New York to Niagara Falls
Discussion
Hi all,
Trying to make up our mind on a trip next year and one option is New York as we have never visited here, if we do go I would like to travel up to see Niagara falls.
Just wondering if anyone has done this drive, plan is to leave early morning drive up and stay overnight.
Is this an interesting drive?
Is there anything else worth seeing on the drive up or back?
Is there anything around the Niagara area worth seeing apart from the falls?
Any recommendations on where to stay, both in New York and while visiting the falls.
Thanks all.
Trying to make up our mind on a trip next year and one option is New York as we have never visited here, if we do go I would like to travel up to see Niagara falls.
Just wondering if anyone has done this drive, plan is to leave early morning drive up and stay overnight.
Is this an interesting drive?
Is there anything else worth seeing on the drive up or back?
Is there anything around the Niagara area worth seeing apart from the falls?
Any recommendations on where to stay, both in New York and while visiting the falls.
Thanks all.
Edited by Chris100 on Wednesday 20th November 10:47
What time of year? Does it have to be done in a day?
I drove from NYC to Toronto and took a fairly disjointed route that was picturesque, with some great roads, but was also indirect and not practical for a single, one day drive.
I headed north out of New York up the Hudson Valley to Albany NY and then continued north into the Adirondacks - a very, very pretty part of the North Eastern USA. The weather can be quite nasty up there in the winter/early spring, so be mindful of that. I stopped in a quaint little place called Elizabethtown, which is north of Glens Falls NY.
From there I drove west to Watertown NY and followed the south shore of Lake Ontario and arrived at Niagara Falls from the north.
Truthfully, I thought Niagara Falls was a bit of a let-down - nothing like as big and dramatic as I'd imagined it to be. Contrast with The Grand Canyon, which left me awestruck, Niagara was a bit….'Hmmmph, is that it?'
Toronto is close enough to make the falls more of a 'stop along the way' and is a great, great city for a visit.
I drove from NYC to Toronto and took a fairly disjointed route that was picturesque, with some great roads, but was also indirect and not practical for a single, one day drive.
I headed north out of New York up the Hudson Valley to Albany NY and then continued north into the Adirondacks - a very, very pretty part of the North Eastern USA. The weather can be quite nasty up there in the winter/early spring, so be mindful of that. I stopped in a quaint little place called Elizabethtown, which is north of Glens Falls NY.
From there I drove west to Watertown NY and followed the south shore of Lake Ontario and arrived at Niagara Falls from the north.
Truthfully, I thought Niagara Falls was a bit of a let-down - nothing like as big and dramatic as I'd imagined it to be. Contrast with The Grand Canyon, which left me awestruck, Niagara was a bit….'Hmmmph, is that it?'
Toronto is close enough to make the falls more of a 'stop along the way' and is a great, great city for a visit.
The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is far better than the USA side. Are you hiring a car in the USA and if so you might want to check to see if you can take it in to Canada.
A really nice town to stay in is Niagara-on-the-Lake which is in Canada. The nearby drive along the Niagara Parkway is also good. Almost any hotel in N-O-T-L will be good I suspect.
R.
A really nice town to stay in is Niagara-on-the-Lake which is in Canada. The nearby drive along the Niagara Parkway is also good. Almost any hotel in N-O-T-L will be good I suspect.
R.
The Leaper said:
The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is far better than the USA side. Are you hiring a car in the USA and if so you might want to check to see if you can take it in to Canada.
A really nice town to stay in is Niagara-on-the-Lake which is in Canada. The nearby drive along the Niagara Parkway is also good. Almost any hotel in N-O-T-L will be good I suspect.
R.
Might have changed a bit since 2007, but we prefered the falls from the US side. They had the little State Park to wander around and the walkways down near the foot of the Bridal Veil falls. There was no queue for the Maid of the Mist boat on the American side but a big queue on the Canadian side. A really nice town to stay in is Niagara-on-the-Lake which is in Canada. The nearby drive along the Niagara Parkway is also good. Almost any hotel in N-O-T-L will be good I suspect.
R.
The Canadian side seemed have the footpath alongside the road, which does give good views of Horseshoe falls. Then you have a much more developed / less run down town on that side with a lot of large buildings and some casions, but that isn't so much to do with the falls.
Niagara on the Lake was a pleasant town to stay in, if a little quaint. I hear the American side isn't as nice for staying in.
Having driven from NY (and overnighted in Cortland to break the 7 hour drive from JFK) we spent a few hours in US park and then crossed onto the Canadian side before going on to Niagara on the Lake to stay.
Few pics here
No help with driving.
Had some good views from the Canadian side, stayed in the Sheraton on the Falls. 14th floor and a cracking view out the room facing the falls. We did go in February though to see the ice bridge. Cracking helicopter ride considering the view. We arrived by bus from Totonto one day, one overnight and away. One day is more than enough for the falls themselves.
