I stopped procrastinating (and finally got the funds) and put in our applications for our passports. We got them back in 2 weeks! I’m thinking a short trip to Niagara Falls would be nice. I’ve heard that the Canadian side is nicer so I’m thinking about doing a short (less than a week) trip sometime…
Looking for pointers, advice on what to do and where to stay, how to get through customs easier (if there is a way)… We live in Northern Virginia so we can fly out of Dulles, Reagan or Richmond. I’d like to go when there are fewer tourists, but don’t know what we’d miss. We might take one or both kids (20 and 25) or we might go alone. It depends.
We went a while ago and we flew to Buffalo and then rented a car and drove to Canada (it is the nicer side). I don’t expect you will have trouble going through customs there – they are very used to tourists going to Niagara Falls – my S and his friends had no issues last year. The “must do” activity is the Maid of the Mist – a boat ride that takes you under the falls. We also did a walk behind the falls (Journey Behind the Falls I think it is called) which was worthwhile. We had a dinner at the Skylon Tower, a restaurant on top of a tower that revolves, (which admittedly is a bit of a ripoff) but the view is great and when we went at night the falls were all lit up. There is plenty of other stuff to do, much of it is good touristy fun. I’d guess it is less crowded if you avoid the summer or school vacations. But when we were there (again, years ago) they seemed pretty well equipped to handle crowds. Enjoy.
I’d try to stay in Niagra on the Lake. It’s a lovely little town. Close to Ontario’s wine country- which is famous for their ice wines. You also might want to spend some time in Toronto - a great city to visit and only an hour or so from there and a very easy drive.
Even though the Canadian side of Niagars Falls is nicer? the town is filled with very touristy things like a Wax Museum and hundreds of stores selling tourist crap. See the falls for sure but I wouidn’t bother doing anything else in NF.
Customs is no big deal. Show your passports and answer nicely their questions (where you are going and how long you are staying, etc.)
I’d go in early May well before Memorial Day weekend. Schools in the Northeast don’t get out until late June and schools in other parts of country are still in session. April it might still be cold and damp.
Personally, I think Niagara is good for one thing - see the falls and be done. I guess I agree with @emilybee. Too built up in a touristy way for me.
Further afield, I think Ottawa, and especially Montreal and Quebec City are nice places to spend more time in. Haven’t visited Toronto but here it is nice.
Seems the OP really wants to see the falls, though.
I went once on a stupid summer teen tour my parents made me go on the summer I aged out of sleep away camp and then again about 25 years ago when we hosted an exchange student for the summer and she really wanted to go. We never even took my kid.
I really dislike NF - but Niagara on the Lake is lovely.
I love Montreal and it’s only a quick 3 hrs from my house. I’ve even gone up just for the day when it’s the men’s tennis year there (they alternate years between Montreal and Toronto.)
I lived in Buffalo for several years and have spent quite a bit of time in that area - family cottage is not far from the Falls. It’s a beautiful area with plenty to do. While the American side doesn’t have quite the appeal of the Canadian side, you will want to visit Goat Island and the Three Sisters Islands - from there you can get a fabulous view of the Horseshoe Falls. On the Canadian side, you can go to the top of the Skylon Tower for the view - which of course, you pay for. Toronto is a great place to visit, but it could be the focus of your entire trip.
Ten minutes north of the Falls is the Niagara Botanical Garden, complete with a butterfly conservatory. Well worth the price of admission. Niagara on the Lake is a fabulous little town - as mentioned, lots of vineyards and there is a wonderful theater festival during the “warmer” months. http://www.shawfest.com
Maid of the Mist is fun - you can also go behind the Falls which is neat too. Another option is the Whirlpool boat tours which go on the river itself - my husband has done that but I’m a bit of a coward. To each their own!
Buffalo is also a fun city to visit - Albright Knox Art Museum, interesting historical and ethnic neighborhoods. I think JetBlue flies into Buffalo; renting a car and crossing at the Peace Bridge is a very simple process. It’s less trafficked than some of the other crossings. It’s not a terrible drive; you could drive to Corning and spend some time visiting the Glass Museum if that is of interest and then continue on to Canada.
Edited to add: also in the Niagara Falls area - Port Colborne which is home to the Welland Canal - gets boats from lakes Ontario to Erie . Old Fort Erie is also nearby and if you like history, you’ll want to visit.
There’s absolutely a lot of touristy stuff no matter which side of the border you’re on, but it’s a fun area to visit.
Okay, what’s with all the NF hate here (JK) I grew up in NF, on the American side, but my family was in that “horrible” tourist business on the Canadian side. While I agree that the tourist part of the city is just that, it is worth a day to see the Falls, do the Maid of the Mist, check out the view from the Skylon Tower, and maybe even walk the ticky-tacky (and I say that with love) Clifton Hill. Some people enjoy boardwalk-type tourist areas, others don’t, but don’t miss the wonder that is Niagara Falls.
