Feature Friday - Cave of the Winds, Niagara Falls, New York
First up is a continuation of our family vacation through Pennsylvania and New York with our stop at the Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls, New York.
Cave of the Winds is an experience like no other at Niagara Falls. It is a chance to get up close, very up close and personal with the Falls, even more than on the Maid of the Mist boat ride.
The original Cave of the Winds was a cavern behind Bridal Veil Falls. Back in 1901 it was 130 feet high, 100 feet wide, and 100 feet deep. By 1955, falling rocks reduced the depth to 30 feet. A staircase was opened in 1829 to allow visitors access to the Falls. In 1879, the attraction had become so popular, a $1 per person fee was charged.
On September 6, 1920, a falling rock killed three people at The Cave of the Winds and injured several others.
In 1925, the elevators were installed to make visiting much more convenient and it became a major attraction. However, the original tourist attraction was destroyed in 1955 by dynamite after it was determined that the ledge protecting tourists from the Falls was in danger of collapsing.
The new attraction is on Goat Island on the New York side of the Falls.
Before getting in line for the Cave of the Winds, we were each given special sandals to wear and a bag to carry them in. The decks of the attraction are very slippery, of course, and the sandals make the journey more safe.
The line takes you to one of two elevators that descend 175 down into Niagara Gorge. You then receive a poncho like the ones for the Maid of the Mist, only this one is yellow. Navigating various decks and stairs, you can get as close as 25 feet from the Falls. If you are feeling adventurous, you can climb to Hurricane Alley and experience the force of the water and the wind. We did and it was an awesome experience!
Cave of the Winds is only accessible on the New York side and tickets can be purchased separately or as part of the Discovery Pass. We highly recommend it! Be prepared to get soaked!!!
Links of Interest:
Cave of the Winds: Niagara Falls State Park - http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/cave-of-the-winds.aspx
Cave of the Winds Trip Advisor - https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g48261-d283344-Reviews-Cave_of_the_Winds-Niagara_Falls_New_York.html
Cave of the Winds - a History - http://www.niagarafrontier.com/winds.html
Cave of the Winds - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SauILmA1rc
