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    Old Fort Niagara

    4.5 (80 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

    Old Fort Niagara Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Old Fort Niagara

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    Tony L.

    It's just a stone's throw from the Visitor's Center. After your long walk around the historic grounds of Old Fort Niagara, you can walk past your car and out of the parking lot, and you're almost there when you see the very short fence surrounding the solemn cemetery. Even a slow walk of about 4mins and you will be at the cemetery entrance. Many of the grave markers are unreadable, while others still can be read. It's obvious this solemn area hasn't been cared for well in the past, BUT also remember that this area gets a lot of extreme rain, ice and snow. Please keep your pets on leash BUT out of the area. Too many dog walkers in the state park use the park's grounds as a bathroom and I would recommend pets be kept outside the cemetery. It's not the pet's responsibility BUT the owners' job to clean up, and not just clean then throw your poop bag in a "hidden spot" as many do. Please keep your walks and visit respectful. This isn't a spot for parties or talking loud. Respect their Fight, Battles and Sacrifices please. Thank you for helping to keep the cemetery clean, quiet and to remain a place of Love, Sacrifice, Honor and - most of all - of Respect and Remembrance.

    Nick P.

    Admission is $20 for an adult. I feel like the fee should be like $10-15. It's a cool place to visit. A lot of history. It's not super crowded so you won't have to worry about people's heads photo bombing your pictures. The drive here was very straight forward. You can spend 3-4 hours here. They do some have demonstrations here. Employees were very nice.

    Sheena M.

    Beautiful, historic place worth visiting! Located on the Niagara River. Learned a lot from the tour guide. The fort was occupied by three nations: France, Great Britain, and the United States. Loved seeing the cannon ball and being able to visit this historic landmark on vacation.

    Katie M.

    Great place to learn history. If it's sunny, bring a hat or sunscreen because its a lot of outdoor walking. A shuttle can get you there or you will need a car as it's not near transit.

    Taylor O.

    My families' goal is to go to every state park that NY has to offer. Touring this one allowed us to check off one more! It was so awesome to see everything that was preserved and maintained throughout history. I loved reading and listening about our history as a nation. While we were there we even got to see a musket demonstration. So cool to watch! I definitely want to come back here when the kid is older to learn more and spend more time in the museum!

    David L.

    Really interesting historical site that is incredibly well preserved/restored on a beautiful setting on the Niagara River and Lake Ontario w/ views of Toronto on a clear day. Even on a summer Sunday, we were pleasantly surprised by the small crowds - this seems like a hidden gem. Worth a trip to the area, and certainly worth a stop if visiting Niagara Falls and other area attractions. Tip: there is very little food available, so plan to pack a picnic meal or bring snacks...you might stay longer than planned.

    In the visitors center
    Vicky B.

    We came in the winter and really enjoyed our visit. You have to drive through the state park to get to the fort but we didn't have to pay the park entrance since it was late December. The fort has its own parking lot, and you enter through the visitors center. There are bathrooms, the admission desk, and a gift shop as soon as you enter. There's a AAA discount that saves you $1/ticket. In the visitors center building you can learn about the history of the fort, see the giant historic flag, watch the 15 minute video that plays every hour, and there was a special exhibit featuring the artwork of a former POW at the fort. We spent 45 minutes in this building. Outside, you can enter several of the historic buildings but some of them were closed for the winter. You can also enjoy some nice views of the Niagara river and Lake Ontario as well as musket demonstrations. Overall we had a pretty good experience, and found it very interesting! Suggested areas for improvement would be to fix the interactive stations that were non-functional (there were a few), and perhaps offer a discounted admission during the off-season since we weren't able to experience the entire fort.

    This fort played a pivotal role in the history of colonial America, and is an extremely rare example of large-scale, 18th-century military architecture in the U.S. It's a must-see for any history lover. Besides the impressive buildings, the historical reenactors really know their stuff and dress in authentic period costumes -- and they're quite funny to boot. There's also an excellent small museum with a huge, lovingly restored American flag from the War of 1812. If you're in Niagara to see the falls, it's very easy to get here and is definitely worth the trip!

    Mark M.

