Helping plan a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada. My question is this, has anyone been there? Which hotels are the best to stay at (might stay at a couple different ones). Also, most importantly...this will be a road trip there. Can anyone suggest to me places to stop in between here and there (probably about 7 hours in to the trip so that the next morning there would only be a 2 hour ride)? Any info you can give me would be great! Thanks in advance!
Niagara Falls, Canada
- Thread starter thebird
- Start date
Michael Delaney
Porsche 917K
Can't exactly help answer your questions, but I went to the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls for a day in early July and had a great time.
My suggestion would be to go to Toronto, hang out there for a few days and take a day long tour bus trip from there to see the Falls, like we did. Niagara didn't seem to offer more than a day worth of entertainment, but it was a fun day.
My suggestion would be to go to Toronto, hang out there for a few days and take a day long tour bus trip from there to see the Falls, like we did. Niagara didn't seem to offer more than a day worth of entertainment, but it was a fun day.
glhs837
Power with Control
We did a family trip there back in early July ourselves. We actually stayed two days in the unexpectedly nice town of Williamsport, PA, first. Picked Williamsport because its about halfway, and we didnt want to deal with the madnesss that the resort area of Niagara would be on the 4th of July. Stayed in a 1920s hotel called the Genetti, I found a small microbrewery called the Bavarian Barbarian, one man operation, very cool. Visited the Reptile land and wandered Millionaires Row.
Going that way routed us most of the way on Rt 15 through PA and NY, and a nice ride it was. Niagara itself, other than an overly nosy border guard, was a blast, but not cheap. We stayed in the Fallsview Marriot, which was a bit pricey, but the views were amazing even from our 10th floor room. If you dont want spend gigabucks on food, go south from the resort area to the normal town parts of Niagara. lots of relatively regular priced eating choices. Changing money is a bit of a pain, but nothing to do about that.
At Niagara, we did the Maid of the Mist, worth every penny, as was the Trip beneath the Falls, where you take an elevator down 125 feet through rock into tunnels bored out behind and next to the falls. We went to the butterfly conservatory, and even I had a blast there.
Going that way routed us most of the way on Rt 15 through PA and NY, and a nice ride it was. Niagara itself, other than an overly nosy border guard, was a blast, but not cheap. We stayed in the Fallsview Marriot, which was a bit pricey, but the views were amazing even from our 10th floor room. If you dont want spend gigabucks on food, go south from the resort area to the normal town parts of Niagara. lots of relatively regular priced eating choices. Changing money is a bit of a pain, but nothing to do about that.
At Niagara, we did the Maid of the Mist, worth every penny, as was the Trip beneath the Falls, where you take an elevator down 125 feet through rock into tunnels bored out behind and next to the falls. We went to the butterfly conservatory, and even I had a blast there.
Great Input! Thanks so much! Do you know of any places a little closer to the Falls though to stop? I know she said she wanted to drive probably 7 hours the first day so the next day (their anniversary) they wouldn't be wiped out from a long drive. Are there any cute little towns further north that would be worth the stop?
kwillia
n/a
One of my most favorite vacations! We stayed at Sheraton on the Falls in a room with a view of the falls and it was fabulous... they had a balcony type door that you could open so you could hear/see the falls. Did the Maid of the Mist, Behind the Falls, the Butterfly conservatory, the River Gorge walk, took a ride in a horse drawn carriage through the arboritum next to the Butterfly conservatory... all of it was well worth it!
glhs837
Power with Control
No, I didnt look farther north. The timing worked out well though. We got to the hotel just in time for check in. A little walking around that afternoon, down to Queen Victoria Park to see what we wanted to do the next day, a nice meal, and settled in to watch the lights come on. They light falls at night with huge colored spotlights, very cool.
Kwilla, the on thing we didnt do was the Gorge walk. We will hit that when next we go, and we will. I would like to spend more time looking over some of the historical old power plant buildings and such, like that wrecked ship thats been lodged in the rocks north of the falls since the turn of the century.
thebird, heres the prime hotels, the ones with the million dollar views. If the viewpoint is off, just spin it til you see them, you will be looking almost due west. that last one is the Sheraton kwilla mentioned, the one next to it with the curved face is the Marriot Fallsview we stayed at.
Looking at the map of the route I took, Corning, NY is about 2:45 away. home of Corning Glass, which museum might be cool, if that sort of stuff interests you, I plan to hit it next trip up that way, but I"m a bit of a geek for tech and industrial stuff.
niagara falls - Google Maps
If this works, its a clickable thumbnail for the view out of our window
<a href="http://s798.photobucket.com/albums/yy268/glhs837/?action=view¤t=e98e0754.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy268/glhs837/th_e98e0754.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>
Kwilla, the on thing we didnt do was the Gorge walk. We will hit that when next we go, and we will. I would like to spend more time looking over some of the historical old power plant buildings and such, like that wrecked ship thats been lodged in the rocks north of the falls since the turn of the century.
thebird, heres the prime hotels, the ones with the million dollar views. If the viewpoint is off, just spin it til you see them, you will be looking almost due west. that last one is the Sheraton kwilla mentioned, the one next to it with the curved face is the Marriot Fallsview we stayed at.
