The Open Road Travel

A road trip from New York to Niagara Falls takes you between the southeast and northwest points in New York State.

A 400 mile road trip from New York to Niagara Falls takes you from America’s most populous city to one of its best natural attractions. You’ll pass through New Jersey and Pennsylvania, experiencing everything the northeast United States has to offer.

If you want to find out all there is to do and see on this incredible journey across the “Empire State”, this is the article for you.

There are a few different routes for a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls and most will cover about 400 miles and take around 6 and ½ hours to complete.

The best route for a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls will see you begin by picking up the I-78 where it begins and following it through the Holland Tunnel into New Jersey.

Almost as soon as you emerge from the tunnel, take a left at the fork, to join New Jersey Route 139 where it starts.

When you reach the Pulaski Skyway, take the exit for New Jersey Route 7 and use the Wittpenn Bridge to cross the Hackensack River. At the Newark – Jersey City Turnpike, join I-280 and follow it west.

I-280 will eventually merge with the I-80, which you’ll continue following west. After 60 miles, use Exit 293 to join I-380 where it begins and follow it for its 28.3 mile duration, where you will merge with I-81 and head north.

After 130 miles, veer right in Syracuse to join I-690 and follow it west, before using Exit 1 to join I-90. Continue heading west until you reach Buffalo, where you’ll use Exit 50 to join I-290. Follow this for its 10.25 mile duration, before joining I-190 going north.

After crossing the Niagara River, use Exit 21 to go west on New York State Route 384, which will take you the remainder of the way to your destination of Niagara Falls.

While 6 and ½ hours can definitely be driven in a single day if you so choose, many people will prefer to break their journey up into at least two days, to ensure they have plenty of time to enjoy the sights and sounds that they encounter along the way.

Located around the halfway point of our journey and boasting a fabulous combination of natural surroundings and abundant attractions, Syracuse is the best place to stop on a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls for an overnight stay.

With a population of around 150,000 people, Syracuse is the 6th most populous city in the state of New York. Located at the geographic centre of the state, Syracuse is the region’s primary hub of economics and education.

Throughout its history, Syracuse is a city that has been vital for the region’s transport networks. It was a crossroads of first the Erie Canal and its branches, then the early rail network, and finally the modern interstate system.

Throughout Syracuse, attractions like the Erie Canal Museum, Onondaga Historical Association, Museum Of Science & Technology, Museum Of Intrigue, Everson Museum Of Art, and Landmark Theatre will help visitors to appreciate everything from the history to the culture and arts of the city.

The Marriott Syracuse Downtown is a stunning, 5 star hotel, located right in the heart of Downtown Syracuse. A pet friendly property, it boasts an array of fabulous amenities, which include a fitness centre, bar, and restaurant, as well as laundry and valet parking services.

Each room features fabulous décor and comfortable furniture, and includes things like a flat screen satellite TV, coffee machine, and air conditioning. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, while parking is available for an additional fee.

The best time for a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls is from the start of June to early September.

This is the period when the area around Niagara Falls experiences its warmest temperatures and driest weather, making it the perfect opportunity to soak in the natural beauty of the falls in comfort.

It also avoids the period when the bitterly cold New York winters grip the area and cause parts of the falls to freeze over. By avoiding this period, you ensure that all of the attractions and excursions to the base of the falls that you want to take will be running.

While a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls may not be the longest trip you ever take, it is still long enough that you will want to have plenty to do to keep it exciting.

With that in mind, we have compiled the following list of the 10 top attractions on a road trip from New York to Niagara Falls. With options for people of all tastes and interests, this should help ensure everyone can make this a journey to remember forever.

The most populous city in New Jersey and largest in the New York Metro other than New York City itself, Newark is among the largest transport hubs in the United States.

With a number of rail, air, and sea ports, it is popular with shipping companies and tourists hoping to find cheaper deals on transport than those offered across the river in “ The Big Apple”. Established in 1666, it is also incredibly popular for its rich, vibrant history.

With sights like the Mount Olive AME Church, Newark Museum Of Art, The Cathedral Basilica Of The Sacred Heart, Jewish Museum Of New Jersey, Dock Bridge, Branch Brook Park, Justice Sculpture, and various other historic buildings, Newark is a fabulous, if somewhat overlooked destination.

Located in West Orange, New Jersey, the Thomas Edison National Historical Park covers 21.25 acres and features both the former home and laboratory of legendary American inventor and manufacturer Thomas Edison.

Built in 1887 using the Late Victorian and Queen Anne styles, the park allows visitors to get a better appreciation for how this important historical figure lived and worked.

