Most residential districts in this city of 90,000 are well to the west of the natural wonders for which it is known around the world: the falls and gorge of the Niagara River. You can see and hear the falls from the tourist districts of Clifton Hill and Fallsview, but few locals make their homes amidst the hotels, casinos, cafes, shops and diversions of these areas.

Just north of the falls lies one residential district that takes full advantage of Niagara's natural environment. For almost two km, River Road is lined on its western side by homes overlooking the stone wall along the gorge, beyond it the international border, and then the limestone cliffs, forest and skyline of Niagara Falls, New York. Some of these dwellings are grand, others modest. Most are a century old. All of them rest on the escarpment bedrock.

In this district, residents and visitors find common ground. Since River Road is part of the Niagara Parkway, it is a popular route for cars and buses to and from the falls. Passengers get to enjoy residents' gardens and architecture along the way. So do the myriad pedestrians and cyclists. The latter also use the Olympic Torch Trail, the shortest route from the bus and train stations to the falls.

Further, visitors can do more than pass through this neighbourhood. They can stay overnight and wake in the morning to a kind of white noise that soothes like ocean waves, the relentless roar of the falls. Between 25 and 30 residents run bed-and-breakfasts in their homes, affording tourists a travel experience more authentic, personal and familial than in hotels.

To locals and visitors alike, this website gives an overall picture of the River Road Heritage Neighbourhood, from its beginning until now, 2019. The basic map is below. Follow the links at left to whatever topics interest you.