Had some good views from the Canadian side, stayed in the Sheraton on the Falls. 14th floor and a cracking view out the room facing the falls. We did go in February though to see the ice bridge. Cracking helicopter ride considering the view. We arrived by bus from Totonto one day, one overnight and away. One day is more than enough for the falls themselves.
Done this trip a year ago, flew to Toronto and drove to New York then back upstate and around lake Ontario the other way, unfortunately it was during hurricane Sandy so weather was very bad and no power etc, but was an adventure all the same.
We stayed on the Canadian side of the falls for 2 nights in the Tower hotel, was very enjoyable , the falls were very impressive, but Niagara itself is very commercial, however this time of year it is nice as there are no queues to get onto anything. We then planned on driving straight to New York over the course of 1 day, there wasn't much to see on the way but the American roads are very easy to drive on, I think it was about 400 miles? But easily done. However we couldn't actually get into New York due to the hurricane having just hit there, so after failing to find anywhere to sleep as every hotel was rammed, we ended up sleeping in the car.
It was however one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time wherever you end up!
We stayed on the Canadian side of the falls for 2 nights in the Tower hotel, was very enjoyable , the falls were very impressive, but Niagara itself is very commercial, however this time of year it is nice as there are no queues to get onto anything. We then planned on driving straight to New York over the course of 1 day, there wasn't much to see on the way but the American roads are very easy to drive on, I think it was about 400 miles? But easily done. However we couldn't actually get into New York due to the hurricane having just hit there, so after failing to find anywhere to sleep as every hotel was rammed, we ended up sleeping in the car.
It was however one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time wherever you end up!
I spent some time living in Buffalo NY, just up the road from the falls.
It is a fair drive up from NYC, it'll take you a day, non stop. The roads aren't bad, but not terribly exciting either. Plenty of cops with speed traps sat in the median which limits progress.
If you're taking the I81 route break the drive with lunch or dinner at the Three Bear Inn at Marathon, NY, http://www.threebearinn.com/ which is exactly how you expect US roadside eateries to be, very welcoming, huge portions of tasty food etc.
The Canadian side of the falls is much more touristy than the US side.
Be aware if you're taking the trip in the Autumn the weather can be a little hairy, Buffalo gets lake effect snow, which is thicker and more intense than normal snowstorms. Within the space of a few hours you can have several feet of snow and blizzards mean you literally can't see past the end of the bonnet. I'd thought I'd driven in bad conditions till I drove in a lake effect blizzard. A lot of the natives run 4x4s with their own snowploughs fitted, you can always tell an upstate driver in NYC as they have little auxilliary headlights still fitted to shine over the plough back home.
It is a fair drive up from NYC, it'll take you a day, non stop. The roads aren't bad, but not terribly exciting either. Plenty of cops with speed traps sat in the median which limits progress.
If you're taking the I81 route break the drive with lunch or dinner at the Three Bear Inn at Marathon, NY, http://www.threebearinn.com/ which is exactly how you expect US roadside eateries to be, very welcoming, huge portions of tasty food etc.
The Canadian side of the falls is much more touristy than the US side.
Be aware if you're taking the trip in the Autumn the weather can be a little hairy, Buffalo gets lake effect snow, which is thicker and more intense than normal snowstorms. Within the space of a few hours you can have several feet of snow and blizzards mean you literally can't see past the end of the bonnet. I'd thought I'd driven in bad conditions till I drove in a lake effect blizzard. A lot of the natives run 4x4s with their own snowploughs fitted, you can always tell an upstate driver in NYC as they have little auxilliary headlights still fitted to shine over the plough back home.
The drive isn't partically special to be honest.
We did this recently and because my wife decided that it was a good idea to stay shopping at Woodbury Commons outlets till 7, we drove through the night. Which was a blessing. We had a lovely sunset and then drove through the night, which was a blessing as we had no traffic or queues at border control.
Chris
We did this recently and because my wife decided that it was a good idea to stay shopping at Woodbury Commons outlets till 7, we drove through the night. Which was a blessing. We had a lovely sunset and then drove through the night, which was a blessing as we had no traffic or queues at border control.
Chris
I've driven Niagara, CA to NYC. I found it really rather dull, despite being in brilliant sunshine in August, just because the roads were sooooo boring.... Thinking back, I should have broken it up and stayed somewhere between the 2.
Having children in the car, then aged 7 + 9, didn't help as they always get "bored". Now they're older they know to 'STFU!'
Having children in the car, then aged 7 + 9, didn't help as they always get "bored". Now they're older they know to 'STFU!'
Cheers for all the replies guys, TBH the length of the drive doesn't bother me that much but if there was something worthwhile seeing on the way up I wouldn't mind spending an extra day to break up the trip a bit.
I'm just not really that knowledgeable on this part of the States having spent most of my time there in Florida or out west, my goal is to see as much of the USA as I can and I'm a real sucker for nice scenery in particular mountains and I have been known to go on a 2 hour detour (much to my wife's despair)to see some pretty scenery.
