niagra falls
Jun 7th, 2006, 03:30 PM
#21
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thank you...i am still going to go to the falls. i am going to a tourist destination obvisouly its going to cost more. i am from nyc and we cant go to a yankee game without paying 100 bucks at the ball park without the tickets so its nothing new.lol.
Jun 8th, 2006, 06:06 PM
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Jessica, the Courtyard Marriott will be great. Although I have not stayed at this particular one, I've stayed at others and really liked them.
Enjoy your trip...and don't worry about everything being outragiously priced. DO your homework and you'll be fine and won't go broke. Have fun.
JJ5, as I get older I find I get more confused, so forgive me but I'm confused and curious.
YOU typed in your post...
"We walked and drove all over and couldn't find anywhere that wasn't at least twice of what we would pay for at home."
Again in the same post you write...
" We walked and drove all over (about 1 mile in each direction from the Brock Plaza) and never got under $28 for two of us. Coffee was $3.50 ....."
Finally in a later post you say...
"Was I supposed to travel 3 or 4 miles in a car to breakfast? We LOOKED and we WALKED."
So twice you mentioned that you walked and drove all over, and then you said you walked, and felt you shoulnd't have been required to drive.
so I wonder if you could clarify for future tourists....did you walk and drive all over, or did you just walk in the area around the hotel?
Other posters have posted excellent examples of where to go for reasonably priced meals. I agree with Gannetmusic and woould hate for a ramily to pass up Niagara Falls, thinking it has to be this expensive. It definately doesn't! Even Tim Horton's for lunch is so cheap.
Other posters have given great ideas.
Thanks , GaryT22, semiramis and Keldar for all the great ideas. I' sure it will be a huge help to future tourists.
And JJ5, I wonder if you could share whre you spent so much money on breakfst as well as dinner, as a warning to future tourists. I'd hate for anyone else to pay these prices. I will be taking visitor's once again this summer to the falls and would like to know where to avoid.
Enjoy your trip...and don't worry about everything being outragiously priced. DO your homework and you'll be fine and won't go broke. Have fun.
JJ5, as I get older I find I get more confused, so forgive me but I'm confused and curious.
YOU typed in your post...
"We walked and drove all over and couldn't find anywhere that wasn't at least twice of what we would pay for at home."
Again in the same post you write...
" We walked and drove all over (about 1 mile in each direction from the Brock Plaza) and never got under $28 for two of us. Coffee was $3.50 ....."
Finally in a later post you say...
"Was I supposed to travel 3 or 4 miles in a car to breakfast? We LOOKED and we WALKED."
So twice you mentioned that you walked and drove all over, and then you said you walked, and felt you shoulnd't have been required to drive.
so I wonder if you could clarify for future tourists....did you walk and drive all over, or did you just walk in the area around the hotel?
Other posters have posted excellent examples of where to go for reasonably priced meals. I agree with Gannetmusic and woould hate for a ramily to pass up Niagara Falls, thinking it has to be this expensive. It definately doesn't! Even Tim Horton's for lunch is so cheap.
Other posters have given great ideas.
Thanks , GaryT22, semiramis and Keldar for all the great ideas. I' sure it will be a huge help to future tourists.
And JJ5, I wonder if you could share whre you spent so much money on breakfst as well as dinner, as a warning to future tourists. I'd hate for anyone else to pay these prices. I will be taking visitor's once again this summer to the falls and would like to know where to avoid.
Jun 9th, 2006, 04:43 AM
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jessica,
so glad that you started this thread. And I do appreciate all the responses.
But it does put me off visiting because we ARE tourists and were just planning to come in for a day on a bus from Toronto. But we still have to eat! (One of our favorite things to do) And we will be in the "touristy" part with no idea where to go to find food we budget types can afford.
I wish someone (keldar?) would post some ideas to help day trippers - like which bus to catch to find Wimpy's and someplace for lunch and dinner - (and where to catch the bus)
We were going to bus to Niagara and then take the shuttle around. I am thinking now that the shuttle will only take us to exremely touristy places that will have huge dollar signs.
so glad that you started this thread. And I do appreciate all the responses.
