Visiting Niagara Falls
Sep. 1st, 2025 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerCanada travelog #23
Niagara Falls, ON · Wed, 27 Aug 2025. 10:45am.
Today we're visiting Niagara Falls in Canada. Both Hawk and I have been to Niagara Falls before, but it was a) on the US side and b) when we were kids. She visited with her family when she was 18. I visited with mine when I was... 10, I think. It was a long time ago!
We've blocked the whole day to spend visiting the falls. We even got up early and had a quick breakfast in the room so we could get out faster. Was that necessary? Strictly speaking, no. We got here with plenty of time to spare. But it's beautiful here so, yes, it's time well spent.
After a bit of circling to find parking once we got to the falls we found a primo spot in the park less than a block from the edge of the cliff. Better yet, the spot was just $24 for all day. Converting that from CAD to "real" money 🤣 it's just under $17.50.
The best part about where we parked was it was just steps to the edge of the canyon and all the views. The photo above shows the American side of Niagara Falls. The boat in the water is the Maid of the Mist, a ferry that carries passengers past both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls (next photo).
The Horseshoe Falls are right here next to us, too, on the Canadian side. Having been to Niagara from both sides (US and Canada) now I can say that the Canadian side is way better. It's not a cultural thing; it's that the views are way better! It just so much easier to see everything from here. And the fact that there's basically a city park that stretches 1 km along the top of the cliff makes it so easy to appreciate the natural beauty.
Here's a short video of what you can see from a single vantage point in Niagara Falls, Canada:
The ferry you see in the mist of the Horseshoe Falls is not the Maid of the Mist, it's the Niagara City Cruise. What's the difference? Maid of the Mist departs from a dock on the US side, Niagara City operates from the Canadian side. How can you tell which is which? The colors! The US ferry operator gives everyone blue ponchos, the Canada ferry kits them out in red.
I remember fondly riding Maid of the Mist when I was 10. For me it was the high point of our family trip to Niagara Falls. And now Hawk and I are going to do it again, together. We've got tickets for later today, but since we're here early we'll see if we can join and earlier boarding and have more time later in the day for more sightseeing.
Niagara Falls, ON · Wed, 27 Aug 2025. 10:45am.
Today we're visiting Niagara Falls in Canada. Both Hawk and I have been to Niagara Falls before, but it was a) on the US side and b) when we were kids. She visited with her family when she was 18. I visited with mine when I was... 10, I think. It was a long time ago!
We've blocked the whole day to spend visiting the falls. We even got up early and had a quick breakfast in the room so we could get out faster. Was that necessary? Strictly speaking, no. We got here with plenty of time to spare. But it's beautiful here so, yes, it's time well spent.
After a bit of circling to find parking once we got to the falls we found a primo spot in the park less than a block from the edge of the cliff. Better yet, the spot was just $24 for all day. Converting that from CAD to "real" money 🤣 it's just under $17.50.
The best part about where we parked was it was just steps to the edge of the canyon and all the views. The photo above shows the American side of Niagara Falls. The boat in the water is the Maid of the Mist, a ferry that carries passengers past both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls (next photo).
The Horseshoe Falls are right here next to us, too, on the Canadian side. Having been to Niagara from both sides (US and Canada) now I can say that the Canadian side is way better. It's not a cultural thing; it's that the views are way better! It just so much easier to see everything from here. And the fact that there's basically a city park that stretches 1 km along the top of the cliff makes it so easy to appreciate the natural beauty.
Here's a short video of what you can see from a single vantage point in Niagara Falls, Canada:
The ferry you see in the mist of the Horseshoe Falls is not the Maid of the Mist, it's the Niagara City Cruise. What's the difference? Maid of the Mist departs from a dock on the US side, Niagara City operates from the Canadian side. How can you tell which is which? The colors! The US ferry operator gives everyone blue ponchos, the Canada ferry kits them out in red.
I remember fondly riding Maid of the Mist when I was 10. For me it was the high point of our family trip to Niagara Falls. And now Hawk and I are going to do it again, together. We've got tickets for later today, but since we're here early we'll see if we can join and earlier boarding and have more time later in the day for more sightseeing.
