This past week I went on vacation with my family to Niagara Falls in New York. We stayed in a nice little town house and spent five days there. The Falls were so amazing and beautiful. We saw them from America's side and from Canada as well. It was definitely a magnificent example of the power of nature. We had looked up many different things to do at Niagara Falls and came across a few rare gems that you may not find on your average travel article. If and when I go back again there will be a few things I will definitely avoid and many things I am eager to do again!
The Do's of Niagara Falls
1. Maid of the Mist
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The Maid of the Mist is a definite must if you're going to be visiting the Niagara Falls State Park. Get ready to slap on a poncho and wait in line for awhile. The Maid of the Mist will take you right up to the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls as well. If you plan on taking pictures, I strongly suggest a waterproof camera! We went on a Tuesday so it wasn't too crowded on the boat. The view is amazing, especially when you get right up next to the Falls.
2. Cave of the Winds
The Cave of the Winds is another MUST. Be prepared to really get soaked on this one. You get yet another poncho, but also a pair of sandals to put on. The line takes awhile, and the elevator ride, but the wait is worth it. You get to walk down right next to the American Falls on a wooden platform of sorts. There are different levels of intensity on the platform. The most exciting level is the hurricane level, which is right up close and personal with the thundering waters of the falls.
3. Clifton Hill
Prepare to get your passport for this one! Clifton Hill is a beautiful tourist trap right on the coast of the Niagara River on Canadian soil. It has many more attractions than the US side. There are restaurants, arcades, museums, amusement rides, and my personal favorite; a zip line right across the river from the Falls. It has all kinds of attractions and is great for all ages. I strongly suggest purchasing the Clifton Hill Fun Pass if you have little ones with you. Also, in my personal opinion, it has a much better view of both the Falls. I suggest going for a ride on the "Niagara Sky Wheel" for the perfect view!
4. Niagara Falls Hard Rock Cafe
It may be a tourist trap, but I absolutely love Hard Rock Cafe. The one for Niagara Falls is right down the road from the State Park in the US. After a long hot day in the sun, it was nice to walk down the road and enjoy a good meal, nice atmosphere, and get some decent souvenirs afterwards. There is also a Hard Rock Cafe on the Canadian side as well. We ate at both on our trip.
5. Hershey's Store in Canada
Right at the edge of Clifton Hill lies the sweet little Hershey's Chocolate store. Don't worry, they have much more than just chocolate! They had great deals on candy, and some of it I had never seen before. Also, if you're lucky, you can snag a free sample card on your walk through Clifton Hill or at one of the other Canadian Attractions for a free nibble of chocolate or fudge. The Hershey's milkshakes are to die for and the chocolate strawberries as well!
The Don't's of Niagara Falls
1. The Niagara Falls Aquarium
Now, I love aquariums as much as the next person, but the only thing that this aquarium had going for it was that it was air conditioned. Our waitress at the Hard Rock Cafe had told us it was a waste of time and she was right. It is inside the Niagara Falls State Park. It's a small circular building filled with endangered species of fish. It was crowded and just your average fish tank. Don't waste your time on this one.
2. Niagara Falls Discovery Center
The Discovery Center is suppose to be a great hands on learning experience for all who come to it! Yet again, the only thing good about this place was the air conditioning. It was run down and under funded. The equipment was outdated and most of the interactive machines didn't even work. We stayed for about five minutes and then left.
3. Top of the Falls Restaurant
The Top of the Falls Restaurant is located within the state park as well. It was nice, with a decent view of the Falls, but definitely not worth the cost or the wait. The gift store underneath was pretty nice, but the view was all it really had going for it. It's definitely not a must, but it wasn't too terrible. It had decent food, and a place to sit, which is sometimes all you need.
4. Observation Deck
The Observation Deck was basically built for a better side view of the Falls from the American side and costs money. I heard a worker say it is free after 8 PM, but we just skipped it entirely. You can get a much better look of the Falls for free just by driving over to Canada's side. It's also definitely not worth the wait.
5. Clifton Hill Movieland Wax Museum
I have been to the wax museum in Times Square and it was amazing. The Movieland Wax Museum was a waste of time and money. The wax figures looked terrible and there weren't too many anyways. It was just another classic tourist trap and I was incredibly disappointed, especially after the terrific wax museum I encountered in NYC.
The Honorable Mention
Marineland in Canada
We encountered an amusement park of sorts while in Canada. Marineland is a beautiful, large park with many different attractions. There are Marine attractions featuring killer whales, belugas, dolphins, sea lions, and many other aquatic animals. The show was very cute and fun that we went to. I absolutely loved the dolphins. There are also a few restaurants within the park. My family and I loved the amusement rides. They have one of the greatest roller coasters I have ever experienced in my life. It's called Dragon Mountain. We went on it twice and the lines were very decent for such a great park. We were surprised with the size of the park and the lack of people there. It's a huge, spread out place, with not many people. The rides were great, with short lines, and the animal attractions were awesome. We went to a deer park and fed the deer which my family and I enjoyed. The only downside, is that you should be prepared to walk great lengths to travel around the park. There are no trolleys or buses. This park was intended for moderately active people, who can walk up steep hills, or walk great distances. That was the only true downside of the park.
All in all, I can say now that I've fed deer with my own hands, been to Canada, have seen the Niagara Falls with my own eyes, and have actually zip lined right across the river from the Falls. It was one of the greatest vacations I've ever been on and I plan on going back someday. I hope this helps guide you if you are planning on seeing the beautiful falls yourself.
