Niagara Falls Adventures

12/10/2024

Learn about our very own Niagara Nick's journey to success on the latest episode of the WNY Entrepreneur Podcast!

Podcast Episode · WNY Entrepreneur · 12/10/2024 · 31m

12/10/2024

"Betwixt the Lake Ontario and Erie, there is a vast and prodigious Cadence of Water which falls down after a surprising and astonishing manner, insomuch that the Universe does not afford it’s parallel. Tis true, Italy and Suedland boast some such Things; but we may well say they are but sorry Patterns, when compared to this of which we now speak. At the foot of this horrible Precipice, we meet with the River Niagara, which is not above a quarter of a League broad, but is wonderfully deep in some places. It is so rapid above this Descent, that it violently hurries down the wild Beasts while endeavoring to pass it to feed on the other side, they not being able to withstand the force of its Current, which inevitably casts them above Six hundred foot high…This wonderful Downfall, is compounded of two great Cross-streams of Water, and two Falls, with an Isle sloping along the middle of it. the Waters which fall from this horrible Precipice, do foam and boil after the most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrageous Noise, more terrible than that of Thunder; for when the Wind blows out of the South, their dismal roaring may be heard more than Fifteen Leagues off."

Father Hennepin's rather intense description of Niagara Falls was the first written description of the famous waterfall, published after Hennepin's 1678 trip to Niagara. This began the world's fascination with our natural wonder, eventually leading it to becoming the famous destination it is today.

12/06/2024

Check out our very own “Niagara Nick” on the latest episode of NiagaraStuff, where he covers the new Tugby’s Bazaar, building the perfect trip with Explore Niagara USA, and of course, some great Niagara Falls Adventures!

https://youtu.be/IUGHRK8b7lA?si=fZLIe7jPSkL9n5r-

Nick Hurd pays a visit The NiagaraStuff Podcast to discuss his entrepreneur projects and businesses, including the new Tugby's Bazaar at 616 Niagara Street i...

12/04/2024

Father Louis Hennepin was a Belgian missionary priest who is said to be the first European to lay eyes on Niagara Falls. He was part of an expedition lead by French explorer Rene-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle.

On December 8, 1678, Hennepin was lead through the snow by the Indigenous guides. As he approached the edge of the great gorge, he beheld the stunning beauty of Niagara.

The falls that Hennepin saw were shockingly different than today. The Horseshoe Falls had yet to gain its deep curve. In fact, the center of the crestline has moved nearly 1,000 feet since Hennepin first set eyes on it!

Back in 1678, the Falls would also have been flowing at its fullest capacity, something not seen since the advent of the Hydroelectric age. The flow would have been double what visitors today are used to experiencing, with the roar of the water being heard for miles in every direction.

When he returned to Europe, Hennepin wrote extensively of Niagara, beginning the world's obsession with our natural wonder.

11/20/2024

Why is there no cave at the Cave of the Winds?

As discussed in yesterday's post, the Cave of the Winds was originally a small cave behind the Bridal Veil Falls. Unfortunately, the cave itself earned a dangerous reputation over the years.

On August 2nd 1857, a rock fall happened near the cave. This caused several major injuries, including one individual fracturing their skull and hip.

Another incident occurred on September 6th, 1920 around 1:30pm. An unexpected rock fall from the ceiling of the cave tragically took the lives of three people and injured a number of others. This caused the cave portion to be closed to the public, and the Cave of the Winds tour began to instead focus on the decks in front of the waterfall.

In 1954, the cave was crushed in another rockfall, which left the Dolostone overhang that kept tourists safe from the water of the falls in serious danger of collapsing!

Due to this, in 1955 the cave and overhang were finally dynamited as part of a controlled demolition.

While the cave is long gone, the name Cave of the Winds has stuck. It is arguably the best attraction and viewing area at Niagara Falls to this day, and is open year round.

The Cave of the Winds is a featured attraction on our Daredevil Tour & Cave Combo! You can book your ticket today right here: https://niagarafallsadventures.com/tour/the-daredevil-tour-cave-of-the-winds-comb/

11/19/2024

How did Cave of the Winds get its name?

Believe it or not, the Cave of the Winds was originally an actual cave behind the Bridal Veil Falls! The cave was 130ft tall, 100ft wide, and 30ft deep! It was first discovered in 1834 by Joseph W Ingraham, who spotted the cave from above the gorge.