But it does put me off visiting because we ARE tourists and were just planning to come in for a day on a bus from Toronto. But we still have to eat! (One of our favorite things to do) And we will be in the "touristy" part with no idea where to go to find food we budget types can afford.
I wish someone (keldar?) would post some ideas to help day trippers - like which bus to catch to find Wimpy's and someplace for lunch and dinner - (and where to catch the bus)
We were going to bus to Niagara and then take the shuttle around. I am thinking now that the shuttle will only take us to exremely touristy places that will have huge dollar signs.
Jun 9th, 2006, 07:23 AM
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I'm sorry, I was enthusiastic, trying to have some fun and not plotting out a strategy nor memorizing the names and paths for later disection, kodi.
ALL the hotels held high priced food venues on the strip and up into all the hill streets where we were. Brock, Sheraton, and everything on Falls Ave is especially high. The exceptions are the Casinos with buffets (not cheap either without the players cards- but you could get a players card in 2 minutes and get a very good breakfast with FRESH FRUIT for about $11.50 or so per person before tips and taxes. These are really hidden within the backs of the two large casinos and you may have to access through many other venues of games, arcades etc. so they are not easy to find.
We couldn't even find our original landmark of the old Brock as most of the place and surrounds are now covered by a giant tented like water park that was built over a huge parking garage unit. It's advertised as the biggest water park in North America. It isn't. So when you walk into these lodgings or park here you are also dealing with a ton of families in wet suits and chlorine loaded towels and watertoys. That was REALLY a turn off for people who did have good clothes on them. I noticed an Asian woman trying to protect herself from a wet onslaught.
We walked at least 1 mile each way from the Brock and beyond the Skylon. Food was junk (pressed chicken patty sandwich ie.) or VERY expensive. And into the 2 hill streets in back of this area. We actually ended up in a barren and run down, actually deserted sector that I did not like and made my guy cut across to an arcade and over a bridge to exit. We ended up right on the Skylon's grounds.
The names of the restaurants we did peruse menus on their facades? I honestly do not remember. We walked once for at least 1 mile and saw posted menus for about 10 places (high hill streets beyond Falls Ave.) mostly burgers, chicken or fish fingers, and grease for lots of money. We used: the Brock on the 10th floor- steam cabinet food ugh, the TGIF and The Keg. They were not mid-range. And we, routinely, in mid- downtown Chicago could get much better choices for 1/2 to 2/3rds of the $$ of these Niagara prices. And that's before the GST etc. I did not see the Denny's but if I did, I wouldn't have gone anyway. Their food is highly processed and pre-packaged, even the potatoes are.
We drove to the Gorge area and the head of the Niagara River where it turns around and changes direction to flow N, something rivers seldom do in the Northern Hemisphere. And drove also to the Butterfly venue. Those were the driving portions of the 1-1/2 days.
And very close to the Butterfly venue there was a candy, rest stop, sandwich, snack, souvenir large establishment with many (one hundred seats aprox.)seats which had the "delectable" Campbells soup in a styrofoam container and a plastic spoon for $4.50.
I saw an Asian family with two handicapped children paying over $40 for their small group (5) to have soup and SHARE two big pretzels and a large cupcake. Beware. I actually gave them my extra bottles of water, since I had my backpack on that portion of the trip, because they didn't have enough money for drinks and they looked frazzled and very hot. The man thanked me about 20 times.
The choices are terrible, IMHO. Fast food is overpriced too. Hot dogs were sold at anywhere from $3.00 to $4.50 each, for instance- with little if any adornment.
Major league ball park pricing abounds- and I think it is a shame that the foreign visitors and the natives both are used at Niagara in quite this way.
That's one of the reasons they didn't let them build up restaurants at all in Grand Canyon etc. outside of the Park Service's control.
The shops AWAY from the Falls and into the gorge and forested area and near the School of Horticulture also had astounding prices. For instance, they had Panda Licorice or Linz chocolate for about twice of what I pay for the exact same thing at home near Chicago. They are all imported items at both locations- why the immense mark up? We were joking about it because my guy loves Linz. I said I would buy him an $11.99 plus taxes (it would be over $13) for an 8oz candy bar if he wanted it for a take home snack. But he declined.
