I have fond memories of visiting Niagara Falls when I was a kid. The children’s ages seemed perfect for this trip. When we stayed when I was younger, we stayed on the Canadian side which was out of the question this year due to the remaining Covid-19 restrictions crossing the international border.
Our stop in Niagara Falls was part of a much grander plan to cross the border and travel through Canada to Michigan. We’re in our first stop of a four state Northern Midwest Loop. After visiting Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park we cross over to Wisconsin via Michigan’s Upper Peninsula then down to Ohio to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park and celebrate the Fourth of July.
Our Canadian crossing never happened due the pandemic restrictions not loosening up enough (we would have all had to be tested) so we traveled to Michigan via Route 90 mostly, just South of Lake Erie.
Niagara Falls State Park is America’s oldest state park and all four of the five great lakes empty into Lake Ontario before they flow into the Niagara River and down it’s three waterfalls at a rate of 3,160 tons per SECOND! Niagara Falls is not the biggest waterfall in North America but is capable of generating over 4 million kilowatts of electricity which is shared by the USA and Canada.
We stayed three nights in the area but it only took us about three hours to get a decent feel for the falls. We parked at the edge of town and walked along the Niagara River, reveling in natures ferocity and the swift moving water and rapids. We then walked further up, leading up to “the drop.”
I had planned to visit a few attractions a’ la carte as the Discovery Pass wasn’t available for purchase this year but we only went on The Maid of the Mist. They take you literally right underneath the falls for a view you can get no other way. In retrospect I feel it was the perfect amount of exposure to this great state park. We were very happy to buy ice cream and do some quick souvenir shopping before heading back to the campground.
I only hope that Linda and the kids have the same fond memories that I had as a kid and I’m sure they will. We had a great time on The New York side. Canada will have to wait as our nations are just waking up from the Corona Virus.
Please check out our video below to see more of our experiences from Niagara Falls, particularly Maid of the Mist. We’re off to Michigan’s Lower Peninsula next so be sure to stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoqZ89DdEI0
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