We stayed at the Marriott on the Canadian side nearest the falls a few years ago and splurged on a falls-view room - wow was that different than my memories of the 'merican side way back in the last century! We'll have to go back again when it's not winter/Christmas to see more.

I haven't been there in decades. Standing by the rail looking into the river was terrifying! The speed and volume of water passing by every second was truly impressive.

Fiddling with pic settings - disregard

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My son visited when he was working back east in Conn.
He and the girl he was involved with went up for a weekend.
Being it was winter, he wore his tennis shoes and sweat pants with his tee shirt and hoodie.
No passport didn't stop him from going over to the CA side.
Coming back they asked for it. When he explained his situation (newly graduated kid from Calif working in Conn being an in-plant rep for his employer), they just looked at him and said go on, but don't do it again.

[QUOTE=ramonesfreak;12307625]My original post was a response to Look 171. My point was that I don't think the cities appear to be improved from certain vantage points and that in order to really see the real place you have to get off the thruway and explore and, that yea the cities are dangerous. Its not my perception, its my experience. The assumption that I should stay in the sticks and out of peoples way because I might have an opinion is well...

I have lived it and pay close attention to it. I do not feel safe. Earlier this summer someone asked us if we wanted to go see the Wailers i think it was the next day. I said no thanks. Besides having seen them countless times over the past 30 years, I didn't want to go because the last 5 years I have gone to summer concerts there, I have increasingly felt unsafe. The person that asked us thinks I over react blah blah

That same very night the person called, 6 people were shot in that same park. Yea the concert happened without incident. big whup. The danger is real and happens when you least expect it with increasing frequency

This happened the other day - VERY disturbing and not far from where where I live-
https://13wham.com/news/local/rochester-police-frustrated-over-previous-release-of-suspect-in-deadly-triple-shooting-rukia-isaack-nasezire-horton-quentin-riviere-hazelwood-terrace-beechwood-neighborhood

Dang. My sister lived on Hazelwood. Moved to Mt Hope when the rough got a little too close. I’m told Rochester is the drug hub of the northeast now…. Sad.

Was at the Falls Thursday. Went to Canadian side. Been a while. I usually stay on the USA side but wife wanted to. It was beautiful. Took the boat ride…the one with the red raincoats, not the blue…not that it matters. Well worth the $30. All the times I’ve been there and never done the maid of the mist etc… Got soaked. After all the walking I didnt have energy to be picky about food so we just went into the Hard Rock Cafe and was very pleasantly surprised. We both agreed we had the best cheeseburger we have had in a long time and we live in hamburger central here. The USA price for 2 cheeseburgers and 2 Heinekens was $98. Ouch. But food was great. After that we took a ride to Niagara on the Lake and had some ice cream but with getting up early and all the walking and the my GPS not working right, I was very grouchy by then and didn’t want to stay longer. Will have to go back to visit that beautiful town, maybe someday by boat…..oh and wife forced me to get on that huge SkyWheel…..I hate heights and didn’t like it. For me, the view was not worth it but wife was happy that I said yes to something

I've only been there two times...but I have to say it's an amazing sight.

I had been to NF several times but it wasn't until a few years ago that my wife and I decided to take our kids on the maid of the mist. We had an absolute blast! You really get a feel for the power of the falls the closer you get. We don't really spend much time in the area other than at the falls. Everyone seems to say "The Canadian side is nicer" and I say "Not from where I'm looking". I remember as a kid it wasn't as commercialized as it is now. But isn't that true of about everything that's nice to visit?

Great memory...during my U. of Rochester days back in the early 1970's - my best buddy and I found ourselves on the top floor of the observation tower...a very cold and rainy day so no-one else was there - or so we thought - because our solitude was shortly ended when, lo and behold, the entire 50-state contingent of that years Miss America contestants appeared, as if by magic, in their swimsuits!

They were there for a photo-shoot, and were all very giddy and excited, very talkative, and very cold with lots of goosebumps! Their shoot could not be rescheduled apparently...but oh my goodness, were my buddy and I in absolute heaven!

But my suggestion to those who might be a bit put off by the area surrounding the falls - you owe it to yourselves to drive just a few miles north to the village of Niagra on the Lake (Ontario)...a very civilized outpost with its own, slightly warmer "micro-climate," with a number of great vineyards/wine tastings, summer theater (esp. the G.B. Shaw festival), wonderful small inns and restaurants, and serene waterfront park with families dining on picnic blankets.

I'm always confused by the comments about NF 'tourist area'. A) it terrible, expensive, and tacky (true) B) It's overcrowded.

If it's so bad, why are there so many people there? Nothing's going to change when everyone is making money. Yea, they take advantage of the Falls, that's the definition of tourism everywhere.

I've been to the NY side once which reminds me to always have my passport so I can go the Canadian side :)

I find it funny how the Canadian side is super nice like a little French city but if you get a few blocks away it seems pretty industrial.

I entered Canadian side using only my NY Enhanced license. I have no passport

Must have went a dozen times during Covid because there was nothing to do. The best hotel rooms in town were $88 CAD. A few nice restaurants were open. Obviously no reservations were needed. It was better times before the crowds/drugs/student visas. Clifton Hill mid-day on a Saturday....

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BTW, the Canadian side is not super nice...its fine but looks like a mini Disney with Dinosour minigolf and Zombie haunted house and video game places...etc. Its clean and the flowers as always, are very nicely displayed but if not for my wife...I would have gotten back into the car and drove home after seeing the falls for an hour or so. Zero reason to stay there longer. Maybe a bite to eat and then out of there. For me, the only reason to go to Canada is that the view of the falls is slightly better on the Canada side which may be why there are thousands of Europeans on that side as opposed to the USA side? Or maybe thats because Toronto is close or easier to travel in Canada, not sure. I did notice that everyone walking around us not speaking English which does make it feel like you are briefly visiting another country (obviously Canada is another country but you know what I mean)

Niagara on the Lake (25 minutes away) does have some French village charm I guess but not Niagara Falls

another observation I had forgotten about

A few times when I went to pay, there were two credit card readers and the person asked me do you want to pay Canadian or American.....I bit my tongue and did not want to explain that the USA is not "America" its the United States of America, and, that Canada is on the same continent of North America which makes Canada just as "American" as the USA.

Strange perspective. I went to school with a guy from Toronto and he talked the same way.....Strangely, I found this offensive as I usually dont care about such trivia

Canadians are pretty mild mannered until they get called Americans. We will quickly correct a person that calls us Americans.

You are correct that both countries are in the same continent of North America, but the residents of USA have taken it upon themselves to be called Americans and we are okay with that.

We are not Americans. I guess it's okay to call us North Americans.

It always sounded to me that the Canadians have taken it upon themselves to make sure everyone knows they are not in any way associated with the USA when they say that. But I can see the other side too I guess. No biggie - Now I just wish I had corrected the lady and told her I would like to pay in United States of American dollars, not "American" dollars since that could mean any place from Alaska to Patagonia, including Canada :-)

To me that's 100% normal. It's just an abbreviation of Canadian or American 'funds'. That's what they are called in Canada.