When to Visit Niagara Falls, NY
The best time to visit Niagara Falls is in summer when the weather is warm. However, summer is also the hardest time to get an inexpensive hotel room because so many people are going to Niagara Falls. Make reservations early to find the best deal and make sure you get a room with all the amenities you're looking for. You can see fireworks over the waterfall starting at 10 p.m. every Friday and Sunday from May 20 to Sept. 4.
You can also attend the Niagara Falls Music and Art Festival in June at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Listen to regional musicians and enjoy over 100 art vendors as well as food vendors, wine tastings, and street entertainers. At the Niagara Wine Trail, USA Wine Festival near the end of July, you can try local wine and food for a whole weekend. Taste three wines at every winery and get a free keepsake wineglass.
In fall, prices on hotel rooms are lower, and you can enjoy the beautiful colors of the trees. There are still plenty of events in fall as well. Old Fort Niagara's Annual 1812 Encampment is in nearby Youngstown in early September. It features a battle re-enactment, weapons demonstrations, and living history camps from the War of 1812. The Niagara Falls Blues Festival is also in September, with live music, food vendors, and a car and bike cruise. The Niagara Celtic Heritage Festival & Highland Games is around the same time as the Blues Festival. It has live Celtic music, dancers, sports, living history exhibits, children's activities, and more.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Niagara Falls, NY:
Niagara Falls, NY: Prices by Star Rating Class
Below are 3 charts illustrating avg. nightly cost trends by star rating class in Niagara Falls, NY. Browse these illustrations to evaluate the cheapest dates to stay in Niagara Falls for upcoming travels.
Luxury Hotel Options in Niagara Falls, NY
4 Star Average Prices: $134.72
There are several great luxury hotels in Niagara Falls. The Giacomo, An Ascend Hotel Collection Member, is a great romantic retreat, and each room has its own elegant 1920s decor. It's close to Niagara Adventure Theater, American Falls, and Niagara Falls State Park.
The rooms feature refrigerators, cable plasma TVs, pillowtop beds with down comforters, complimentary wired and wireless internet access, designer toiletries, and hair dryers. Other amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, a 24-hour business center, a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff, free valet parking, a bar, a free breakfast buffet, dry cleaning and laundry service, and free newspapers and a fireplace in the lobby. One child 18 or younger can stay with his or her parents free.
Sheraton at the Falls Hotel is within walking distance of Niagara Falls and Niagara Falls State Park, and the Seneca Niagara Casino is right across the street. The rooms have TVs with movies, free wireless access, safes, desks, coffee makers, free bottled water, hair dryers, irons, and ironing boards. Rooms with microwaves and refrigerators are available. You can also enjoy an indoor pool, a fitness center, laundry facilities, a Starbucks, a Rainforest Cafe, a TGI Fridays, a bar, complimentary drinks in the lobby, a game room, and a 24-hour front desk.
Affordable Hotel Options in Niagara Falls, NY
3 Star Average Prices: $124.34
Even though Niagara Falls is a popular place for tourists, it's easy to find an affordable hotel. Sands Motel Niagara Falls is near Hyde Park Golf Course, Niagara Falls State Park, and American Falls. The rooms have cable plasma TVs, complimentary wireless internet access, desks, and refrigerators. Microwaves and rollaway beds are available for an extra fee. There's also an outdoor pool, and kids aged one year and younger can stay with their parents for free.
Motel 6 Niagara Falls NY is also close to American Falls and Hyde Park Golf Course. Its clean rooms have full kitchens with microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, stovetops, and cooking utensils. You can also enjoy complimentary wireless internet access, cable TVs, a 24-hour front desk, and laundry facilities. Pets are welcome.
2 Star Average Prices: $99.93
Best Discounts in Niagara Falls, NY
If you choose the right place to stay, you can get a great deal on a hotel room for your vacation to Niagara Falls. Comfort Inn The Pointe is so close to Niagara Falls you can feel the mist. It's also within walking distance of Niagara Falls State Park and the Aquarium of Niagara. AAA members, AARP members, and seniors 60 and older can get up to 10 percent off. Discounts for small businesses, larger corporations and organizations, members of the military and their families, and government employees are also available. Children 18 and younger can stay with their parents free.
