Niagara Falls

[Miss_Ellie1]

Hubby and I have decided to head to Niagara Falls mid July and would welcome suggestions for a camp ground that has water & sewer and 50 amp service and places other things to do. Have been going thru different sites and touristy things but also looking for personal suggestions.

[rv2go]

shadows4 wrote:
We are going the first of July so will be following this thread. No definate plans yet other than we will be staying on U.S. side as neither one of us has a passport.

Better hurry and get your passports or cards. You will be sorry if you don't visit the Canadian side.
IMO, there is lots more on the Canadian side.

[GPG52_]

Welcome to Canada, celebrating 150 Confederation this year, so many special celebrations.
All of the activities mention above are well worth seeing.
Marine Land is another attraction in the area.
Campgrounds: KOA, Lundy's lane, NF/Cnd is just on the outskirts of town as is Yogi Bear Campground and takes you away from the hustle and bezel.

Niagara Parkway:
A very scenic drive would be down the Niagara Parkway from "Niagara Falls" to "Niagara on the Lake" about a 30-45 minute drive on the Canadian side. Takes you along the Niagara River towards Lake Ontario. Many great sights, picnic areas, Butterfly museum, helicopter rides, gondola ride over the rapids, Lewiston monument, Laura Secord homestead, restored 1812 Fort George. This also takes you through "Wine Country" along with many public wine tours/tasting,fruit farms and roadside vendor stands.

Niagara-on-the-Lake,
is a quaint little restored town, many specialty shops, horse carriage rides. But it is most famous for its live theatres. Shaw Festival Theater is world renowned. Their are about 4 other smaller live theaters in town that offer a great variety of entertainment. Five star dinning and accommodations as are smaller family oriented restaurants.
Saint (St.) Catherine
is a larger center just east of Niagara-on-the-Lake and an easy drive to see the locks where ocean cargo ships cross from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie on their way to Lake Superior. I believe these locks are registered as a world wonder??? Mall complex, Bass Pro Shop... etc.
Saint (St.)Davids,
also in the same area has one of the largest RV dealers in South Western Ontario, Niagara Trailer Sales should you need any supplies.
NOTE: You will not have to travel the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW)unless you want to go to Toronto. The Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake areas will offer you plenty to do.

Enjoy...
Guy, Standby Sam Member

[dennis1949]

We are going at the end of July. We are staying at Cinderella Motel and campground On Grand Island NY

[Tvov]

We went about 5? plus years ago and stayed at the KOA on Lundy's Lane in Canada. We were all towing 20ish foot trailers (3 families), and found the campsites to be just fine.

As mentioned, the Niagara Falls area is VERY touristy - it is kinda depressing when you first arrive expecting the pristine waterfall in the wilderness that you had been seeing in all the pictures. Just go and enjoy it.

We greatly enjoyed the Skylon Tower restaurant, which is practically right over the falls. Spectacular view, and for 3 families the buffet was great and we really put a dent in their profits that day.

Something that myself and 2 of the boys enjoyed was a tour of the power plant a few miles up the river. You take an elevator something like 27 floors down to see the generating room and display room showing how everything works... they don't actually get power directly from the falls anymore, there are canals and reservoirs that are used to create hydro power. A lot of the old abandoned generator buildings are still near the falls.

At the visitor center on the Canadian side, you can get up to within about 10 feet or so of the top of the falls. It is pretty cool to just relax and watch for awhile!

The Maid of the Mist trips - I take it they are now called Hornblower Cruises? - is worth it. The boats go right into the mist at the base of the falls.

When crossing the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls, be ready with everything you need for crossing the border, and be ready for traffic. Worst by far was the return trip - traffic was backed up horribly - almost 3 hour wait just sitting there. Nothing you can do about it, except maybe try to time your crossing different than we did!

[Roadpilot]

When we took the 4 grandkids there last year we stayed at Branches of the Niagra Camp Ground. Great place.

To do:
niagra falls - canadian side cave of the winds (american side-no cave-$100pp or more)
Teddy Roosevelt Nat Historic site -
Buffalo Three sisters island
Welland canal - niagra on the lake west across canal. Head south on parkway. Lock 3 has museum, viewing area etc.
Letchworth State Park
Ontario Science Centre - 770 Don Mills Rd
Toronto Island Martin's Fantasy Island - good for young kids since they have many rides for the small ones too.
Fort Erie
Lockport,
NY Ripley's Aquarium Toronto

[4huskers]

We've taken the Grayline tour that visited both sides of the border. Very interesting and Timothy the tour guide was great.

[Mike_Taverniti]

Campark Resorts in Niagra Falls is nice. This is in Canada.

[The_Harpers]

The falls are beautiful in what ever activities you choose. We were there for a week. The night time there is just beautiful, light show, fireworks, have dinner on either sided, or just bring your own. Go out on the hurricane deck on a windy day you will never forget it. They almost closed it when we went down to the bottom of the falls? Outside of the falls they have a great city park, it is big. Take a ride on some of the country roads outside of town. We stopped at very small farm stands that were selling there gardens best. We stocked up on there corn, squash, onions, and a couple of different types of lettuce. Have Fun, we did

[toedtoes]

My favorite things to do IN Niagara Falls:

US Side - Whirlpool Jet Boats, Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Goat Island, Little Sisters Islands

Canadian Side - Hornblower Cruises (formerly Maid of the Mist*), Journey Behind the Falls, Whirlpool Aero Car, White Water Walk, Butterfly Conservatory, Botanical Gardens

*This is the same basic boat ride, just starting and ending on opposite sides of the river.

Check into the passes at NiagaraParks.com and Niagarafallsstatepark.com. You can get a nice discount using them. If you're going to go to both the US and the Canadian side, check both passes out with and without the boat cruise - then get the boat cruise on whichever side makes it a better price.

One thing to really remember is that Niagara Falls is touristy. Don't go there expecting it to be something else. Clifton Hill (on the Canadian side) is very much a carnival midway - go there expecting that and you won't be disappointed.

Also, whatever side of the Falls you visit, be sure to just sit down near the falls and watch the water course over the edge. Feel the spray on your face and just let the experience happen. There was a female travel writer in the late 1800s/early 1900s who visited Niagara Falls - she did all the activities and rushed around, then went home and wrote about what a horrid place it was. Then she decided to try it again and this time she found a quiet spot and just sat and watched the falls. She left with a completely different opinion of the Falls than before.

If you like to read about places you visit, check out T.W. Kriner's Journey to the Brink of Doom and Into the Mad Water (might be two mads). They tell a bunch of stories about people and animals going over the falls, etc. (the story of the german shepherd is wonderful). It makes you think about how much power the Falls have (and what you see during the day is only 3/4 of the full power - 1/2 power at night).

Oh, and don't forget to watch the fireworks display.

[shadows4]

We are going the first of July so will be following this thread. No definate plans yet other than we will be staying on U.S. side as neither one of us has a passport. And we are staying at Four Mile Creek State Park.