Old Fort Niagara is beautiful and full of history. They have a great museum on the grounds as well as a lighthouse. The museum offered a film and on the grounds they also offered a musket demonstration. All of the buildings were very interesting to tour. The grounds also offered great views of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, where you can see the Toronto skyline. read more

See all

It was a very misty day bordering on being a rainy day. There were around 50 men, women and kids dressed in full costumes at Fort Niagara. The weather did not stop them or hinder their attitudes towards what they were there to do. It was like stepping back in time to an era that was so important to us even to this day. Beautiful buildings, great atmosphere and a wonderful experience all around thanks to the people who were there. read more

See all

What a wonderful piece of history! I got the opportunity to come here due to my son's field trip and I'm so happy that I tagged along. I would definitely recommend going here with a guided tour. The men and women that give these tours are absolutely amazing they explained every building and every room with such a great detail. There are also people walking around dressed in British Army outfits as well as reenactments done throughout the fort. Also going on at Old Fort Niagara is an archaeological dig. I got to speak to some of the students that are doing the Dig and the items they were able to find in the ground are absolutely amazing, including an arrow head, bullet, pottery and much more. Besides all the great things you can learn from coming here you also get a beautiful view of the water. read more

See all

Just got done with a semi-self guided tour of the fort. Highly recommend asking for leah in the gift shop. She went above and beyond in giving me the background and history of the fort. So glad to see enthusiastic young people embracing the history of our nation like this. 5 stars isn't enough read more

Super educational, yet fun, morning checking this place out. The staff was super knowledgeable and answered all questions. They had guided tours which I wish we had known about prior, I'd recommend those. However it is super enjoyable on the self guided tour as well. read more

This is a great place to take the family and enjoy a journey back in time. The fort has real cannons and one that fires every couple hours. The buildings are kept in historically accurate condition and the staff are great at reenacting 18th century soldiers and craftsmen. They discount the admission fee if you paid for parking and you can bring your own lunch or eat in the log cabin cafeteria. When we went, the lighthouse was open for touring but we got rained out. I look forward to reviewing the light house on our next trip. read more

Went here on Labor Day... not too busy, I was pleasantly surprised. I love "living history" stuff and this was great. I hadn't been there since I was a little kid so really had no memories of my last visit. First of all, the Empire pass, which we have, only gets u into the park..u must pay to get into the Fort as it's run by the association that maintains it, which we didn't realize. It was $12 each to get in. Not a problem.. happy to contribute to them. We started out with a short film about the history of the fort then a docent lead us on a short (25 minutes) tour to the entrance of the Fort. He dubbed himself a "military history buff" and had great info about the places we passed through on our way into the Fort and on all the buildings inside. We got an opportunity to talk to the fife player and drum player as he concluded which was fascinating! After that they "called orders" to have us assemble for a mortar demonstration... again fascinating, if loud. The docent warned us ahead of time about the BANG. We then did a self guided tour of the buildings using a pamphlet describing each building and monument and I just loved it. We were also there for a musket during demonstration. We happened to be there on a day when the person who recreated, based on historical info, a period baking oven was there and they were giving it a trial run cooking "pinch bread" chicken and some other items that would have been made in the oven at the time. I got a great description of how things might have worked at the time with the food from another docent in the "bake house" while they sampled the results of their experiment. Some of the paths are cobblestone and a little uneven but fairly easily passable for anyone. The docents here obviously love the history they are representing and teaching the public what they know. Gorgeous views... really enjoyable day. We did our own tour over about and hour and a half after the film and brief tour. read more

See all

There is way more to do here than expected. Unbelievably well restored buildings and an excellent museum. Knowledgeable reenactors. Well worth the 13 buck price. Great view to Toronto. Even my hot dog was good and 3.50 with lots of kraut! Perfect place to go spend a few hours in the area. read more