The rooms at Comfort Inn The Pointe have great views, free wireless internet access, desks, 37-inch cable HDTVs with Showtime, hair dryers, complimentary toiletries, coffee makers, irons, and ironing boards. There's also a fitness center, a gift shop, a free breakfast buffet, dry cleaning and laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and over 1,000 square feet of conference space including a meeting room.
Days Inn At The Falls also has beautiful views, and it's just a short walk away from Niagara Falls and Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. AAA members can save up to 15 percent, and AARP members can save up to 20 percent. Seniors 60 and over, government employees, and many companies can also get special discounts. Groups who use 10 rooms or more can save up to 27 percent.
This recently renovated hotel features refrigerators, microwaves, complimentary wireless internet access, flat-screen cable TVs, desks, coffee makers, free toiletries, and hair dryers. You can also enjoy an indoor pool, a sauna, a fitness center, a convenience store that's open 24 hours, free newspapers in the lobby, a business center, a restaurant, a bar, dry cleaning and laundry service, and over 7,000 square feet of conference space with a meeting room.
Best Value Options in Niagara Falls, NY
Niagara Falls has lots of midrange hotels with good features that are close to the waterfall and other attractions. AArya Hotel By Niagara Fashion Outlets is situated near the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls and Hyde Park Golf Course. The rooms have flat-screen cable TVs, free wireless internet access, desks, coffee makers, irons, ironing boards, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. There's also an outdoor pool, a 24-hour front desk, and a free continental breakfast with lots of choices. Rooms with three beds are available for families.
Quality Hotel & Suites At The Falls is within walking distance of the waterfall, Niagara Falls State Park, and the Daredevil Museum of Niagara Falls. The rooms feature flat-screen cable TVs, complimentary wireless internet access, safes big enough for your laptop, desks, free toiletries, and hair dryers. The hotel also has an indoor pool, a spa tub, a gift shop, a restaurant, a bar, a 24-hour business center, a 24-hour front desk, free newspapers in the lobby, and 3600 square feet of conference facilities and meeting rooms. Breakfast is available for an extra fee, and pets are welcome.
What You Shouldn't Miss in Niagara Falls, NY
Niagara Falls has so many great attractions that you can't see them all in just one trip. Here are some of the best places to see. Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the United States. It was founded in 1885. You can go hiking, scale a rock climbing wall, and take the Maid of the Mist boat tour to the base of the Falls. You can also take the Cave of the Winds Tour to the Hurricane Decks on Goat Island to get soaked in mist from the Falls. See the amazing scenery from the air with a helicopter tour.
At Niagara Falls Adventure Park, you can go zip lining, jump five stories, or participate in an indoor ropes course. There's also a Kids' Zone for children 10 and under. Fort Niagara State Park is in nearby Youngstown, about 20 minutes away. The fort is the oldest continuously occupied military site in North America. You can tour historic buildings, watch musket demonstrations, and learn about life on the frontier.
The Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride is about half an hour away from the Falls. It takes you on a guided tour of the Erie Canal and the caves and tunnels underneath it. You can even search for ghosts on Saturdays. The SyFy Channel featured these creepy caves on its Ghost Hunters TV show.
No matter what your itinerary includes, you'll have a great time in Niagara Falls. You can find a hotel that's perfect for all your needs and your budget whether you're looking for someplace inexpensive, a great deal with lots of amenities, or a luxury resort.
'What grandeur! What power! Is this the most surreal sight on the face of this planet?!,
Edith Wharton, an American literary giant who went on to live much of her life in Europe later on, expressed her awe upon seeing Niagara Falls for the very first time in her life.
You can be pretty sure that she has not been the only one to feel thus. Millions have watched the majestic beauty of Niagara Falls only to get overwhelmed by the fact that they are too insignificant to fully comprehend the said beauty.
That, on many levels, can be a little frustrating. Quite possible. But despite that, a trip to Niagara Falls is as important on an itinerary of travel plans to North America as a Christmas carol is important on the day of Christmas.
