Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls - TravBuddy

There was much more to do around Niagara Falls than I anticipated. The first thing that you must do is take the walking tour near the falls. They give you ponchos to keep you from getting completely soaked, as well as sandals to change into so that you don't ruin your shoes. This tour will give you a general idea of where everything is, and the guides will fill you in on the history of the falls. Theres also an IMAX movie that plays that was very interesting and it only runs for about half an hour. It is basically a timeline on Niagara falls and mentions all the crazy things people have done around it to become famous, such as the french daredevil that walked a tightrope across it, etc. The one attraction that you ABSOLUTELY MUST DO is Maid of the Mist. Its the corniest, cheesiest, most touristy (a word?) thing ever, and its awesome. They load a bunch of people onto a boat, give them ponchos, and drive the boat right up near the falls. Not only do you get soaked, but everyone is screaming "wooooooo", and the air is filled with not only water, but laughter from all ages. If you wish to take pictures during this I suggest you buy a protective camera sleeve...they sell these at Ritz camera for 5 bucks, and they come in packs of 2. If you do nothing else in Niagara, make sure you ride on Maid of the Mist.Its cheap, and you will remember it forever. Woooooooo!

If anyone is planning on visiting Niagara Falls from the U.S. side. I recommend that after you have seen the falls from the U.S. side, you consider crossing over to the Canadian side to view the falls. The view is much more beautiful from the north side of the gorge. You will be very impressed. There is an option of walking or driving across. I have done both. For walking you can park at the falls, walk down to the bridge, across, and then back up on the Canadian side. It is a long walk, but a lot of fun. It isn't very often that one gets to cross the border on foot. If you decide to spend more time on the Canadian side there is lots to do. There is an excellent IMAX movie about the history of the falls and its discovery.

Niagara Falls is amazing . . . unless you've seen Victoria Falls or Iguazu Falls.

Although you have to admire the symmetry of the Horseshoe Falls, Niagara was actually much smaller than I expected. The simple fact that it's partially located in the USA results in overexposure through the media, causing people to think that Niagara is incredible and unique. Don't get me wrong, its beautiful; however, Niagara should never even be mentioned in the same breath as its African and South American counterparts. If you do want to see one-of-a-kind natural wonders in the USA, stick to California, Arizona, and the rest of the Southwest.