Bulky and impressive, Niagara Falls straddles the national borders of the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York. Formed by the retreat of glaciers at the end of the last ice age (a almost 10,000 years ago) and the waters of the Great Lakes that forced their way through the Niagara Escarpment into the Atlantic, there is a rearranged topography along the escarpment. There are three main rock formations and erosion has never been uniform. The top rock was the erosion resistant limestone and dolomite with softer rocks below. Made of shale, these also have some ancient fossils embedded in them. With repeated partial erosion, large chunks of hard-cover rock eventually carved the fall.

Niagara Falls is an energy source of great potential and in 1881; The first hydroelectric power station was built. It generated direct current electricity and ran mills and illuminated the streets of nearby towns. Currently, however, there are several hydroelectric power plants, and Niagara is the largest producer of electricity in the state of New York.

Ontario, Niagara Falls, and New York are connected with the help of three bridges: the Rainbow Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. Despite it being an illegal act, there have been some people who have intentionally jumped to cross the falls and very few of them have survived.

Niagara Falls is a favorite honeymoon spot and a huge tourist attraction. After the movie “Niagara” starring Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotten was released in 1953, recorded visits to Niagara Falls were historically high and have been ever since. Most visits are during the summer. On the Ontario side, there are floodlights that illuminate the foot of the falls long after dark, during the evening hours.

For tourists, there are several walkways, which also feature a Prospect Point Park observation tower and a boat dock. From Goat Island, there are more views that are quite accessible with the help of auto transport. The Cave of Winds can be accessed with the help of an elevator that takes them to the point below Bridal Veil Falls. Many attractions are located within the Niagara Falls State Park, such as the Power Portal, walking trails overlooking the gorge, the Niagara River, the rapids, and all of the falls. There are Helium Balloon Rides and Helicopters are offered, to obtain an aerial panoramic view.

There is also the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, which displays the local history of the fall and the Niagara Gorge. There is a casino and a luxury hotel in New York on the site of the former Niagara Falls Convention Center. On the Canadian side, Queen Victoria Park has gardens, platforms for clear views of the falls, even underground walkways to viewing rooms that offer an (illusory) aerial view of the falls.

Niagara enjoys generally harsh springs, summers, autumns, and winters with moderate snowfall. Mixed weather patterns are seen here. Temperatures increase year after year and rainfall decreases.