Niagara Falls in Winter

We arrived at the Niagara, NY Amtrak station at 10:30 PM, used the Uber app and were on our way to our hotel within 10 minutes. The Amtrak station in Niagara was very clean and we felt very safe while waiting on our Uber ride. I used the online check in for the Fairfield Inn at Niagara so that we could quickly get to our room. Within 30 minutes of our arrival at the Amtrak station we were in our room. After being on a train for over 24 hours, we were glad to have a hot shower and a comfortable bed.

The night we arrived the temperature was in the teens. As I mentioned in previous post, we packed light but did have warm jackets. I had checked the weather predictions for the week and thought we would be okay with what we had packed. Unfortunately, I was a little wrong. We managed to visit Niagara on one of the coldest days of the year. According to a local shop keeper, it was unseasonably warm the week before our visit, and was supposed to warm up after our departure. Since we were train hopping, I had booked the Fairfield that would allow us to walk to the falls. What I didn’t plan for was the freezing weather. We quickly found a local shop that sold hats and gloves. Being from the south, we had forgotten to pack those necessary items. Now, we were ready to see the falls.

Stopping by the visitor center, we were told that the park was open; however, a lot of the tourist services were not in service during the winter. We began our walk to goat island where we would be able to see the falls. What we found was absolutely beautiful. Since it was our first visit to the falls, we really just wanted to see them and were not disappointed that other tourist services were closed for the winter. As we walked across the bridge to goat island, we were able to see the beautiful rapids that led to the falls. Once on the island, we took the elevator down to the observation area to see the American Falls. There was also a video that shared the history of the falls before we went to the falls. As we walked along the path to the American Falls, we could feel the sleet on our face as the mist from the falls froze in midair. Some of the falls were actually frozen which was beautiful. After taking the elevator back up, we made our way to Horeshoe Falls. All in all, the falls did not disappoint. We will probably visit again during the summer months at some point, but still we were thrilled at the beauty of the falls in winter.

We made our way back across the bridge and found a charming inn where we were able to warm up and enjoy a wonderful lunch. The Red Coach Inn was located on a corner that allowed visitors to view the falls and the rapids. The service was outstanding, and we enjoyed our table by the window as we had a warm meal and enjoyed the views. We enjoyed a hot coffee, appetizers, and a full meal. By the way, the artichoke dip and bread were the best I have ever had. It is definitely a must have when visiting. The Red Coach Inn was so cozy that we made a note of it for our next visit and will definitely book a room. After lunch we walked around town and visited some shops before making our way back to the Fairfield. Our only regret was that I had already booked our next rail segment for the next day. We both wished we had at least one more day in Niagara.

When we visit Niagara again, we will be sure to bring passports so that we can visit the Canadian side of the falls. From our view, it appeared that there were lots of possibilities for tourist on the Canadian side.

Now for the pros and cons:

Pros:

• The area near the falls was safe and easily accessible on foot.
• The park was clean and the staff was friendly and helpful.
• The views were spectacular.
• The visitor center staff were informative and hlepful.
• There were plenty of restaurants available in the area.
• The Fairfield Inn was in a great location, very clean, had a wonderful breakfast included, and a great staff.

Cons:

• Winter may not be for everyone. For us it was great, but for anyone entertaining children, you may want to consider visiting during peak tourist season.

All in all, it was a great visit. We wish we had stayed at least one more day, but it was a great introduction to Niagara Falls. We will definitely plan another trip to Niagara Falls in the future.