I'm just not really that knowledgeable on this part of the States having spent most of my time there in Florida or out west, my goal is to see as much of the USA as I can and I'm a real sucker for nice scenery in particular mountains and I have been known to go on a 2 hour detour (much to my wife's despair)to see some pretty scenery.
I did the drive about 3 years ago (having driven from Anapolis to Niagara). I drove back through the Finger Lakes taking the I90 to Seneca Falls then heading South through Ithaca, Binghampton, Scranton and Stroudsburg. Most exciting "spot" was a black bear roadkill on the hard-shoulder of the I80 near Parsippany, the senery was interesting and I would have liked to have stopped but needed to get a flight from JFK in the evenng so it is possible in a day. There was also a rattlesnake curled-up in a portaloo in a layby on the way up from Anapolis near Williamsport, surprised my daughter (16) at the time!
I preferred the US side of NF, much less commercialised (surprisingly), the views are better from the Canadien side but it was like a UK seaside resort! Fort Niagara is very interesting, some of the atrocities committed by the English are not something we learn about - Also in Lockport there is fascinating history about the Erie Canal linking Lake Erie to Albany. http://lockportontheeriecanal.com/sitemap-lockport...
If you do go, there are some superb vineyards on the Niagara escarpment, a former colleague of mine now owns Arrowhead Springs vineyard in Lockport
I preferred the US side of NF, much less commercialised (surprisingly), the views are better from the Canadien side but it was like a UK seaside resort! Fort Niagara is very interesting, some of the atrocities committed by the English are not something we learn about - Also in Lockport there is fascinating history about the Erie Canal linking Lake Erie to Albany. http://lockportontheeriecanal.com/sitemap-lockport...
If you do go, there are some superb vineyards on the Niagara escarpment, a former colleague of mine now owns Arrowhead Springs vineyard in Lockport
We drove from Boston MA to Niagara, then down to NYC.
We stayed at Rochester on the way over (home of Kodak - big bluddy plant by the main drag from what I can recall) and dined at the finery that is 'Ponderosa Steakhouse' before resting at a rough Motel 6 (handily at the end of the runway).
Going back we stayed in the Adirondacks - pretty drive through the woody hills. If I'd had time I'd have looked for Asgur's Farm (Woodstock). The motel on the way back was worse...
Niagara Falls/Horseshoe Falls were awesome - very much more european feel on the Canadian side, like a nice public park - but our Holiday Inn was on the US bit, but new and very clean (this was 20 years ago).
There was not a whole lot we remember from the journey aside from those highlights above.
However, this holiday was tied in with my brothers' wedding in Boston and our FREE Hoover air tickets, so it was all good!
We stayed at Rochester on the way over (home of Kodak - big bluddy plant by the main drag from what I can recall) and dined at the finery that is 'Ponderosa Steakhouse' before resting at a rough Motel 6 (handily at the end of the runway).
Going back we stayed in the Adirondacks - pretty drive through the woody hills. If I'd had time I'd have looked for Asgur's Farm (Woodstock). The motel on the way back was worse...
Niagara Falls/Horseshoe Falls were awesome - very much more european feel on the Canadian side, like a nice public park - but our Holiday Inn was on the US bit, but new and very clean (this was 20 years ago).
There was not a whole lot we remember from the journey aside from those highlights above.
However, this holiday was tied in with my brothers' wedding in Boston and our FREE Hoover air tickets, so it was all good!
Watch out for NY Police, as they like to sit in wait in the central median in the main routes - fortunately Officer Barbrady saw my UK license and added to the fact I was heading into Canada decided not to bother issuing a ticket.
The Marriott Hotel on the Canadian side has some stunning views of the falls, even though you do pay a premium for a room based on how good a view it offers.
The Marriott Hotel on the Canadian side has some stunning views of the falls, even though you do pay a premium for a room based on how good a view it offers.
We done much the same as the others. Up from NYC took in Woodstock on the way, got the t shirt! then Toronto.
Drove back took in Watkins Glen, got the t shirt! the NYC, got the t shirt!
We went in the fall, GF must have taken a photo of every tree on the way and the way back. Great scenery but not a lot else. We took the route before the interstate which made it a little more interesting but a lot longer. There is a lot of history there, do your homework before leaving UK.
Collect discount vouchers from the big chains for motel rooms as you go. We got great deals that way. (free papers at rest stops, airport mags etc)
Si
Drove back took in Watkins Glen, got the t shirt! the NYC, got the t shirt!
We went in the fall, GF must have taken a photo of every tree on the way and the way back. Great scenery but not a lot else. We took the route before the interstate which made it a little more interesting but a lot longer. There is a lot of history there, do your homework before leaving UK.
Collect discount vouchers from the big chains for motel rooms as you go. We got great deals that way. (free papers at rest stops, airport mags etc)
Si
NormalWisdom said:
I Most exciting "spot" was a black bear roadkill on the hard-shoulder of the I80 near Parsippany,t
My office is in Parsippany right on I80. I have seen black bears walking around our car park this year. We just drive slowly towards them and they wander off back into the trees. I used to smoke out back and on many occasions I heard them walking away. Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff