Why You'll Love Niagara Falls Frozen

To see Niagara Falls frozen is to experiece the ultimate effect of cold winter weather playing out its magical spell on an incredible force of power and nature, the Niagara Falls. In fact, you’ll love seeing the frozen Falls of Niagara during the winter, andn while there no guarantee that the Falls will freeze each winter if you hear that they do, pack up and take a day trip.

Truth be told, if I were not an ice hockey mom I might never have discovered this or thought to have taken a day trip to see Niagara Falls covered in snow and frozen.

Plus as a mom of boys who play hockey, we have been blessed with hockey tournaments in January and Feburary so we have seen Niagara Falls frozen (kinda) and if you have kids playing hockey tournmants in Buffalo, and the surrounding area close to the falls, you’ll want to spend a little time out of the rink and Niagara Falls is perfect for that breathe of fresh air rather than the stinky hockey rinks (ha ha )!

So hockey mom and dads visiting Buffalo, Niagara (area) and Canada, make sure to plan a quick adventure around the tournament to see Niagara Falls frozen when you are there!

Why You’ll Love Niagara Falls In The Winter

While many travel to head outdoors for skiing and sledding, sometimes the other part of simple getaways is sightseeing.

Niagara Falls Frozen 1 — Glistening snow in Niagara Falls State Park and blowing snow, are bearable when the sight to behold is a mammoth waterfall that appears to be frozen even though it is actually flowing underneath!

In fact, when the Niagara Falls do freeze, it is stunning, and will definitely leave you awe-inspired of Mother Nature’s frozen blast that just makes things stand still and glisten like crystal.

while the outdoor air is brisk, it is bearable and the payoff is insurmountable for those who love to be blown away by something that is not your everyday normal!
seeing the stark contrast of Niagara Falls by Winter vs all other seasons is impressive
Niagara Falls are very close to many of the tournmant hockey rinks
There is no charge to see Niagara Falls frozen*
Niagara Falls is not far from Pittsburgh ( a few hours) and it is an easy drive

Cool Reasons You’ll Want To Visit Niagara Falls Frozen

Traveling to Niagara Falls in the winter quite short and sweet is the perfect time to go becuase you will absolutelty not find those summer, spring and fall crowds you normally encounter becasu it is brisk but it is beautiful.

You’ll be able to linger as long as you can hold out in the cold and you will abstolultey be able to get to the most coveted spots for those perfect photos.
Parking is much easier to find
Photo opportunities abound from the Niagara Falls USA side spanning across to Canada, and everything in between.
Pathways are gorgeously lined by snow
It’s a bucket list item that you can cross off that big travel bucket list and something that not everyone can claim! You gotta visit frozen Niagara Falls to cross it off the list right?

Niagara Falls Frozen 2 — Just seeing the massive ice plots and water below that has traveled from Lake Superior To Lake Onatario is awesome and crazy beautiful.

Niagara Falls and it might take your breathe away, inspire you to exclusively drain your phone battery from so many photos.

Advantages and More Cool Reasons To Head To Niagara Falls In The Winter

Niagara Falls Frozen 3 — When you get cold and tired of being outside the Aquarium of Niagara is a great place to retreat to and far less crowded than it is in the summertime, yet another great reason to visit the frozen falls of Niagara USA.

you don’t need a passport to see either side of the Falls, so if you are in Canada and didn’t fill out the ArriveCan stuff then no worries you can simply look at the Niagara Falls Frozen from your side.
If you on the Niagara Falls USA side, and you didn’t bring a passport or meet the 72 hour fillout time for the ArriveCan then stay where you are, you will have a great view as well!
when you have had enough outdoor fun you can always head over the Niagara Aquarium for some indoor adventures which we totally loved!

From The Hockey Rinks To Niagara Falls Frozen

Our decision to get out of the rink and spend a little of the provided downtime was a spur of the moment thing.

The original itinerary had stated we would have no time to get out and about which kind of stunk but we were doing whatever needed to be done for hockey!

Niagara Falls Frozen 3 1 — Entering Niagara Falls State Park To See Niagara Falls In January and February will Probably Look Something Like This. (Winter Visits to Niagara Falls Look like this)

Then, a parent complained because we had hours between the games, and well, off everyone went and that is how we stumbled upon the fun idea of winter visits to Niagara Falls.

It is not the only time we have been there when there was a lot of ice and snow on the falls, the wall and the lake, but it is the only time I have bothered to take my phone/camera!

Caution When Walking Along Pathways If You Visit Niagara Falls In January and February After Snowfalls

Please allow me this one moment to go into MOM Mode then I am done1

Niagara Falls Frozen 2 1 — The garbage can is behind us at our feet that is how much snow there was and you can see that there in fact is that much snow on the ground and the railing to VIEW Niagara Falls frozen was also compacted with snow meaning you could go far beyond where you SHOULD.

I will always first and foremost be a mom, a nervous wreck if the boys are a little too cavalier in their movements but hey that is my job to worry and yet enjoy every minute of it!

Which leads me to point out that the walkways to the Falls when they were frozen and in fact there was so much snow, tha the garbage cans were buried to the tops!

Niagara Falls Frozen 4 — Look at the hip level railing due to the snow and also look at the observatory viewer, you are literally horizontal with the falls below

Additionaly, the depth of the snow against what used to be railing by the falls had me totally freaked out because there was no railing!

This was me taking a photo from head-on, meaning that I was up over the place where the railing was and the falls were right there!

Best Photograhs Of Niagara Falls Frozen IMO

I hate heights and I have to tell you that the best photo opps come from the observation deck but I was so overtaken by the heights that my photos are awful I am sorry!

Niagara Falls Frozen 6 — Niagara Falls Frozen From the observation deck Niagara Falls USA Side

My husband walked on without me and took the boys ahead and did his thing and I stayed behind clinging to the walls, becuase I was just paralyzed with fear unfortunately and I apologize, but I know you get it.

While the Falls were actually frozen you can see what is, and we have seen them ‘frozen’ too, and now I am kicking myself for not taking photos then!

Parking in Niagara Falls on The USA Side

There are a lot of places to park, but we park in the same lot time and time again.

Here is where we park, you can’t miss it, and parking here gives you 24 hour in/out privileges, which means if you can find a spot again within 24 hours you can keep coming in and going out without paying again.

The key to this parking lot is arriving earlier in the morning so get up and get out!

Niagara Falls Frozen Parking — Niagara Falls Parking Option With In And Out Priveleges.

Once you get parked, you walk behind the building or around the building to begin your adventure, it is that easy.

You can also troop all through town because you are parked right in the hub and there are a lot of great places to eat at while you are there.

The educational center by the falls has restrooms, and plenty of information about the awesome force known as Niagara Falls so you can get as educational with this trip as you like or you can just leave it as, “a wonder of the world for all to come and enjoy.”

Plan To Go To Niagara Falls In The Winter

For those of you looking for something different to do, and who would love to take brisk walks in the snow and sightsee, I can think of nothing better than visiting Niagara Falls frozen and traversing from both the USA side to the Canadian Side!

~ Dana XO

*You do need to pay for parking or you can walk from wherever you are if you are close by!