Visited Niagara Falls- beautiful falls but a dump one block away
 

Falls were awesome to see. Thoroughly enjoyed the maid of the mist boat ride and tour through the old power plant. The power of all that water seen up close is truly breathtaking. But my goodness the NY side is an embarrassment to our country and the Canada side is horrible if you go one block away from the main strip. Junky tourist garbage all around on both sides with the Clifton section on Ca side being particularly awful. Canada side was a thin veneer of nice over garbage. NY side didn't even bother with the veneer. The sole exception on the NY side being the park right by the rainbow bridge which was very nicely kept.

My son was telling me how his architectural appreciation class (a rare fluff course at VT) was a let down as it was mostly zoning talk and i pointed out how both cities were a very, very good example of massive zoning failures.

If you are thinking of going i'd say give it two days absolute max then head off into nicer parts of Canada.

I've been there several times. It is an awe-inspiring thing to experience.

Go in the winter. The ice on the railings is a foot thick. It's awesome.

I was there with Maddie a few years ago. She was kind of freaked out by the sound and the mist, and the wind coming up off out of the gorge blew her ears fly as if she was about to take flight.

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I haven't been there for over 20 years but the last time I was there, it was very nice especially on the Canadian side. It was super clean. Its too bad to hear that it it so bad now. We, as a country had let so many things slipped away.

On the Ca side the strip along the river/falls is very nice though. Just don't expect much past it unless you're heading out of town. Didn't get a chance to visit Niagara on the Lake but that looked like it might be a nice place to check out as well. The lines to get back across to US by car were pretty long throughout the day so we opted not to drive across and explore further away.

There are all kinds of amazing stories about the history of the area from daredevils going over the falls to rescuing a 7yr old who went over with nothing but a life vest to all sorts of power facilities coming and going. The power plant tour was pretty neat as you go 180' down next to one of the generators in a glass elevator. you can see the shaft as you descend and then you walk out a very long tunnel to the base of the falls.

There was also a story about a barge/boat that broke from it's line 100+ years ago and managed to run aground very close to the horshoe falls. The rescue of the two guys on it took many hours and multiple attempts. Incredible to consider when you are standing there looking at all that powerful water rushing over the edge.

Canadian side was seedy in the eighties.

From a friend: Car full of traveling accountants (looking for a strip club on the Canada side) and a nice lady walks up to the car, reaches in and grabs you by the beans and frank and says slow-bl*w $15.

I went there a long time ago and was disappointed.

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Two days? I'd say it's worthy of something slightly longer than a "Clark Griswold" at the Grand Canyon.

vvv If you took that, well done!!!

The last time I was there I was driving to college in the Bay Area and a friend of mine, still is, was training horses in Saratoga Springs, NY...this was in the late 1970's.

I couldn't afford the boat ride...I may do that with my wife when we join my Mom and Dad 's ashes at West Point.

Water of Love:

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As a foreign guy I thought it was great. Both sides. And better than the Victoria Falls.

Didn't a girl fall to her death sitting on a guard rail doing a selfie last year?

wouldn't be surprised, plenty of places where you are literally a few feet from the water or gorge.

been to the Falls a few times--as a youngster I loved all the wax museums, Ripley's Houdini museum, etc., our 8th grade class trip took us into a tunnel tour behind the Falls, which was really cool. Older bachelor party trip discussions are not for polite company.
I'm going to disagree with you Bill on the Victoria Falls though--those were in a whole other league.

They're almost as nice as Michigan's Tahquamenon Falls. :)

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It's definitely on my long list once I retire properly (close to 10 years).

I’m an hour and a half from there….been there to appear in court for work many many times. A very run down depressed place. There’s a great donut shop and a weird Indian restaurant that weighs your tray when your done eating and charges you by the ounce for any food you didn’t eat from the buffet….food was always good though but that’s about it. When we were kids in the 70s we would go as a family and it was always a nice, exciting place to visit. That’s how I remember it anyway

I’m going in a few weeks because wife wants to go on the Maid of the Mist

Oh and as for spending 2 days…in all honesty, I wouldn’t plan on spending more than an hour at the actual falls and the leaving town asap…go to Buffalo to stay and have some wings and split

Since you were in Canada can you tell me what crossing was like. Did you need anything other than an enhanced license? I haven’t been since 2017 and I think rules changed. Wife wants to go to IKEA ….ug

Shoot me a PM when you make it and I’ll buy you lunch if I’m still alive

OK I accept... Thanks :)