My husband and I are taking a quick weekend getaway the first week of June -- Flying into Buffalo and wanting to see Niagara Falls. Any suggestions for where to stay, where to eat, or what to do?
Any help would be appreciated.
thanks - Shirley

Niagara Falls (Canadian Side): Stay there...it's cheaper and you have a better choice of hotels and entertainment. (I can't suggest a hotel, but if you do a search you'll get lots of info.). You get a complete panaramic view of the Falls from there. Besides the Maid of the Mist, visit the (I don't know the name of it) walkway down into the lower Niagara gorge. You can see the lower rapids up close and they are spectacular - the strongest rapids in the world I believe! Also, Niagara on the Lake, which is is a picturesque, historical town. The short drive there is beautiful (and there are wineries along the way) as well.

Niagara Falls (American side): Definitely view the Falls from the American side. You can stand at the railing where the water goes over the edge (my favorite view), plus see the upper rapids. A few miles north of NF is Old Fort Niagara, which is a fantastic piece of American history (www.oldfortniagara.org). The fort was built before the French and Indian War, and it is extremely well preserved. It sits on a beautiful location on the water where the lower Niagara empties into Lake Ontario. The museum there has some wonderful artifacts. The main building (called the French Castle) is the oldest building on the Great Lakes. Bring a picnic lunch. The fort resides inside a state park, and on a clear day you can see across the lake to Toronto.

There's a casino on both sides of the Falls.

Buffalo:
1. If the weather is nice, I would suggest the Erie Basin Marina. It is a wonderful place to walk along the lake, with downtown as the backdrop. You can also take a boat ride on the Miss Buffalo, which docks there.
2. A guided trolley tour or walking tour. There are a few to choose from. Check out www.surfbuffalo.com/roambuffalo for tours. If you can't or don't want to bother with a group tour, get a walking tour map from the Visitors Bureau on Main Street or call them at 1-800-Buffalo and ask for walking tour maps/brochures. My favorite neighborhood is Allentown, Buffalo's oldest and most historic neighborhood. Nearby is the Wilcox Mansion, which is definitely worth a visit. It is on Delaware Ave. near downtown/Allentown. When President McKinley was shot and killed here in 1902, Teddy Roosevelt was sworn in at the mansion. The mansion itself has an interesting history from (I believe)the war of 1812, but is also furnished in period pieces and has memorabilia affiliated with its' history.


Also, the Darwin Martin House built by Frank Lloyd Wright can be toured. Their website is www.darwinmartinhouse.org/. It is undergoing extensive restoration, but tours are given during this time. (I'm embaressed to say I live in the neighborhood and have yet to tour it myself)!
3. Chicken wings. You can get them everywhere, but I suggest Frank & Teresa's Anchor Bar. Some locals will tell you to avoid it because its not in the best neighborhood (it's not) or there are better restaurants (there are) but if you're coming here for the 1st time why not have them where they were invented??? (Anyhow, the old corner bars and restaurants in the old neighborhoods are the BEST places to get local Buffalo food). Also try beef-on-weck, a local favorite.
3. The Chippewa district (downtown) has all types of bars and restaurants.

Have a great time.

Hi Sart:

Definitely go to the Canadian side and take a boat ride on the Maid of the Mist.

Dittos to the Maid Of The Mist. Of all of the attractions at The Falls, this one is definately worth it. Also, before your trip, take the time and rent the Marlyn Monroe movie, "Niagara." It is interesting to see the way that area "used to be." {And a pretty good movie too!}

Happy Trails,
Paul

See www.niagarafallslive.com where there are often terrific deals.

All of the Canadian Parks Commission restaurants are terrific, with excellent food and reasonable prices (the early bird menus are a steal). Magnificent views, too, especially from Table Rock and Victoria Park.

If you'll have a car and the time, be sure to drive the length of the Niagara Parkway (on the Canadian side) and stop for a walk about Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In addition to Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls is fantastic. Go there first, as often you'll receive a timed ticket, so you can get that out of the way, or do something else until your appointed time.

Stay at the Canadian side but don´t miss the view from the American side. I agree with Paul: the maid of the mist is a must.

Here's a hint for the Maid of the Mist (which is a definite must) ... The ride is the same whether you embark in the Canadian or the American side, however the lines on the American side are usually much shorter.

I would definitely recommend accomodations on the Canadian side and spending more of your time there, however you will still want to go over to the American side for viewing the Falls from there. On the American side, go over to Goat Island where you can literally stand inches away from the rapids shortly before they go over the Falls.

The above posters offer good recommendations. I would also addd that I have heard that the Butterfly Conservatory on the American side is really fun to visit (although I haven't personally been there).

Also, on the Canadian side there is a large restaurant that is casual on one side which we like (beer-garden atmosphere with outdoor dining) and more fine-dining on the other side that is a great place for lunch or dinner because you get a great view of the falls. I can't remember its name but it is on the main street right near the falls (on the other side of the street), and has awnings on the building and gardens around it.

If you do visit Niagara-on-the-Lake (a charming town on the Canadian side about a 20 minute scenic drive from Niagara Falls along the river gorge), there is a high-speed jetboat ride out of Niagara-on-the-Lake that goes up the Niagara River and rides the rapids the the lower gorge. It's quite a thrill and alot of fun. Prepared to get very wet! (It is also run on the American side out of Lewiston.)

The butterfly Conservatory is on the Canadian side and it is delighful Wear bright colored clothes to attract the butterflies. It's on the way from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake. There are also many wineries around NOTL so there's something else to do. If you like theater, Buffalo has an amazing amount of live theater for a city its size. Try Buffalo.com for more info on what's going on when you're here.

Here's another vote for the jet boat ride from NOTL. Fantastic!

Thanks for all the great info. It really helps. Now a new question: Is it possible to do this without renting a car? If I fly into Buffalo can I get a shuttle to the Canadian side hotels? And is there any kind of public transport to Niagara-on-the-Lake from the falls area? If so, how much will it cost, or will it be just an expensive to rent a car for the weekend?

topping

did you try the Canada board?..might find help there..

There is a shuttle bus that runs between the major tourist stops in that area but I am not sure if it goes all the way to Niagara on the Lake. You can check these websites:
www.niagaraparks.com
www.niagarafallstourism.com

Buffalo has a first rate art museum, the Albright Knox Gallery. There is a special exhibit from the Phillips collection which starts May 27 & includes works from Cezanne, Degas, Picasso, Monet, VanGogh, Monet & Matisse. The website is www.albrightknox.org. If you are interested, you should probably order tickets ahead of time.

Hi Sart, we did this last year. Stay on the Canadian side, and I agree with all of the suggestions. For dinner go to www.Skylon.com and book a reservation for about 7 PM. This is a revolving restaurant 530 feet above the falls on the canadian side. If you go at this time you will also be seated during sunset. If you book for Friday night, there is a fireworks display over the falls on the Canadian side on Friday you can watch that from the air too. This is a pricier place to eat, but worth it. There is a minium of $40 CAN per person. They also have a nice bar. Our dinner for 4 including drinks, and desert was $250 CAN (that's only about $140 AMER). Book reservations on line NOW.

There are airport shuttles that go to the Canadian side....and arent' too expensive. Perhaps do a search on Buffalo airport.
Once in Canada, there is a shuttle that goes up and down the Falls area, so a car is not really neccesary, but I don't think it goes to NOTL.
Even if you rented a car, there is not much parking along the falls area, and you'll end up using the shuttle anyway.
Have fun.