2-Day Niagara Falls Tour from NYC: Falls at Night & Finger Lakes

A couple nights away, two angles on the falls: lit up and close enough to feel the spray.

A 2-day tour from New York to Niagara Falls with a night tour of the illuminated falls, one hotel stay, and optional stops at the Corning Museum of Glass and Watkins Glen State Park. Day one takes you upstate through rolling countryside to the falls, where you see the American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe Falls glow under colored lights. Day two offers a choice: the Classic Tour adds Whirlpool Park, the Cave of the Winds, and either the Maid of the Mist boat (summer) or Old Fort Niagara (cooler months), before the return drive to New York.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Niagara Falls with stops

• Depart New York City in morning
• Optional visit to Corning Museum of Glass
• Optional stop at Watkins Glen State Park
• Arrive Niagara Falls in evening
• Niagara Falls night tour with light show

Day 2: Niagara Falls tour and return

• Optional Classic Tour: Whirlpool Park visit
• Visit Cave of the Winds
• Optional Maid of the Mist boat ride or Old Fort Niagara
• Drive back to New York City

The experience

The drive from New York eases into the trip. You leave the city in the morning and watch the skyline give way to rolling countryside as you head upstate. Along the way, two optional stops break up the drive: the Corning Museum of Glass, where live demonstrations show how glass is made and 100,000 pieces fill the galleries, and Watkins Glen State Park in the Finger Lakes (open May through October), where a two-mile gorge trail winds past more than a dozen waterfalls carved by glaciers. Neither stop is mandatory. You choose what fits your pace.

By evening you arrive at Niagara for the night tour, the signature moment of day one. Heading into the park on foot, you take in views from Goat Island and Luna Island while the three falls glow under shifting colored lights. The Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls look entirely different after dark, and if a fireworks show is scheduled that evening, the tour times it so you're there to see it. You sleep one night in a hotel near the falls: rooms are designed for one to four guests with either two full beds or one king, depending on availability.

Day two is where you choose your own depth. The optional Classic Tour takes you to Whirlpool Park, where you look down on a 125-foot-deep natural whirlpool formed where the river makes a sharp turn and the rapids churn back on themselves. Then an elevator drops you into the gorge at the Cave of the Winds, onto walkways at the foot of the falls close enough to feel the spray. In summer the tour finishes with the Maid of the Mist, the storied boat that has been running since 1846 and carries you right into the misty basin below the falls. In the cooler season when the boat closes, Old Fort Niagara State Park takes its place: a historic fort at the mouth of the Niagara River with sweeping views over Lake Ontario. After that, it's a comfortable drive back to New York.

What’s included

• Comfortable, professionally maintained vehicles with expert drivers.
• one night in a hotel near the falls.
• the Niagara Falls Night Tour with views from Goat Island and Luna Island.
• gratuities for drivers and guides.
• fuel surcharge.
• select pickup and drop-off locations in New York City and New Jersey.

Options for this experience

5 options

Tour Only(NF2)Guide in English · 07:00This option does not cover any admissions payable during the itinerary.

Tour w/Falls Illumination(NF2)Guide in English · 07:00Includes the enhanced Niagara Falls night tour experience. Excludes admissions to the Niagara Falls Classic Tour, Watkins Glen, Finger Lake and the Corning Museum of Glass, which must be purchased separately. One room selection: a maximum of 4 guests per room per booking. Make separate bookings if you need more than one room or have more than 4 guests.

Falls view with boat and Watkins GlenGuide in English · 07:00Covers the falls illumination and entrance fees for the Niagara Falls Classic Tour (Maid of Mist, Cave of Winds, Whirlpool State Park), plus Watkins Glen and Finger Lake. Excludes admission fees to the Corning Museum of Glass. One room selection: a maximum of 4 guests per room per booking. Make separate bookings if you need more than one room or have more than 4 guests.

See 2 more options

Scenic hotel upgrade tour (NF2J)Guide in English · 07:00Guests stay at a scenic hotel in the Niagara Falls area with this option. Includes the enhanced Niagara Falls night tour experience. Excludes admission tickets and the enhanced experience of the Niagara Falls Classic Tour, Watkins Glen, Finger Lake and the Corning Museum of Glass. One room selection: a maximum of 4 guests per room per booking. Make separate bookings if you need more than one room or have more than 4 guests.

Tour w/All Inclusive(NF2)Guide in English · 07:00Covers admission and entrance fees for the Niagara Falls Classic Tour, Watkins Glen, Finger Lake and the Corning Museum of Glass. One room selection: a maximum of 4 guests per room per booking. Make separate bookings if you need more than one room or have more than 4 guests.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2d, runs Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 07:00, from US$ 253 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesTuesday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 07:00Another day? ›

GroupUp to 55 · max 4 per booking

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Jupiter Legend Corporation

Is this one for you?Choose the All Inclusive option if you want the Corning Museum and Watkins Glen built into your itinerary without deciding on the day itself. Pick the Tour Only option if you'd rather keep costs down and choose attractions as you go. The optional Classic Tour on day two is what gets you into the Cave of the Winds and onto the Maid of the Mist or to Old Fort Niagara, without it, day two is a return drive, so add it if close-up falls and the boat or fort matter to you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the different ticket options?

The tour comes in several versions at checkout. The Falls Illumination option covers the night tour and hotel. The All Inclusive option adds the Classic Tour, Watkins Glen, the Finger Lakes, and the Corning Museum of Glass ticket. The Tour Only option covers the night tour and hotel but requires you to pay for attractions on the day itself. Two premium options upgrade the hotel to a Falls View room or add the boat and Watkins Glen to your package.

Can I skip the optional stops like Corning and Watkins Glen?

Yes. The Corning Museum of Glass and Watkins Glen State Park are optional stops on day one, so you can choose to skip either one or both. The museum takes about 90 minutes if you stop, and Watkins Glen takes about 90 minutes as well. Watkins Glen only operates seasonally from May through October, so it is not available in winter months.

What's the difference between the Maid of the Mist and Old Fort Niagara on day two?

The Maid of the Mist is a historic boat that has operated since 1846 and takes you into the misty basin directly below the falls. It runs in summer and usually closes in winter. Old Fort Niagara State Park is a historic fort at the mouth of the Niagara River with views over Lake Ontario, and it replaces the boat tour during the cooler season when the boat is not operating.

Where do I get picked up in New York?

You can select from multiple pickup and drop-off locations in New York City and New Jersey at checkout. If you don't contact the tour operator at least three days before departure to confirm your location, the default pickup is 7:00 AM at 1459 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.

What does the hotel night include?

Your hotel room near Niagara Falls is designed for one to four guests and includes either two full or double beds, or one king or queen bed depending on availability. The room is your rest stop after day one before you head out on day two.

Is there a fireworks show every night at Niagara Falls?

Fireworks are scheduled on certain evenings, not every night. The tour times the night tour so you're there to see them when they are scheduled, but you should not expect them every evening you visit.