ALL the hotels held high priced food venues on the strip and up into all the hill streets where we were. Brock, Sheraton, and everything on Falls Ave is especially high. The exceptions are the Casinos with buffets (not cheap either without the players cards- but you could get a players card in 2 minutes and get a very good breakfast with FRESH FRUIT for about $11.50 or so per person before tips and taxes. These are really hidden within the backs of the two large casinos and you may have to access through many other venues of games, arcades etc. so they are not easy to find.
We couldn't even find our original landmark of the old Brock as most of the place and surrounds are now covered by a giant tented like water park that was built over a huge parking garage unit. It's advertised as the biggest water park in North America. It isn't. So when you walk into these lodgings or park here you are also dealing with a ton of families in wet suits and chlorine loaded towels and watertoys. That was REALLY a turn off for people who did have good clothes on them. I noticed an Asian woman trying to protect herself from a wet onslaught.
We walked at least 1 mile each way from the Brock and beyond the Skylon. Food was junk (pressed chicken patty sandwich ie.) or VERY expensive. And into the 2 hill streets in back of this area. We actually ended up in a barren and run down, actually deserted sector that I did not like and made my guy cut across to an arcade and over a bridge to exit. We ended up right on the Skylon's grounds.
The names of the restaurants we did peruse menus on their facades? I honestly do not remember. We walked once for at least 1 mile and saw posted menus for about 10 places (high hill streets beyond Falls Ave.) mostly burgers, chicken or fish fingers, and grease for lots of money. We used: the Brock on the 10th floor- steam cabinet food ugh, the TGIF and The Keg. They were not mid-range. And we, routinely, in mid- downtown Chicago could get much better choices for 1/2 to 2/3rds of the $$ of these Niagara prices. And that's before the GST etc. I did not see the Denny's but if I did, I wouldn't have gone anyway. Their food is highly processed and pre-packaged, even the potatoes are.
We drove to the Gorge area and the head of the Niagara River where it turns around and changes direction to flow N, something rivers seldom do in the Northern Hemisphere. And drove also to the Butterfly venue. Those were the driving portions of the 1-1/2 days.
And very close to the Butterfly venue there was a candy, rest stop, sandwich, snack, souvenir large establishment with many (one hundred seats aprox.)seats which had the "delectable" Campbells soup in a styrofoam container and a plastic spoon for $4.50.
I saw an Asian family with two handicapped children paying over $40 for their small group (5) to have soup and SHARE two big pretzels and a large cupcake. Beware. I actually gave them my extra bottles of water, since I had my backpack on that portion of the trip, because they didn't have enough money for drinks and they looked frazzled and very hot. The man thanked me about 20 times.
The choices are terrible, IMHO. Fast food is overpriced too. Hot dogs were sold at anywhere from $3.00 to $4.50 each, for instance- with little if any adornment.
Major league ball park pricing abounds- and I think it is a shame that the foreign visitors and the natives both are used at Niagara in quite this way.
That's one of the reasons they didn't let them build up restaurants at all in Grand Canyon etc. outside of the Park Service's control.
The shops AWAY from the Falls and into the gorge and forested area and near the School of Horticulture also had astounding prices. For instance, they had Panda Licorice or Linz chocolate for about twice of what I pay for the exact same thing at home near Chicago. They are all imported items at both locations- why the immense mark up? We were joking about it because my guy loves Linz. I said I would buy him an $11.99 plus taxes (it would be over $13) for an 8oz candy bar if he wanted it for a take home snack. But he declined.
Jun 10th, 2006, 09:05 AM
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JJ5, I'm sorry you had such a disappointing time in Niagara Falls.
Unfortunately, it isn't only NIagara Falls where the prices are inflated. I once paid $5.00 for a can of diet coke in Rome, simply because it was hot out and I was thirsty and that was the going rate.
However, it seems there were cheaper choices for you, but they weren't to your liking. I don't care for Denny's either, but many people do, I guess.
Brahmama, please don't be put off going to Niagara Falls.
As far as I know, the People Mover goes along the NIagara Parkway making stops along the way. It does not go up any side streets ( I don't think).
You won't find any cheapy places to eat along this route.
