A June 2002 trip to Niagara Falls by Chuck73
Quote: Niagara Falls was the first stop on my road trip across the country. Canada is just beautiful, and I wished we’d had more time to spend there – it’s just so clean!! And there are gorgeous flowers everywhere!
Overview
Hotel | "Hostelling International"
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
Member Rating 2 out of 5 on July 3, 2002
Hostel International Great Lakes 4549 Cataract Ave Niagara Falls, Ontario (905) 357-0770
Restaurant
Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 3, 2002
Victoria Park Restaurant Niagara River Parkway Niagara Falls, Ontario (905) 356-2217
Dad's Diner Around the Corner from the Youth Hostel Niagara Falls, Ontario
Attraction
Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 3, 2002
Skylon Tower 5200 Robinson Street Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 2A3 (905) 356-2651
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.
Maid of the Mist Niagara Reservation State Park at Prospect Point Niagara Falls, New York 14303 (716) 284-8897
Attraction | "Niagara Falls in Canada"
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.
Niagara Falls Niagara Falls, Ontario
Chuck73 Melbourne, Australia