Transcript
Speaker: When most people think of Niagara Falls, they picture crowds, attractions, and nonstop activities. But one of the things that I love about Niagara Falls State Park is that it offers a completely different experience. Today we're talking about how the New York State Park side of Niagara Falls gave our family room to slow down, enjoy the scenery, and experience one of the world's most famous destinations without feeling like we had to do everything.
Speaker: Welcome back to our State Park mini-series here at Family Travel that supports ADHD, autism, and anxiety. I'm Josette Bianchi, a mom to three children, a board-certified pediatrician, and a travel lover. If you're raising children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or other behavioral differences, and the idea of travel feels both exciting and overwhelming, this podcast is for you.
Speaker: Welcome to the last episode in and our summer state park mini series. For today's state park mini episode, we're heading to Niagara Falls State Park in Western New York. I just want to remind everybody again that if you'd like to sign up for our state park mini series giveaway, we'll be picking a winner later this week.
Speaker: Just follow us on Instagram at family travel that supports go to the pin post about the giveaway and comment with your favorite state park for your family or your kids. Pick the winner and announce later this week.
Speaker: Okay, so now back to our final episode. Okay, so full transparency, everyone. This wasn't originally the park I planned to cover because I had already done Letchworth State Park, which is also in western New York, and I didn't want this to be a regional state park series. I really wanted this to have a broad appeal. Okay.
Speaker: But sometimes travel requires a pivot, and apparently so does podcasting. We had to pivot from a state park that I really like in Big Sur, given some repairs and closed trails right now. And they're kind of closed indefinitely, so I didn't think that that would be a great park to cover.
Speaker: So I decided to choose Niagara Falls State Park because a big portion of our audience is in New York, but also because I think that this really has global appeal. As many people visit the falls from all over the world, all over the United States, all over the world. But they might not know about this park, and it's really easy to add to a Niagara Falls itinerary.
Speaker: As someone who grew up in Western New York, I visited Niagara Falls more times than I can count. But one trip really stands out in particular. And this was a multi-generational family trip that we took during the COVID pandemic one summer.
Speaker: Like many families at that time, we were craving fresh air connection, and a chance to make memories together. And Niagara Falls State Park delivered. We just did the American side and focused on the state park for a variety of reasons. It was challenging during that time to get across the border, and we also were just doing this as a day trip from Rochester, so we were really limited in the amount of time that we had there.
Speaker: You definitely can experience the awe and wonder of the falls from this side. And the state park really has less crowds, less stimulating activities, and more of a focus on nature, which is nice. There are still many ways to appreciate the falls from here, including access to Maid of the Mist, Cave of Winds, hiking trails, and the observation tower.
Speaker: We did the Maid of the Mist, the observation tower, and walked around the park. We also incorporated a local jet boat tour from Niagara-on-the-Lake with some members of our group who were seeking more adventure and stimulation. Again, this was a multi-generational family trip. So we had all ages and all levels of adventure seeking.
Speaker: Niagara Falls State Park is actually America's oldest state park, dating back to July 15, 1885. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed New York City Central Park.
Speaker: And he really wanted to focus the park's layout on natural scenery, aiming for an immersive experience that was free from commercial development. And I think that the park has really stayed true to that.
Speaker: Another thing to note is that most attractions and trails here are ADA compliant, including made of the mist, which is really nice. But something that you want to consider and be aware of is that, especially for people in your group maybe who have overstimulation with sounds or maybe are more sensitive to sounds, is that the constant roar of the water and the heavy mist at things like Cave of the Winds or Made of the Mist can trigger a sensory overload. So you want to think about that before you go. Again, know your kids, meet them where they are, and maybe consider utilizing noise-reducing headphones, especially for those activities that are going to get you closer to the falls.
Speaker: OK, so what are some reasons to check out this state park, and why does it work well for families like ours? So the falls are really the attraction here. You don't need arcades, you don't need rides, endless add-ons. The waterfall itself is enough, and there's enough to do to see the falls here.
Speaker: One thing that I really, really like about Niagara Falls State Park is that it doesn't ask you to be moving from one thing to the next. You can just simply stand there, take it in, and have a lower stress itinerary.
Speaker: From here, from the State Park side, you can see the falls via Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, which is what we chose. In terms of Maid of the Mist, this is a very popular attraction. but it's not always available. So you definitely want to check the state park website before you go because there are time of the year when it's not available, usually winter and the holidays.