Located right near the world famous sight of Niagara Falls, the city of Niagara Falls, NY is one of the most visited places in America, and carries the title of the city with highest tourism turnover (revenue) per capita. This, despite 4 full months being lost to bone freezing cold, makes for quite an interesting fact.
A plan to visit Niagara Falls, NY, however, should not be kept monotonous to the sight of falls and back. There are quite a few remarkable sights around this city that tourists can hope to explore, given that they have enough time on their hands.
But before that, a swift recap of hotels in Niagara Falls is well in order to understand how the hospitality sector operates here.
Finding Cheap Hotels in Niagara Falls
Finding cheap hotels here in Niagara Falls is not a wholly unachievable task, if one knows how to go about it.
The first and the most important factor to remember is that there are no 'dedicated' cheap hotels present here. The only way tourists can hope to get cheap prices on hotel rooms in Niagara Falls is by visiting in an off-season - that is the season that is off the popular calendar weeks of tourism.
Among all the options available for tourists, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson needs to be mentioned in particular. Located strategically in terms of convenience and views, it offers guests with a great sanctuary amidst the crowded hustle of Niagara Falls, especially during summer months.
Other notable Niagara Falls hotels that can be counted in this affordable category are Days Inn, Howard Johnson Hotel and Comfort Inn.
Posh Stay in Niagara Falls
Many tourists prefer to stay at a hotel that is both comfortable and lavish. The logic may not be fathomable to many, but for such tourists, the hotel that they are staying at, is very much a part of their trip experience, as the sights that they see around the place.
Considering this, it can be understood why such tourists go to great lengths in order to understand the luxury hotel scene at a particular place, before even thinking of making plans to actually visit that place.
If you happen to be one of such travelers, rest assured. There are quite a few luxury hotels in Niagara Falls that are ready and waiting to receive you “ in style, substance and comfort of the highest order you can think of.
Sheraton on the Falls is, perhaps, the most accomplished hotel in this category. Located beside the site for Niagara Falls, Sheraton on the Falls provided unparalleled views of this majestic creation of mother nature “ 24x7.
Similarly, resorts that share this view with Sheraton are Marriott Niagara Falls and Hilton Niagara Falls. Doubletree Falls View Spa and Inn is also a worthy mention, especially for those who are looking for a quiet getaway.
Sightseeing in Niagara Falls
There are many small fall sights that dot around the actual stately sight of Niagara Falls. Looking for them and getting them checked off your list might be a good idea, especially because each little fall seems to carry its own flavor and style.
Niagara Falls State Park is a must-visit place if you are traveling to Niagara Falls. It is a vast expanse of American and Canadian forest that is used to conserve wildlife and create more tourism revenue.
Whirlpool State Park is also located nearby the city of Niagara Falls and can be easily reached via private cars. It is a park that is best known for its educational retreats and conferences.
Taking boat tours of Niagara Falls, however cliched it may have become, is still a thing that is worth giving a go, if you wish to get thrilled by the beauty of these falls, up, close and personal!
Niagara gorge trails marks a moderately difficult trail that can be accepted as a valid challenge by hikers and climbers among tourists. Niagara Falls Science Museum is a mid-sized museum that is given to marking local contribution to various science faculties.
Eventually, to round your trip off, you can rely on the Niagara Wine Trail to get you in right spirits “ quite literally!
Things to Remember While in Niagara Falls
Many tourists seem to commit the same mistakes when they are Niagara Falls, just out of passion and ignorance for the power of nature.
Following each and every rule that is written, displayed or conveyed to you by any other way, when you are visiting the falls site is extremely important, as casualties that can attributed directly to over-enthusiasm are not too uncommon in Niagara Falls.
Local Transport in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is not really a wide and long city that would take tourists by confusion when they arrive. It's a fairly manageable city in terms of local transport. Buses are used as a primary mode of local transport here, while private cabs are also quite prevalent.
Renting a car of your own can be a good idea to get around when you are visiting this beautifully august city. Many Niagara Falls hotels do provide in-house cars to guests for extra charges.