However , if you get off the People Mover at Clifton Hill, and walk up, this is the area where you will find a reasonable meal.
http://www.cliftonhill.com/niagara_f.../boston_pizza/
This is a web site I found lisitng some of the restaurants in that area.
If you just want a soup and sandwich, or a coffee and donut, go to Tim Horton's for decent , budget minded meals.
YOu'll see them everywhere on your trip.
Also, about a mile up Lundy's Lane I understand the Flying Saucer is very reasonable. It has a .99 breakfast.
IT's located at 6788 Lundy's Lane.
HOPe this helps.
Unfortunately, it isn't only NIagara Falls where the prices are inflated. I once paid $5.00 for a can of diet coke in Rome, simply because it was hot out and I was thirsty and that was the going rate.
However, it seems there were cheaper choices for you, but they weren't to your liking. I don't care for Denny's either, but many people do, I guess.
Brahmama, please don't be put off going to Niagara Falls.
As far as I know, the People Mover goes along the NIagara Parkway making stops along the way. It does not go up any side streets ( I don't think).
You won't find any cheapy places to eat along this route.
However , if you get off the People Mover at Clifton Hill, and walk up, this is the area where you will find a reasonable meal.
http://www.cliftonhill.com/niagara_f.../boston_pizza/
This is a web site I found lisitng some of the restaurants in that area.
If you just want a soup and sandwich, or a coffee and donut, go to Tim Horton's for decent , budget minded meals.
YOu'll see them everywhere on your trip.
Also, about a mile up Lundy's Lane I understand the Flying Saucer is very reasonable. It has a .99 breakfast.
IT's located at 6788 Lundy's Lane.
HOPe this helps.
Jun 10th, 2006, 10:20 AM
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Ok some decent restaurants in Niagara Falls:
on Victoria:
Antica Pizzeria - very good pizza - reasonable prices
Casa D'Oro - not cheap but good food
Guru Fine Indian - not cheap but good quality Indian food
on Lundy's Lane:
Carpaccio - very good but not cheap
Lick's Homeburgers - Very good quality
fast food - ideal for families. Their veggie burger is fantastic and their milkshakes are great, salads are just so-so.
Stanley Avenue:
Happy Wanderer - casual and pretty good
Montrose:
Not Just Muffins - great place to get a casual, snacky lunch
Dora's Place - out in the countryside but VERY good and reasonable. Locals like to eat there.
Sunday Brunch: Queenston Heights Restaurant - not cheap or hugely extensive selection but very good quality and FANTASTIC view of the river. They also do a Tea but personally I think it over-priced for what you get. The brunch is a much better value.
on Victoria:
Antica Pizzeria - very good pizza - reasonable prices
Casa D'Oro - not cheap but good food
Guru Fine Indian - not cheap but good quality Indian food
on Lundy's Lane:
Carpaccio - very good but not cheap
Lick's Homeburgers - Very good quality
fast food - ideal for families. Their veggie burger is fantastic and their milkshakes are great, salads are just so-so.
Stanley Avenue:
Happy Wanderer - casual and pretty good
Montrose:
Not Just Muffins - great place to get a casual, snacky lunch
Dora's Place - out in the countryside but VERY good and reasonable. Locals like to eat there.
Sunday Brunch: Queenston Heights Restaurant - not cheap or hugely extensive selection but very good quality and FANTASTIC view of the river. They also do a Tea but personally I think it over-priced for what you get. The brunch is a much better value.
Jun 11th, 2006, 09:17 AM
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Keldar
I got a kick out of your post regarding breakfast. I don't think Americans (or even western Canadians) know what peameal is. I am from Ontario but when I say peameal out west nobody knows what I am talking about. For those who don't know it is good old fashioned Back Bacon!!! It has a coating on the outside that is referred to as peameal.,
I got a kick out of your post regarding breakfast. I don't think Americans (or even western Canadians) know what peameal is. I am from Ontario but when I say peameal out west nobody knows what I am talking about. For those who don't know it is good old fashioned Back Bacon!!! It has a coating on the outside that is referred to as peameal.,
Jun 12th, 2006, 06:02 PM
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I actually stayed there a month ago and was really impressed, great service and close to everything, shopping, casinos, the falls. I booked it through www.travelocation.com which gave me much better prices than all the other travel sites.
