Niagara Falls worth a detour?
 

Hi - hope you all had a good Christmas Day.

We are doing a cross country trip next June (from the UK) and the first part of our itinerary is like this:

3 nights NYC
1 night Cleveland area
2 nights Chigaco
1 night Sioux Falls area
3 nights Hill City (for the Blackhills)

I am wondering if it might be worth cutting out one of the nights in Hill City, so that we could take in Niagara? That would change the itinerary to:

3 nights NYC
1 night Niagara Falls (Canada side)
1 night Detroit area
2 nights Chicago
2 nights Hill City

I do not want to cut out any nights in NYC or Chicago and our itinerary is 'cast in stone' from Hill City onwards. What would you do?

Thanks for any comments.

IMO Niagara Falls THEMSELVES are certainly worth a stop (why have you decided on the Canada side?) but be aware that a lot of the area nearby is very "touristy" and some would say "tacky" (since the place has been attracting visitors for decades.

If this means taking an entire day away from the Black Hills stay I wouldn't bother.

How adventurous are you really? get up VERY EARLY and hit the road from NYC, stop and see the falls, and drive on to Cleveland. It can be done...just depends on your stamina levels.

Yes!! I live in Cleveland and I would most definitely cut out that for Niagara Falls. They are spectacular.

Hi Dukey

Stamina levels aren't too high - LOL!
Actually, we are not picking up our hire car in Manhattan until 9:00 am that morning, so an early start it out. Why the Canada side? Nicer hotels! :)

Amelie, yes, I don't mind missing out on Cleveland - but I would have to miss out one of our days in the Black Hills - so it's Niagara or Black Hills really. Added to that, we have paid for our accommodation in the Black Hills, so I would lose out on a night's lodging (cabin). But my father, who has seen more of the USA than I (we've only done the west side - he has done both!) tells me that Niagara was the best of anywhere (and that's hard for me to imagine, having seen so much wonderful scenery in the west!)

Yes, as a poster above mentioned, the falls themselves are spectacular, but the surrounding town is rather touristy. Given that you'll be adding a lot of extra driving to your trip, and losing a pre-paid night in the Black Hills, it seems your better off skipping Niagra on this trip. Think of it this way... now you have a reason to come back!

Your second itinerary. How are you planning to get from Chicago to Hill City? Are you flying or driving in 1 day? It is 940 miles and 14 hours drive. I would skip Detroit for Niagara Falls. You need at least 3 nights in Hill City.
NYC to Niagara Falls, NY is 412 miles and 7 hours drive

You may consider driving from Niagara Falls directly to Chicago (530 miles and 8 1/2 hours if everything goes well and there are no delays anywhere)

Thanks guys for all your comments.
Sorry, yes, I left out the Sioux Falls stop on the 2nd itinerary - there's no way we would drive straight to Hill City from Chicago. We've thought about driving directly from Niagara Falls to Chicago, but we would need half the morning, at least, to do the Maid of the Mist trip and then have all that driving to do, so not really a good idea.
Santa brought me a book on the Black Hills and, after perusing through that, I think we've decided to skip Niagara Falls for this trip, and stick with our original plan. As you say, msteacher, a good reason to start planning our next trip! :)

Great decision. I can list for you at least 100 things worthy to see between NYC and Niagara Falls so there is a reason to plan your next trip. Come back in October and spend time visiting Niagara Falls, New England and the Adirondacks. msteacher has a right idea, now you have a reason to come back.

Agree to leave Niagara Falls out of this trip. Don;t know what you've seen in Canada - but to me Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake are both worthwhile - but as stops on the way to Toronto - and them perhaps on to Quebec and Montreal if you haven't seen that part of Canada.