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Hello!
I will be traveling from Denver to New Hampshire in January. I plan on stopping in Chicago to visit family, and perhaps the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. I am considering stopping at Niagara Falls, but I wonder will it be awful in the winter? Or beautiful? (I plan on taking I-90 from Cleveland to Albany, NY.)
Also any insight on things to do or see along I-80 in Nebraska and Iowa would be helpful. (I will also post that questions separately!)
Thanks!
Welcome!
Please do not post separate threads for one trip, keep it all in here. Thanks!
Niagara Falls is beautiful in the winter, but it will probably be quite cold and the whole area from Cleveland to Syracuse is subject to heavy lake effect snow. I would have an alternate route in mind if necessary.
If you want to cross over to the Canadian side, you will need a passport.
Welcome to RTA!
Niagara Falls in the winter -- Here's the official site for the state park USA side. While the falls are open year-round, weather can be an issue. Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist, two main attractions, are closed by mid-to-late October. Fireworks only go in the summer months. Illumination of the falls at night goes year-round, but the hours vary of course.
Donna
Donna is quite right. All the commercial attractions are not operating in winter. She stopped short of mentioning that the crowds will also not be there. Neither will the traffic, and parking is so much easier (and cheaper).
It is the absence of all that, which makes the falls so attractive in Winter. What you will see is the falls in their as raw a state as can be possible today. I'd have to agree with glc, it is beautiful.
Last time I was there was just after a huge snow dump, in April 2004. I was able to walk over onto the island, where the souvenir shop stays open - all year I think. It is also where the police headquarters is, so the road is kept open. You can't drive there, but it is a nice walk. You can go onto the lookout and watch huge chunks of ice drop over the falls... and then see them float under the Rainbow Bridge and off, down the river.
Niagara in Winter is worth a special visit. Make sure you have enough time to really absorb the atmosphere.
Lifey