Niagara Falls activities - Canadian or US side?
 

We will be visiting Niagara Falls this August. Looking at the various activities, we're trying to split them up into two different days.

The first day we will arrive on the Canadian side and drop off our suitcases at the hotel around 10 a.m. We then plan to drive back to the US side to Goat Island and take the trolley around to Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds and stop off at some of the other sites, depending on time available. I picked the US side for the first day because we want to see the Cave of the Winds instead of Journey Behind the Falls on the Canadian side.

The second day, we plan to do the Whirlpool Jets and walk around Niagara on the Lake. We plan to also visit the Butterfly Conservatory. We spend another night in Niagara and leave on our third day.

Are we missing anything? Are there any suggested changes to our itinerary to maximize our time in the area?

There is a widely held belief that going to the USA is not worth the effort.

Maybe you can report back afterwards and tell us if this is true.

You seem to have missed Niagara on the Lake.

Whirlpool Jet Boats & NOTL on Day 2 sounds like a good idea. Now about Day 1....will your "Canadian side" Hotel let you check in that early? 10 in the morning is very early for a check-in. Or, are you thinking of just having them store your luggage until you can check-in later in the day? If you want to spend Day 1 on the US side, why not stay there too? Doesn't make much sense to me to be driving back & forth. You cld end up w/ lengthy border crossings. Or, you cld lock you luggage in your trunk, do your "US side" stuff, then head over to Canadian side later in the day on Day 1. Then cross the border, check into your "Canadian side" hotel & do "Canadian NF" that night.
Monday, Aug 7th is a holiday in Ontario( you did not say when you wld be in Ontario in August...you just said August so thought that you shd know about the holiday..maybe you did already!)

Goat Island on the USA side is definately worth your time. If it were me, I would do as the above poster suggested. Lock luggage in trunk. Spend Day 1 at Goat Island taking in Cave of the Winds while there. Then go to the Canadian side to check in at your hotel and spend the rest of your time there doing Maid of the Mist (walking distance from a lot of the hotels on Canadian side)plus what ever other activities planned.

maybe 1 day wine and food tours?
check it here

http://inozo.com/activites/?ct_id=110

niagara on the lake is the best part of the area hands down!!!! cgnadian side-check it out

You can leave your car at the hotel on the Canadian side and walk over the Rainbow Bridge to the American side. The viewing area is close to the bridge. Then walk a little further to Goat Island. You can also see the upper rapids as you walk over to Goat Island.

If you've ever walked in Las Vegas or between the sights Washington DC, you can easilly do this. And driving around NF is a nightmare in the summer.

You are wise to visit both sides. I personally love the views from the American side.

Have fun!

Oh, even when walking over the border, you still need the proper documentation!

Thank you so much for the suggestions. We will visit both US and Canadian side of the falls. How far is the walk over Rainbow Bridge? Sounds like a good idea to try and walk it. Not sure about the wine and food tours, as two of our teenagers (15 and 17) will be with us. You are all so wonderful to be willing to help us with our plans.

I would fit in Journey behind the falls. It is wet and wet and wet and Wonderful in August! (raincoat provided). Take a Wal-Mart waterproof $7.00 Fuji camera. (also take on Maid)
Definitely walk around Clifton Hill at night even if not taking in the attractions. The FX Thrill ride motion simulator in The Great Canadian Midway was beyond realistic. Still the main feature?
I would also do the Whirlpool Aero car.
Otherwise it sounds ok. I would sequence Niagara on the Lake in between the Canadian side attractions first and after dark Clifton Hill. (personally I find NOTL to be for the kind of people who habitually sit on the front porch and watch the world go by. I am not like that so I found nothing there but a few visuals.)
Which side are you coming from? Border issues might be more hassle as planned if from USA, rather I would explain to hotel late arrival do American stuff and then go to Canadian side. We stayed on Canadian side and wanted nothing.