We did not go to Niagara Falls for our Honeymoon. However, 1000's of people have and continue to begin their adventure of marriage in what I call the Canadian wannabee Vegas. In my opinion Niagara Falls is a better bachelor/bachelorette location. Think bars, casinos, exotic dancing, and lots of tourism which loosely translates to anonymity.
With this being said we have had several wonderful day and weekend trips to this, one of the Natural Wonders of the World, Niagara Falls and its sister town Niagara on the Lake.
Did you know that Niagara Falls, I am technically speaking about Horseshoe Falls (AKA the Canadian Falls) is the most powerful waterfall in North America? The American side of the Falls are called the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
No visit to this region is complete without actually seeing the Falls. Obvi, everyone knows the Canadian side is where the action is. So take the trip to Ontario, where good things grow, to witness the thunderous roar of 3,160 tons of water per second flow over the Falls. You could spend hours watching this magnificent feat. I suggest taking a walk along the "boardwalk" and enjoy the mist on your face. Then take a stroll up the daunting Clifton Hill, filled with kitschy tourist traps.
If you want to go all in and immerse yourself in the overpriced gimmicks, might I suggest purchasing an Attraction Pass. Depending on the option you choose you get access to multiple attractions for a discounted price. We bought one on our last visit and got access to the Laser Ride and 4D Theatre at Adventure City, Mini Putt and a ride on the Niagara Sky Wheel. In previous trips we have been known to frequent some of the many, I mean many, haunted houses as well. The last attraction that is worth doing is a cruise on the Maid of the Mist. This is a boat ride that takes you to the base of the Falls, they provide ponchos because you are likely to get wet. But it is fun and exciting to get so close to all of that water. Clifton Hill and the Falls are pretty much where the family friendly parts of Niagara begin and end. You can easily fill a day in just this area.
For more, adult entertainment, hit up one of the casinos. There are a few to choose from, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Maybe check out which casinos have live music and start there? We accidentally fell into a wonderful night of casinoing then dancing (and drinking) our small winnings away, when a nobody band started playing and rocked the night away. Jeff and I are not gamblers. We are better at knowing when to hold 'em. This does not mean we do not enjoy spending our $20 each at a fun slot machine. The trick is to cheer (even when you lose), we do this every time we go to a casino, Niagara, Windsor, London, Vegas, it doesn't matter. The more you cheer and dance and show how much fun you are having the more of a crowd you draw. The people feed off your energy. It is wonderful when they, very quickly realize, you are actually losing a lot of money, but they stick around and join in your fun. It's important to have a support system when gambling after all :) So for $40 and the cost of drinks we fill several hours of our evening. We usually end with nachos at a bar, because man losing money makes you hungry!
The other side of the Niagara region is much more picturesque. Niagara on the Lake is a smaller, still touristy, but clean and nice town further down the road. On your way from Niagara Falls you will pass by Fort George which can be a nice pit stop. Then you hit Niagara on the Lake, which is known for its wineries. Rent a bike, or book a bus tour to visit your favourite wineries for tastings; take a horse drawn carriage ride around the village; spend the afternoon browsing the shops; enjoy a coffee in the park or a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants. Either way you can easily and enjoyably fill an entire day in this cozier town.
As you know Jeff and I are dog people. So we are also very pleased that Niagara on the Lake is pet friendly. Niagara Falls (the actual Falls) is pet friendly but the tourist sites are not. Niagara on the Lake will allow your dog inside stores and on patios of restaurants (don't ruin this Health Inspectors). This is why we spent several of our Family Day vacations heading up to Niagara. Doing this also allowed us to experience this region in both winter and summer.
I must admit the sites are the same and both seasons are beautiful times to visit. I just suggest typical winter gear, and be prepared for frozen hair, eyelashes, etc. due to the mist from the Falls. It will melt on your hike up Clifton Hill though.
*Update, we returned to Niagara Falls Family Day weekend 2022. Not much had changed for the actual sites, which was very welcomed considering how much this area relies on tourist visits, and the way Covid derailed that industry. We noticed a lot of families and dogs on this visit, which was another wonderful thing to see. What we did not like seeing was the difficulty in finding washroom facilities. I am not sure if this is new or not, but we have never noticed it before, but the washrooms at the Falls were closed in February 2022. The sign mentioned they were closed for the season. We did not realize, and niether did the 100's of other people, that we were there off season. Accessing a washroom at restaurants, etc. was also a lost cause as everyone we came across was "closed for cleaning". We are hoping this is a Covid issue and not a decline in available facilities in a high tourist area.*
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