The Niagara Parks Power Station has a brand-new attraction, granting visitors unseen and up-close panoramas of the Falls and their glory

Niagara Falls is one of the USA's most famous attractions, welcoming an estimated 13 million people every single year. No matter the time of year nor from which side Niagara's waters are viewed, the majestic place is positively booming with visitors who come to sample its splendor for themselves.

Anyone who bore witness to its beauty will probably say the experience couldn't get much more exciting - or can it? With an awe-inspiring new attraction that many aren't even aware of - one that's historic, fascinating, and visually breathtaking - the answer to that question is clear: yes - and it just got even bigger.

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The US is no stranger to old power generators, but it's Niagara Falls that are drawing attention as it's home to a particularly renowned historic hydroelectric power station - The Niagara Parks Power Station - that was once a major supplier of energy to the area in its heyday until it was closed for good.

The first major power station on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, the former 'Canadian Niagara Power Company generating station' was a superior spectacle of its time originally built to harness the powerful energy of the Horseshoe Falls and turn it into a great source of electricity, which it did for over a century.

Amazingly, the design and construction of the hydropower station was a landmark achievement in design and engineering, with the construction of the plant's 2,200 ft tunnel through which the falls' water flowed being a mining task of phenomenal input - one that demanded many hundreds of skilled workers employing dynamite, steam power, and compressed air during the site's excavation.

Thankfully, such a marvel of its time did not go abandoned; instead, despite its closure and amassed years after its turbines came to a halt, the wonder of this pioneering plant of hydroelectricity reopened its doors to curious visitors - but not for the same purpose as in its days of former glory. In contrast, today, the Niagara Parks Power Station is Niagara Falls' latest and greatest grandeur now serving as an educational and inspiring museum showcasing its majesty and history.

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First opening in July 2021, the initial phase of the power-plant-turned-interactive-museum invited Niagara Falls visitors to discover engaging exhibits on the 600-foot generator floor - a place lovingly graced with a befitting nickname: The Cathedral of Power. The numerous mind-enriching displays peppered throughout this explorable structure commemorate the building's extraordinary heritage and history, celebrating the workers who operated it for over 100 years, the formidable construction teams responsible for its birth, and the innovators whose ideas and brilliant minds brought it into fruition in the first place.

All the intense work that was pumped into the plant's construction and constant operation is meticulously preserved and has been beautifully displayed for visitors, including in the form of records, archival photography, and interpretive storytelling exhibitions thoughtfully installed throughout the plant.

It's not just exhibits and displays that entice visitors either; plant-goers can feed their eyes and minds on daytime tours of the renovated generator hall, while the site's award-winning light-and-sound show - aptly named 'Currents' - steals the spotlight come nightfall.

This mesmeric nighttime spectacle mashes interactive media, breathtaking lights, and dramatic music to deliver a heart-pumping, fun adventure that satisfies all the senses, while witnesses to its magic rediscover the illustrious history of the legendary building itself - all from the never-before-seen angle of Currents's epic sequences.

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Even with all this rich education and entertaining experiences on offer, the brains behind this historic-come-revolutionary attraction weren't quite finished yet; they've opened up another section of the station, boasting a brand-new area of awe where mind-blowing views of Niagara Falls can be soaked up from an unseen, exclusive area that nobody has ever witnessed before, never mind attended.

As of July 1, the newly inaugurated tunnel complements guests' entire visit to the Niagara Parks Power Station, granting access to the property's huge underground network along with a sensational new viewing platform right at the very base of Niagara Falls.

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During the plant's operation all those years ago, workers employed the tunnel as an exit point for the water used to generate hydroelectricity. First, the water entered the tunnel through draft tubes set in the walls and ceiling, after which it flowed down a 17-foot slope from the entrance until it left the exit portal, eventually going back into the Niagara River.

Although no longer in operation as a hydropower plant, the new tunnel as an attraction that was recently unveiled at the Niagara Parks Power Station follows the exact same path that this water did for more than a century, allowing guests a special insight and incredible opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the power-generating Niagara H2O.

In a transparent elevator with glass walls, visitors are transported 180 feet below the first floor of the power station until they arrive at the tunnel's wheel pit - a transit in which they get the exclusive chance to soak up views of the plant's underground levels as they descend to the depths of the historic tunnel.

Upon arrival at this wheel pit, guests can commence their 2,200-foot venture through the gargantuan tunnel that sends them to the exit portal at Niagara Gorge's base, from where the water left and rejoined the Niagara River, all while enjoying informative and interactive media exhibitions along the route.

Here, at this part of the installation, a brand-new viewing platform has been put in place, which stretches out into the river to deliver intense and uninterrupted vistas of Niagara Falls and the lower Niagara Gorge, an enchanting immersion in the surrounding environment, and stunning panoramas of the iconic Horseshoe and American Falls.

Never before has this perspective of the lower Niagara Gorge been accessible, being located at the water's level, the newly opened platform provides the ultimate, unparalleled views of the falls, revealing its true height and massive scale while cruise boats casually pass by right in front of visitors gazing out across the world-famous site and breathing in the negatively-charged, positively-inducing ionic mist that cascades from the river.

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Starting from $28, visitors can enjoy unique and affordable access to Niagara Falls through this fantastic new installation. The price includes entry to the Niagara Parks Power Station along with admission to the tunnel and new viewing platform, which are collectively set to be the Falls' premier highlight for this up-and-coming tourist season.

So, get your tickets, brush up on your Falls facts, pack a raincoat, and make your way to savor this fresh feature at what's already one of the United States' most bucket-listed natural attractions in the country's entire history.

Lauren is a scuba diving instructor and award-winning underwater photographer originally from the United Kingdom. Having spent the last decade traveling and working around the world managing dive centers in Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and France, she enjoys sharing her passion for the underwater world with others. Before her adventures, Lauren attained her degree in Japanese and French languages at the University of Hull, which has served her well in the world of travel, diving and tourism. Whilst her day job involves training people to scuba dive, by night, she indulges in various projects such as writing, translating, and working as a volunteer for an international dog rescue organization. When she's not busy with any of these things, she's walking her dogs, sipping coconut water on the beach, indulging in anime and manga, or rocking out to her hefty heavy metal collection.