Cave of the Winds – An Exciting Experience at Niagara Falls, NY

Cave of the Winds

Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls (New York, USA) is a fun and exhilarating experience. You literally stand under the Bridal Veil Falls, feeling its intensity firsthand! Seeing the falls from any vantage point will take your breath away BUT being right under the powerful rushing waters is an experience unlike anything else.

Cave of the Winds is located on Goat Island. It is free to explore the Island, but parking is $10. Sometimes we walked the Shoreline Trail from our hotel and sometimes we drove and parked our car. If you have little ones and have a stroller or want to bring several changes of clothes, you might want to drive. Some of our family changed clothes at Goat Island (after Cave of the Winds) and drove back. Some of us just walked back to the hotel and changed there. We did get wet, but it was a hot summer day and it was actually nice to cool off.

Things to know about the Cave of the Winds Attraction:

• You get to experience Niagara Falls closer than you’ve ever imagined
• Take an elevator down 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge
• You are provided with a souvenir poncho and a souvenir pair of water sandals
• There is a special Cave of the Winds viewing area that has been set up. It is for handicapped individuals and parents holding small children.

Cave of the Winds – The Name

We kept wondering where the “cave” was – I mean, we were at The “Cave of the Winds”. I thought maybe it was the tunnel that led us out to the falls, but that wasn’t it. We actually learned that in the 1800s there was a rock overhang that was like a cave.  It was actually an overhanging ledge of Lockport Dolostone rock at the top portion of the gorge which protruded more than 100 feet. People could visit the “cave” and feel the powerful waters of the Bridal Veil Falls. The cave/rock overhang actually collapsed in the early 1900s but the name stuck.

Getting Your Tickets

When we visited Cave of the Winds in June 2021 we bought our tickets at the Cave of the Winds Plaza on Goat Island.

You do also have the option to buy Niagara Discovery Pass (see the link at the bottom of this post). It offers a discount on 5 separate attractions (The Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, The Niagara Falls Aquarium, Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, and Niagara Adventure Theater). You don’t have to buy the pass and it doesn’t save you money unless you plan on doing all 5 attractions.

World Changed Here Pavilion

After getting your ticket and a few novelty pictures, you will enter into the “World Changed Here Pavilion”. This is a new indoor multimedia museum that is the first part of your “Cave of the Winds” experience. Here, we learned a lot about how Nikola Tesla harnessed the power of the Falls to create alternating currents. It was also interesting to learn more about the history of Niagara Falls and the area.

We were a little confused about what was going on and accidentally went into the theater too soon. I wished we had been given some instructions about what we were to expect. We enjoyed the little museum, but we honestly didn’t know how long we needed to stay. Finally, an employee ushered us into the next room, the theater.

The Theater

The small theater has bench seating for everyone in the group. Here, watched an interesting (short) video about the history of Niagara Falls.

The Gear

Next, we got our waterproof sandals. You simply tell the employees your shoe size and they provide the shoes. There are benches located here where you can switch out your shoes.

I’ll be honest – I was impressed with the waterproof sandals they provided. I saved them to wear on Maid of the Mist and to wear the next time we go to the beach. I know some people who have worn them when hiking in wet areas or creeks. They are not the fanciest footwear, but they are worth saving for a few more adventures.

After getting your snazzy sandals, we headed back outside where this guy (pictured above) told us to head next door to the elevators. Here you’re supposed to show your ticket, but they honestly just looked at our feet and saw our sandals, and let us in. Our feet were our ticket!

Now, the entrance to the elevator area is located right next to the restrooms. So, if anyone needs to use the restroom, now is the time to do it! Only so many people can fit on the elevators at once anyway, so they will wait for you. People seemed to do this attraction at their own pace (after the video).

The Elevators & Tunnel

Next, you will take an elevator 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge (elevators are located in the building pictured above). You can ride down with your family or group. The elevator will take you down to an underground tunnel that leads you out to the Gorge.

After getting off of the elevator, we headed through a tunnel (pictured above) that took us to the platform leading us to the Cave of the Winds. This is where you will get your yellow poncho (pictured below).

Getting Up, Close, & Personal with the Falls

As you head out of the tunnel, you see the redwood walkway, the Niagara River Gorge, and a nice person who will hand you your yellow poncho.

At this point, you set the pace for everything you do. There are areas where you can just enjoy the view and watch the Maid of the Mist go by. You can take your time, getting everyone’s ponchos situated. Then, you explore the redwood deck paths that lead you to the Hurricane Deck. You can get as close to the falls as you want and you can spend as much time as you want.

Also, you have total control over how wet you get. You can stand in the lower areas and not get wet at all or you can stand under the falls on the Hurricane Deck and get soaked. It’s up to you!

P.S. We all got soaked and we loved it!!

