Niagara Falls

U.S.A. vs. Canada (Plus Travel Tips for Both)

Every time we head to Niagara, people ask us which side we’re going to.  It seems like most people have one side that they have a strong preference for.  We typically just hit Canada, maybe because of the allure of something foreign, but this time we decided to try both.  I’m not going to list places to see with kids because, aside from the casinos, it’s all great for kids! The Maid of the Mist or the Hornblower, the Cave of the Winds or Journey Behind the Falls, The Niagara Power Vista, the aviary, the arcades, the list goes on and on. There’s a lot that goes into planning a trip with kids. Here are our tips for both sides of the falls, and, ultimately, the Allen family verdict to end all debates!

Canada Tips and Review

1.  Head down stream.  We stayed down the river about two miles from the falls (actually because of a nightmare booking accident where we lost our original room).  We were directly across from access to the White Water Boardwalk and next to a beautiful Buddhist temple.  The traffic was calmer, the area was quiet, and the hotel parking was free! (Most hotels charge about $20 per night for parking in town.)  We explored more of the river and nature trails on this trip and loved it! 

2.  Park up the hill.  The Casino lot, and a couple other business lots, are $5 for the day.  The guest lot across from the falls is $20.

3.  Visit Niagara Glen Nature Center.  This is a small science center, at the head of the Niagara Glen trails, that features several fossils found in the glen.  This was actually my 6 year old’s favorite part of our stay in Canada – and it’s totally free!  The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and will help you find your own fossils (from a large bin of rocks from the glen) to take home!  They can also give you a fun scavenger hunt for hitting the trails with kids, and you can earn actual prizes.  Side note, the river walk is lovely, but the actual glen trails are not handicap accessible.

4.  Pack breakfast.  As expected in a touristy area, prices are pretty steep, as is the Canadian tax.  My kids are typically just as happy with cereal and granola as they are with eggs, so it’s an easy start to the day.  It’s also nice to be able to eat as we get up, without having to wait for everyone to be dressed and ready to go.

The Canadian side of the falls is pristine.  It’s like the whole city is perfectly designed to be a tourist location.  It’s the best place for a good view of the U.S. falls.  

U.S.A.

Ok, I’ll admit, I was originally planning to just do Canada again.  In my mind, I remembered Canada as having the nice sidewalk that goes right up to the falls, and the U.S. as having more nature trails and steps.  I have a new motto, “Just Ask,” that I’m trying to implement.  So, I contacted the visitor’s center.  Turns out the Niagara Falls State Park has been going through a $70 million dollar renovation which included making the park and scenic areas ADA accessible. Think about that for a moment, then read on.  Very few spots were not fully accessible.  We were able go up to the edge, over the water, and in between falls – all with wheels.  That being said, here are our tips for the U.S. side!

1. Take a walk.  Obviously the main attraction is the head of the falls.  The farther you walk, however, the more splendor you’re able to take in.  I cannot begin to explain, and pictures cannot do justice to, the breath taking beauty along the trails that lead up to, through, and around the falls.  There is an intimacy with the falls that is unique to the U.S. side.

2. Keep walking.  Falls Blvd. and the surrounding area offers fun shops, wine tastings, and restaurants.  There are plenty of pop-up shops, which makes for some more affordable souvenir options.  My kids don’t like shopping, which is why all of the free street activities made this walk worthwhile.  We were able to play corn hole, life-size connect four and other kid games on our walk back to our hotel.

3. Do whatever you want.  Obviously, on either side of the falls, you have to choose which attractions are worth it financially; but, don’t let a disability impact your decisions.  I wouldn’t have thought to do The Cave of the Winds because, well, all those steps!  Turns out, you can take ramps most of the way in.  I’ve read mixed reviews on this, and I’m not sure if the view has improved with recent upgrades, but I feel 100% comfortable saying the view is worth it, even from the accessible point.  You can’t access the hurricane deck, but I wouldn’t have wanted to try that with a wheelchair, anyway.  There was plenty of mist and stunning view to keep both my son and me happy.  Actually, his brother and sister didn’t go up to the hurricane deck by choice.  The Cave of the Winds, the Maid of the Mist, the overlook – it’s all accessible. 

