Overview - Niagara CountyNiagara County is in extreme western New York, just north of Buffalo, adjacent to Lake Ontario on its northern border and the Niagara River on its western border. Beyond the Niagara River is Canada. Niagara County has three cities and 12 towns; the county seat is Lockport but the best known area, by far, is Niagara Falls, a tourist attraction known worldwide.
With Lake Ontario (one of the Great Lakes) at its northern border, Niagara County has plenty of lovely lakeside communities and parks and lots of places for boating and fishing. Toward the southern end is the Erie Canal; Lockport especially grew because of the canal, and the city has numerous sites and attractions focusing on the canal. On the western end is the Niagara River and Niagara Falls, one of the wonders of the world. Tourists come here from all over and cross over the border to the even more impressive Niagara Falls, Canada.
The county has several hospitals and is home to Niagara College. Two Native American reservations are in Niagara County – the Tuscarora Reservation and the Tonawanda Reservation. The county is home to 10 state parks, many along the lakeshore and the river’s banks.
Canada is really close. Niagara County has three of the four border crossings to Canada – two are in Niagara Falls and one is in Lewiston. (The other is in Buffalo.) Many residents here visit Canada frequently for the attractions in the more-bustling Niagara Falls and also for the quaint Niagara on the Lake community. Remember, though, you’ll need documentation like a passport or an enhanced New York State driver’s license to cross the border, and the lines can sometimes be atrocious.
One drawback is the winter weather. Niagara County and Erie County are known for particularly brutal winters with lots of snow, but other areas get even more snow. Besides, some people enjoy the winter weather – and it just makes the people here appreciate the spectacular summers even more.
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