Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls - General Tips & Advice Reviews

-Legal Age is 19...so if your under that,then you can't drink in bars,or gamble at the casinos,but if your with a bunch of people in the very crowded boston pizza,you can get quite a few sips of their drinks,no one will notice,but you can't sit in the bar part,after 10pm. You can also always drink in your hotel room

-Best places to eat/drink :
Breakfast/Lunch/Brunch: Golden Griddle,Denny's
Supper:Boston Pizza,Planet Hollywood,Hard Rock Cafe
Drinks (alcholic):Boston Pizza
Coffee:Tim Horton's

Attractions to see:
The Falls! -walk up to see them,if it's in season you can go on maid of the mist,and various other boats

Sky Wheel,Ripleys,Lots of different wax museums,Local stores,or stores near by,Go over to Buffalo to shop,or go to Toronto to shop.

I don't think as a family vacation it would be very fun...but maybe it's because i'm old? (18 lol)... Pick Disney World for the kids!, Niagara Falls is a good place just to party it up really... It is kind of a tourist trap aswell,a meal at a restaurant is exspensive! compared to what I see in my city. You probably wouldn't want to rent a car...it costs $10-$15 to park each day,and everywhere you go. My uncle ended up leaving his rented van parked at our hotel instead of his,because it was $10 at ours and $15 at his.Also everything is within walking distance. Get a hotel right in the action.(Clifton Hill) Ours was the Imperial,not the nicest or newest of hotels, but comfortable to sleep,hot tub,and right by all the action. Although the off season is cheaper,it's not as good as, the falls aren't lit up,and you can't go on the maid of the mist.We went in April and it was freezing as if it was still winter! Better idea to go in the summer! Any questions feel free to ask me!

Sometimes I am a slow learner.

With the opportunity to skip Dodge for a long weekend Jody gave the all-in for a road trip to Niagara Falls. I had sworn off northern vacations after several previous inhospitable greetings from Canadian Customs and Immigration. Four new Brigestone radials on the wife's sled Friday afternoon and we were good to go in the predawn Saturday darkness. Pinned back our ears excepting stops for breakfast and lunch and by noon and 400 miles we were gazing across the famed Niagara Falls.

I had been there before and knew better than to cross the border, but the wife wanted to see the view from the west shore, and the Marriott Fallsview has some nice suites above the Horseshoe Falls and.......

So we try to cross the Rainbow Bridge and are greeted with the all to familiar Canadian greeting. "Pull in to the left and see the Customs Officer".

If you travel enough you get accustomed to the searches and questioning. It is just part of the drill. Crossings into Ontario are another matter.

It started as a routine vehicle search. Fair enough. You stand in front of the car and Customs looks for your dope. Sometimes they smart-mouth you a little to see if you'll bite. Maybe throw your stuff around a bit to see if you are easily aggravated, but if they don't find your gun, bag of heroin, or that canister of enriched uranium, they usually say something witty and send you on your way.

Not this time.

My initial interrogation had gone poorly.

Customs Officer: Where are you going?
JohnnyK: The Marriott

Customs Officer: How long will you be visiting?
JohnnyK: We have a reservation tonight, we might stay a second night.

Customs Officer: Who's car is this?
JohnnyK: It's Hers. (points to wife)

Not sure what I said that got them so riled but Canadian Customs decided we merited additional interrogation. Separate interrogation of course. They separated us and asked us both similar questions. Very confrontational. Very aggressive. Complete with the unnecessary rude comments and implied threats. I knew I was in trouble as soon as I laid eyes on the Officer. White female twenty-something wearing the uniform with the smirk and the swagger of someone daring you to assume she will not rape you with a blackjack for producing USD$38.50 less than you claimed to carry during questioning.

They claimed that despite the discrepancy they were satisfied of my ability to "sustain myself financially" during my visit.

Huh?

Maybe I should have worn a nicer shirt?

Then they send us to wait.

In the absence of outstanding warrants from Interpol,the Mossad, FBI, IRS or the Warwick PTA, we were eventaully released from custody with a smirk and an "Enjoy your stay in Ontario".

Niagara Falls can be viewed quite nicely from the American side. The attractions on the Canadian side may be entertaining, but are nothing more than another glintsy-chintsy tourist trap. The Canadian people we met were on this trip were friendly. The Marriott is a very nice property and their staff were courteous, efficient and did their best to make our stay enjoyable. Our interaction with the bartenders, waitstaff, valets, bus drivers, shopkeepers, and tour operators of Niagara Falls was all positive.

But when your hotel is costing over USD$400.00/night and they have a 72 hour cancellation policy it makes a fools bet considering the possibility you will be denied entry at the border and stuck with a fat hotel bill. I will not return and I will cancel trips I was planning to Toronto and Nova Scotia.

We had a great time despite the border ordeal, but I would not recommend Niagara Falls to a friend. I will post a pic so readers may see the falls without needing to visit.

If you are up that way and looking for recreational opportunities consider a visit to New York Wine Country instead of running the gauntlet of Canadian Customs. A bit farther south is Pennsylvania Route 6 for those road trippers more journey than destination orientated.