What do a cat, a pet turtle named Sonny, a 7-year-old wearing a life jacket, and a tightrope walker all have in common?  Just the growing list of those plunging over Niagara Falls, either by choice or otherwise! They basically all got sucked through a water hose of 180,000 pounds of water pressure at record speed. Can you imagine the pull of that water?

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The Niagara Falls Facts!

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I can not even relate to those who actually wanted to go over the falls for fame or fortune. So let me fill you in on a couple of Niagara Falls fun facts! As I was surprised to learn a few of these amazing Niagara Falls facts when I was trying to gain some perspective on the Niagara Falls waterfalls. Here is a collection of a few interesting Niagara Falls facts, but before you go, be sure and stop by Canada’s prettiest little town: Niagara on the Lake. So just where are the falls?

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Facts on Fun Niagara Falls

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#1 The Falls are Made Up of Three Waterfalls

The Falls are basically a collective of three waterfalls that straddle the international border between the USA and Canada. They are the Horseshoe, the American, and the Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe is the largest, has the least amount of rocks down below, and is on the Canadian side.

The American is obviously on the American side of the lake and is broken into two falls: The American and the Bridal Veil. It has such a conglomerate of jagged rocks at the bottom, that most people who chose to go over the fun waterfalls do so on the Canadian side, at least the ones who want to survive.

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Want to learn about Things to do in Niagara Falls in the Winter?

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#2 The Water

Facts about water from the Niagara Falls

• 4 of the 5 Great Lakes empty into the Niagara River. They are Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Eri.  Then they empty into Lake Ontario. These 4 Great Lakes make up almost one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply.
• 3,160 tons of water flow over the Niagara Falls waterfall every second. This accounts for 75,750 gallons of water per second over the American and Bridal Veil Falls and 681,750 gallons per second over the Horseshoe Falls. (Now that is a lot of water!).
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• The actual waterfalls at 32 feet per second hit the base of the waterfall with 280 tons of force on the American and Bridal Veil Falls and 2,509 tons of force at the Horseshoe Falls. Niagara Falls waterfalls are capable of producing over 4 million kilowatts of electricity, which is shared by the United States and Canada.

 

• Niagara Falls State Park extends over 400 acres, with 140 acres of that underwater.
• There is a small island in the Niagara River that is located in the middle of Niagara Falls waterfall between Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
• There is also a smaller island between Goat Island and the mainland named Green Island.
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#3 History of Niagara Falls

History Facts of the Niagara Falls

• The first person to describe the Niagara Falls waterfall in depth was Father Louis Hennepin, a French priest who accompanied Robert de La Salle on his expedition to the Niagara region in 1678.
• Niagara Falls was established in 1885, it is the oldest state park in the United States.
• In 1885, a horse-drawn carriage ride around the falls cost $1 per hour.

#4 More History of Niagara Falls

• In 1896, electrical power was transmitted from the Adams Power Plant in Niagara Falls, New York to Buffalo, New York. This was the first time in the world that alternating current was transmitted over a long distance.
• In 1901, 140 of the 170 trees native to western New York were found growing on Goat Island.

 

• On January 27, 1938, the Upper Steel Arch Bridge collapsed under pressure from the build-up of ice in the gorge below the falls.
• In 1969, a dam was built across the American rapids for six months. Geologists and engineers studied the rock face and the effects of erosion. It was determined that it would be too costly to remove rock at the base of the waterfalls.

The Niagara Falls Facts:

#5  Where is Niagara Falls in Canada?

I took the Niagara Falls waterfall tour on the Canadian side. I had always wanted to see it and when the moment arose, I jumped on it. Typically, I am an independent traveler, but on this trip, I was pressured for time and so chose to go with King Tours. Amazingly, their driver (and owner of the transportation side) Kevin picked me up from the Westin Bristol Hotel at the Toronto Airport and drove me to the tour operator’s pick-up spot. This was a huge saving of money and time to get me there and that is a service I really appreciated.

Altogether, the waterfalls are named Niagara Falls. They consist of three different waterfalls mentioned below and the Niagara River serves as an international border between the USA and Canada. There are two distinctive cities where you can visit the falls: Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada, and Niagara Falls New York, United States of America.

And just in case you were wondering, the Niagara River connects two of the five Great Lakes: Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Do You Need a Niagara Falls Address for your GPS? 

For the American Falls in Niagara Falls, New York use 301 Prospect Street Niagara Falls NY. For the Canadian Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada uses 6650 Niagara Pkwy Niagara Falls Ontario Canada. Just dial that in your phone map and you can find Niagara Falls on either side of the USA and Canadian border.

The Niagara Falls waterfall from the Canadian side was spectacular.

Niagara Falls Information

Take a Fun Boat Tour!

One of the most fun things to do in Niagara Falls Canada is to do the Maid of the Mist boat tour. Once you get through the line, you get your allotted blue rain jacket and, in my case, board right away. Soon the Midst takes off toward the American Falls and you are practically underneath the Niagara Falls waterfall with the mist and birds swirling everywhere. It goes from the dock to the American/Bridal Veil Falls, then to the Horseshoe Falls, and back.

Where exactly is Fun Niagara Falls?

Niagara Falls is made up of three different waterfalls: the  Canadian “Horseshoe” Falls in Canada, the “American Falls” and the “Bridal Veil Falls” in the United States of America.

If you want to know what cities Niagara Falls is closest to:

• Niagara Falls New York, United States of America
• Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada

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So where are Niagara falls in Canada? Now you know where Niagara Falls are!

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Canadian Side:

Where is the fun in Niagara Falls?

The Canadian side of the Niagara Falls waterfalls is quite run down and is reminiscent of those tourist areas with the wax museums and Guinness Book of World Records places, so you will want to take an exit from there real quick after you have had time to wander the grounds and see the Niagara Falls waterfall from various angles.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day at Niagara Falls Waterfall. But be prepared for a long day!

I have not had a chance to visit Niagara Falls from the American side, so be sure to let me know in the comments if you have and how it was!

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Interested in reading articles about waterfalls?

Kaieteur Falls: Majesty Brought to Life in Guyana

The Ultimate Guide to Iguazu Falls (Both Sides)

Getting to Know Hierve El Agua – The Petrified Waterfall of Oaxaca

Four Waterfalls in Taiwan That People Love

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Disclaimer:  My tour of Niagara Falls Waterfall was courtesy of King Tours. My opinions are completely my own. You can also reach them at Torontotours.ca. Thanks to Salim for being a great driver and just an all-around, happy guy to spend the entire day with. Thanks also to the owner Robert for being so excited to have me on board and also for loving travel so much! And Kevin, thanks for picking me up at my airport hotel! There are affiliate links in this article.