The first two people to walk behind Bridal Veil Falls and into the cavern were Barry Hill White and George Sims. They named it Aeolus’s Cave, after the Greek god of winds. Many people, including Joseph Ingraham himself didn’t like the name, so it was renamed to Cave of the Winds.

George Sims is also known for being the owner of the incline railway at Niagara. Even more famous than him is his daredevil cow, Bossy Sims, who walked across the American Falls in 1860.

11/15/2024

Have you ever seen the Bufflehead duck before?

If you haven’t, you will be getting a chance to see them this winter at Niagara Falls!

Buffleheads mainly live and breed in Alaska and Northern Canada, but migrate south for the winter. Many of these Buffleheads migrate to Niagara Falls because of the constant moving and open waters of the Niagara River and the Great Lakes!

Buffleheads are the smallest diving duck in North America. They are only about 15 inches long and can reach a weight 1 pound. Meanwhile, their wingspan is about 2ft long!

So when and where can you find these adorable tiny ducks?!

Luckily, Buffleheads migrate towards the end of fall and spend all winter in the Niagara Region!

Some of the best places to see them are Niagara Falls State Park, Beaver Island, and Fort Niagara!

11/14/2024

The current design on the Haudenosaunee flag is based off of the Hiawatha Wampum Belt, which shows the creation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy.

The original five members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy are represented on the flag.

Starting from the left, the Seneca, also know as the Keepers of the Western Door, are represented by the first square. The second rectangle is representative of the Cayuga people.

The central pine tree shape represents the Onondaga, who were the peacekeepers of the alliance. The Great Tree of Peace where the original Confederacy was formed was located along Onondaga Lake.

To the right of Great Tree are the Oneida people, followed by the Mohawk.

The purple color comes from the mollusk shells used in the original wampum belt, and this color has become the representative color of the Haudenosaunee.

11/13/2024

Also Known as the Great League of Peace, the Five Nations, or the Iroquois, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy is a collection of nations that held control over much of modern-day New York State.

The nations we know as the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, & Mohawk have been in this land for thousands of years. Unfortunately, feuds between these nations over land and resources over the centuries created war and suffering. In order to stop this, the leaders of these tribes met near modern-day Syracuse, NY. Under the "Great Tree of Peace," these nations formed the Confederacy.

Roughly translating to "People who build Long Houses", Haudenosaunee is a name with double meaning. While the people did live in long houses, the metaphor of extending the house to other nations under the one Law of Peace described the goal of the people.

In 1722, the Haudenosaunee welcomed a Sixth Nation to their Confederacy, as the displaced Tuscarora were brought into the area of Western New York.

11/12/2024

The history of Niagara's Indigenous settlements dates back thousands of years. Originally, nomadic tribes would find bountiful resources along the Niagara River region. Eventually, these tribes were create more permanent settlements in the region.

The word "Niagara" is believed to have originated from the Onguiaahra, who occupied the modern-day Canadian Niagara Peninsula. On the current American side, the Wenro controlled the territory from Niagara Falls to Rochester.

The Wenro would continue to control much of this area through the mid-1600s, when they were destroyed and displaced as a result of the Beaver Wars between the Huron and the powerful Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The remaining members of the Wenro were most likely assimilated into the Seneca Tribe of the Haudenosaunee, who in turn became the ruling power of Niagara.

11/07/2024

This Canadian Power Plant is still in operation today, but to get this exact view you need to be on the US side. Can you guess where this picture was taken from?

Sir Adam Beck Power Stations 1 and 2, along with the Sir Adam Beck Pump Generating Station are the current hydroelectric power plants used today from the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. These are all owned by Ontario Power Generation.

Sir Adam Beck Power Station 1 first started producing power in 1922, and at the time of being built was the largest hydroelectric generating station in the world! Meanwhile, Sir Adam Beck Power Station 2 started transmitting power in 1954.

The Canadian side of Niagara Falls produces about 2.3 million kilowatts of power per year, while the American side prod about 2.6 million kilowatts per year. That’s enough electricity to power 25% of the State of New York, along with 25% of the Province of Ontario. Partial electricity is also transmitted to all the border states of New York, as well as Toronto and New York City!

