Niagara Falls Pathways
4 Day Inn Tour
Tour Information
Experience the breathtaking grandeur of Niagara Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, while cycling on bike paths free of motorized traffic. We’ll pedal along the mighty Niagara River as we circle Grand Island and Goat Island and finish at the river’s end at Lake Ontario. History also plays a compelling role in our tour as we pass key sites in the Underground Railroad and enjoy a picnic on the grounds of historic Fort Niagara.
Almost Sold Out
The tour is guaranteed and has only one or a couple spaces left.
Leisurely
Flat terrain on nearly all bike paths closed to motorized traffic. Leisurely cycling level.
3 nights lodging in double occupancy rooms, 3 breakfasts, 2 picnic lunches, 3 dinners, snacks, guided kayak tour, detailed cue sheets, maps and GPS cues, van support, luggage transfer & trained guides.
$195 for Specialized hybrid or road bicycle designed specifically for women. $295 for an electric-assist bicycle.
Accommodations are subject to minor changes.
Fly into and out of the Buffalo, NY airport or take Amtrak to the Depew train station. Then contact a commercial shuttle to take you to our starting hotel. WomanTours will provide a complimentary shuttle back to the airport or train station at the end of the tour, arriving by 1:30pm. Or drive and leave your car at our starting hotel for the duration of the tour.
Cindy Cunningham
Tour Leader
Kimberly Masters
Tour Leader
"It was an excellent tour with outstanding tour guides. This was my second tour with your company. Great, great, guides! Your tour leaders are delightful and met all of my needs. Very comforting to know if I get tired or need assistance they are there. I would never have the confidence to do this on my own and your SAG support makes me feel very secure. I look forward to having them again on my next tour or two."
Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: We meet in Niagara Falls, NY. Come dressed and ready to bike for our orientation at 1:00pm. Then we’ll conduct a rental bike fitting and have our first bike ride together through Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the nation. We’ll explore Goat Island, set in the middle of the Niagara River between the American and Canadian Falls.
If you arrive early, take a boat ride right up to the falls on the Maid of the Mist, or visit the Cave of the Winds to experience the falls from another perspective. Enjoy the view of the Falls within walking distance of our hotel before our first dinner together. 11 miles. (±305')
Day 2 After breakfast, we will bike upstream to Grand Island. Once in the running as the headquarters for the United Nations, the 33-square-mile island (about the size of Manhattan) sits in the middle of the Niagara River on the border between Canada and the United States.
There’s a walking path over the Grand Island Bridge that ends with a stretch through Buckhorn Island State Park, where lucky birders might see a Northern Harrier or Least Bittern. If you don’t want to walk the bridge we’ll provide a quick shuttle.
We’ll cycle the island’s entire circumference – most of it on bike paths – and stop for a guided kayak tour of the river’s protected marshes and shorelines. Then we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch on a freshwater beach before finishing the loop. 28 miles. 28 miles. (+405'/-112')
DAY 3: Today we head downstream, past the falls to the river’s mouth where it empties into Lake Ontario. This is arguably the most beautiful portion of the trail, following along the Niagara River where the water is a startling emerald green, the result of the minerals scraped from the limestone of the river’s bed.
Along the way, you can stop for a short hike to the water’s edge on the newly constructed Great Gorge Railway Trail (1.1 miles). Named for a former electric trolley line, the trail offers a close-up view of the lush foliage and the swirling rapids. Or cross the street to explore the Underground Railroad Heritage Center. You’ll begin to appreciate the hardship endured by all the freedom seekers and abolitionists who crossed the raging river to Canada.
Back on our bikes, we’ll stop at Old Fort Niagara for lunch. After our picnic, take a walk along the beach or explore the historic fort that controlled access to the Great Lakes for hundreds of years. First inhabited by the French, the fort fell to the British in 1759 and was then conceded to the United States in 1796. It has been a place of peace ever since.
We'll finish our ride in charming Lewiston. Be sure to explore Center Street lined with small shops, bakeries and restaurants before we have dinner at a restaurant overlooking the water. 29 miles. (+514'/-778')
DAY 4: Today’s geography lesson is all about the Niagara Escarpment, the long ridge that runs through this region. Without it, there would be no Niagara Falls. If you didn’t notice the escarpment yesterday as you coasted your way down its gradual slope, you’ll feel it today as you climb out of Lewiston. Don’t sweat it — our guides can shuttle you up the escarpment if you prefer.
Take your final photos of the Falls before our last picnic lunch together. Then we’ll provide a complimentary shuttle to the Buffalo airport or train station, arriving by 1:30pm. 9 miles. (+530’/-273)