One of the big excursions when anyone comes to Toronto is to go and see “The Falls”. Niagara Falls is considered by some to be a natural wonder of the world. I actually thought before I wrote this post that it was one of the seven but after a bit of research (I am the “research girl”) I found out that it technically is not.
Me at the falls
Oh well! Canada doesn’t seem to be doing so well when it comes to keeping claims – first Toronto had the longest street in the world and that was taken away & now the wonder of the world isn’t there either.
Us Canadians always get the short end of the stick, don’t we?
Niagara Falls is still an amazing day trip or weekend away for anyone visiting Toronto. The whole Niagara region has so much to offer. It is a place I truly love and have always had a deep connection with. On the way from Toronto to the Falls you pass a small cottage town called Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL). This is my favourite area of Ontario. It is apart of Canada’s most prestigious wine regions, has some beautiful restaurants and is so quaint. This area has a ton of Bed & Breakfast’s that I can’t speak more highly of. Since I love this region so much, I’ll put my comments on hold about NOTL until a later post when I can get a bit more detailed. Just know that it’s a place you HAVE to go to – trust me.
Back to the Falls…
Expect the drive from Toronto to take you about 1.5 hours – it’s a fairly easy ride and well-marked. There are loads of deals to stay in Niagara Falls, often with packages for free meals. The past few times I’ve stayed directly in the Falls area I’ve stayed at the Fallsview side. There are two major areas in Niagara Falls – Fallsview and Clifton Hill. The latter has all the tourist spots – including fun houses, haunted houses and all the chain restaurants. The Fallsview areas caters for families too but is close to the casino (which is great by the way) and it has a gorgeous view of the Horeshoe Falls.
Embassy Fallsview Hotel
The last couple of times I’ve always booked online through a hotel consolidation company like Hotels Combined, Expedia or Hotels.com. No matter what time of year I’ve always found that a number of hotels give a good deal. The hotel I’ve stayed at a few times is the Embassy Suites Fallsview. It has amazing views of the Falls, offers beautiful suites, has free food and beverages from 5-7pm (light snacks) and gave us a discount coupon for eating at The Keg which is on-site. Again, you get beautiful views here of the Falls while you dine away. Lovely!
Niagara Falls from my room
Once you find a place to crash, you are spoiled for choice. You can take your time at the Falls, taking lots of photos, but you can also go on the Maid of the Mist which essentially is a ferry boat that goes right up to the Falls. It’s safe, don’t worry. Everyone has to go on this at least once when they visit the Falls. I’ve been on it a few times.
Outside of that, there is always the casino that I mentioned before. Not only is this a Vegas style casino, it also has live shows, bars and restaurants. It is a really good night out and I make a point to go every time.
Finally, for those that are going with the family, head up to Clifton Hill for some old school fun. Like I said, there are haunted houses, fun houses and much more. Cool themed restaurants like Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Cafe are there too so that is always a treat for the little ones. There is even an IMAX theatre if the weather starts to get a bit rough around the edges.
As you can see, you’re not going to get bored, that’s for sure.
As for me, I’m happy seeing a bit of the Falls today, grabbing a bite to eat & rolling some dice for a lucky win at the casino.
Wish me luck!
