| For years Niagara Falls has been one of the most | | | | born in the US but were living here, the age range |
| popular tourist destinations in the United States | | | | was from young adults to retirees, most had |
| and Canada. Visitors from abroad and North | | | | begun their trip in either New York City or |
| America cannot seem to shake their desire to | | | | Boston, and most had gone to the Falls on a bus |
| visit this dramatic aquatic spectacle. But why | | | | tour.) |
| exactly? The falls are not particularly convenient | | | | Here is a summary of the feedback: |
| to any major U.S. city (apologies to Buffalo), | | | | Was it worth visiting? |
| which means visitors to the US will need at least | | | | A resounding yes. Most respondents |
| two days to fit in a visit to Niagara. Furthermore | | | | acknowledged that the eight hour trip from New |
| besides the actual falls themselves, there is little in | | | | York City was long, but surprisingly few seemed |
| the way of cultural or natural points of interest in | | | | to mind. Several people expressed how much |
| the area. That is unless you consider a visit to | | | | they enjoyed seeing the countryside and getting |
| 'Ripley's Believe it or Not' to be a cultural | | | | a sense of the "real" United States. Those who |
| experience. Finally, the climate in the Niagara | | | | included a visit to Niagara Falls as part of a tour of |
| region is rather daunting for much of the year. | | | | Canada were the least likely to complain about |
| The area gets a lot of precipitation throughout the | | | | the distance. Only one respondent expressed |
| year and winter is definitely rugged in that region. | | | | regret that he made the trip. He said he just did |
| The short answer to why Niagara Falls has such a | | | | not find the falls themselves that impressive and |
| following is good PR. People from far and wide | | | | did not think it was worth the long bus trip. |
| have heard of Niagara Falls. I recently asked a | | | | Most recommended attractions? |
| friend from Taiwan if she had heard of Niagara | | | | Hands down the Maid of the Mist boat tour was |
| Falls before moving to the states. "Of course!", | | | | suggested as the must-do activity. Several people |
| she replied, "we learned about Niagara Falls in | | | | also pointed out that this was the best way to |
| grade school." She went on to explain that most | | | | view the falls for those who were not able to go |
| people who grew up in Asia consider Niagara Falls | | | | to the Canadian side because of visa re-entry |
| to be one of the most important sites to see in | | | | issues. The Cave of the Winds tour, which takes |
| the U.S. Its reputation is also strong throughout | | | | you by elevator to the bottom of the falls, got |
| Europe and India. The thought of missing Niagara | | | | high marks for those who preferred not to take |
| Falls is akin to missing the Great Wall or the Taj | | | | a boat ride. The helicopter tour also got raves, |
| Majal on a visit to China or India respectively. | | | | but only one person in the survey took a |
| The real key to Niagara Fall's enduring lure, | | | | helicopter tour. The nighttime illumination of the |
| however, may be simply that it does not | | | | falls got mixed reviews, with some calling it |
| disappoint. The falls themselves have an | | | | "stunning", while others found it "tacky". Several |
| undeniable dramatic beauty. Furthermore, the | | | | people who traveled with children also |
| ever popular Maid of the Mist boat ride that takes | | | | recommended exploring the town of Niagara Falls, |
| tourists directly into the falls is truly thrilling. | | | | Ontario. It offers typically touristy attractions that |
| Beyond that, the town of Niagara Falls, Ontario | | | | are sure to please kids. |
| has a certain dilapidated charm. As you stroll along | | | | How long should you stay? |
| Queen Victoria Park facing the falls on the | | | | Almost everyone answered either one or two |
| Canadian side, you cannot help but get a sense of | | | | days. A few people thought only a few hours |
| what it must have been like to visit in more | | | | were sufficient to see the sights, and no one |
| innocent times; before we were jaded by | | | | suggested staying more than two days. |
| extreme vacations and adventure tours. To think | | | | When should you go? |
| of someone actually climbing into a barrel and | | | | This is a little hard to decipher. Not surprisingly |
| heading over the falls in 1901 (actually done for | | | | most people visited Niagara Falls in the summer. |
| the first time by a 63 year old school teacher) still | | | | The few who did go in the winter said they were |
| captures the imagination. | | | | impressed by the falls surrounded by ice, but |
| To get more insight into what impression Niagara | | | | expressed regret that they could not go on the |
| Falls makes, I interviewed 40 people who had | | | | Maid of the Mist (it stops running in October). In |
| visited the Falls in the past several years. The | | | | short, it seems like you should not go to Niagara |
| survey, taken from a semi-randomly selected | | | | in the winter unless you are prepared for the cold. |
| sample, is patently unscientific. However, the | | | | A few also recommended going in the fall to |
| results are interesting nonetheless. (A few words | | | | enjoy the foliage in Upstate New York along the |
| about the sample: most respondents were not | | | | way. |