Niagara Falls

[mikoyan29]

I was in Niagara Falls over the weekend and pictures ensued. It was mostly fun except for the getting back to the US part.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...ara-falls.html

[sms001]

Very nice Mikoyan, thank you. I'm assuming the "green monstrosity" is the Marriott?

[mikoyan29]

Nah, I didn't have any problems with the buildings. The green monstrosity I wsa referring to was the observation platform built to the side of the American Falls.

[AccountingDrone]

Only time I have been to Niagara Falls close enough to see the falls, they were turned off. [June 1969] It would seem that growing up 75 miles ish from there would make it more likely that I would manage to actually see the damned falls... but either I was headed up to Canada to take the short cut across to Detroit, or to Erie to head that way into Ohio and points southish.

I really need to actually head to the falls to sightsee sometime soon. With my luck they will have them turned off to repair the bed again. *sigh*

[PepperElf]

I was in Niagara Falls over the weekend and pictures ensued. It was mostly fun except for the getting back to the US part.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...ara-falls.html

Yeah. Last time I went to Canada, getting in was easy. Getting back to the US however took forever. Granted part of that might be that we went across to Canada at like 2am and came back mid morning. (and if I ever do that again I'm gonna try to cross in the middle of the night to avoid traffic)

[MoonCat]

Yeah. Last time I went to Canada, getting in was easy. Getting back to the US however took forever. Granted part of that might be that we went across to Canada at like 2am and came back mid morning. (and if I ever do that again I'm gonna try to cross in the middle of the night to avoid traffic)

Don't go on a holiday weekend. You'll run into Americans who like to spend holidays in Canada coming back to the US, and Canadians who like to shop in the US going back to Canada.

[mikoyan29]

Here are some other shots:
http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...ge-museum.html

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is certain worth a trip if you like planes.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...-part-one.html
If you like ships...you have to go to the Welland Canal at least once.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...-part-two.html
Or twice if you have time

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.co...s-detroit.html
And one of my favorite ships.

[wolfie]

Don't go on a holiday weekend. You'll run into Americans who like to spend holidays in Canada coming back to the US, and Canadians who like to shop in the US going back to Canada.

From what I've heard, the Canadian falls are more spectacular, but due to geography you can see them from the U.S. side and the American falls from the Canadian side.

There are 4 bridges in the area. If you don't have a NEXUS card, you can forget about the Whirlpool bridge. Of the "ordinary people" bridges, the Rainbow Bridge (no relation to dead pets) might have a view of the falls (never been across it). Queenston/Lewiston and Peace Bridges don't have a view of the falls. Niagra Falls Bridge Commission at (800)715-6722 has a recorded message (press "2") updated hourly with wait times for the bridges. For the Queenston/Lewiston bridge, if the Canada-bound car wait time is more than around 45 minutes, the truck wait time will be wildly inaccurate, since that much of a wait means it's backed up to before the "truck only" lane splits off (i.e. if it's 1/2 hour wait to get to the split, but no lineup at the booths, they'll say "minimal to no delay for trucks").

[KhirasHY]

I have to leave this as the obligatory response to anything related to Niagara Falls.

SLOWLY I TURNED...!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-A9c6VNeRQ

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

The "downtown Niagara falls" area in your pics is called Clifton Hill. I supposed while it technically could be considered downtown Niagara, it's not the real downtown because Clifton Hill is just a long strip of, as you put it, tourist traps: Hotels, restaurants, gift shops, arcades, freak shows (yes, REALLY)...all insanely overpriced.

If you get a chance you really should do the Maid of the Mist (the boat that rides up close to the base of the falls), it's incredible.

[mikoyan29]

The "downtown Niagara falls" area in your pics is called Clifton Hill. I supposed while it technically could be considered downtown Niagara, it's not the real downtown because Clifton Hill is just a long strip of, as you put it, tourist traps: Hotels, restaurants, gift shops, arcades, freak shows (yes, REALLY)...all insanely overpriced.

If you get a chance you really should do the Maid of the Mist (the boat that rides up close to the base of the falls), it's incredible.

Yeah, I should have done that but I wanted to get back home at a reasonable time.

[MoonCat]

The Canadian side of the Falls is much more built up, with more tourist shops, the casino, etc. The American side is more "natural" and the city of Niagara Falls is currently trying to update a lot of things. Personally I prefer the American side because when I go there, I go to see the Falls and the islands (Goat Island, the Three Sisters, etc.), not a bunch of a boutiques. But the American side does definitely need to upgrade its restaurants and stuff.