Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you have a camera or cell phone, place them in the plastic bag provided and let
someone hold it while you stand out on the deck. Visitors who want to stay dry on the tour
can stay on the upper decks and simply enjoy the dramatic view of the falls from there.
There are rarely long ticket lines, but they're shorter earlier in the day. You may enjoy
this self-guided tour at your own pace; most visitors spend about an hour here.
Purchase tickets on Goat Island at the main concessions area (near the Tesla statue).
You'll be given a plastic bag, rain poncho, and sandals that are required for safety reasons.
Place your street shoes in the plastic bag, then proceed from the concessions area to the
large stone building that houses the elevators going down to the attraction. Recycling bins
are available for your rain poncho and sandals following the tour.
OVER THE FALLS WITHOUT A BARREL
FourpeoplehavesurvivedaplungeoverHorseshoeFalls,includingaseven-year-old
boy. All survived the 17-story plunge without the aid of a barrel or other protective
device.
Itismind-bogglingtoconsiderhowsuchamiraclecouldtranspire.Themostpop-
ular explanation postulates that the falls act like a giant bubbler. If you've ever seen
high divers perform, you may have seen a bubbler at workâcompressed air is intro-
ducedintothewateratthepointwhereadiverwillland.Thebubblerreducessurface
tension and the bubbles act as small air-filled pillows that lessen the impact on the
diver.It'spossiblethatlargepocketsofever-shiftingairbubblesareconstantlybeing
generated at the base of the falls, providing sweet spots where landing is less dam-
aging to a human body.
Testing the theory is not only foolhardy, but illegal. People attempting to go over
Horseshoe Falls face a fine of nearly $10,000.
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TERRAPIN POINT
Terrapin Point
is the westernmost point of Goat Island, and forms the brink of Horseshoe
Falls. It provides the most dramatic views of the falls from the U.S. side. Terrapin Point is
downhillfromthemainbodyofGoatIsland.You'llenjoysweepingviewsoftheupperrap-
ids of the Niagara River, the brink of Horseshoe Falls, and the tumult of the Lower Niagara
River at the base of the giant waterfall.
