While its name may conjure nostalgic images of a bustling tourist destination, the city of Niagara Falls, New York, is considerably more understated than its next-door neighbor, Buffalo. From the late 1800s until the late 1960s, Niagara Falls boomed as industry and tourism grew at a steady pace, attracting large numbers of workers and their families. Since then, the core city has experienced its share of hardship and decline, as industry left for cheaper options elsewhere and environmental concerns bubbled to the surface of the southernmost neighborhoods.
Today the city is home to fewer than 50,000 residents, with a constant flow of tourism driving economic programs. “There are attempts at revitalization happening in Niagara Falls,” says John Cook, a lifelong area resident and a Realtor with Signature Real Estate Services. “In past years, we had a lot of out-of-town people buying up cheap properties to convert into absentee rentals, but they didn’t really make improvements. We’ve lately had a wave of Airbnb owners who are treating it differently. They’re taking more pride in their property, and the city is regulating it.”
Other attempts at reindustrialization are more far-sighted. “Over the next five to 10 years, we’ll be working to become a more high-tech manufacturing hub,” Cook says. “Out of every community that applied, we were the only one that actually got funding from the government to renovate our factories to produce silicon chips.”
Despite this expected influx of technology and industry, Niagara Falls is still chiefly appreciated for its abundant natural beauty. The Niagara Falls State Park draws visitors from all over the world annually, and there is much to see year-round, even when the weather turns that Western New York brand of cold.
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center bolsters the city’s healthcare system, and convenient commute times to both Buffalo and Canada help to make it an aspiring community in one of America’s most iconic natural locations.
LaSalle Waterfront Park in Niagara Falls has some docks for boating.
Niagara Falls attracts over 22 million visitors every year.
Niagara Falls Blues Festival is a two day festival on Old Falls Street.
The Food Court next to Niagara Falls State Park has souvenirs, clothing and an arcade.
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Municipal amenities at Hyde Park and the first state park in America
Little League games are held in the northeast corner of the city at Reservoir State Park, which boasts seven baseball diamonds. Just down the road, golfers can play a round at Hyde Park , which offers special winter rates beginning in November. Hyde Park is also home to the city’s ice rink, bocce court, skate park and tennis courts.
Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in America, was established in 1885. It is open year-round; the park's most popular season is summer, when it's most comfortable to explore the deck pathways of the Cave of the Winds or pack onto the Maid of the Mist for a boat tour of the falls. However, tourists flock to the park even in the winter to explore Goat Island with the aid of free snowshoe rentals.
While the state park welcomes about 12 million annual visitors, there is more to see throughout the region, particularly if residents or tourists hold passports. “People will come in and stay on the American side because it’s cheaper, but then hop across the border to Canada and enjoy the higher level of action,” Cook says. “On the Canadian side, you have the Skylon Tower. It’s 20 stories high and there’s a rotating restaurant, so you sit at the table by the window and for your hour course of dinner you see the entire area. You actually get a better view of the American falls from the Canadian side of the border.”
Hyde Park in Niagara Falls has a public golf course with 27 holes.
Niagara Falls State Park is the best way to explore the Falls.
Niagara Falls is a short drive away from Little Italy.
Hyde Park in Niagara Falls has many trails to explore/
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Casinos, concerts and comedy across the river in Canada
Other attractions include the casinos. Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, the only one on the American side of the falls, hosts Bills tailgates on Sundays in addition to the usual lineup of bands and comedians. Four casinos across the Rainbow Bridge in Ontario offer a more extensive selection of entertainment and shopping options. Visitors can also tour behind the Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side. Back in New York, the Aquarium of Niagara is a popular family destination, and the Underground Railroad Heritage Center preserves the history of the final stop on the path to freedom for escaped slaves.
You can also play some games at the casino in Niagara Falls or watch a show.
Cave of the Winds is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Niagara Falls.
The Aquarium in Niagara Falls has some animals to watch outside as well.
4th of July Weekend Street Festival in Niagara Falls has bands and dance performances.
