Niagara Falls is one of the natural wonders that can be seen on the border of Canada and United States . At the entrance to the falls, water vapor rises for several kilometers and the sound of water can be heard. You can enjoy the majesty of Niagara from the observation decks above and below, as well as take a helicopter ride or a boat ride at the bottom of the falls. Each visitor receives a waterproof bag for personal belongings and a raincoat - you won't leave this place dry, but you'll have an unforgettable experience that you'll want to come back for again.
History of the waterfall
In native language, the name of the waterfall translates to "thunder of water." It was formed about 6,000 years ago: the ice sheet shifted from east to west, changing the topography and the system of water bodies - many rivers were forced to find new channels. After the glacier melted, huge amounts of water poured into the Niagara River, creating a waterfall.
Niagara Falls consists of three parts of different widths:
- "Horseshoe," the Canadian part of the falls and its largest part (800 meters wide)
- "American Falls" and "Fata" are parts of Niagara belonging to United States .
Attractions in Niagara
In addition to the huge stream of water that descends from a height of 50 meters, Niagara will delight tourists with other attractions located within a radius of 10 kilometers:
- IMAX movie theater. Movies will be shown here. Stories were told about the waterfall and the daredevils who tried to conquer it: there were exhibits in the hall where people did it. Among the most unexpected items were a barrel, a life jacket and a boat.
- Botanical Garden. The garden is located 9 kilometers to the north and covers an area of 100 acres. The garden's main attraction is the largest flower clock in the world: it consists of 19,000 flowers.
- Butterfly Greenhouse. It has created a special tropical microclimate that supports 2,000 species of butterflies collected from around the world. Exotic plants necessary for a full life of butterflies grow in the greenhouse. The greenhouse offers tourists a recreation area with a pond, fountains.
- Queen Victoria Park. Tourists will enjoy the observation deck overlooking the waterfall and amazing plants, including blooming sakura trees in spring.
- Niagara Glen Park will tell the secrets of geology and biology, will surprise even the most sophisticated tourist, demonstrating many unusual natural things.
How to get there and when is the best time to arrive?
While in Canada, you can leave Toronto for Niagara Falls: the trip takes 2 hours, with buses leaving every 1.5-2 hours. Then you need to change to a local bus: you will be taken to the waterfall in 20 minutes, the ticket costs $3.
Lookouts are open all year round, but it is better to come in summer - so you can enjoy stunning views without freezing or discomfort. In the winter, the viewpoints and beaches are covered with ice, but there is an advantage to visiting in the winter: there is a festival of lights and fireworks.
Interesting Facts
- To see the rainbow, it's best to watch the falls from the Canadian side from 12 noon to sunset.
- A short walk from the falls is the Rainbow Bridge, over which the U.S.-Canada border runs.
- The first person to jump off the horseshoe and survive was Sam Patch - it happened in 1829.
- In 2012, the 128-year-old ban on the waterfall using a metal cable was lifted for the sake of acrobat Nick Wallen - a distance of 550 meters was overcome in 25 minutes.
- The volume of falling water in Niagara reaches 5,720 cubic meters per second.
- Over thousands of years, the waterfall has shifted several kilometers to the south.
