Niagara Falls is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the world, and attracts over 12 million visitors each year from across the globe. The falls have become a bucket list destination and a lasting icon of North American travel and tourism.

Since Niagara Falls is in New York, many people assume it is an easy and casual visit while on a trip to New York City. But the reality is, it is a 6.5 hour drive away nonstop. You would have to rent a car, be comfortable driving long distances, pay for gas, take breaks, and get a hotel room. Which made a visit there completely out of the question for someone like me visiting New York City for only a few days, without a license, and with very limited money.

That is until I found a tour on Get Your Guide that was 22 hours long, so technicallyyy a day trip that would leave from Times Square and spend a few hours in Niagara Falls. When I came across this, I thought it was crazy that there are tours that include way more time on a bus than actually at the location they’re visiting. But the tour itself was relatively cheap at $175. I hadn’t been to Niagara Falls before, had a day to kill, and was ready to get out of the dirty city, so off I went!

10:30 PM – Arrived at Pickup Spot

I joined a large group of people gathered outside a hotel near Times Square. There was no sign or employees confirming this was the pickup spot for the day trip to Niagara Falls from NYC. So I triple checked the meeting location and stayed put, waiting for something to happen.

11:15 PM – Loaded onto the Bus

We were told to be there at 10:30 so they could load us up at 10:45 and be off at 11. I was starting to get nervous when it was past 11 and nothing had happened, then finally the bus showed up. Then chaos. The tour guide would just yell a name, and that person would shove through the crowd to grab a paper from them and get on the bus. There was no confirmation that they were the right person or anything, but whatever, I made it onto the bus! I also learned the guide would be doing the tour in Spanish and English, as about half the people on the tour only spoke Spanish.

11:30 PM – We are off! First impressions and add-ons

The bus itself was nice, with comfortable seats, a spot to charge your phone, and a bathroom in case of emergencies. Though we were reassured there would be plenty of bathroom breaks at rest stops. Each row had two seats next to each other, and I had both seats to myself. I was extremely comfortable laying out flat on the seats and had no problem sleeping. Especially since I packed an eye mask, blanket, and neck pillow, so I would definitely recommend packing these too. I was doing this trip solo, and I noticed before going to sleep that the other four solo travelers also had a row to themselves. I’m not sure if this was planned on purpose by the company or if it just worked out that way, but I was grateful and comfy.

The tour guide also explained the add on experiences we could pay for at Niagara Falls. These were also explained while booking, so I researched ahead of time and chose to do The Maid of the Mist attraction. She took a quick count of hands for each activity and said she would collect payment in the morning.

3:00 AM – First Rest Stop and less comfy

We were woken up and told we would take a quick stop at a gas station so we could use the bathroom, stretch our legs, and grab some snacks. Then it was back on the bus.

Now that I was awake, I noticed how uncomfortable the families were. Children under three didn’t need their own ticket. Which I’m assuming families loved, until they realized that meant the toddlers didn’t have their own seat. I saw two dads resort to laying on the ground under their seats so their child could lay flat on a seat next to their mom and try to get some sleep. Nobody looked comfortable, and I couldn’t believe this was an experience they signed up for. So head’s up – If you want to do this trip with toddlers, make sure to sign them up as an adult so they can have their own seat too! Of course I had to invite one of the moms to sit next to me since there was literally an open seat. Completely fair, but unfortunately not a super comfy trip anymore.

6:00 AM – Second Rest Stop

We were woken up again and told we would take an hour break at a rest stop. There were large bathrooms, a Dunkin Donuts, a souvenir store, and lots of comfy chairs. This was the time to change and get ready for the day. I brought a comfy outfit for the bus and a waterproof athletic outfit for the Niagara Falls trip, so I changed into that. I noticed some people were applying makeup and doing their hair. Darn, if I had known we had that much time, I would have brought my makeup too.

8:00 AM – We arrived!

We made it to Niagara Falls and were given a short history lesson from the tour guide. We paid her for the activities we signed up for, got our tickets, were given a quick tour of the visitor center area, were told where to meet up and where to go for our activities. I also got my first sight of the waterfalls – check out the cute little rainbow!

9:00 AM – Maid of the Mist

I walked over to the area to do the Maid of the Mist attraction, handed them my ticket, and was given the iconic poncho. We waited our turn for the boat and were off! The views were soo pretty, but as we got closer to the waterfalls it got insanely windy and wet. It was hard to keep my balance and even harder to see with all the water everywhere. I immediately understood why we were told to bring water shoes and I was glad I listened! People were sitting in chairs covering their faces to avoid being slapped with water, which was crazy considering this was the whole reason we made the trip. But I still did my best to enjoy the experience!

9:30 AM – Exploring

We exited the boat and I started exploring the area. All I really knew going into this visit was the Maid of the Mist experience, but luckily there was so much more to it! Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the US and spans over 400 acres. I explored for the next 2 hours and was blown away by how beautiful everything was. There were so many tiny streams tucked away with flowers, trees, and wildlife. It wasn’t crowded at all, and I was often by myself wherever I walked. If you visit Niagara Falls on your own and have more time than I did, I definitely recommend making a plan and exploring as much as possible!

11:30 AM – Oops, that is it

Time to head back to the bus! I still found it funny how many people signed up for a day trip to Niagara Falls from NYC considering about eighty percent of the time is spent on a bus, but I can’t laugh too hard since I was one of them.

12:00 PM – Lunch at a grocery store

We had an hour long lunch stop at a huge grocery store with a large ready to eat buffet section and tons of seating. This worked out great since it was affordable and catered to everyone.

1:00 PM – Back on the bus

I wasn’t worried about sleeping on the way back since I didn’t want to mess up my sleep schedule. I read a book, watched a movie I downloaded on my phone, took some naps, and time flew by.

5:00 PM – Rest stop

Another rest stop, that’s it.

9 :00  PM – Made it back

We made it back safe and sound, tipped the tour guide and driver, and were done!

Overall, I enjoyed this tour way more than I thought I would. I expected it to be meh and was mostly going for the bit, but I really loved the time I spent at Niagara Falls State Park and was grateful I had the opportunity to do a Day Trip to Niagara Falls from NYC. 

I would NOT recommend this trip if you have young kids or if you’re uncomfortable sitting on a bus for a long time. But if you’re fine with that, pack accordingly and you’ll have a fun adventure! 

Here’s the link to find out more information and to book your own Day Trip to Niagara Falls from NYC

Another plus is that if you do this trip while visiting NYC, you save yourself a night in a hotel, which can be super expensive. You can pay a small fee, around $20, to store your luggage at one of the many storage locations in the city, spend the night on a bus, and visit Niagara Falls!

Some luggage storage companies I have used before and liked are Bounce & Luggage Hero

There’s also other trips on Get Your Guide that offer two day trips to Niagara Falls, so they include an over night stay in a hotel, and way more time to explore and partake in activities, for only a little bit more money. If you have more time than I did I’d recommend checking those out!

If you are looking for another unique experience in New York City, check out my blog post on The Perfect Hamilton Filled Day in NYC.