Niagara Falls Trip Booked -Please help with Itinerary
Jul 5th, 2006, 07:36 AM
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Niagara Falls Trip Booked -Please help with Itinerary
First off, thanks to those of you who suggested Niagara Falls for our vacation. My parents want to take us on a trip to celebrate my 30th birthday (yes, I'm a lucky girl).
We will be staying at the Embassy Suites Niagara Falls - July 21 - 24.
Friday 21st...
Arrive Buffalo 1:30 pm
Any suggestions for light activity for Friday afternoon-evening? We'll probably just walk around a bit to get our bearings.
We won't be wanting to do too much, since we will have been up since about 4:00 am to catch our flight.
Saturday 22nd:
Maid of the Mist
White Water Walk
Journey Behind the Falls or Cave of the Winds or both?
Goat Island
Sunday 23:
Niagara on the Lake
Whirlpool Jet Tour
Dinner - Need suggestions for my 30th birthday dinner!
Do we have too much planned for Saturday? Any suggestions on time of day to do certain activities?
I've also found the following, any recommendations on which is better deal? I think the only difference for us is should we do Journey or Cave of the Winds?
Great Gorge Adventure Pass - Maid of the Mist, White Water Walk, Journey Behind the Falls, Butterfly Conservatory, people mover($37.95 Canadian)
Passport to the Falls - Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Observation tower, and the Niagara Scenic Trolley ($24.50 US)
Monday 24: Back to Dallas.
Let me know if I’m missing anything. Your advice is appreciated!
We will be staying at the Embassy Suites Niagara Falls - July 21 - 24.
Friday 21st...
Arrive Buffalo 1:30 pm
Any suggestions for light activity for Friday afternoon-evening? We'll probably just walk around a bit to get our bearings.
We won't be wanting to do too much, since we will have been up since about 4:00 am to catch our flight.
Saturday 22nd:
Maid of the Mist
White Water Walk
Journey Behind the Falls or Cave of the Winds or both?
Goat Island
Sunday 23:
Niagara on the Lake
Whirlpool Jet Tour
Dinner - Need suggestions for my 30th birthday dinner!
Do we have too much planned for Saturday? Any suggestions on time of day to do certain activities?
I've also found the following, any recommendations on which is better deal? I think the only difference for us is should we do Journey or Cave of the Winds?
Great Gorge Adventure Pass - Maid of the Mist, White Water Walk, Journey Behind the Falls, Butterfly Conservatory, people mover($37.95 Canadian)
Passport to the Falls - Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Observation tower, and the Niagara Scenic Trolley ($24.50 US)
Monday 24: Back to Dallas.
Let me know if I’m missing anything. Your advice is appreciated!
Jul 5th, 2006, 10:25 AM
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I think you should do BOTH the Journey Under the Falls AND the Cave of the Winds - in addition to whatever else you have planned. Both are great fun.
The Cave of the Winds was my favorite of all the Falls activities, and it's on the NY side, which, IMO, is much nicer than the Canadian side. Quieter and not as tacky. Too many people don't even bother going over to the NY side, but I think it's definitely worth visiting. There's a lovely park and you can walk along the rapids, and you can get closer to the Falls in more places than on the Canadian side.
If you're arriving at 1:30 Friday you'll have most of the day. Rest if you need to but you can do at least one of the activities Fri. afternoon.
I think the Great Gorge Adventure Pass is a better deal. The Cave of the Winds isn't that expensive so you can just pay for that separately. It's definitely worth doing.
The Marriott, next door to the Embassy Suites, has a lovely restaurant with delicious food and views of the Falls.
Be sure to try the "All you Can Eat" buffet at the casino one night. Happy Birthday.
The Cave of the Winds was my favorite of all the Falls activities, and it's on the NY side, which, IMO, is much nicer than the Canadian side. Quieter and not as tacky. Too many people don't even bother going over to the NY side, but I think it's definitely worth visiting. There's a lovely park and you can walk along the rapids, and you can get closer to the Falls in more places than on the Canadian side.
If you're arriving at 1:30 Friday you'll have most of the day. Rest if you need to but you can do at least one of the activities Fri. afternoon.
I think the Great Gorge Adventure Pass is a better deal. The Cave of the Winds isn't that expensive so you can just pay for that separately. It's definitely worth doing.
The Marriott, next door to the Embassy Suites, has a lovely restaurant with delicious food and views of the Falls.
Be sure to try the "All you Can Eat" buffet at the casino one night. Happy Birthday.
Jul 5th, 2006, 10:50 AM
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I just went at the end of May/beginning of June. The Falls themselves are great and Maid of the Mist, Journey and Skylon are the three venues/activities I liked and would redo.
We were on both sides and I agree that the Canadian side is like a carnival, Wisc. Dells, or amusement park type surroundings, very touristy with arcades/fudge shops etc. But it also holds an immense waterpark now, as well.
But IMHO, you really can't see in one vista the Falls in their sequence from the USA side. You can see all from the Canadian side.
Also IMHO, other than seeing the Falls themselves, I feel that surrounding areas by the Gorge, Niagara River, Niagara on the Lake, St. Catharines- might all be better for nice lodging away from the crowds and lines.
We were on both sides and I agree that the Canadian side is like a carnival, Wisc. Dells, or amusement park type surroundings, very touristy with arcades/fudge shops etc. But it also holds an immense waterpark now, as well.
But IMHO, you really can't see in one vista the Falls in their sequence from the USA side. You can see all from the Canadian side.
Also IMHO, other than seeing the Falls themselves, I feel that surrounding areas by the Gorge, Niagara River, Niagara on the Lake, St. Catharines- might all be better for nice lodging away from the crowds and lines.
Jul 5th, 2006, 11:01 AM
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Before you head to the Falls. you might take in the Albright Knox Art Gallery in buffalo. It's a great musuem and they are open friday evenings and have special entertainment on Friday nights. It's only bout 30 minutes or less to go to the falls from there. If you go to buffalo.com you can probably get more info. Alternatively, if you're golfers, bring your clubs. there's a lot of nice golf courses near Niagara Falls, mostly on the Canadian side. there's one in NOTL which is the olderst course in north america (or so they claim to be). If you're a shopper, there's a good outlet mall in NF, USA, just off of route 62 (Niagara FAlls Boulevard). And if you like casions, there's two in NF, CA and one in NF, US. Smoking in public places was recently banned in Ontario, so now the 2 casinos in NF, Canada do not allow smoking. Also, check for any shows at the casions. Fallsview is the Canadien one, Seneca Niagara is the US casion. They both have good entertainment, Fallsview has a nicer theatre. ONe final fun thing. I love taking visotors across the Rainbow Brindge (connecting USA to CA) by foot. YOu get a beautiful view of the falls, and i (easily) amused going through customs as a pedestrian.
Be sure veryone brings good ID for customs-passports are the best, and if you don't have passports, ORIGINAL OR certified COPIES of birth certificates along with photo ID. Although I have never been asked for more than my driver's license, I would hate to be far from home and be denied entry. For us local yocals, we can always phone home and have someone bring the ID up to the border.
Enjoy your trip!
Be sure veryone brings good ID for customs-passports are the best, and if you don't have passports, ORIGINAL OR certified COPIES of birth certificates along with photo ID. Although I have never been asked for more than my driver's license, I would hate to be far from home and be denied entry. For us local yocals, we can always phone home and have someone bring the ID up to the border.
Enjoy your trip!