With archives, artefacts, exhibits and more dedicated to his life and works, take the opportunity to see how modern science evolved before your very eyes.

Waterloo Village is a historic, 19th century village, which has been carefully restored to how it would traditionally have looked. Among its many attractions are sights like museums, historic buildings, canal exhibits, and events spaces that hold various exhibitions.

Listed on the United States National Register Of Historic Places since 1977, Waterloo Village is a fabulous stop for anyone interested in the culture, history, and tradition of the eastern U.S.

The Lakota Wolf Preserve is a stunning wildlife refuge in north-western New Jersey, on the southern outskirts of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Visitors will get to enjoy the amazing experience of taking a guided tour to see the four packs of wolves that live in the preserve.

Watch them feed, interact, and play with one another, while learning more about them and the other species that inhabit the reserve, which includes foxes and bobcats, from the Lakota Wolf Preserve’s incredibly well informed staff.

Covering 70,000 acres, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area stretches along a 40 mile section on the Delaware River, straddling the border between the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

With a wide collection of campsites, cycling and hiking trails, fishing and hunting areas, picnic spots, ski resorts, waterfalls, wildlife, and opportunities for water sports, it is a fabulous destination for outdoor recreation. However, that isn’t the only reason to visit the park.

With cultural and historic locations like the Appalachian Trail, Millbrook Village, Peter’s Valley Arts Center, and Minisink Archaeological Site, as well as various Native American archaeological sites and remains of early Dutch settlements, there are plenty of reasons for all types of people to visit.

Settled in 1856, Scranton is the 6th most populous city in the state of Pennsylvania.

Commonly known as “Electric City”, Scranton was one of the first cities in America to use electric lights, which were introduced in 1880, as well as the first to use streetcars powered exclusively by electricity.

While Scranton peaked in the 1940s and 1950s, there are plenty of memorials and reminders throughout the city to entertain visitors and educate them on the city’s heyday.

Attractions like the Electric City Trolley Museum, Everhart Museum, Scranton Iron Furnaces, McDade Park, Lackawanna Coal Mine, and Steamtown National Historic Site give visitors a clear glimpse into the city’s past and demonstrate how its was once at the forefront of American advancement.

Rochester is the third largest city in the state of New York and has been one of the hubs of the technology and manufacturing industries for many years. Companies including Kodak, Western Union, and Xerox were all formed in the city.

Rochester is also acknowledged as a global centre for research, development, science, and technology. With numerous companies and attractions dedicated to these industries, it is an ideal stop for anyone interested in the industrial evolution of the United States through the years.

Boasting a surface area of 7,340 miles (19,000 square kilometres) and containing 393 cubic miles (1,640 cubic kilometres) of water, Lake Ontario is divided almost in half, with the southern section located in the U.S. state of New York, and the northern half in the Canadian province of Ontario.

It is the 13th largest lake on the planet, however, despite this distinction, it is still the second smallest of North America’s “ Great Lakes” by volume and smallest by surface area.

With islands dotted across its surface, sights like forts, lighthouses, and historic settlements around its shores, and an incredible array of wildlife throughout, it is a stunning natural destination that can be enjoyed by all.

Buffalo is the second largest city in New York state and is commonly referred to as the “City Of Lights”, thanks to its early adoption of electricity, due to the massive hydroelectric capability of Niagara Falls, where are located just a short distance away.

A common destination for visitors to Niagara Falls, as it is by far the largest urban area in the region, it boasts numerous sports teams, bars, hotels, shops, restaurants, and amenities.

This makes it a great place to stop to enjoy the perfect combination of natural beauty and modern convenience.

Covering 9,910 square miles (25,700 square kilometres) and containing 116 cubic miles (480 cubic kilometres) of water, Lake Erie ranks as the smallest of North America’s Great Lakes by water volume and second smallest by surface area.

While not as vast as the other members of the group, Lake Erie still boasts an incredible array of wildlife, panoramic vistas, and amazing activities to wow and entertain all types of visitors.

A road trip from New York to Niagara Falls is a fabulous journey that you will remember for years to come. It gives you the opportunity to perfectly experience the contrast between the natural beauty and man made modernity on offer in America in the starkest way imaginable.

From sprawling cities and traditional towns to vast lakes and cascading waterfalls, this is truly an adventure that has it all.

By this point, you should now have all the information on the things you want to do and see, as well as where you want to stop, to build the perfect travel itinerary.

That means all you have left is to start getting everything from your hotels to your attractions booked. That way, you can look forward to heading out on this amazing expedition for yourself, as soon as possible.