Niagara Falls Family Fun

Although we both absolutely fell in love with Canada and vowed to come back for a longer stay, it was time to head back to the States. We were excited for our next stop: Niagara Falls. This was an extra special treat for me since my family was meeting us out there and we were all going to spend some time exploring the area.

Bruno
Meet Bruno
Mom
Meet Mom
Lulu the dog
Meet Lulu the dog: An attraction even bigger than Niagara itself!

My mom has had this obsession with visiting Niagara Falls which none of us ever understood until we arrived. She had been talking about visiting the falls for the past couple of years so we thought this was the perfect time and place along our road trip to catch up with her and my brother. After seeing this magnificent sight for ourselves, we realized why she had become so enthralled by it.

Beautiful colors!
Gorgeous Niagara Falls

Manu and I started our Niagara Falls journey on the Canadian side at midday. Our walk along Clifton Hills was filled with flashy attractions, kitschy haunted houses and chain eateries. This was definitely not our favorite part of the visit but to make up for this the Canadian view was simply stunning. Queen Victoria Park is lovely and provides the absolute best straight on views of American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. The Canadian side is definitely worth a peek if you’re in the area. You could even cross over the Rainbow Bridge which connects the US and Canada borders on foot for a .50 cent fee (whether crossing on foot, bike or car don’t forget your passport!)

Enjoying the views of the falls from Canada
Enjoying the views
Cruise into the falls form the Canadian side
Cruise into the falls from the Canadian side
Manu posing with the falls
Manu posing with the falls
Niagara Falls on the Canadian side
Canadian views

We finally arrived to the US side of the falls in the late afternoon and this gave us a different perspective of the area. Niagara Falls State Park (the oldest State park in the country) is a serene place to relax and enjoy the scenery. By the time we visited the crowds had quieted down a bit and the sun was just beginning to set. We all ventured to the Prospect Point Park Observation Tower for some killer panoramic views of the falls (free entrance after 5 pm). We then all began making our way over to Luna Island with Lulu the dog (in her doggie stroller) in tow.

Lulu- A Niagara Falls sensation
Lulu: A Niagara Falls sensation! People would stop and pet her every couple minutes.
Gorgeous view of the falls from the overlook
Gorgeous view of the falls from the observation tower
Amazing power of the falls
Amazing power!
Sunset over Niagara
Sunset over Niagara
Raging waters
Raging waters
Lulu admiring the falls
Lulu admiring the falls
Mom at the edge of Niagara Falls
Afraid of the edge
Getting ready for the night view
Getting ready for the night view

After a pleasant hike through the park we made our way back and stuck around for the illumination of the falls. Beginning in May the light show starts around 9 pm with earlier start times in the fall and winter seasons. The raging water is gorgeously illuminated with an array of colors and is a truly special sight. Be ready for a crowd when the lights come on as everyone begins to gather in the same place, we thankfully had my 6’2″ brother get some good shots over everyone’s head!

Niagara Falls beautifully lit up
Niagara Falls beautifully lit up
Canada skyline
Canada skyline- Thanks to my tall brother for the shots over the crowd.

The next day we returned to experience more of Niagara Falls. If you have a full day and loads of energy you can purchase the Niagara USA Discovery Pass ($45 USD for adults) which includes access to Niagara Aquarium, Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, and an IMAX movie. However, we opted to skip all this but could not miss out on the Maid of the Mist. Not only was this the site of Jim and Pam’s wedding (we’re huge The Office fans) but it was also an exciting and fun experience into the falls that we had to try first hand.

Captains of the Maid of the Mist
Maid of the Mist captains: Eliot and Bruno

An entrance fee of 18.25 USD for adults gets you up close and personal with the falls and includes a nifty blue poncho which you will definitely need/use. The boat ride was incredibly thrilling and something I would recommend for all visitors. It was amazing to experience the power of the falls in every sense. You could hear and see the rush of water pushing up against the boat as you’re subsequently enveloped by a heavy mist. I just stood at the bow (heart racing) in awe of this marvelous wonder!

Awesome experience on the Maid of the Mist
Awesome experience
Manu and I after Maid of the Mist
Exhilarated after the ride
Niagara Falls models
Niagara Falls models

Our overall experience in Niagara Falls was fantastic and we loved catching up with Bruno, Eliot, my mom and Lulu! It is one that will go down in history, thanks for meeting up with us!

Thanks for coming out!
Thanks for coming out!

Where we’re headed next:

  • Passing through Columbus
  • Passing through St. Louis
  • Denver