Looking at the map of the route I took, Corning, NY is about 2:45 away. home of Corning Glass, which museum might be cool, if that sort of stuff interests you, I plan to hit it next trip up that way, but I"m a bit of a geek for tech and industrial stuff.
niagara falls - Google Maps
If this works, its a clickable thumbnail for the view out of our window
<a href="http://s798.photobucket.com/albums/yy268/glhs837/?action=view¤t=e98e0754.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy268/glhs837/th_e98e0754.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>
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Hessian
Well-Known Member
Maid of the Mist...
Did it last summer....
Everybody was thrilled by it---except me.
Under the sticky hot poncho, we swirled into the pounding bay below the Falls while the automated voice trumpeted the wonder of the Falls!!!!
(I couldn't see a thing -glasses covered, didn't dare take out the camera,
and...really don't like getting wet.) the trip was about 20 minutes max...and if the wife liked it: fine.
I did like the view from the top of the American side (Goat Island) but again $$$ for just about everything.
The Community around Niagara has been suffering from economic downturn since the 1970's; Empty factories, boarded up homes, weedy RR tracks etc.
I got to hang out with a college friend and do the tour for next to nothing so...worth doing, just not worth spending a fortune on.
Did it last summer....
Everybody was thrilled by it---except me.
Under the sticky hot poncho, we swirled into the pounding bay below the Falls while the automated voice trumpeted the wonder of the Falls!!!!
(I couldn't see a thing -glasses covered, didn't dare take out the camera,
and...really don't like getting wet.) the trip was about 20 minutes max...and if the wife liked it: fine.
I did like the view from the top of the American side (Goat Island) but again $$$ for just about everything.
The Community around Niagara has been suffering from economic downturn since the 1970's; Empty factories, boarded up homes, weedy RR tracks etc.
I got to hang out with a college friend and do the tour for next to nothing so...worth doing, just not worth spending a fortune on.
We went a few years ago, stopped in Pittsburgh on the way up and I don't remember if we stopped on the way back or not.
I guess if you want a short trip in the morning without making the whole drive, you might want to stop near Erie. We just picked Pittsburgh because it was about half-way and we were able to go downtown and see a few things.
frequentflier
happy to be living
If you get the chance, go to the IMAX theatre and watch the movie about the history of the falls. I have seen it on 3 different occasions and it was awesome!
We have gone every year to Canada. Port Colborne, half hour drive SSW of Niagara Falls, which is an extremely easy drive on their straight roads is the area to stay. The locks are nearby and Lake Erie along with their State Park. Plus there is a train ride an hour's drive to the West from there. Good central location. The Locks are interesting with the large ships that enter through the Locks on a dailiy basis. Do NOT recommend Toronto due to the typical big city hassles. Not worth the bother. Port Colborne, no crime. Folks are friendly. Great food. The Falls area is a tourist trap and you pay top dollar for any hotel, whether it is good or not. Remember that the Falls has people from around the world, including con artists and criminals from around the world playing their games. Be responsible and keep a close eye on any children, but have a good time. The QEW is a good major highway to get you up and down the road fast if you don't know any of the smaller, less major roads. The winerys are all over the place that wind through a small narrow long road from one winery to another but well worth the fun if you like winerys. Great wine and many have provided free or reduced priced samples. Several of the winerys have ice wine, which is a sweet desert wine, usually expensive that isn't seen in the United States around here very often. Good luck. Due to 9-11 make sure you meet any restrictions that Canada and the U.S. might have for when you reenter the U.S. If you go across the Peace Bridge to enter Canada as I normally due, be prepared for back ups at any time. Some times of the day such as lunch time and afternoon hours are not a time to cross. Fridays after 4:00 is the worst time due to folks from Buffalo headed over to Canada which they do on a regular basis after their work week. Good luck & have fun!
Wow - the thumbnail pictures when you click on the main Google picture are awesome! I've never been to Niagara Falls. One day maybe.
hvp05
Methodically disorganized
Went to college there (Lycoming).
The only thing that you mentioned that I remember is Millionaire's Row. 
As for the Falls: I was there once when very young, so I don't have any advice other than to say you should definitely do it now because in a short few tens of thousands of years they won't be there anymore.
glhs837
Power with Control
We tried to get seats on the paddlewheeler for the fireworks on the fourth, but since it was short notice, that didnt work. Serendipitously, though, from the 10th floor of the Genetti, we could see the parking garages a few blocks away. We had an amazing view from the 7th floor of one of them.
We went years ago for an Ice Hockey trip to Buffalo. Lot's of places to stay there! We would have never planned a trip to Niagara Falls but we are glad it was so close and we were able to experience it's beauty and power. The american and canadian side both have their things to do. When you cross over the peace bridge to canada there is always a rainbow! We didn't need a passport back then. We went in the winter so maid of the mist wasn't running. There was still plenty to do and see! I think we stayed where West Point academy is for our stop on the way. They were having pleb week or something when we were there. have fun!