Perhaps an important question to consider when planning a visit to Niagara Falls is: What’s the worst time to visit Niagara Falls? Well, the answer to this question largely depends on your definition of a good-time-to-visit any place. In fact, it depends on your preferences – whether you’d prefer a full-of-energy-&-life adventure or a slow-paced excursion. Nevertheless, most agree that the worst time to visit Niagara Falls is between November and February, when winter is in full swing in North America. Here’s a round-up of reasons that make winter months not a good time to visit Niagara Falls.
Temperature Highs & Lows are Unfitting
(Credit: Vio Azelatroh / Facebook)
With temperatures ranging between 8 oC and -8 oC, the winter months are the most unfitting months for your visit to Niagara Falls. This means more luggage to carry to keep yourself warm amid negative temperatures, higher risks of contracting minor illnesses that can ruin your trip, restricted mobility as most of the roads & places are closed due to heavy snowfalls, and slow-paced city life which creates a sense of melancholy.
The City is in its Winter-Lethargy
(Credit: Anthony Gallaccio / Facebook)
During winter, everything in Niagara Falls falls into lethargy. As winter sets in, the quintessential full-of-energy-&-life Niagara Falls vibe begins to fade away. The busy mornings, bustling afternoons, chirpy evenings, and happening nights slow down their pace, and an air of languor takes the entire city into its fold. Streets and roadways see a very less proportion of tourists. The full-of-life and vigorous crowds that pour in during the peak season in the summer months disappear.
Many Iconic Places Close Down
Many of the iconic sites & locations in the city are closed during winter months, leaving you with a narrow spectrum of places you can visit. Visiting Niagara Falls implies missing out on some iconic experiences including Niagara City Cruises, Hornblower Cruises, White Water Park, and the Whirlpool Aero Car on the Canadian side; and Maid of the Mist, and some parts of Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls State Park on the United States side are closed down during winter season.
Shorter Daylight Hours Mean Less Time for Day Excursions
While the nights are long & extra-cold, day excursions would be the only suitable option for you. However, daylight hours shrink as winter sets in. On winter solstice day (the shortest day of the year on December 21st), daylight hours slash to 5 hours and 37 minutes only. This makes this day 6 hours and 31 minutes shorter than the June solstice. This means you’d have a very limited time to explore the city during daylight during the winter season at Niagara Falls.
