We all once in a while wish to see The majestic Niagara Falls which is a group of three waterfalls – Horseshoe falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil falls. It spans between Canada and USA and it is said it looks much more beautiful from the Canadian side.
I and my husband decided to see Niagara from the USA side. We planned a two day trip in the first week of October 2019. We booked hotel two weeks in advance and also bought Discover Pass online which includes six activities:
- Cave of winds
- Maid of the Mist
- Adventure Theater
- Aquarium of Niagara
- Trolley ride
- Discovery Center & Hiking Trails
On October the fourth of 2019 we drove to Niagara from Baltimore, Maryland which nearly took us seven hours. We reached in the evening, checked-in in our hotel room and after having dinner decided to take some rest.
Day 1 – The next day we started early in the morning at 7 A.M. and our first stop was Walmart where we picked some fruits and bread for our breakfast as the breakfast option was not available in our hotel. After that we went to Niagara Falls State park and our first destination was Maid of the Mist. The tourists are given ponchos to wear and they ride the Hornblower cruise which gets a closer view to all the three falls. Though the boat was crowded and we could not see anything except for mist and rainbows but truly it was an amazing experience. On our way to exit we stopped at the Observation Deck to get a bigger and closer look at the falls and the Canada side streets. We skipped Adventure Theater as we intended to cover it on our second day.
Next we went to Cave of the Winds. For this activity all the tourists are given ponchos and keto slippers which we are supposed to wear. We took an elevator which is built inside huge rocks and followed wooden walkways and stairways to reach to the base of the Bridal Falls. You can go near the falls, touch the rocks, water and take a quick bath like me 😉 . This was the best part of the Niagara Falls for me. It was good that we left our hotel early in the morning and ditched the long queues for activities.
Once we came out of Cave of the Winds it was already noon and we decided to have our lunch from a nearby restaurant. There are a lot of restaurants and eateries available at walkable distances. It was our first day in Niagara and I also wanted do some shopping so we went to the streets and started exploring the available options where we came across a museum where we had to pay 10$ each for tickets. We paid for the tickets and went inside. It was a museum where all historical information and things related to Niagara falls was showcased. We also bought a refrigerator magnet as a sovereign.
We had planned on seeing the lights of Niagara Falls in the evening so next we again went inside the State park near the Horseshoe falls. It was already 6 P.M. and we spent next four hours inside the park mesmerised by the beauty of the falls. Both U.S.A. and Canada turn hundreds of different coloured lights on at Niagara Falls creating a spectacular look. After seeing fireworks at night we picked our dinner from a nearby restaurant and left for our hotel.
Day 2 – The next day again we started early and after picking my breakfast we went to Adventure Theatre and covered the movies related to the history of the falls. After that we took the trolley ride and started visiting all the stops in the Goat Island and also visited Three Sisters island. We skipped our lunch as we were running out of time and wanted to cover Discovery Center and Hiking Trails and Aquarium of Niagara. We were able to visit the Discovery Center but it was already 4:30 P.M. and the aquarium had been closed. So we had our brunch from a nearby restaurant and decided to go hiking in the evening. We again waited till late inside the park to see the night lights and at 10 P.M. left for our hotel. With this our two day trip came to an end. It was exciting, adventurous and tiring. The next day morning we left for our home.
TRAVEL GUIDE:
- Location: Niagara Falls lies in New York state, U.S.A.
- Language: English
- Currency: Dollars $
- Best time to visit: June – August
- Packing: If travelling in winters take at least two to three layers of jackets and if summers one jacket is sufficient. Never forget to carry woollen clothes as it’s always cold
- Food: A lot of restaurants are inside and around the State Park with good options
- Commute: Take the trolley ride
- Whom to travel with: Solo, family or friends. If you have kids or old parents don’t worry as the trolley (bus) runs everyday and is very convenient and affordable
- How to travel cheap: Book your hotels well in advance and buy Discovery Passes online to skip the queue
When do you plan to visit The Niagara Falls? Or if you have visited already share your experience through comments.
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