just of the U.S.'

More to Do in Niagara County

After visiting Niagara Falls, take a 30-minute drive north to Old Fort Niagara. The military outpost has a 300-year history that begins with its founding by the French in 1679. Because the fort controlled access to the Great Lakes, for centuries it was one of the most strategic sites in the U.S. Costumed interpreters present a variety of programs that bring its storied past to life.

Visitors also will enjoy a cruise on the Erie Canal, the early-1900's engineering marvel that revolutionized trade on the American frontier. Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises offers scenic trips with a guided narration on the history of the canal and its locks.

If you go

In downtown Niagara Falls, The Giacomo is a boutique hotel housed in a 1929 art deco building. For dinner, try the Red Coach Inn (www.redcoach.com), another local landmark from the 1920s. Built in the style of an English inn, it offers patio and fireside dining. For more information,

contact the Niagara Tourism & Convention

Corp. at (877) 325-5787 or www.niagara-usa.com