We spent a few minutes in this area getting prepared – putting on our ponchos and hiding our shoes in the bushes (seriously). You can bring your own backpack or bag for shoes. New York has outlawed plastic bags (and you have to pay for paper bags at grocery stores! We paid $2 for a paper bag at a souvenir shop!) so if you want to use one, you’ll have to bring your own from home. Also, you won’t have a place to store your phone or other electronics that is waterproof. Our phones did fine under the poncho…but I just wanted to warn you.

Tips for your trip to Cave of the Winds:

• You will get waterproof sandals for this attraction, but you will be given nothing to put your own shoes in. Some people brought their own backpacks or plastic bag to hold their own shoes. Bring your own plastic bag, because they are illegal in NY and you will not be able to find one there. We actually hid our shoes under the bushes on the hill behind the rock wall.
• You can actually get as wet as you want. Some people stayed closer to the bottom of the walkway to avoid getting drenched. If you want to visit the Hurricane Deck -and you should, it’s awesome – you will get wet. You might want to bring a change of clothes (again, in your own plastic bag) to change into. I always bring those scented garbage bags for our dirty laundry, and those worked for carrying our dry clothes and then placing our wet clothes in afterward.
• If you visit the Maid of the Mist before Cave of the Winds, I recommend that you save your blue Maid of the Mist poncho and use it at Cave of the Winds. It will work better than the yellow one you get at Cave of the Winds. The yellow poncho is fine but the blue ones are definitely better.

Cave of the Winds Redwood Pathways

 

Cave of the Winds is pretty much a self-guided attraction. At this point, you are pretty much on your own to enjoy the falls, decks, and views as you would like. You can take your time and take as many pictures and videos as you like.

A series of redwood decks and platforms allowed us to get closer to the falls. The deck first took us down, then we could gradually make our way up closer and closer to the Hurricane Deck and the Falls. If you don’t want to get very wet (or wet at all) you can stay at the lower level redwood deck).

The photo above shows the lower-level wooden catwalk at Cave of the Winds. This is your view when you first start exploring the area. You will make your way down to this deck and then work your way up.

Below is your view of the falls and the upper-level decks from the lower-level platform. It’s amazing from this spot, but it just gets better and better as you make your way up.

Please keep in mind that young children must be directly supervised by adults. The mist and wind from the waterfall make the steps slippery. Since you get so close to the rushing water and winds (up to 68 mph), it’s important to keep little ones close.

Hurricane Deck

The Hurricane Deck is where you can experience the highest velocity winds and water at the Cave of the Winds. If you are physically capable of visiting this area, I highly recommend it. It was a unique experience where you could get so close to this natural wonder.

 On the Hurrican Deck, you can stand right under the crashing Bridal Veil Falls. It was amazing to feel the rush and the power of the waters. It’s breathtaking and an experience we will never forget!

With winds up to 68 mph and the waters falling at a rate of 75,000 gallons (285,000 liters) per second, you really do feel like you are in a tropical storm! The amazing thing is how powerful and impressive the Bridal Veil Falls are – but this waterfall is actually significantly smaller than the other falls! I can only imagine how powerful those falls are!

In the photo above, you see another area where you stand under the falls. It’s not as wild as the wider first deck, but it is still exhilarating! We all spent time enjoying both areas!

After enjoying the Hurricane Deck, the redwood path takes you back down to your starting point. Here, you can switch out shoes if you want (or wait to go back upstairs and change in the restrooms). You will retrace your steps through the tunnel and back up the elevator where you are free to buy your novelty photos (if you want them) and explore the rest of Goat Island.

I thought it was interesting to learn that the decking is removed each year in November. This is because of the potential damage that could be caused by ice buildup at the falls. The decking is then re-installed each spring by park officials for summer visitors to reach the Hurricane Deck.

View from Maid of the Mist

We also rode the Maid of the Mist and I took a few pictures from the boat. I thought it was cool to see the Cave of the Winds from this perspective.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls. Watching my kids laugh and scream under the falls made the entire trip worthwhile. And, it was unbelievably amazing to feel the power of the falls rushing all around me. It’s one of those experiences that I know we will never forget!

Tickets & Discovery Pass

Cave of the Winds is open only from mid-May till early October. See all operating dates and times HERE. Individual tickets are $19 for adults, $16 for youths 6-to-12, and children 5 and under are free.

 The Discovery Pass is $45 for adults, $34 for youths 6-to-12, and younger children (5 and under) are admitted free, with an adult. See more about the Niagara Falls Discovery Pass HERE.

Location & Info for Cave of the Winds Niagara Falls

Cave of the Winds is located on Goat Island. Goat Island is located at First Street and Buffalo Avenue, in Niagara Falls.

Cave of the Winds // 24 Buffalo Ave. – Niagara Falls, NY 14303 // (716) 285-0705

WEBSITE

See more things to do in Niagara Falls HERE and free things to do in Niagara Falls HERE.

Have you been to the Cave of the Winds Attraction in Niagara Falls? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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