The Mist of Niagara

Obviously Niagara Falls cannot be missed when you're in Niagara. It is absolutely stunning, by day or by night. I was so excited to get there, I hadn’t been since I was a kid, and didn’t remember a thing, so I needed a little refresher. The Falls are amazing, and if you go, you MUST view them from the Canadian side – there’s nothing to see from the American side, so make the trip across the border. You can choose to walk along the Niagara River from the street level, view it from high above in the Skylon Tower, or take a ride in the Maid of the Mist to get right up close, either way, it is spectacular.

Quick Tips:

If you can walk to the Falls from your hotel, I recommend it, parking cost about US. If you're from the States, the exchange rate is very favorable right now, so everything is pretty affordable.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is pretty much the best way navigate the Falls area, though there are shuttle buses which run quite regularly along the main street.

I booked a night at this youth hostel in an effort to save a few bucks. I hadn’t stayed in a hostel since college, and had forgotten what it was like. Needless to say, you don’t get a lot for your money, and I’ve since decided I’m too old for hostels! The staff was very friendly though, which helped a bit. The place itself was convenient to the major sights (20 min. walk to the Falls) and public transportation, but the area was a bit shady – I wasn’t too comfortable leaving my car parked behind the hostel, but the "Magic Mystery Bus" parked back there made me a little more at ease. There’s not much to see from the outside, and the inside wasn’t too grand either, but the walls were decorated with all sorts of painted characters, which brightened it up a little.

Fortunately it was a slow night, so we didn’t have to share a room with anyone. The rooms were tiny – comprised only of 2 bunk beds and a locker to put your stuff in. There was a musty smell in the air, and I questioned how clean the sheets really were. What do you expect for $18 CAN (approx. $12 US) per night? There were about 20 rooms on the floor and only 2 bathrooms – one with a shower. (Towels cost extra – $2 CAN). Downstairs was the common area with a kitchen, pay phone, pool table, and Internet access for $1 per 8 minutes.

All in all, I guess I can’t complain too much, we just needed a bed for the night, and that’s what we got. It’s not on my list of top hostels though, perhaps because it’s an American one – I’ve found most European hostels have offered a lot more for the money, as well as clean sheets. Website: Hostelling International

Located right across from the Falls, this is the perfect spot to stop for a drink or something to eat. The view is amazing and the beer is cheap! Fortunately there weren’t many people there, as it was a little before lunch time, so we had our choice of seats outside in the "beer garden" facing the Falls. It was so nice to just sit back and relax on the outdoor patio and be surrounded by gorgeous bright red flowers with the Falls as our backdrop. (We didn’t stay for lunch though, but the food looked really nice and fresh, and the menu seemed to cover everything). We were also able to catch the end of one of the "entertainment" shows happening just below us on the Illumination Stage – it was geared mostly for kids, with dancers and their "Park Pals" (costumed characters), but entertaining nonetheless.

The diner was right down the street from the youth hostel, which is why we went there. Pretty basic fare for a good price. Breakfast special (eggs, bacon, home fries and coffee) was about $4. Decorated completely with Boston Bruins paraphernalia, which I thought was interesting, seeing as how we were in Canada. There really wasn’t too much to the place, and it seemed to be quite a local hangout. Staff was friendly though and service was fast.

The Skylon Tower is an impressive sight itself, standing nearly 800 feet above the Falls. On the ground floor, you’ll find various restaurants and shops, and at the top of the tower, there’s a revolving restaurant, and an observation deck – with the best view of the Falls. The elevators are on the outside of the Tower, and are commonly referred to as Yellow Bugs. The Observation Deck is open all year round and costs about $6 US to get up there – that rate is discounted if you eat at the main restaurant (which we didn’t). During the summer, it’s open till midnight, and is the perfect place to view the Falls when they’re lit up at night. Skylon Tower

The Maid of the Mist is basically a boat that rides along the Niagara River, and it is about as close as you can get to being IN the Falls. Entry is located across from the American Falls (I think you can also get it from the US side as well). It costs about $10US (which includes a rain poncho to keep you dry!). You will get wet so I don’t recommend bringing your camera, unless you have a waterproof one. I decided to leave mine behind for that very reason – it’s really too misty to take pictures anyway. When you’re on the boat, you’ll get a bit of a history "lesson" about Niagara, but mostly you’ll just be "swept away" by the beauty of the rushing water – it really is an impressive sight, especially from that close! I highly recommend a trip on the Maid of the Mist if you really want to see the Falls, and for $10, I think it’s a pretty reasonable price to pay for an experience you won’t soon forget!

The boat doesn’t run all year round, for obvious reasons (the river freezes up), so if you plan on taking a ride be sure to visit sometime between mid-April to late October. It runs every 15 minutes from 9:45am to 5:45pm daily.

Something not to be missed! It was so nice to spend the day just walking alongside the Falls and taking pictures. We elected to drive down to the main street to find parking there, which of course, was way overpriced. Parking is located down near Table Rock and had a flat rate of $10 CAN (about $7 US). After parking, we walked down to Table Rock and had the best view of the Falls – practically looking right down it – I didn’t realize you could get so close. You could even feel the mist coming off the Falls.

Canada is just beautiful, and I wished we’d had more time to spend there! You can walk all along the Niagara River and stop and take pictures along the way. When you get a little further down, you’ll be in front of the American Falls, which seems tiny compared to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The sidewalk is flowing with tourists from all over the world, but it didn’t seem crowded. You also get a great view of the Skylon Tower behind you. Further down, across from the American Falls, is the entrance to Maid of the Mist – reasonably priced for an up-close and personal look at the Falls. (see my separate entries on them for more info). You really could linger at the Falls for hours, it’s just such an amazing sight. Even more impressive is when it is lit up at night time – check actual hours of illumination on any of the Niagara websites – most of the year it is lit up until midnight. Some weekend nights, they also set off fireworks, which we unfortunately missed, but I can imagine it would be pretty impressive.

Niagara is definitely a sight to be seen, and I hope to get back there again really soon.