A Vacation at the Falls!

We just returned from a 5 day vacation in Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls, Ontario.

I have a lot to talk about, but today, it's all going to be Niagara Falls.

Why?

Because I know what people say.  Niagara Falls is where our grandparents went on their honeymoon.  Why should we go?

Well, you should go, because it's a simply amazing place to visit!!

You even have a choice of 2 countries!

We drove to the falls on a Friday afternoon.  You have to drive through Niagara Falls, NY to get to Niagara Falls, ON.  There's something about the US side... It's an odd mix of cheap souvenir shops and a MASSIVE casino!

from trailwaysny.com

It's the Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino.  The hotel can be seen for miles.  I believe the casino operates in what used to be the Niagara falls convention center.  Right before you hit the border you pass Smokin' Joe's Native Center ($2.99 tshirts is proudly displayed).  I don't know what it is, but someday I'll stop and check it out!

So we hit the border and went right to our hotel:  The Fallsview Casino and Resort.

And they weren't kidding about the view!

The Tesla Fountain in the lobby,.  So cool!

The place was incredible!!  But we didn't stay long!!

So Niagara Falls Parks has these passes.  Adventure passes.  Don't pass go!  Don't collect $200!  Just get it!!

We got the basic ones, and for $55 we got:

• Hornblower Niagara Cruises (think Maid of the Mist)
• Journey Behind the Falls 
• White Water Walk
• Niagara's Fury (I actually wouldn't do it again...)
• Two-day WEGO Access (It's a bus, and boy is it a lifesaver!!)
• $100 in Bonus Coupons

And for less than the price of admission you can add other attractions.  We added the Whirpool Areocar.

We did the Hornblower Cruise first!

the bottom picture is from niagarafallstourism.com

I can't quite express how wet you actually get...  Seriously!  But it was SO worth it!!

after the cruise, we went exploring!

We had to find Tesla!

Sadly, after that it was time for shopping and dinner.  I bought a tiny bottle of Ice Wine and settled in to watch the fireworks.  Which we couldn't see from our window!  Apparently they do them in front of the American Falls.  

The next day we did the rest of our adventure:

The Journey Behind the Falls is SO completely worth it.  See that cave and opening.  That's the frickin' Falls outside of it!!  Seriously!!!  You can't quite touch the water, but you used to.  (Dad says that as a kid I actually did touch it!)

Later on we moved upstream to the White Water Walk and the Areocar.

the car is from tripadvisor.com, and the logo is from niagaraparks.com

The White Water Walk is simply incredible.

The river narrows and the river speeds up.  Class 6 rapids.

Seriously!  that's one international border that involves death if yo try to walk across it!!  Just standing on the deck and watch it was awe inspiring!

The Areocar was equally amazing.  It's been running for over a century!

All in all, we had a WONDERFUL 2 days.  Someday I'd like to go back and stay longer.  Maybe do the falls walk on the American side.

But if you were thinking that Niagara Falls had nothing to do, man where you wrong!!!

(The Buffalo part of the trip is coming soon!)