Need help planning trip to Niagara Falls from South Carolina

[elainemack]

Planning trip to Niagara Falls from South Carolina in September 2014. Any advice on must see places to visit and best campgrounds would be appreciated. What is the best route?

[beamisl]

elainemack,

Can't give you much info on route other than we were there (from Michigan, came through Sarnia) and lot of construction just outside the city from that direction. IT WAS BUSY AND MORE EXPENSIVE THAN I REMEMBER FROM BEING THERE BEFORE.

They have added and extra tax that we understand you can get out of just by asking so you may want to try this. Doesn't hurt to ask. Don't plan on eating in town unless you don't have to do so on a budget..

The Falls are amazing and you will not regret seeing them. It is worth the trip it just has gone up terribly in cost like all things.

Good luck!

[Possum]

Make sure you arrive via the USA and cross into Canada to see the falls as this is the best viewing. That said to do the crossing you need a valid passport to get back into your country.

[nothermark]

Good views on the American side, different on the Canadian. Do not know what you have but taking a car or truck without the camper over to Canada to look is a lot easier through customs. Not sure if anyone is running a tour bus. Maid of the Mist boat rides from both sides. Cave walks ditto. Worth the money once on either side just for the experience. As someone pointed out you will need a Passport or enhanced drivers license at the border.

Can't say much about the route as it depends on where in SC you are coming from. I would avoid DC by at least 20 miles. That will put you coming up on either 79 through Pittsburg or 15 through Harrisburg, PA. If you do 15 to 390 consider taking 63 to 20 into the Buffalo area to avoid tolls and shorten miles. It's a common truck shortcut. Mostly open farmland with some villages. If you come through Pittsburg and Erie Rt 5 is similar along Lake Erie.

[ChallengerRN]

Get a campground close and purchase a 1/2 day tour of the falls. They also do a night tour. We did both in same day.

They picked us up at the campground & delivered us back there.

They took us to the Canadian side too. Just need your passport. Was easy to get thru customs.

Russell

[elainemack]

Thanks for all the replies. Most helpful. We will be traveling in a 32 foot Class A Motor home, leaving from Anderson, SC from I-85. We plan to go up the East Coast to Niagara Falls, and back a different direction. If anyone has any suggestions on "Must See" places and campgrounds along the route, we would be most grateful.

[billyb]

we stayed in the state park 15 minutes north of niagara falls, and the park pass got us free parking at the falls and saved us a lot of money for parking. I can't remember the name, but it was something with maybe 4 seasons? in it

[MCJones]

The Niagara Falls Grand Island KOA is a very nice CG and an easy 10 min. drive to the falls. I'm not sure where in SC you are but we live in the Cherokee area and travel to the Ashville area to catch 40 west (Knoxville) to 75 north and then 90 at about Erie yearly to see my daughter in Buffalo. Good roads now. There is a great CG for a quick stop in Kentucky at Mount Vernon on 75 for an easy stop. (the truck stop a 1/4 mile from the KOA has great diesel price).

[ChallengerRN]

We came into NY from the West last time. We stopped at the visitor center at the state line just inside NY

They had lots of info on campgrounds and sold us Falls tour tickets for a day trip & also for the night trip. As I said earlier the Tour bus picked us up at the campground.

These tours included trip under the falls American Side. (Awesome). And behind the falls Canadian side. (Tunnels where you walk right out to water under the falls)

Very informative

Russell

[ChallengerRN]

Picture American side kinda wet. Lol

[dsbike]

As per your route planning, which ever way you are heading North or South. If you are using I-77 & I-79 you should take route 19 from I-79 south near Sutton, WV to I-77 near Beckely WV. This is a 4 lane road that cuts a large corner rather than taking I-79 to I-77. You will have no problem with a 32 foot class A. Also along RT 19 is the New River Gorge. Several campgrounds in the area. I have never stayed in any so no recommendations from me. A stop at the New River Gorge Bridge is a must see if you have never been there before. Plenty of room to park the RV at the visitor center & it is about 500' off the highway on the north end of the bridge.

[jeffwit]

Originally Posted by billyb

we stayed in the state park 15 minutes north of niagara falls, and the park pass got us free parking at the falls and saved us a lot of money for parking. I can't remember the name, but it was something with maybe 4 seasons? in it

That would be Four Mile Creek state park. We just stayed there last week. As mentioned, it's fairly close to the falls, and staying there gets you free parking at the falls. The campground itself is ok. Open field setup, electric only, no water or sewer.
The falls were great. Be sure to do the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds.

[wnytaxman]

We make the run between Ft. Mill, SC and Buffalo fairly often so I'm very familiar with the route. As has been mentioned, the I-77, US 19, I-79, and I-90 route is the fastest and the best coming from any point near I-77. Be careful on the US-19 stretch as the local gendarmes are out in force and love to write tickets to those out of staters just passing through.

Both the KOA on Grand Island and the Four Mile Creek park are good bets for a local campground. If you are going into Canada be sure to bring passports and make sure you are not taking any firearms into Canada.

For things to do here in the area, well there's a lot. It just depends on what you like. We have some of the finest architecture in the US with two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Darwin Martin House and Gray Cliff. There is also a Wright designed gas station in Buffalo. It is next to the Pierce Arrow Museum which is also pretty cool. There's steam locomotives on the Arcade & Attica railroad and the Grand Canyon of the East at Letchworth State Park as well as lots of local wineries in both Southern Ontario and Western NY. For art lovers we have the Albright Knox Gallery which is considered to be one of the finer museums in the US.

That's just a sampling of some of the things to do and see in our area. Enjoy your visit and safe travels to you.

[ChallengerRN]

We enjoyed Ft Niagara also. Little bit East of the falls