This is one of the best forts we have been to. Not only is it extremely well kept and restored you see all of it. But they do demonstrations through out the day and they are different. They have musket with a cannon and then they have marches, woman showing what they did back then. It was really a great experience and awesome! I'm so glad that we went there there is SO much history. Take the tour, it's worth it. See the film it gives you much more history than if you just walked around and guessed what was going on. Ask the people dressed up they are there to answer all questions. There was even a guy hand sewing his winter warmers, how neat is that. This is for sure at least a half day event if not more. It's one of the best forts I have EVER been to and we have seen a lot. I love that they put the time and effort not only in restoring it but in all the reenactments. It is a MUST see! read more

We took a spooky Lanterns and Lore tour and had a wonderful time learning about all the real paranormal phenomena that have occurred at the fort. Our guide, Bob, was very passionate and a great storyteller! All other staff were nice and helpful as well. The grounds are stunning and were a joy to explore. Highly recommend! read more

This place is cool! The nerd in me comes out, You have people playing the part. People in the kitchen and there's people that show you how to make things. You have the army hanging around looking towards the water. It's just a cool place. I don't mind coming back and spending more time here! Love it! read more

For two retired service member No trip to Niagara Falls is complete without visiting the history of the area. The history of Old Fort Niagara spans more than 300 years. This in and of itself is not that terribly interesting but what is interesting is that the fort was occupied at different times by France, Great Britain and the United States. There is also a museum on site with a short film, I would recommend watching the film and looking at the museum. read more

Old Fort Niagara - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Youngstown, New York

I recently took advantage of a rare opportunity to visit OFN for free. There was a special performance taking place featuring 4 fife and drum corps from around the world. Italy, Belgium, USA and France were represented in full dress period costumes. They began by parading to the four corners of the center square directly in front of the french castle. It was a picture perfect day. The corps took turns playing songs. The Towpath fife and drum corp from Palmyra, NY played historical numbers such as yankee doodle dandy so I assume what I was hearing from the other corps were patriotic songs from their countries as well. They each had a specific sound native to their country. It was a spectacular sight and a very pleasant experience. After the corps marched off the field we were able to explore the fort and all of its buildings and exhibits. I had never spent a great deal of time here before so this was all new and exciting to me. The feeling of history and age is apparent everywhere at OFN. The chairs in the french castle were worn smooth from much use,,,with the pegs (used instead of nails) coming up through the bottom of the seats. The wood beams used to make the buildings are amazingly thick, the walls were built with large slabs of rock making them very thick....a big contrast to how things are built nowadays. The views from the tops of the buildings are beautiful with the Niagara River to one side and Lake Ontario on another. We could see Toronto clearly the day we went...even the sun glinting off the buildings like a beacon. Old Fort Niagara is a fun place to spend the day wandering through the past and learning about the history of the area. read more

We had a great time here. Giving it a 4 only due to the price, not horrible but with a family of 6 not something we can do often. The fort is really interesting, and well maintained. The museum was great to learn the history. read more

What an interesting place to spend a few hours. The history, the beauty of the location. Take the family for some low key, educational fun away from the crowds of the tourism in the area. read more

I would like to show my appreciation to the tour guide named Jim. He was very knowledgeable full of energy and passion for Fort Niagara. We had many questions and he answered them so well and encouraged us to want to learn more about the location. He showed my husband and I a map of why Fort Niagara was valuable and one of a kind for countries to claim as their own. Jim genuinely cared about all the visitors that came and being a wealth of knowledge for individuals. Thank you Jim for going above and beyond. The fort itself is gorgeous and well worth a visit. There is a lot of information to absorb but with Jim as a tour guide it was easy to understand. Whether your French, British or American there is history here for everyone to enjoy. read more

I guess it would be beautiful, but we couldn't get in. Drove up from Grand Island on our last day of vacation. Weather was absolutely perfect! Checked the NY state website to ensure there would not be an issue bringing our dog (a big 5pounder!).. Nothing. We entered the park after paying $8 entrance fee. Got to the Fort's visitor center and right at the doe was a sign, "NO PETS".. That's just another oversight on someone's part that works for the liberal NY state government! read more

Wonderful piece of history!!! Well worth the admission price but I wish it was free for kids! Great exhibitions and people stationed to give you details about each part of the Fort read more

