I saw a question on here over the weekend about Niagara Falls and it made me want to take my kids there. So now we are going for spring break. We are only go to go for maybe 3 nights, based on the research I've done so far this seems to be enough. I think it makes more sense (financially) to fly into Buffalo, but we want to stay on the Canadian side. There is a Marriott right on the falls that has rates that are very affordable. Is the Niagara Airbus a good option to get to the other side?
What can you tell me about it? Must dos? Don't dos? I know nothing about it, other than I've always wanted to go - and now can do it.
The kids will be newly 6, almost 8, and almost 10 if that makes a difference in what we should do and avoid. We also will all have passports by the 31st of this month for another trip, but it looks like we don't need those?
I do believe that there is a water park in the Niagara Falls, Canada area and an aqarium that may be of interest. The Canadian side has some interesting wax museums and whatnot. You do not need much time to see the falls though. Sadly, the american side is very depressed and not much to do. Though there is an air museum that is interesting.
I grew up 30 min from the falls and 3 days is too much, you can really do everything in a day. If you rent a car there is a nice butterfly museum in Canada near there, and the Ripley's is very very very small and outdated.
Toronto is about an hour and half away and there is soooo much to do there, the boys would love it. Maybe split your trip between the 2.
You will need either a passport or birth certificates in order to get into/out of Canada.
I don't think you need 3 nights in Niagra Falls - you could easily do it in a day and a half, with one night there. Lilym was spot-on. Maybe go a little longer and do Toronto too? It's not that far from Niagra Falls.
try and rent a car to go over, and MAKE Sure you ALL have passports. its a must have when going into canada, all you need is the card but if you will be flying into other countries then you need the book one, and try and stay at the embassy suites, or hilton, (we stayed there in june and we got a GREAT view) and resonable price, it was i think 250 with tax for a two room suite on a high floor with views of both falls and free breakfast. so i vote for staying there 100%. if you book in advance you get pretty good rates. and a must do is the maid of the mist, and journey behind the falls if it is warm enough for them. the butterfly conservitory is pretty darn sweet. and if you get a car drive to niagara on the lake.
I love Niagara Falls! I think the most we've stayed at one time is 3 or 4 nights. No you don't need all that time but it's called a vacation, lol. Why pack everything into a day and a half if you don't have to. Do the falls boat tour, that was a lot of fun. I've always stayed at Sheraton on the Falls, a little pricey but gorgeous!! And I believe they have an indoor waterpark now. I've never gone with kids so I'm not sure what kind of "kid" stuff there is to do. Personally I love Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe. They have Rainforest Cafe too but honestly, I really don't like their food. It's more for the experience at that one. They have a Hershey's store which is cool =) I think there is an IMAX theater if you want to catch a movie. If you're looking to save money I would say go for 2 nights so you can have fun and relax. If you're looking for a longer vacation 3 or 4 nights would be fine too. P.S. I've always stayed on the Canada side. Have Fun!!
You absolutely DO need your passports, so make sure to bring them! In the old days, you could get across easily without it, but that has changed. We just went to Toronto earlier this month and ended up in a mad dash to renew SO's passport because we thought it wasn't needed... Canada doesn't require passport to enter necessarily (they'll accept photo id plus proof of citizenship) but the US requires passports to re-enter!
We stopped at Niagara on our way over and it was fun. We saw it from the US side, though, so I don't know much about logistics from the other side.
We visited Niagara Falls this past June. Our 3 kids and my husband and I all enjoyed it. We stayed at the hotel you mentioned. It was lovely. The only problem I had with it we have kids our youngest is 6 yrs. Sleeping arrangements were a bit tight for 5 people.
It was my understadning that you do need passports, but if you are already getting them then it's a mute point.
We live close enough that we drove. I think we actually stayed at that marriott the first time we went just hubby and I and i remember liking it.
There is a little tram you can ride to get from one part of the falls to the other, can't remember if there was a cost. that might have been part of Goats island??
The falls are neat but honestly I get bored if i stand there and watch them for more than 10 mins lol
We enjoyed the maid of the mist and got soaked but it was fun.
we did not go behind the falls i don't think but i would like to.
There is a ripley's believe it or not museum in the town but i think you would need to drive to get there. which i found creepy and tiny but your boys might like it.
other than checking to see if they have a night time light show or fireworks.
and maybe doing dinner in the revolving resturant, i think that's about it. some sounvenior shops.
Personally unless your 3 days include travel time, or just chilling relaxing at the hotel you could probably easily see everything in 2 days only.
I'm hoping someone else chimes in since my memory is bad, but that was my impression about 3 yrs ago.
I was just there in July.
Yes you need passports. We stayed on the NY side and rode the Maid of the Mist (40 mins). It takes you to the base of Horseshoe Falls. I've been on the Canadian side and to me it seem just as nice from the NY side. Other than the token of saying that you visited another country, when you take the Mist ride, you actually enter Canadian waters for a few minutes, so I say that counts!
Each side has a place where you can walk behind the Falls.
There are packages available. It looks like the Marriott has an indoor waterpark.
http://www.marriottgatewayonthefalls.com/packages/splash-...
There are several packages available.
http://www.niagarafallstourism.com/experience/family-fun/
http://www.niagarafallstourism.com/packages/
I grew up in and around the Buffalo area so I've been to Niagara Falls a few times ;) I'm not sure about transportation since we drove. If you plan to go back and forth between Buffalo and the Canadian side you'll need passports to go through. It's not a big deal and it is so common they may have even lightened up on the passport check, but better safe than sorry. The best views of the falls are on the canadian side and it's beautiful. If you've never been the Maid of the Mist is a must. There are touristy things to do on both sides, but I always found the Canadian side more interesting (maybe because I grew up on the US side ;)
It was years ago that I went. From what I remember the Canadian side is THE way to see the falls. Don't get me wrong you can see them from the U.S side, but all the pics/movies/exposure from media is from the vantage point of the Canadian side.
If you choose that route, you would need the walking passport cards I believe.