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11/05/2024

Do you recognize the building in the foreground? As a bonus, feel free to guess what the tower in the background is in the comments below!

The building in the foreground is the Toronto Power Generating Station. It was the first fully Canadian owned power plant at Niagara Falls. It was completed in 1906, which was 11 years after the very first alternating current power plant in the world was built; the Edward Dean Adam Power Plant. Adams Power Plant was built in Niagara Falls, USA, and designed by Nikola Tesla.

The Toronto Power Generating Station is located a little up river from Horseshoe Falls. It was designed by architect EJ Lennox and was built by the Electrical Development Company of Ontario.

The main purpose of the power plant was to supply electricity to Toronto. In its prime it had a generating capacity of 102,500 kilowatts.

The plant was decommissioned in 1974 to make better use of the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Stations down river.

11/01/2024

Have you seen this guy scurrying through Niagara Falls State Park?

The Eastern Chipmunk is found throughout the Eastern US, west to the Mississippi River, and throughout Niagara Falls State Park!

Chipmunks can gather up to 165 acorns per day! They are able to do this not only because of their speed, but also because of their cheek pouches which can enlarge to 3 times bigger than their head!

These guys build elaborate tunnels that are usually about 3ft below the surface and could be as long as 30ft!

During the winter, they do not hibernate but enter a state of torpor where their body temperature and heartbeat decreases significantly. They spend the winter in their underground tunnels and live off of stored food that they have gathered throughout the year!

With seasonably warmer temperatures you may have a few more chances to see them before winter truly gets started!

10/30/2024

Have you heard of the Crow’s Nest at Niagara Falls State Park?

Next to the Niagara Falls Observation Tower, these a set of stairs go up about half way along the American Falls.

A $9 million project is now underway since September 2024 to expand Crow’s Nest to offer views of the falls that have never been seen before!

Improvements Include:

-Construction of new stairs and an viewing platform which will connect the existing Crow's Nest to Prospect Point.

-Creation of new access to the lower part of the gorge and to Niagara Falls, which previously has not existed in this capacity.

-The construction discrete, environmentally-friendly stairs that will blend with the waterfall.

The Crow's Nest will be closed as construction progresses, and the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.

10/24/2024

Yesterday, we discussed Rafa Ortiz’s history as a kayaker, and his plan to go over Niagara Falls!

One month before Rafa planned to go over the falls, his crew had sent 2 weighted kayaks over the Horseshoe Falls. Both survived in good shape, but this move put cops on high alert. Rafa found himself hiding in a cabin in Canada, as cops were on the lookout for him and were stopping any vehicles carrying kayaks.

Now, the rocks weren’t the only concern for Rafa, but also the cops and what legal consequences could happen to him and his team. Speaking with a lawyer, Rafa realized that if he were to die during the stunt, his team could be responsible for his death and possibly spend life in prison. Despite this, his team still wanted to go through with the stunt! Rafa on the other hand was having his doubts.

With years of preparation by Rafa and his team and finally making it to Niagara Falls, it was time to finally go over though!

At the last moment, Rafa ended up making the decision not to go over Niagara Falls! He realized not only the consequence of death and being missed by loved ones, but also it wasn’t worth it for him and his team to live through possible life changing legal problems.

Though he walked away from his dream, he ended up being much smarter than the many daredevils who actually went over the falls. His inspiring journey to walk away from this stunt can be seen in the movie, “Chasing Niagara” which was released in 2015.

10/23/2024

Did you know, Jessie Sharp was not the only person to desire going over Niagara Falls in a Kayak?!

Rafa Ortiz grew up in Mexico and learned how to kayak while paddling in the waters in Veracruz. He became the first Mexican to compete at the World Freestyle Championships which took place on the Ottawa River in Canada.

His passion for kayaking grew stronger as he started expedition kayaking and running waterfalls. Rafa conquered the 189ft tall Palouse Falls in Washington, which is 22ft taller than Horseshoe Falls at Niagara. He also ran the 130ft Big Banana Falls on Alseseca River in Veracruz.

Though, accomplishing these feats was nothing short of extraordinary, Rafa desired something even greater… To kayak over Niagara Falls!

He set the goal to go over Niagara in 2011, and planned to have a film made about his journey, sponsored by Red Bull.

