OverviewNiagara Falls is one of three cities in Niagara County (the others are North Tonawanda and Lockport). Niagara Falls is in the southwest corner of the county, bordered to the north and part of the east by the town of Niagara, to the east partly by the town of Niagara and the rest by the town of Wheatfield, and to the south and west by the Niagara River. (The city was carved from the town of Niagara and borders between the two can be tough to differentiate.) Niagara Falls, of course, is known world-wide as the home of the falls by the same name, a natural attraction considered one of the wonders of the world. Hydropower – harnessing the falls to generate electricity – is major business here, but tourism is tops. There are actually two cities of Niagara Falls – the other, just across the Canadian border, is much more of a tourist mecca. The American version still has lots of appeal. Niagara Falls State Park, the first such state park in the United States, is the best place to catch an up-close look at the falls and many of the attractions related to them. Niagara Falls also is home to the enormously popular Seneca Niagara Casino, which draws visitors from all over. The city is more than just a tourist area though – more than 50,000 people live here, and there are plenty of places to shop and dine. There are two border crossings into Canada here, and the lines can sometimes be very slow-moving.
Local Museums & Landmarks
You must check out the falls that gave the city its name; the falls are among the best-known landmarksin the world. Tourists have travelled here for centuries, and the falls are breathtaking. To get really close, try the Cave of the Winds, a hiking jaunt that takes you right to the edge of the falls. If you prefer boat ride, there’s the Maid of the Mist. Prospect Point and its observation tower is another option. The city also has several museums, including the Castellani Art Museum, the Daredevil Museum, the Niagara Science Museum, Niagara’s Wax Museum of History and the Das Haus German Heritage Museum.
Niagara Falls has three historic districts – the Chilton Avenue-Orchard Parkway Historic District, Park Place Historic District and Deveaux School Historic District. You can find more culture and history nearby, like Fort Niagara in Youngstown, as well as the popular ArtPark in Lewiston, which holds outdoor concerts and other events in the summer.
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