Our communities
Niagara Falls
A mill town built on the power of the falls
A little history
The city's story starts in 1805. That year Augustus Porter and his brother Peter bought land beside the upper rapids, and Augustus opened a sawmill and blacksmith shop in a settlement called Manchester, hoping the river's power would make it an industrial center. The Village of Niagara Falls was incorporated in 1848. On March 17, 1892, it joined the neighboring Village of Suspension Bridge to become the City of Niagara Falls. Seven years before that, the Free Niagara movement had won public access to the falls: in 1885 New York created the Niagara Reservation. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed the grounds, and it is now Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the country.
Hydropower changed everything. A large generating station opened in 1895, and in 1896 Niagara electricity reached Buffalo. That industry also left scars. In 1978 buried chemical waste at Love Canal led to a federal emergency declaration. Today the state park draws more than nine million visitors a year.
🍕 Pizza & Wings in Niagara Falls
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Anchor Bar, Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls outpost of the Buffalo bar famous as the birthplace of the chicken wing, inside the Holiday Inn on Buffalo Avenue, a short walk from the falls.
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Duff's Famous Wings
A Western New York wing legend, born in Amherst. Once called the best wings in WNY, and famous for pairing traditional Buffalo-style wings with an ice-cold fountain glass of loganberry.
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La Hacienda Ristorante & Pizzeria
A family-run Italian restaurant and pizzeria on Pine Avenue since 1949. It's the local favorite for pizza, with amazing Italian food and a bar. Cash only.
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Mister M's House of Food & Drink
One of the best restaurants in Niagara Falls. A Hyde Park Blvd favorite for pizza, wings, subs, fish fry, big burgers and famous chicken parm dinners, plus the #1 beef on weck around.
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Mr. Ventry's Pizza on the Boulevard
A local, family Italian restaurant on Niagara Falls Blvd, known for fresh specialty pizzas, calzones, homemade pastas and soups, subs and jumbo wings.
🍽️ Food & Drink in Niagara Falls
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DiCamillo Bakery
One of Western New York's most famous bakeries, family-run for over a century. Homemade donuts, fresh bread baked daily, Scaletta loaves, biscotti, kummelweck rolls and sponge candy.
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Fortuna's Restaurant & Banquets
Southern Italian cooking in Niagara Falls' Little Italy since 1945. The Fortuna family still runs it, and everything is homemade, from the gnocchi and ravioli to the secret-recipe sauce.
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Gadawski's Restaurant
A family-run Polish restaurant on East Falls Street, known for its Friday fish fry, fresh pierogi, golabki and Polish sausage.
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Kelly's Korner
A classic neighborhood bar and grill on Cayuga Drive, known around town for its beef on weck, plus wings, pizza and a Friday fish fry.
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LUMA Cafe & Eatery
The best breakfast at the falls, right next door to the Red Coach Inn. A bright, beautiful dining room inside, and seats outside along the Niagara River.
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Polish Nook
An old-fashioned, family-owned Polish restaurant and bar on Cudaback Avenue, serving the same family recipes since 1964.
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Red Coach Inn Restaurant
The historic inn right at the falls. Eat on the garden patio in summer with the mist rising over the Niagara River, or inside the Rapids Room with a panoramic view of the rapids. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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Viola's Submarine House
A family-owned Niagara Falls sub shop since 1958, famous for its steak and cheese. Two locations: the original on Elmwood Avenue and one on Military Road.
🌊 Things to Do in Niagara Falls
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Aquarium of Niagara
A nonprofit aquarium with penguins, seals and sea lions, plus the newer Great Lakes 360 building. One ticket covers both.
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Cataract Stairs & Overlook (Crow's Nest)
New for 2026: an expanded staircase alongside the American Falls with a viewing platform about 35 feet from the rushing water.
🆓 Free -
Cave of the Winds
Wooden decks at the base of the Bridal Veil Falls on Goat Island. The Hurricane Deck puts you right in the spray.
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Maid of the Mist
The classic boat ride into the basin of the Horseshoe Falls, leaving from Prospect Point on the American side.
⏱️ 20-minute boat ride -
Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
The story of freedom seekers crossing to Canada at Niagara, told in the 1863 U.S. Custom House next to the Amtrak station.
⏱️ About an hour -
Discover Niagara Shuttle (Free)
A free hop-on, hop-off shuttle from the falls to Old Fort Niagara, stopping at the gorge parks, Power Vista, Lewiston and Youngstown.
🆓 Free -
Live! On Air Balloon
A tethered helium balloon that rises 500 feet over downtown for a 15-minute view of the falls, including fireworks flights.
⏱️ 15-minute ride -
Niagara Falls Observation Tower
The tower at Prospect Point, with the only panoramic view of all three falls and elevators down to the Maid of the Mist dock.
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Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours
An 8–10 minute helicopter flight over both the American and Canadian falls. No passport needed.
⏱️ 8–10 minute flight -
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
The big downtown casino and hotel: slots, table games, poker, a spa and shows. 21+ to gamble.
🥾 State Parks & Hiking in Niagara Falls
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Freedom Stairs & Great Gorge Railway Trail
Stairs down the gorge wall next to the Whirlpool Bridge to an easy riverside trail, right beside the rapids between the Whirlpool and Rainbow bridges.
🥾 Moderate ⚠️ Stairs -
Niagara Falls State Park
America's oldest state park: Goat Island, the Three Sisters Islands, Terrapin Point and Prospect Point, all within walking distance of the falls.
🥾 Easy -
The Devil's Hole
A stone staircase down to the Devil's Hole Rapids, next to the Power Vista. Locals just call it The Devil's Hole. Officially it is now the Devil's Hole Area of Niagara Falls State Park.
🥾 Moderate ⚠️ Stairs -
Whirlpool State Park
Stone stairs down into the gorge beside the Niagara Whirlpool and its Class VI rapids. Now officially the Whirlpool Area of Niagara Falls State Park.
🥾 Hard ⚠️ Stairs -
DeVeaux Woods State Park
Old-growth woods and meadow trails right across the parkway from Whirlpool, with an inclusive playground and a dog park.
🥾 Easy