So the preparations began, Ortiz spent 3 years training to go over, while also studying the falls themselves. The rocks were the most concerning thing to Rafa, he was convinced that the broken up sedimentary rocks of the Niagara Escarpment would mean that he’d be aiming for a shallow landing pool, as opposed to the deep plunge pools formed by more consolidated rocks like granite.

Though, there are some rocks on the far left and far right of Horseshoe Falls, it’s said to be 167ft deep in the river just below the falls! Though, seeing the rocks, Ortiz realized that the worse case scenario would be hitting them, after the drop, which would surely lead to death.

Come back tomorrow to learn if Mr. Ortiz could avoid certain doom, and make his dream a reality!

10/17/2024

🚨Please Read🚨

I’m not sure how many of you know the full story behind this, so I wanted to take a moment to share it.

In 2018, after much prayer and clear confirmation from God, Ashley and I made the decision to start Niagara Falls Adventures. It hasn’t always been easy, but one of the most beautiful aspects of entrepreneurship has been finding ourselves in situations where only God could provide a way out.

When we started, Ashley managed the administration, and I conducted the tours. Between tours, I answered calls and drove for Lyft just to make ends meet. As many of you know, tourism during the winter months can be especially challenging, but nothing is too difficult for God. In 2019, I was blessed with the opportunity to become a recruiter for Lyft, and the way it all came together was nothing short of miraculous. God showed up right when we needed Him!

Growing up, my dad always taught me that if you’re going to do something, do it right. I applied that mindset to my role as a Lyft recruiter, and it paid off. In fact, the entire department was shut down because we recruited too many drivers! The income we received from that job was another miracle—God showed up yet again!

Around this time, we were given the chance to establish a physical office in a coworking space run by Niagara University. This opened so many doors and allowed me to connect with people I might never have met otherwise.

In 2020, when the world shut down and tourism was hit hard, we weren’t. Visitors gravitated toward outdoor activities, seeking walking tours, and since they couldn’t cross into Canada, they booked American walking tours instead. Despite the overall decline in tourism, our business numbers stayed remarkably steady—another example of God’s provision. Through Covid we also partnered with a company to provide virtual tours in which we were awarded “Best Tour Event in America”

In 2021, we launched Explore Niagara USA on YouTube and our YouTube channel was awarded “Best YouTube Channel in WNY” by Buffalo Spree magazine. We then expanded and launched Explore Niagara as a travel planning service designed to help educate visitors about all the things to do on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls. The more people spend locally, the more our community benefits. That same year, I was invited to speak at a tourism conference in Las Vegas and cast in season 5 of the entrepreneurship reality show “The Blox.” Both experiences were incredible opportunities, and in 2022, I returned for season 8, where I was honored to win runner-up.

In 2023, I had the privilege of participating in Leadership Niagara, where I gained a deeper appreciation for our county and leadership from many perspectives. The year ended with me giving the speech to represent our class and joining the Leadership Niagara board.

This year, 2024, has been a rollercoaster as I balance being a good husband, father, boss, and friend. But God continues to prove Himself faithful. We’ve come full circle, from learning how to run a business at 616 Niagara to now partnering with Niagara University to launch Tugby’s Bazaar—a place designed to help other entrepreneurs launch their products, give locals a taste of the Niagara Falls they remember, and provide tour guides with a special spot to bring their guests. Tugby’s has been a journey, but it truly is “Niagara Falls’ most wonderful store.”

I share all of this to say that each of you has been part of this journey with me, and I’m grateful. You’ve all played a role in leading up to this moment. Tomorrow is the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Tugby’s Bazaar, and I’d love for you to join us from 5-7 p.m. There will be many surprises, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you.

10/17/2024

Don’t miss your chance to celebrate the grand opening of an iconic store that has come back nearly 100 years later!

Tugby’s Bazaar is back and is having its grand opening this Friday from 2pm to 7pm. Ribbon cutting at 5pm! Come celebrate at 616 Niagara Street, Niagara Falls, NY 14303.

The original Tugby’s Bazaar was founded in 1854 by Thomas Tugby and was one of the most iconic souvenir stores in Niagara Falls history. Lasting from 1854 to 1935, Tugby’s has returned to bring back the nostalgia from the earlier days of tourism at Niagara Falls!