Posted on 08/29/2014 3:57:39 PM PDT by Wingy
So a few weeks ago, my Wonderful Wife got a bug in her bonnet to see Niagara Falls.
Funny...I used to have a Golden Retriever, and the dog could be laying on her stomach sleeping, and my mother could be on the other side of the room facing in the opposite direction...and she would say in a low voice “Slowly I turned...”
The dog’s eyes would instantly open, eyebrows popping up as she would look over, and as soon as my mom would start moving slowly to turn, the dog’s tail would start wagging, and she would begin to growl.
By the time my mom turned all the way around, the dog was in full play mode!
Lived there for a while and the obligatory spots to take friends that visited included the Falls,the power station on the Robert Moses Parkway, Fort Niagara at Youngstown, the shops of Lewiston, the Fatima Shrine if they are religious, with perhaps a side trip over to Canada [Horticultural Garden, Niagara on the Lake]. Rides on Maid of the Mist are sort of traditional but it’s basically a shower with river water and looking up at a lot of water coming down. Lot of orchards in the area to get fruit, apples particularly.
If you do go over to Canada , have your passport up to date. The Canadians are pretty easy to work with, but the US Border Guards are oh so dedicated.
Mostly tourist trap type of things.
But the Canadian view just can't be beat.
I sure wish I knew about the behind the falls exhibit when I went there 30 years ago.
Lets see...
Hard rock cafe- Good food, actually pretty decent prices.
Toussaud wax museum. Redesigned so you can take pictures with the figures.
Ripley’s believe it or not museum.
Any number of great wineries.
Wolfgang pucks- again the prices are not that bad.
Big ferris wheel- good view of the falls.
RCMP store- if you are a big Nelson Eddy fan.
Great wolf lodge- wilderness themed hotel with animatronic animals in the lobby, excellent indoor waterpark.
All of this is on the Canadian side.
CC
Even if they don’t gamble, the Seneca Niagara Casino has lots of entertainment acts coming up this fall, from the Steve Miller Band and Santana to Johnny Mathis and Diana Krall. Check out their website for the calendar.
Having canoed many times in the Ozarks, I must go there for a float trip sometime. One call to an old hillbilly friend, and the fun is going to happen!
;-)
If you’re there for four days, you can definitely squeeze in a day trip to Toronto.
My old friend always wanted to pick up several cases of beer for a float. Is the beer on the Canadian side good stuff?
Can you get a barrel?
Take a passport and view the falls from the Canadian side.
Take a ride on the Maid of the Mist.
Walk around and look at the falls.
Have fun.
PS also go in the coldest part of the winter and see it frozen over.
PS also go in the coldest part of the winter and see it frozen over.
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Yeah. Because there is nothing better than being north of Buffalo in subartic January.
One of my favorite placrs in the world is Niagara on the Lake.
Our mass-market swill is better than US mass-market swill, also a bit stronger (5%). Moosehead and Canadian are OK, but best product IMO is Creemore Pilsener. All are available at any Beer Store.
A few years ago I took my wife and here’s what we did:
1) Canadian dinner show called “Oh Canada, Eh?” - it was a hoot - totally politically incorrect.
2) dinner cruise out of Buffalo - do the jazz cruise. Rock-n-roll cruise can get rowdy.
3) there was a Vegas style magic show on the Canadian side - we did the dinner before show as well. Very good show.
Take the power plant tours (US side and Canadian side) - The two modern big plants are past the Falls and Whirlpool and have excellent!!!! museums about the world’s first hydro electric plants.
Go to the Canadian “spoof” musical theater a few miles west of Niagara (10 minutes or so) - EXCELLENT dinner and songs and comedy theater.
Go a few miles further west into Canada to the ocean going ship locks and canal between the Lakes.
Go down south just a bit into Buffalo to ride the Eire Canal boats through THOSE canal locks and see the Lcokport museum.
Drive down the Niagara River (on either side) towards the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 forts, the wiineries and the orchards towards the other Lake, take a ferry across, then drive back on the opposite side. Stop at the power plants and at the Whirlpool and bridges.
I was also 6 in 1958 - grew up about 60 miles from the falls and went a number of times, especially after I got my license and could drive a girl friend around...
Artpark in Lewiston.
It’s jsut north of Niagara Falls and yeah, it’s all artsy and stuff, but they have concerts where you can sit on the lawn and there’s a BEAUTIFUL view of where the Niagara River empties into Lake Ontario.
There’s the Cave of the Winds walk at the base of the Falls.
She should check out Goat Island and hike around the Three Sister’s Islands that go out into the west branch of the river.
There’s some stunning scenery hidden away on those three little islands. You’d never know you were within a hundred yards of enough power to obliterate you.
There are a couple other very less well know bridges to the Canadian side. IIRC, the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is one. The Rainbow Bridge is another.
There is a tiny little bridge that I found once that the locals use that hardly anyone knows about. It’s north of the Rainbow Bridge and I don’t recall the name or if it’s even in use any more. The customs agent was surprised that I found it but it had no wait time.
Niagara Falls Bridge Commission
http://www.niagarafallsbridges.com/index.php/services/traffic-conditions
Another option is to park on the American side and walk across the Rainbow Bridge. A lot of people walk the bridge, but it’s quite a hike so if someone has trouble walking, they’re better off driving and trying to find a spot on the Canadian side to park.
Also the Butterfly Garden somewhat north of the Falls on the Canadian side is wonderful.
That's right. Unless you're an illegal alien.....
However, it is far easier to get out of the US than in if you're a citizen.
Either have a passport, a passport card, or enhanced drivers license.
You might want to check with the US immigration website about what's needed to get back into the US if you don't have any of those three.
If they get down to Buffalo (about 30 minutes South of the Falls), they might like
http://spiritofbuffalo.com/Wine.aspx
A 2 hour wine and cheese cruise on a 73’ two masted schooner on lake Erie. I see them out all the time when I’m bass fishing.
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