An interesting place in a great location, right where the Niagara River (of Niagara Falls fame) dumps into Lake Ontario. It includes the oldest building on the Great Lakes, built in 1725, I think. It was built by the French, but then taken by the British in the siege of 1759. If you're a history buff, I'm sure you'll find this whole place fascinating. For the rest of us, go on a day when there is a re-enactment. They don't charge any more for admission. It's the 250th anniversary of the French-Indian War, and five years of re-enactments are planned for the forts scattered around New York state. There's sure to be always something happening here since it was the site of a pivotal battle. read more

I don't really know how I should go about reviewing a historical site. We paid ten bucks, stayed for about an hour, learned some cool things, and took plenty of awesome photos. It was windy and really cold, though, and that diminished our enjoyment of the place. Also, the main building where we paid for our tickets had no power so it was lit by old school lanterns and we couldn't use a credit card to pay. Kind of lame. But it was very beautiful and would probably be a lot more fun during the spring or summer when it's warm out and there are leaves on the trees! read more

Very interesting place! Its amazing to be in the fort and just imagine how it was back in history. Good for kids also.

hadn't been to the fort since I was a child. Now that I have a 9 year old boy and we were visiting the area, I thought it would be good to show it to him. We both very much enjoyed the fort, especially the volunteer actors. It's very authentic, and my son especially enjoyed the court martial reenactment. It was not very crowded, even for a Sunday. The fort is very well preserved and we learned alot about the fort and the people who lived there during our visit. the only way to improve upon it would have been to have a tour available to learn more details about the fort. I would definitely recommend the tour if you are in the area and enjoy authentic history. read more

There is no admittance to through the visitor center after 4:30 pm, though the fort is open till 5. The employee closed her till and locked the doors before 4:30 and we we weren't allowed to the fort though it was open another 30 minutes. Beware of tired grumpy state employees. read more

An OUTSTANDING historical American Fort. I will be back. They have historical re-enactment programs that are excellent.

I reallllllly wish we could have spent more time here. They close way too early (4:30 at the gift shop and office and 5:00 at the fort) - the only reason it is not a 5 star. The views were gorgeous and the fort was truly amazing. It was fun exploring and learning about the history of the fort. We were also treated to a re-enactment bc it was Memorial Day weekend. We got a demo of a musket firing off and a few other demos. It was fun interacting with the different people and learning their "story". I just wish it was opened a little later. read more

Great historic place to visit. Knowledgeable tour guides, fun historic demonstrations with live musket demonstrations and cannon firing, fantastic views-when the weather is cooperative ; ). Great place to learn a little bit and enjoy the outdoors. If you are traveling from Canada, be prepared for border crossing delays. Depending on time of day could be over an hour? read more

Was a very well maintained historic site to visit. Need to have 2 hours or so to visit. Very informative people and wonderful reenactments. Loved being able to walk around the fort at our own pace. Our family did meet a very wonderful Native American who took an hour or more to talk with us about his ancestors, their stories, the fort armory. I wish this young man the best of his career and work at the fort. One voice to many. Thank you sir!! read more

Amazing history, haunts, and views. The reenactments are spectacular. Price is fantastic. Just an amazing experience. I live 5 minutes from there and the whole place is addicting. Great view of Lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Beautiful park with more historical bldgs. Swimming pool area. Playgrounds, cooking areas with picnic tables all over. Hoping they get the other scattered bldgs on the park grounds fixed up for inside visitation and info too. read more

"Extremely interesting and well preserved historical fort. Built by the French, taken by the Americans and recaptured by the British. Used as internment camp for WW2 POWs . Great demos for adults and kids beautiful setting." read more

Old Fort Niagara - Artillery Encampment weekend. Cannon demos. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Youngstown, New York

See all

It not just a fort - inside the fort you find soldiers, King, Queen, Maid and shooting for gun demo... things used during the war time, there dressing, there way of living.. We would definitely learn lot of things here and get to see as well. I appreciate whole heartily to the people who dress/act/talk and show demo's the entire day to all the visitors the way they used to live during those times. read more

