Established in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the country. It is located on the eastern shore of the Niagara River. The park offers visitors several attractions and activities to learn about and view the falls. These include the visitor center, a 30-minute trolley ride, the Cave of the Winds tour (which takes visitors behind the falls wearing ponchos), the Maid of the Mist boat tour, the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, and an observation tower. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as is also a National Historic Landmark.

Sam Patch was eventually recruited to the area of Upstate New York by the innkeepers at Niagara Falls in 1829. His eye for danger landed on the Niagara Falls. He settled on the location of Goat Island, which is a division between two sets of falls (Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls). No man in history has attempted this feat, people did not even think it was possible to come out of alive. Sam Patch proved them wrong.

Terrapin Point was created by blasting away unstable rock formations and adding landfill in the 1980s to create an ideal location to view Horseshoe Falls. In the 19th century, the area had a series of footbridges that connected some of the largest rock formations to allow tourists to see the falls. For most of the 20th century, however, the area was too unsafe for tourists.