Niagara Falls American Falls
New York & Pennsylvania

3 Days at Niagara Falls with Kids, Part 1

Day 1: Niagara Falls State Park & Cave of the Winds

Approximately 600,000 gallons of water flow over the 18 stories tall Niagara Falls every second. About 20% of the drinking water in the US flows over Niagara Falls. The 3 sets of falls that make up Niagara Falls are powerful and majestic.

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All the awe and wonder make this one of the top vacation spots for couples and families. In fact, Niagara Falls has been on my own family’s travel bucket list for a while. We finally had the opportunity to spend 3 days in the area over Memorial Day weekend. Knowing that we probably wouldn’t be back in the area for many years I packed our itinerary with all the must-see spots.

Niagara Falls State Park

Our first day started off early so we could get a good parking spot at Niagara Falls State Park. We arrived before the attractions opened and were able to park at Prospect Point for $10. This was the closest parking lot to the Visitor Center and the Rainbow Bridge. Other city parking lots cost $20 or more for the day.

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American Falls & Bridal Falls

The first stop of the day was at the Visitor Center Discovery Pass ticket counter to redeem our vouchers. Tip: Buying a Discovery Pass online will actually cost you more than at the ticket counter. You won’t save any time or money. You’ll be in the same line with everyone who hasn’t bought a voucher online. When we got our Discovery Pass we were also able to schedule a time to do Cave of the Winds. Timed entry is the best!

The Discovery Pass is $46 for adults, $35 for children ages 6-12, and free for kids under 5. The pass includes admission to Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, Aquarium of Niagara, Adventure Theater, and one day of unlimited transportation on the Trolley. There is a $1 transaction fee per pass if you purchase online.

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Nikola Tesla

Cave of the Winds

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From there we decided to take a leisurely walk to get our first glimpses of the falls. Slowly we made our way to Goat Island and Cave of the Winds. We had no idea where to go. Finally, we found the entrance in the World Changed Here Pavilion. After getting our Discovery Pass scanned, we headed inside to wait for a short film. After the film, we picked up our plastic bags and souvenir sandals. They have a convenient sitting area where you can change your shoes. Tip: Bring a backpack to hold all your shoes. A backpack will fit underneath your poncho leaving your hands free to help kids up and down the wet stairs.

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Cave of the Winds sandals

Finally, we descended in the elevator and picked up our ponchos. Tip: Put your poncho on immediately and leave it on until your exit. There are tons and tons of birds in this area and they leave their droppings everywhere. It was kind of gross!

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Cave of the Winds birds

From there you are free to walk at your own pace along the boardwalk and stairs. There are many great viewing spots! As you get closer to the end the wetter it gets. The Hurricane Deck is the wettest spot. Our kids were thrilled! The water was so cold! Don’t forget to leave your poncho on!

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Cave of the Winds

Following changing our shoes and drying off we headed down to Terrapin Point to view Horseshoe Falls. We then took the trail to Three Sisters Islands. All the water flowing by these islands will eventually go over Horseshoe Falls. Stunning!

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Three Sisters Islands
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Three Sisters Islands view

Trolley

After exploring the islands we decided to take the Trolley back to the Visitor Center. What a mistake! Being a holiday weekend, the trolley was packed as were the roads. It took us longer to wait and ride the Trolley than it would have taken us to walk back. Tip: On very busy days, avoid the Trolley.

Back at the Visitor Center we found a bench and enjoyed our picnic lunch. This is a state park, so pack a picnic! There is one food service at the Visitor Center and a couple on Goat Island.

We were going to take a ride on the Maid of the Mist after lunch but the line was Disney World long. We couldn’t believe it! Tip: Ride Maid of the Mist first thing to avoid crowds and lines. Instead, we decided to wander along the trails checking out viewpoints we had passed by earlier.

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Cave of the Winds view from overhead

Adventure Theater

As we headed back to our van, we happened to notice the movie in the Adventure Theater was starting soon. We decided to stop and watch the 30-minute show. The Adventure Theater is included with the Discovery Pass, but you need a separate ticket to enter the theater. We all, kids included, enjoyed the movie. The kids were fascinated by the history of Niagara Falls.

The movie brought our day of adventures at Niagara Falls to a close. Next week I’ll share Part 2 of our 3 Days at Niagara Falls with Kids. It will include visits to Old Fort Niagara, Whirlpool State Park, and the Great Gorge Railway Trail.

Other things to do in New York

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.

Niagara-Falls-Part-1 3 Days at Niagara Falls with Kids, Part 1

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