Extended Travel: Niagara Falls

There is something in the name Niagara Falls that induces in the American imagination a nostalgia for things we’ve never known but feel we’ve always known; of road trips in Winnebagos, of our grandparent’s honeymoon, of holding hands in yellow rain slickers. Ingrained from an early age through black and white movies starring Marilyn Monroe and grainy photos of great aunts and uncles, Niagara Falls is an iconic place that we may not have visited but we know we will one day.
 
The origin of the name Niagara Falls is unknown, perhaps an old Native American tribe?, but since the first European explorers in the early 17th century, tourists have been flocking to the area. And fueled by an advertising campaign by the New York Central railroad, ever since the end of the American Civil War couples been coming here to celebrate recent nuptials. Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, even ventured to the Falls with his new bride.

The Falls’ easy access and stunning views have led to 181 films and television episodes to be filmed there. From the Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton film Niagara in 1953, which caused a sharp rise in honeymooners, to an episode entitled “Niagara” of The Office where the characters Jim and Pam secretly wed on the Maid of the Mist boat. Other films made at Niagara include Superman II and the 2006, Pirates of the Caribbean: World’s End where the Falls portrayed the “World’s End.”  

 
Located 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 75 miles south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, Niagara Falls, straddling both Canada and America, is an easy day trip from either city.
 
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, NY

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