Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Itinerary

June 04 (Wed) Chicago - Buffalo - Niagara Fall, Ontario

Flight was early but uneventful.

Buffalo's culinary is famous for two things. Buffalo Wings (which we will visit on our way back) and "Beef on Weck" made famous by the restaurant "Charlie the Butcher's Kitchen". Beef on Weck is thinly sliced rare roast beef served on a Kimmelweck roll (topped with salt and caraway seeds) dipped in au jus and served with horse radish sauce.

So, before heading to Niagara Falls we had lunch at Charlie's. Terrific- Beef on Weck - YUM!

After lunch we headed to the Canadian border and onto Niagara Falls Ontario. Going across the border was, of course, a significant delay as we had to go through customs. "What's your business in Canada?"

Niagara Falls U.S. side vs. Canadian side. There is no contest here. On the U.S. side all you can see is a view from the side and is nothing compared to the face on views you can see from the Canadian side.

After checking into our hotel we walked downtown and bought tickets to three venues for the day. We strolled the main walkway with amazing views of the falls.

Views from the Walkway

First up was taking a boat on the river to get close up views of both the Falls and the Horseshoe Falls (the two of them making up Niagara Falls). We went out on the Hornblower boat. They give you ponchos because you get caught heavily in the spray from the falls. They take you up nice and close to both falls. Really cool to witness the power of the falls up close.

Views from the Hornblower - American Falls

Views from the Hornblower - Horseshoe Falls

Next we took a walk along the Niagara River, the "White Water Walk". All the water from the falls funnels into a fairly narrow river. Never, ever saw rapids as huge as these. They are class 5 (the highest class of rapids) and are not navigable. There were some really cool huge standing waves.

Niagara River - White Water Walk

Our final excursion was a walk behind Horseshoe Falls. You can get so close to the water cascading down the falls. Really cool.

Views from Behind the Falls

Videos from Behind the Falls

Finally, a few more pictures and a video from the main walkway and above the falls.

Rainbows and Selfies!

Dinner: We headed back up the hill toward our hotel and had dinner at Margarittaville. Just OK.

After dinner it was back to the hotel. What a great day!!

June 05 (Thu) Niagara Fall

After such a busy day yesterday, today was a little slower pace. We did a video attraction called "Niagara's Fury - Creation of the Falls" which was OK.

Then a trip to the top of the "Skylon Tower Observatory" which gave us some spectacular views of the falls.

Views from Skylon Tower Observatory

We headed back to the main area and took some more pictures and a couple of videos. Definately watch the videos!

Dinner: We had dinner at an excellent restaurant, "The WaterMark" which sits right on top of horseshoe falls. The waiter gave us an excellent table at the windows and the view was spectacular.

Views from Dinner - The WaterMark

After Dinner we hung around enjoying the scenary of the falls waiting for dark when they light up the falls and do a fireworks show every night.

It was rainy/drizzly which made for really cool (almost surreal) lighting of the falls.

Niagars Falls at Night

June 06 (Fri) Niagara Falls - Buffalo - Chicago

Today we headed back to Buffalo for an iconic lunch and then to the airport for an uneventful flight back home to Chicago.

We ate lunch at the "Anchor Bar" which is famous for inventing the "Buffalo Chicken Wings".

Guess what we ordered? They were delicious! YUM

After our flight. Home Sweet Home.

Summary

This was a very nice, relaxing trip. I think this was the first one for just Kathryn and I since we had J and B. Many more to come!

Buffalo: Pretty Cool. Niagara Falls, Ontario: Very Cool. Niagara Falls: Mesmerizing, Very Cool.

Interesting Niagra Falls Facts

The Niagara Falls are located on the border of Ontario, Canada and New York, USA.

The Niagara Falls are made up of 3 waterfalls, the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls.

The Horseshoe Falls are the largest and the Bridal Veil Falls the smallest.

The 3 waterfalls combine to produce the highest flow rate of any waterfall on earth.

The largest vertical drop is over 165 feet (50 metres).

The Niagara Falls were created by glacier activity around 10000 years ago.

The Niagara Falls are a source of hydropower, producing large amounts of electricity.

Hydroelectric stations in the area divert less water during the summer when tourist numbers are high, ensuring a spectacular flow of water for visitors.

The Niagara River drains water from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario.

At the current rate of erosion, scientists believe that the Niagara Falls will be gone in around 50000 years, luckily you still have time to see them!

It is illegal (and not very smart) to go over the Niagara Falls.

A number of people have tried it anyway, some survived, some were injured and some were killed.

The first tightrope walker to cross the Niagara Falls did so in 1859.

In 2012 Nik Wallenda became the first person to cross the Niagara Falls by tightrope in 116 years. He did so after receiving permission from both the Canadian and United States governments, although he was required to carry his passport and present it on entry to the Canadian side of the falls.

The Niagara Falls have long been a popular tourist destination, boosted by a number of movies featuring the falls and even a daring performance by famous Illusionist David Copperfield in 1990.

Goat Island sits in the middle of the Niagara Falls, between Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.

A monument dedicated to Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla sits on Goat Island.

The Niagara Falls are visited by around 30 million people every year.

The Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the United States (1885).