The border crossing on the Rainbow Bridge will be very busy on a holiday weekend and most any day in the summer. If you’re coming through Buffalo, it might be easier to head over the Peace Bridge from Buffalo to Fort Erie and drive along the Canadian side to the Falls. I do not recommend the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge which is often routed if you’re going to Niagara-on-the-Lake. It’s the only bridge that allows trucks and commercial traffic and it’s usually a long wait to get through customs and immigration.
I agree with the recommendations to head along the Niagara wine trail to spend some time in Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you like theatre and are there during the season, see what’s playing at the various venues for the Shaw Festival. It’s a quaint little town, but unless you’re staying the one of the VERY expensive hotels with a spa, you can see it all in a couple of hours. As for time to visit, I’d recommend after Memorial Day and before the end of June, as I think someone suggested above.
We went to the Niagra Falls several times–summer and September. We had a nice time and highly recommend Niagra on the Lake as well, since that’s a nice side trip. We flew into the Buffalo airport and then drove to the Ontario side of the falls and stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn that was new or at least recently remodeled. We found it excellent and they gave a discount to meals hotel guests ate at their restaurant. We liked having our own car and even drove to the Costco in Ontario.
Agree with all suggestions for Niagara-on-the-Lake, which has places to stay as well. If you want to shop, there is also a popular Outlet Mall on the American side. The Seneca Casino is popular if you want to gamble or possibly see entertainment (also American side), although they allow smoking :(. There are a lot of fab restaurants in N-o-t-L and in Buffalo, so I don’t recommend eating at the Skylon Tower, which is overpriced and underwhelming dining-wise.
Art and architecture in Buffalo. Big city, baseball games, etc. in Toronto (pricey even just to park your car).
Try to cross the border at off-peak hours (i.e. not rush hour). Allow plenty of time just in case (at least an hour). Things may be slower than usual with the new dynamic.
If you just want to see the Falls, yes, the Canadian side is much nicer, with better views. Niagara Falls itself is touristy and a lot of it is tacky. Stay in Niagara on the Lake which isn’t far away and is a beautiful town. It has lovely hotels, B&Bs, great restaurants, a beautiful downtown and a world class theatre festival in spring/summer, The Shaw Festival. Also, many wineries in the area. It also has a much better outlet mall if that is what you’re looking for, which kind of boggles my mind, but there you go. There’s also a casino in NF, ON, if, again, that is what floats your boat.
Toronto is a beautiful city with lots to see and do, about an hour away. Montreal is about six hours away and would not be a side trip from NF.
I also recommend crossing at the Peace Bridge and making the easy drive to NF. It’s a larger crossing with far more booths and you will undoubtedly get through there more quickly. It’s definitely not ‘less travelled’ than other crossings, but it is capable of handling much more traffic.
I grew up near Niagara Falls. Canada has the best views, and the absolute best view is if they still let you walk across the Rainbow Bridge (used to cost all of a dime way back when). There is a wonderful butterfly garden on the Canadian side as well.
Spend time on the US side though. Goat Island and the sister islands are very beautiful, and there is a tram that takes you around to them. Also the cave of the winds, which takes you behind the bridal veil falls is a fantastic experience. Art Park and Fort Niagara are also nice places to go on the US side.The Niagara power plant is interesting if you are into things like that - explains how they harness the river for power. There’s a nice aquarium on the US side as well.
Another option for a place to stay might be the Inn at Lock Seven, on the Canadian side in a town called Thorold that is very near Niagara Falls. It is right on the Welland Canal and you can watch the ships pass by!
It is easy to avoid the tacky area on the Canadian side. The areas nearest the Falls are nicely landscaped and very attractive. We were fascinated by the history of the Falls, the geology of the area, etc.
The falls are amazing, that shtick filled town is god awful and do not stay there LOL. It is hard for me to imagine that the American side is worse. How those nice canadians allowed that travesty is beyond me. The falls, the boat ride, the behind the falls tour thing, all great, you could do it in a day and not stay there at all. We made the mistake of staying in a hotel.
Trios Winery near Niagra on the lake has a very nice tasting, tour and gourmet restaurant on premises. We splurged and had dinner there. It was very nice. We recommend. I believe they’re the largest winery in the area. If you want to be able to drink, you may prefer a bus tour where you leave the driving to the bus.
The falls are a definite worthwhile visit- and the Canadian side has the better views. The trips mentioned- Maid of the Mist and the walking behind tour are worthwhile. You can’t ruin Mother Nature and you can skip the touristy stuff. Where to stay- depends on your budget. When to go- nicer in warm weather. To avoid crowds you may want to consider “shoulder” seasons when kids are still in school. Not sure about NY but NE Wisconsin is not fully leafed out until the end of May. Much nicer to see full green instead of early spring appearances. Plus, September is warmer than May usually. Or- try to combine your Falls visit with fall colors a bit later.
NF reminds me of those who know it - South of the Border - between NC & SC. We stayed in a hotel overlooking the falls and it was spectacular. We did a couple of tours - the boat ride, behind the falls, and there is even a jet boat ride down at the end of the river, that I didn’t do, but saw, that was all pretty. Really the rest of the town is a tourist trap. We ended up doing a bus tour of the wineries at Niagara on the Lake - loved that little town, very charming. The wineries were lovely, made me want to work in one.
