We were able to visit Niagara Falls. It was my first time, so I was looking forward to it.
As I usually do, I hit the internet to see what my friend, Mr. Google, had to say about what to do and where to go while at the falls. (There’s more to the falls than just water right?)
The consensus was to visit the Canadian side if you want a Vegas-like, flashy, light-filled experience. Or, choose the American side if you’re trying to avoid crowds and enjoy a relatively peaceful visit near the falls. We decided to spend a little time at both.
I learned that the Falls are a popular destination for Southeast Asian tourists. There were lots of Indian restaurants on the U.S. side, and most businesses had signs written in both English and Hindi. We enjoyed a nice Tandoori meal while on the U.S. side, but otherwise, the U.S. side was pretty boring. It doesn’t look as if Niagara Falls, NY actively promotes tourism in the same way Niagara Falls, Ontario does.
With that said, we liked the Canadian side best. While admittedly tourist-trappy, there were lots of attention-grabbing things to see/do/eat there, with a feel that the city was actively trying to entice tourists to come (and spend money) there while enjoying the falls. (The U.S. side was like a ghost town, giving the appearance of being indifferent to tourists coming or not.)
We rode the famous zip line (that’s me yelling on the way down,)
… and we did the obligatory boat ride with ponchos as close to the water as we could get.
The Lee Family at Niagara Falls. We got a little spritz, but not soaked like we expected.
Then we just walked around until we got tired, looking at the sights. (And there were lots of them.)
I’m not sure of the purpose of the upside down house was, but it seemed for calling for headstands.
Ultimately, I rate the Falls (either side) as a one-n-done kind of experience. I probably wouldn’t pay money to return on my own accord. Still, we can mark this off the list of travel accomplishments.