Old Fort Niagara is always a great place to visit. When you enter the main building you are greeted with some historical artifacts and a video or two that let you know the history of the fort, the war and some general military information. The real treat is being able to go into all of the historic buildings. You can expect to see everything from the rooms they stored gunpowder in to the rooms were officers stayed. Make sure to stick around and see some muskets and cannons get fired. They run a variety of events outside of the regular hours. One of these events consist of dancing to period music, they even include some basic dance lessons. Around Halloween they also do the Haunted fort, not historical tour like we thought, but instead a thrill attraction. I actually would have preferred it to be a historical tour with death and ghost stories from the fort. Regardless the fort does a good job of staying modern/relevant and historic simultaneously. Be sure to check out local tourist magazines and the internet, you can usually find coupons for discounted or free admission. read more

A certain employee was very disrespectful and rude. Refused to start the movie ten minutes early even though we were the only people there. Acted very superior and acted as though it was a good idea to have two fun activities at the exact same time even though only one family was present. Not worth the 44 dollar cost for this "non-profit" organization. Beautiful place and rich in history, but unhelpful staff can ruin it for all. read more

Visited for the first time and was very impressed. They offer a video history and a guided tour for no extra cost, other than admission. All the staff was helpful and friendly. The grounds were extremely well kept and even for the age of the structures they are amazingly all still holding strong. The Native American displays and accounts form the past were very informative. There is a ton of history at this one site you could easily spend an entire day reading and going through the multiple buildings on the grounds. I look forward to going back in the future and spending more time roaming the fort. read more

Excellent scenery of the Niagara river and Lake Ontario. Excellent reenactors and guides.

They brought back a Halloween event!Telling of ghost stories was a amazing way to celebrate Halloween.I am deaf in one ear and was afraid I wasn't going to be able to hear but our guide had a great voice.We did have a hard time finding the right road but all the rest was great. About the wooden lanterns....one caught fire. That could have been a disaster. Maybe battery operated ones would be a better choice. read more

I was born & raised in this area and remembered field trips to "The Fort" when I was a child. The historical significance of this place is hard to find. Down to the smell of this place..the experience is difficult to duplicate. If you're looking for modern day lighting, heating and the ability to use your credit card so to Clifton Hill on the Canadian side. They have wax museums and is totally commercialized. If you're looking for American History preserved, plan a day at Fort Niagara. read more

Our family went there over the Memorial Day weekend, and we loved it! We were treated to some military reenactments and displays, beyond just the fort itself. Our family loved the outdoor grounds, the French castle and the view of Lake Ontario. The indoor museum is a must-see, and the gift shop has plenty to choose from. Staff was friendly and helpful. Grounds were clean, and admission was affordable. Fun for families of any size, and history lovers will be in heaven! gets kids off electronics and out in the real world! read more

Never even heard of Old Fort Niagara. It is a great historical place. We stopped here on our way to Niagara Falls, NY. What history, the buildings are in good condition. read more

Fascinating old French fort (turned British then American) overlooking the lake. The old French manor house is the oldest permanent structure in this part of the U.S. Walk along the battlements or through the gatehouses to imagine what it must have been like to be posted 3,000 miles away from home in an unknown wilderness! read more

Old Fort Niagara. Great place to visit. They are organized with groups. The tour guide was a nice man who had a sense of humor. I found it fascinating that each building you walked to and saw, went through was a great piece of history. The volunteers who were the players there were in character and were great to experience. I was not scared, I had fun with it. Comfortable walking shoes is recommended, but the walk from one place to another is worth the trip. To me, the scary part is the ground. Being unsure if there were any holes or anything to trip over. It was very dark, but it made even more of an experience. it was very cold but I enjoyed everything, from old history, scenery and the volunteers who played their parts with the roles they were playing. After the tour we wound up at the gift shop where refreshments and souvenirs were being sold. Was a little late to the "bonfire" (just a small campfire). Missed the story but like the fire. After that the tour of the cemetery was fascinating to know about people who died there. All in all it was a great experience. I would be glad to go again. Night and/or day. read more