Niagara Falls
We arrived at Niagara Falls at night, but we couldn’t resist walking down to the falls. It was quite an experience to hear them but not see them. Once we approached, they falls were lit up with colored lights- it was quite a sight to behold! Jimmy was scared, and I have to say, not being able to see but being able to hear the rushing water leading to the falls and then the crashing waters of the falls was somewhat unsettling.
We started our day the next morning visiting Niagara Falls State Park. We did Cave of Winds which felt like a big accomplishment for all of us! This is a series of wood platforms and steps that bring you up close and personal to the bottom of the falls. I was anxious about this, but it was a magnificent experience. I highly recommend!
We also did the classic Maid of the Mist voyage. Beautiful views of the falls! And it was a fun experience to get up close to the Horseshoe Falls as well on the Canada side. We wouldn’t have had that perspective without this excursion. If I had to choose between the two, personally I would choose Cave of the Winds. A very unique experience!
We headed over to the Canada side. We had several destinations in Canada, but we started by exploring the Canada side of Niagara Falls. Now I have heard many, many people say they prefer the Canada side to the American side, but I did not agree. Now don’t get me wrong- the Canada side was very lovely! They have manicured walkways and a nice visitors center and such.
I did prefer the American state park. Couldn’t really tell you why, guess it came down to vibe. 🙂
The American state park did have a hop on/hop off trolley you could ride. This was very affordable and very helpful as it is a pretty large park with lots to see!
We explored in town as well, which was very cute. Of course there are LOTS of options for food and entertainment for families. We were only there for two nights I believe, and the falls were our main objective so we did not explore as much of the town. You could definitely make this your destination for a vacation though it seems- lots to do!
It was fun to hear the kids talk about it and be in awe of it. It was interesting to me which kids found which things interesting. The youngest among us was a little scared, but once he figured out we wouldn’t be riding down the falls, he was able to let go of his fear and feel the awe of the visit.
Kareem really loves Niagara Falls, and visiting here was really what spurned the planning for the whole trip. He had visited with his parents I believe more than once as a child and then as an adult as well, and it definitely stuck with him! I felt very proud to have brought the kids here- a national treasure!
