One
of the world's most famous travel destinations, these impressive
170-ft-/53-m-high falls on the border of the U.S. and Canada
continue to offer the same combination of natural wonder and
commercial tackiness that has inspired visitors since the
19th century. Even if you're not on your honeymoon, they're
well worth seeing. The area can be seen in a day, but we recommend
an overnight stay to view the falls and rapids under different
lighting conditions and from both sides of the border (be
sure to bring proper citizenship documents).
You have a lot of choices when it comes to getting a look
at the falls. The Maid of the Mist boat travels right up to
the foot of the falls and departs from both the U.S. and Canadian
sides. For an aerial view from the Canadian shore, ride the
elevator to the top of either the Skylon Tower or the Minolta
Tower Centre. You can also take a helicopter ride over the
cascade. Also on the Canadian side is Journey Behind the Falls,
which provides a close-up view of the curved section of Niagara
known as Horseshoe Falls, and you can get there via a cable
incline railway. There's also a cable-car ride that takes
visitors out over the Niagara Gorge and the Great Gorge Adventure,
a boardwalk along the water, downriver from the falls.
Away from the falling waters, there's more
to see. Casino Niagara, which opened in 1996, has more than
2,800 slot machines (including 400 progressives and 650
video slots) and 135 gaming tables and even its own Hard
Rock Cafe. But the newest attraction in town is causing
quite a buzz across Canada: the brand-new Niagara Fallsview
Casino Resort. This casino will be the largest commercial
development in Canada with 3,000 slot machines, 150 gaming
tables, a 368-room five-star hotel, fine-dining restaurants,
50,000 sq ft/4,645 sq m of meeting/conference space, a health
spa, a retail facility and a 1,500-seat theater. The casino
is scheduled to open 8 June 2004.
The glitzy casinos do not replace the classic
tourist attractions that are a Niagara tradition, however.
The Ontario side has three (yes, three) wax museums, as
well as a Guinness World of Records Museum, an IMAX theater
and the Daredevil Adventure, which is dedicated to the brave
and foolish souls who have gone over the falls. Children
will love Marineland's killer whales, sea lions, rides and
game park.
Some of the less touristy attractions are
found along the Niagara Parkway, which runs north along
the scenic Niagara Gorge on the Canadian side. The grounds
of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture contain impressive
botanical gardens and the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory.
The conservatory has 2,000 free-flying tropical species
in an indoor rain forest, and an outdoor butterfly garden
attracts 120 domestic species during the summer. Nearby
is the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station, home of what is
billed as one of the world's largest floral clocks. For
those with a sweet tooth, we recommend stopping by the Laura
Secord Homestead in Queenston, about a 15-minute drive from
the falls. The homestead offers tours and loads of refreshments,
including a variety of chocolates.
About
15 mi/25 km north of Niagara Falls, the parkway reaches
the charming town of Niagara-on-the-Lake,
located at the mouth of the river on Lake Ontario. It is
the home of Fort George National Historic Park (a restored
19th-century fort), the Perfume Factory, where you can see
how perfume is made and tour the museum (an olfactory experience),
and Queen Street (a restored historic district). Niagara-on-the-Lake
also hosts a well-respected theater festival, the George
Bernard Shaw Festival (April-November). Niagara is the most
celebrated wine region in Canada. The region's climate is
perfect for producing Ice Wine, a sweet dessert wine made
from grapes left on the vine and picked in winter. You can
tour some of the local wineries and do some tasting. The
area has also blossomed into one of the country's most active
art communities, boasting many fine galleries, exhibitions
and studios for visiting individual artists at work.
The U.S. side presents a new choice of vantage
points from which to view the falls. Goat Island is technically
a part of the U.S., though it sits in the Niagara River
and separates the American Falls from the Canadian Falls.
You can get some great views from the trails that traverse
the island. Reach it via a footbridge or drive your car
over on the vehicle bridge, both from the U.S. side. The
Cave of the Winds Trip begins on Goat Island: An elevator
takes you to the base of Bridal Veil Falls, where wooden
platforms allow you to look at Niagara from a very wet perspective
(heavy-duty raincoats are provided). The Three Sisters Islands
and Luna Island also sit in the rapids at the top of the
falls, next to Goat Island. You can reach islands by footbridges.
The U.S. side also has its own elevated viewing spot, the
Prospect Point Observation Tower, which will place you right
above the brink of the falls. Niagara Falls is approximately
80 mi/130 km south of Toronto.
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