r/niagarafallsny • u/Hot-Tea-7672 • 3d ago
Old Fort Niagara - Breathtaking Scenic Historical Site - Just 15 Minutes from Niagara Falls!
Old Fort Niagara is a must-see if you are looking for places to visit when you are in Niagara Falls, New York. In the summer, you can take a free shuttle (to and from) with a variety of stops along the way. If you plan on coming from the Falls or visiting the Falls, you may wish to use the Discover Niagara Shuttle. It is free-of-charge. There are approximately five (5) trolley cars/buses running. The Shuttle runs between Niagara Falls and the Old Fort Visitor’s Center continuously throughout the day until October. The link below will show the time frames, schedule, stops and other information about the shuttle service
Discover Niagara Shuttle: https://www.discoverniagarashuttle.com/
Guided Tours for twelve persons or more must be scheduled at least 4 weeks in advance. You can schedule a tour by calling 716-745-7611, ext. 223.
General Admission Rates: If you are not planning on attending with a group of twelve or more, and plan on visiting on days outside of ticketed special events and fundraisers, the 2026 General Admission rates are:
Adults (ages 13+): $21 each, Children (ages 6-12): $13 each, Children (ages 5 and under): Free of Charge
General Admission Desk Discounts: Individual guests visiting Old Fort Niagara, in groups of less than twelve persons, receive a $1.00 discount for AAA members, Discovery Pass holders, senior citizens ages 65+, and retired military. To receive this discount you would need to bring your license, and/or your membership card for AAA or Discovery Pass, or your military ID, and purchase your ticket at the Admissions desk, as the discounted price is not yet offered online. Active military members receive a complimentary admission and are not charged.
Group Admission Rates for twelve persons or more: Adults (ages 13+) $16, Children (ages 6 -12) $12, ages 5 and under are free-of-charge.
School Admission Rates: $12 per student/$12 per adult; with one adult fee waived per ten students. Call 716-745-7611four (4) weeks ahead of your visit to schedule a guided school tour.
In the Visitor’s Center, there is a small auditorium that shows a 16-minute video on the quarter hour, each hour. You can choose to watch this prior to your tour if you wish. You are welcome to watch the video after your tour -- as well as tour the museum in the Visitor’s Center. The Museum Gift Shop is also in the Visitor’s Center, complete with books, apparel, souvenirs, and mementos of your visit; should your group be interested.
Old Fort Niagara Hours: In June, the Old Fort is open seven days per week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. From July through August, they are open seven days per week from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Their hours will change after Labor Day through mid–October to 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. From mid-October through April 1st, those hours will be in place but they will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Entry, Parking, and Admissions: If you are driving your own vehicle - If using GPS, input “Fort Niagara State Park” and it will give you directions to the park. When you arrive at Fort Niagara State Park. If your car is charged at the toll booth for Admission to the State Park – please save your receipt and they will reimburse you the entry cost at the Admissions Desk. Once you have entered the State Park, just follow the red markers to the parking area. Parking at Old Fort Niagara is free-of-charge.
Accessibility: You’ll want to wear sturdy shoes as the paths are made of dirt and stone on the parade ground. Make sure you dress for the weather. It is usually breezy and is ten degrees cooler than the inland as they are surrounded by the Niagara River to the West and Lake Ontario to the North. They do have two wheelchairs, should anyone have issues with mobility.
Dogs are welcome! When you bring your dog, you will need to sign a waiver at the admissions desk and the dog will need to be leashed (six-foot leash) and wearing their dog license and rabies vaccination tags.
Food and Beverages: In the months of July and August, the Log Cabin Eatery is open to purchase food items on site and serves sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, beverages, snacks and Ice cream.
As sidebar information: In the Summer months - In the surrounding Fort Niagara State Park (they are a separate entity), there are several NY State Park swimming pools and pavilions and picnic tables just outside the perimeter of Old Fort Niagara right next to Lake Ontario. If you would like to have lunch and enjoy some swimming activities after touring the Old Fort, they are very close to Old Fort Niagara – but you would have to check with the Parks Office to see about the cost for the pavilions and swimming. They have built new changing rooms and restrooms in the past several years. There are playgrounds scattered through the Park. The Parks Office telephone number is 716-745-7273.
Information below for touring Old Fort Niagara for the General Public.
SELF-GUIDED Tours:
A self-guided tour can last anywhere from 1.0 to 2.5 hours. With self-guided tours, you can adjust the arrival and departure time to your convenience. With a self-guided tour, a welcome brochure is provided at Admissions that will contain a map and a brief description also of the grounds and buildings. Additionally, a 16-minute video plays in the small auditorium in the Visitor’s Center on the quarter hour, every hour. Visitors are welcome to view this video to further acquaint themselves with the history and layout of the Old Fort. Your group may also wish to explore the museum. The museum is also located in the Visitor’s Center, along with the souvenir Gift Shop and restrooms. The museum contains many artifacts and displays, including an original War of 1812 Flag! The video and museum will help familiarize you with the history of the Old Fort and the grounds and buildings that you will tour.
After leaving the Visitor’s Center, you’ll travel down to through the earthworks surrounding the Fort to the site of the Siege. You will approach and enter the Old Fort buildings and grounds through the Gate of Five Nations. Interpreters in period garb will engage with you along the tour. Inside the Fort, you can tour original buildings where Native American, French, British and American soldiers lived and worked from the 18th to the 20th centuries and learn about life on the Niagara Frontier during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
A musket demonstration is given once per hour and entails a 15-20 minute discussion. The soldiers announce the times they plan to do their demonstration by calling out instructions and giving the visitors time to reach the destination point for the demonstration.
The soldiers and interpreters will be happy to answer any questions regarding the Old Fort and the lifestyles of the soldiers and their families. Women and children did live at the Old Fort while the soldiers were stationed here.
Both the Powder Magazine and the French Castle have audio units at various locations (Trade Room, Barracks Room, Commandant’s Quarters) that you can access by pushing a button in each area. These will describe the living conditions and activities for each room.
FOR SPECIAL EVENT PLANNING PURPOSES: You are welcome to visit the calendar by going to: www.oldfortniagara.org, “Plan Your Visit” and “Special Events”. Click on the title of the event for a description of activities and scheduled times of programming. These are updated as they get closer to the dates.
2026 Special Events and Fundraisers
August 1 & 2: Revolutionary War Encampment (no guided tours)10:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Sept. 5 & 6th: War of 1812 Weekend (General Admission)
Oct.17 & 24th: Ghosts of the Garrison (fundraiser)
Nov. 6 & 7th: French Heritage Days (General Admission)
Dec. 5 & 12th: Castle by Candlelight (fundraiser)