Speaker: Children five and under are free. Adults are about $31. If you're six to 12, it's $20. The other reason that I really, really like this park is that there's more space and less pressure here.
Speaker: So zero shade to the Canadian side. I grew up going to the Canadian side all the time. It offers great restaurants, fun activities, wonderful views. But this series that we're doing right now is focused on US state parks. So that's why we're highlighting the positive,
Speaker: parts about the often less popularized American side. And i really like this side. I just think it offers a different experience. One is not better than the other. They're just very different. This side is more focused on the natural beauty, less focused on the commercial aspect of Niagara Falls.
Speaker: And as a parent and someone navigating different ages, personalities, behavioral challenges, I often really appreciate destinations that leave more room for wandering, calm, flexibility, and just sort of slowing down. Those are some of the themes we talk about a lot here at the show, just because they tend to work a little bit better for our mix of people and our family.
Speaker: And this park is a better fit for those reasons for our crew. The third reason that I really like this park is that it offers flexible experiences. You can do overlooks. You can do walking paths. Again, you could do Maid of the Mist, which we really liked.
Speaker: You get close enough with Maid of the Mist to the falls that you really get to see that those blue ponchos are not just a fashion statement. They are a survival tool for that experience. And I also just really liked for this trip that it was very easy to do like a wonder of the world with multiple generations. That I think for us living here in the United States, that if we want to do a multi-generational trip, it would be very hard to see something analogous to this in another part of the world and have it feel this easy. For us, this was very easy. Some people wanted more activity.
Speaker: We incorporated the jet boat tour for those parts of our family that wanted that. My dad, he has seen the Maid of the Mist and done the Maid of the Mist a thousand times. He wasn't super excited about getting wet. He didn't really want to wait in line and do it. So he just observed from the deck above, sat out for that part.
Speaker: He walked the trails with us. He took lots of pictures in front of the falls with us from some of the overlooks. He joined us for lunch. We were able to sort of zig and zag with everyone's needs in our group very easily without of logistical preparation. Honestly, we planned this, I'd say, a day or two before we left to do a day trip here at the last minute. And we were really able to make it work with ages 1 to 70-something. And it worked great. And because no family trip is ever completely picture perfect, especially in our group, We also had one of those amazing parenting moments that I'm sure you guys have had as well. My son got sick. He threw up in the restaurant. It was not exactly the memory I expected to take home from seeing Niagara Falls.
Speaker: Everyone was OK. The staff was really kind. We handled it. And I think that it was just part of the travel experience, but it was easily able to be managed because this was a logistically easy place to do our travel.
Speaker: So again, the goal isn't perfection. It's about adapting, pivoting, and making memories along the way. So one thing that Niagara Falls State Park taught me or reminded me of is that famous destinations don't always have to be experienced the same way everybody else does them or in the busiest way possible.
Speaker: Sometimes there's other ways that work better for your family and are more tailored to what's going on at that stage of your life to see these destinations.
Speaker: Sometimes stepping away from the crowds allows us to enjoy the destination and each other a little bit more. So who does this park work really well for? I think Niagara Falls State Park works really well for families who want to experience Niagara Falls without feeling like they need to do a million attractions. multi-generational family vacations with different energy levels and interests, kids who like movement, open spaces, nature, and maybe don't do great around a lot of crowds.
Speaker: If your family loves nonstop attractions, packed itineraries, you may find yourself wanting to be more on the Canadian side of the falls. But if you're looking for a calmer experience that lets the falls kind of take center stage, then the New York State Park over here is really worth considering.
Speaker: Remember, travel doesn't have to look like anyone else's version to be meaningful. Meet your family where they are and keep wandering without limits. You got this. If this episode resonated with you, please follow or subscribe to the show and share it with another parent who might benefit as well. We'd also love to hear from you. Feedback, questions, places you'd like us to cover on the show, topics you'd like us to cover.
Speaker: Email me a show suggestion or give us a review. And you can find us on Instagram at Family Travel That Supports. Here we share tips, info on upcoming episodes, and ask for listener input.
Speaker: Head here also if you'd like to enter our state park miniseries giveaway. We're giving away some really cool stuff, guys, that will add to your state park experience if you're checking out any of these great parks from all of our miniseries episodes this summer.
Speaker: And again, this podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice for any patient. Thanks for tuning in and we'll see you next time.