3. Eat out.  I know, I know: I’m not a food blog.  I’ve only ever recommended one restaurant, and I’m still not really venturing out of character.  Falls Blvd. was filled with every United Statesian’s favorite – food trucks!  Throughout downtown there are a variety of budget friendly options.  We had dinner at The Rainforest Café, which doesn’t sound budget friendly, until you learn that happy hour brings $1 hot dogs, $2 pizzas, and $3 nachos!  Our family of five had dinner and drinks for about $20.  Win. 

4. Visit the Niagara Power Vista.  Remember when you were a kid and you could get books that listed free stuff you could collect, or have sent to you, from all over the country?  This is better than all of those things put together.  Imagine you could take your children to an interactive experience that combines science, media, and entertainment to learn through exploration.  Aside from the Smithsonian Museums, I can’t think of anything free we’ve done that was this cool.  There were plenty of buttons to push for the littles and more engaging experiences for the big kids.  It even included a 4D film experience where you live the life of a water droplet making energy!

5. Stay at the Sheraton.  As much as possible, I avoid hotels that don’t offer breakfast.  In fact, I didn’t want to stay here.  I wanted to stay at the Fairfield, but they were booked.  I was disappointed… until we got there.  It’s now one of my favorites.  It’s one of those places that you’d go on vacation just to stay in the hotel.  We didn’t have enough time to take full advantage of all they had to offer (let’s talk about spa packages…).  Also, they have family suites – meaning bunk beds and closed doors. Yes, please.

Both/Either

1. Mix it up.  In addition to the falls, both sides offer a ton of family-friendly activities.  Your kids probably don’t actually want to spend a whole day staring at falling water.  We did the Aquarium of Niagra in New York.  This was perfect because, well, it’s an aquarium, and it was indoors and everything outside was freezing.  There are also aviaries and arcades and indoor water parks and pretty much endless options for fun add-ons.

2. Splurge on a view.  Both sides have restaurants overlooking the falls.  We opted for Top of the Falls restaurant on the U.S. side because we’d done the Canadian equivalent last trip.  The U.S. side is mildly less expensive because it’s also mildly less fancy… which feels safer with toddlers.

3. Get some history.  There’s a lot of neat history behind the falls and the surrounding area.  You can get some of this for free through visitor’s center entrance on the U.S. side or through local attractions on either side (I liked the museum and video intro on the Cave of the Winds tour).  I always feel like you’re missing something of the wonder without the back story.  It’s more than just pretty water.

4.  Check Groupon.  On the Canadian side, were able to book a room that included dining vouchers and activities for $39 a night.  On the U.S. side, we spent $126 and stayed in one of the best hotels I’ve been in.  Our room included dining vouchers, free drinks, spa access for the length of our stay, and arcade points, in addition to the overall perks of the hotel like walkway connection to the casino, an on-site shark tank, and a Starbucks (yes, Starbucks and shark tanks hold about equal awesome factor for me).  The Rainforest Café and Fridays were also inside the hotel, which gets even cooler when you learn that this is a special kind of Friday’s that serves breakfast.  There were 0 downsides to this hotel.  The only negative we had was there were some issues with booking online and because Groupon doesn’t like to use phones it took us a very long time on the computer to get things straightened out.

The U.S. side offers a more intimate experience of the
falls.  While both sides have boat tours
and walks to the base, the design of the U.S. falls just makes it possible to
get a closer and more thorough look.  It’s
also an overall cheaper place to visit and shop.

The Verdict

So, our votes:

Wesley (age 6): U.S. because you can walk over the water and between the falls.

Dad: U.S. because you can better understand the magnitude of it all.

Mom: Can I be a cop-out and call a tie??  I really love both.  I feel like it’s not a complete experience without seeing both sides, and that both offer very different experiences.  I’d say, if possible, do both.  Based on family discussions, however, I’d say that if you have to pick one it should probably be the U.S. 

What are your thoughts?  I’d love to hear your opinions on what you’ve loved about either side of Niagara!