Road Trip from New York to Niagara Falls in 3-days
While New York City has plenty of exciting destinations, Niagara Falls has a stunning natural attraction that's about six and a half hours away by car. Whether you're planning a quick getaway outside the city or have some time to explore the sights along the way, you'll see what makes New York such a lovely state to visit.
Drive Time from New York City to Niagara Falls: approximately 6.5 hours
Distance from New York City to Niagara Falls: approximately 390 miles
1. New York City
Statue of Liberty, New York City. Photo Credit: Bigstock
Day 1 - NYC to Ithaca: As one of the largest cities in the world, New York City has countless iconic attractions worth exploring. Perhaps one of the most famous is the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. You can purchase a ticket through the National Park Service to survey the island, enter the pedestal, or access the top of the crown. However, if you're more interested in taking some beautiful pictures, the 25-minute Staten Island Ferry gives you a free ride and a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty.
Once you're done exploring the city, take I-80 West and I-81 North for 223 miles and nearly four hours toward Ithaca, New York. Ithaca is a small town located in the Finger Lakes region of the state and is home to Cornell University. There are numerous waterfalls around the area, and Robert H. Treman State Park has 12 of them, including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls. You can take one of the hiking trails to the falls and reward yourself with a refreshing swim in the water.
2. Ithaca
Day 2 - Ithaca to Niagara Falls: Along with the lovely state parks, many visitors travel to Ithaca to visit one of the 25 wineries around the area. Explore the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail and you'll find 15 wineries, four distilleries, a meadery, and a cidery. Decide to tour all or just a few of the stops along the trail before you leave the city. When you're ready, take NY 96 North and I-90 West for almost three hours and 164 miles to Niagara Falls.
3. Niagara Falls
Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls. Photo Credit: Bigstock
Day 3 - Maid of the Mist: Obviously, the most popular attractions in Niagara Falls are the falls themselves. To get the best view of them and to feel their mighty power, take a trip on the Maid of the Mist. Since 1846, guests have slipped on ponchos and boarded these boats to get breathtakingly close to the falls. If you're interested in history, you should also take some time to visit Old Fort Niagara. French, British, and American troops have all occupied this fort at one time. However, today the fort serves as a park and museum where you can learn more about the battles that took place here.