    Visited the Fort on a Sunday afternoon. To get there, we drove through the state park first, paid our $8 admission to it, but you receive a credit at the Fort when you pay for the Fort admission ($13 a person). Parking is free. The first thing you might want to do is go through the small museum, read some of the story boards, and watch the short video (under 15 minutes) about the wars and how this Fort was used and defended itself. Next, walk out to the Fort and enjoy the old building where soldiers stayed. There's also a cross, kitchen, and a couple of towers to checkout. A good amount of walking and it is very interested. There was staff there firing muskets every 15 minutes. Also, don't forget to enter Door #5 to see a topography of the fort and other interesting items. Lastly, there's the gunpowder room to see. All in all, an excellent outing that is very historical.

    Mark D.

    This is a historic landmark worth visiting. This place makes a great day trip, date, or day out with kids. Very educational, and your $15 admission fee helps preserve a piece of history which we should be very proud of.

    Joshua G.

    This Old fort (play off this old house) is like a time capsule. From the stone archways to coast of arms, this fort has it all. Embankments round out the design and include cannons. What I like about this Fort in particular is that there a substantial museum that you go through before the fort. Most places I've been to have a video and an exhibit, but this museum contains multiple exhibits!

    Castle by Candlelight evening
    Paul L.

    I don't remember when I had first heard about 'Castle by Candlelight' but I wanted to visit Old Fort Niagara on one of the rare evenings and, finally, I eagerly did it a few nights ago. Although the night was chilly, it wasn't bone-tingling and there was no wind. It was still and beautiful. The grounds and building interiors were illuminated by candlelight. Folks were dressed up in costumes of the period. Food was being made by the heat of wood fires, old-timey craft-making engaged children, and I wandered through it all like a ghost caught in time. It was wonderful. I hadn't prepared for the evening by bringing the right camera so I crossed my fingers as I took my photos. Fortunately, some turned out okay so I got some memories. For some families, they got more memories because they make this a yearly ritual. This event isn't widely known but locals are tuned in: by the time I left, the parking lots were filled to capacity and lines of people were streaming in under the light of the night sky.

    Jennifer D.

    Wonderful experience visiting for the afternoon. We went columbus day weekend and we're pleasantly surprised that they were hosting educational events and reenactments of the time.

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    2 years ago

    I've been to a lot of forts ,and this is well done . In a Thursday, we're able to see reinactors shoot a musket and a canon.

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    I went here with Debra R, Jose R and a couple of people. The museum was really good. I liked the buildings and the gift shop.

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    Ask the Community - Old Fort Niagara

    I'm disabled. Are there benches or places to rest while walking around the fort?

    While much of the fort is flat, there are many other areas/sights available by steps, mounds and hills. Coming out of the visitors' center, you can use a ramp to get to the grounds, then abt 20min to the entrance of the fort, then another 15min roll… Read more

    How much is admission for an adult?

    From the Ft Niagara website: General Admission Adults: $15.00… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Old Fort Niagara

    Afterwards, we sat on a picnic table and watched monarch butterflies while pondering the vastness of Lake Ontario.

    Mentioned in 16 reviews

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    Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff - Inside visitor center

    Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff

    4.5(36 reviews)
    38.3 mi

    I did a tour of Graycliff as part of the All Day All Wright tour a while ago anat that time it was…read moreinteresting but also a bit disappointing both because the renovations were ongoing and we arrived late due to traffic so the tour was cut short. Seeing online that Graycliff had just opened a new visitor center and was in full swing I decided to make a one day trip to see it again. Located about a half hour southwest of Buffalo and about an hour northeast of Erie, Graycliff sit right on the Lake Erie shore. There is a small sign at the end of the long drive that leads you to the new visitor center. The center is set up just outside the area that Wright designed. The center is very modern but it does have elements that are inspired by Wright, the horizontal lines of the building, the glass that allows you to see through the building is similar to Graycliff. Inside there is a very nice gift shop, some interesting exhibits and an unusual unisex bathroom. I had signed up for the extended tour and we had a nice group who all had some experience with Wright before, including one guy who had done extensive work in building the new visitor center. The tour starts in the visitor center with a very well made video giving some of the history of Wright, the Martins and Graycliff. After that we went through the Picking Garden which was very attractive and smelled wonderful. We then learned about the layout of the outside, including that the driveway was oriented to track the movement of the sun on the summer solstice. We were also informed about the history of the site, the local materials being used and the history of the house after the Martins had to give it up. We also were told about the water features and how the house was oriented to allow views through the house to see the lake. Although this was the 3rd project Darwin Martin had hired Wright for (the Darwin Martin House and the Larkin Company Adminstration Building were the others) here the client was Mrs. Martin and this was to be a summer house so the overall design is a bit unique. The timing of the project was also crucial as Wright had finished his Prairie Style and the Usonian style was not yet developed. Wright had also gone through a number of personal issues and public scandals so this commission was helpful in bridging a difficult period. Once inside Graycliff you realize that there are many common Wright elements, the use of natural materials, the importance of the hearth as the heart of the house and how he had opened up the common areas with a flow. Graycliff is unique in how it is oriented to the lake with huge windows on both sides. We also got to see the second floor and the second floor of the smaller second house that initially was the garage and chauffeur's quarters and later used by Martin's daughter's family. I have to compliment our docent Brian who did a great job of guiding us through the house and property while supplying information, pointing out details and just being very entertaining. Wright was a complex person, while a genius and visionary he also had personal issues and could be difficult to work with, Brian gave a nice balanced view of Wright, his relationship to the Martins and how Graycliff came to be, plus its history and restoration. On my previous visit I had enjoyed Graycliff, but also found it a bit disappointing, this visit reflects the great job that has been done on finishing the restoration and furnishing the property to best effect. While not as flashy as some of the better know Wright designs, Graycliff is well worth a visit for its historical significance to Wright and to see how he was in transition and developing new and different ideas. A great visit and I am so glad I took the time for a second visit.

    Graycliff is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential designs and is often regarded as the bridge…read morebetween his Prairie houses of the early 1900s and later masterpieces, such as Fallingwater (I look forward to visiting one day). Designed by Wright for Isabelle and Darwin D. Martin (and unlike the Martin house, which you should also visit), the estate sits on an 8.5-acre bluff overlooking Lake Erie. It's about 25 miles southwest of Buffalo, New York. And I did not realize this important tidbit: the gardens and landscape designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman, who worked with Wright. The property was built between 1926 and 1931 as the summer home for the Martin family. Also, Graycliff is a New York State Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Importnat note: the Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House and Graycliff Conservancy are two separate nonprofits -- I did not know that before my visit. The two even have distinct missions. But they each have the common goal to preserve and share the history of the Martin family and Wright's work. I highly recommend visiting both sites. And be sure to check the schedule and tour times. Outside of the welcome center, gift shop and adjacent garden, you must sign up for a paid tour to see the rest of the buildings on site. In the central house, Wright effectively dissolved the traditional boundary between indoors and outdoors. There is local limestone, ochre stucco and cedar shingles and, if you keep a watchful eye, you will see Wright's designs at work: triangles, circles, hearts, diamond-shapes and other shapes are embedded and featured throughout the grounds and in the architecture. Graycliff was also personally significant for Wright. During the mid-1920s his career and finances were in turmoil. The Martins, longtime friends as well as clients, commissioned Graycliff at a moment when relatively few of Wright's designs were being built. Over time, many architectural historians view the project as helping sustain his practice during one of the most difficult periods of his life. And last interesting tidbit: The Martin family owned the property until after Isabelle and Darwin died. It was sold in 1951 to the Piarist Fathers, an order of Roman Catholic Priests from Hungary. They lived in and used Graycliff until 1997 (even built buildings and structures), when the property was sold. Graycliff was actual set to be demolished for condominiums -- can you imagine?! A few tips for your visit: -If you are driving a larger vehicle (large trucks, RV's, camper vans, vehicles pulling trailers, call in advance. The team will work to accommodate your vehicle. Do not miss the brand new visitor center. It has interactive educational features, an informative video and an excellent gift shop, with snacks on site. -Parking is out front at no cost. -A portion of all tours is outside, rain or shine. -Wear comfortable clothing and comfortable walking shoes. -Apparently, stiletto heels are not allowed in the main house to protect the restored floor. -Only service animals are allowed on the grounds.

    Photos
    Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff - Living room

    Living room

    Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff - Upper hall

    Upper hall

    Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff - Gift shop

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    Gift shop

    Old Fort Niagara - landmarks - Updated July 2026

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