Weekend road trip from New York City to Niagra falls

Take a break from hustle and bustle of the city with majestic views of Niagra falls. Get your camper ready to enjoy this fun filled weekend road trip.

Fun facts

3,160 tons of water flows over Niagara Falls every second.
Niagara Falls’ vertical height is over 176 feet in some sections.
Niagara Falls is not the tallest waterfall in the world; however, the beauty of the falls comes from the height and the incredible volume of water running over the falls at a given time.

Travel tips

Pack a pair of good hiking shoes, bring a day pack to carry water, snacks and other hiking essentials.
If you are driving an RV, you can only park in Parking lot 3, east of Goat island and parking is extremely limited. Arrive early to find a spot.
If you aren’t able to find parking at Niagra falls, park at one of the shuttle station and take shuttle to the falls.
There are no services, grocery stores or gas stations near Letchworth State Park, make sure you are loaded up with supplies before you head over there.

Recommended daily itinerary

Estimated cost: $120-$200 (excluding the cost of camper and gas)

Day 1

Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park is a 14,427-acre state park on the western edge of the Finger Lakes region. The Genesee River has carved a magnificent gorge through this area, including a series of three waterfalls, some of which are between cliffs that can reach 600 feet in height.

Load up your camper and head over to Letchworth State park. We recommend that you leave as early as possible, no later than 10 am. Make sure to reserve your campsite before your visit.
Enjoy German lunch at Der Jaeger.
You can get on your route or take a break to explore Lake Ariel area. Here you can vist Lake Lacawac, a 52 acre glacial lake preserved in almost pristine condition or Safari farm petting zoo and go on a mini safari to visit camels and zebras, not to mention pet a variety of farm animals.
Find your campsite, setup your camper and get settled.
Drive along the Genesse Gorge stopping by multiple overlooks that offer panoramic views of the gorge and the canyon. Some of the popular stops are Hogsback overlook, Gardeau Overlook, wolk creek and Archery Field Overlook. If you’d rather stretch your legs, you can hike one of the nearly 30 trails in the park. 7 mile Gorge trail offers the best views of the river, gorge and waterfalls.
Enjoy your camp dinner and rest up for the day.

Day 2

Niagra falls

Get upclose with the majestic niagra falls.

Rise up early, enjoy your camp breakfast and make your way to Goat island parking lot to park your camper.
Hike the 2-mile loop from goat island that offers amazing views of the Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls from a paved and landscaped trail that allows for plenty of stopping and photo-snapping. If you want a challenge, you can hike the devil’s hole or whirlpool rapids to experience the falls upclose.
Take a 20 minute boat ride tour with maid of the mist for a ride of your lifetime. Plan to get wet in this tour.
Head over to Donatello’s Restaurant for delicious lunch. Pizza and wings are popular items here.
Start heading back. Make a pit stop at Seneca Lake and enjoy some of the many watersports that Seneca Lake has to offer. Stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, and boating are all great ways to get out on the water and really experience the feeling of the lake. You can rent your boat from SenecaLake Kayak.
Arrive in NYC making an end to this epic weekend road trip.

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