I would definately stay there again!
-John
I would definately stay there again!
-John
Jun 18th, 2006, 11:41 AM
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hey John,
Thanks so much for the link to www.travelocation.com this is such a great sight, anyone who travels should book through them. I did last night and I saved so much! check out their Save Rate hotels for the best prices
Tom
Thanks so much for the link to www.travelocation.com this is such a great sight, anyone who travels should book through them. I did last night and I saved so much! check out their Save Rate hotels for the best prices
Tom
Jun 23rd, 2006, 04:53 AM
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Hello all well i did my niagara falls trip the prices were a bit over priced but nothing too crazy i notice alot of fast food as the food of choice but you just have to travel a bit to get some variety me and my husband ventured nightly one time to st catherines were there were plenty of resturants with normal prices also.We also ventured away from the falls and found normal dinner prices.Tim hortons does have good coffee and biscuts for reasonable prices we just took a drive and got that for breakfast.We also spend a day in toronto which was wonderful loved the city felt extremely comfortable would love to go back there for longer. Put all the negativaty aside to miss the falls cause of overpriced food would in my opinion be stupid, they are magnificant and i could look at them forever. and in my opinion when you are traveling to so called tourist destinations you should always be ready for overpriced items its only natural i have noticed this in every tourist destionion i have visited. if you dont want to spend money in these destionations you will end up in some town that has nothing to do or look at and then you can get a coffee or breakfast for 2 bucks you will also avoid your frustration with an amusement park destionation.
Jun 23rd, 2006, 06:08 AM
#36
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At no time did I ever post that I was disappointed at Niagara or at the Falls experience, especially the Maid of the Mist and the observation points. But once again all assumptions have been read into that, which were never there and then commented on as if I was "wrong".
That's a huge jump in both logic and in generalization.
Finally, the pricing, the tourist venues in general, and the quality of the "tourist" slanted food products at Niagara itself are poor.
In fact, seeing the quality of the Falls themselves, I am shocked that the powers that be let the nutritional vs price levels get where they are at such a national treasure.
I was there for 1-1/2 days. So for that amount of time, you should go somewhere else for food or be gouged?
Glad authority didn't allow that with the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.
That's a huge jump in both logic and in generalization.
Finally, the pricing, the tourist venues in general, and the quality of the "tourist" slanted food products at Niagara itself are poor.
In fact, seeing the quality of the Falls themselves, I am shocked that the powers that be let the nutritional vs price levels get where they are at such a national treasure.
I was there for 1-1/2 days. So for that amount of time, you should go somewhere else for food or be gouged?
Glad authority didn't allow that with the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.
Jul 2nd, 2006, 09:49 AM
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Wow! A lot of info here. I am taking my wife for a surprise trip to Niagara Falls in mid July for our 15th anniverssary. I have done my research and have discovered prices will be high. We are staying at the Embassy Suites. I am trying to decide wether our romantic dinner should be at The Keg or the Skylon, any suggestions there are appreciated. I think we will do the Grayline Canadian Rainbow tour, the Aero Car, use the Trolley for local transportation and go visit some wineries at Niagara on the Lake.
Jul 2nd, 2006, 03:42 PM
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How about Niagara-on-the lake for your romantic anniversary dinner? The Oban Inn or Queen's Landing. I wld never put "The Keg" & "romance" in the same sentence...but, hey! that's just me!!
There are lots of "vineyard" restaurants in the Niagara aree that you may also want to consider for your romantic dinner...take a limo there!
There are lots of "vineyard" restaurants in the Niagara aree that you may also want to consider for your romantic dinner...take a limo there!
Jul 17th, 2006, 02:37 PM
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As far as inexpensive activities go, did you know that for about $30CAD you can buy an audio CD driving tour that could take you 2 days to do? It goes from near the Whitewater Walk to Niagara-on-the-Lake and then loops back. You have a "personal guide" and there are 20 stops on the whole thing. Some of the attractions are extra $$ but many are free. If you look around you can find ways to have a good time without spending so much.