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Shopping malls and restaurants from Niagara Falls to Buffalo
The casinos on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls also serve as shopping malls and dining destinations. Each side of the border offers duty-free shops, where folks can pick up hockey icon Wayne Gretzky’s signature wine and maple syrup candy, among other things. Downtown on the American side is a haven for Indian eateries and the local outpost of the Anchor Bar, the restaurant famed for originating the Buffalo chicken wing.
Other shopping options are along Niagara Falls Boulevard, the city’s main east-west thoroughfare that extends all the way to North Buffalo. The local Tops supermarket and the Target are both in Niagara Consumer Square. The Fashion Outlets Mall is located on Military Road. There are over 120 brands represented at the outlets, along with casual eateries like Chili’s and Applebee’s.
Niagara Falls Fashion Outlets has over 100 stores.
Niagara Falls Fashion Outlets recently had an addition built for more stores.
Need a donut? Frankies Donuts and Pizzaria is the best spot in Niagara Falls.
Griffon Gastropub is famous some of the best burgers in Niagara Falls.
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Interstates and airports on the banks of the Niagara River
The outlets are hemmed in by Interstate 190, which cuts south across Grand Island and into the heart of downtown Buffalo. “If you live within five or 10 minutes of one of our expressways, you can get pretty much anywhere within a half hour,” Cook says. Taking I-190 to Interstate 290 is the quickest way to get to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, where most major airlines fly. Niagara Falls International Airport serves smaller airlines, and the runway is often used by military aircraft. “When Air Force One comes to the area, it actually lands at Niagara Falls because the military runway is the only one big enough for it to land,” Cook explains.
Midcentury cottage homes along the Niagara River and Love Canal
Many homes in Niagara Falls were built between 1920 and 1950. The largest development boom came during the town’s midcentury industrial heyday. Single-family cottages are predominant, with Colonial revival and Craftsman bungalow styles being most common. Development of new Modern Traditional subdivisions still occurs in the more rural suburbs east of the river. Prices range from around $100,000 to about $300,000, with occasional outliers near the river rising above $700,000.
The southeastern portion of the city, named LaSalle after a 17th-century French explorer, retains a stigma due to the Love Canal incident of 1977. “Back in the day, we had tons of chemical dumps,” Cook says. “At the time, the EPA felt the proper solution was to put a clay cap on top of the barrels and leave them below the ground. Then, during the blizzard of 1977, 6 feet of snow hit that area and ultimately melted. All that water filled up the canal and pushed all the chemicals to the surface. So none of those areas are 100 percent clean, and people coming from out of town can sometimes miss it.”
During the construction of the LaSalle Expressway, which runs across the area, much of the contaminated land was removed and replaced. However, concern remains in the areas immediately surrounding Love Canal.
Niagara Falls has about 50,000 residents.
Homes in Niagara Falls on average stay on the market for 36 days.
The average housing value in Niagara Falls is $126,000.
Niagara Falls suffers from a decline since industry left after 1960s.
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Public and private education in Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls City School District earns a C-plus from Niche and serves students within the city limits. Niagara Falls High, the only high school in the city since 2000, scores a B. The Archdiocese of Buffalo, which operates Catholic school alternatives in Niagara Falls, closed the Niagara Catholic High School in 2018 as part of a consolidation plan. However, the Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls Elementary School still provides faith-based education to students from kindergarten through grade eight.
Niagara Falls High School has an overall B grade on Niche.
Gaskill Prep School in Niagara Falls has a student teacher ratio of 13 to 1.
Henry J. Kalfas Elementary School in Niagara Falls has an overall C grade on Niche.
Maple Avenue School in Niagara Falls has 397 students in grades Pk to 6th.
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Violent crime is high, but property crime has decreased
As of December 2023, the FBI reports that violent crimes in Niagara Falls occur at a rate of 234 incidents per 100,000 residents, nearly double the national average. Property crime has steadily decreased since 2020, falling to 182 incidents per 100,000 residents, which is in line with the national average.
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