Last week I had a few days off and decided I would try to visit Montreal. When you are trying to non-rev things don’t always go as planned, and they certainly didn’t this day. I was unable to get on a flight to Montreal, so I looked at my options and noticed there were quite a few seats open to Buffalo, NY. I had thought about visiting Niagara Falls and this was my opportunity so I jumped on it!
Once on the ground in Buffalo I opened hotels.com as always and looked for a hotel. I know there are a lot of hotel websites out there, and trust me when I say I’ve tried them all, hotels.com is my favorite. I can almost always find a great deal at a great hotel! I chose the Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview on the Canadian side. While I was waiting to board my flight my co-workers were adamant that I stay on the Canadian side of the falls, and who was I to argue. This was a great choice indeed! The hotel is located in a very central location, right above the falls, and across the street from a casino hotel with some great dining options.
Once comfortably settled into my accommodation it was time to go out and explore. Niagara Falls is an interesting mix. As we came across Rainbow Bridge there was a lovely area with a casino, hotels and Clifton Hill. Clifton hill reminded me of the north end of International Drive in Orlando, just more compact. If you are looking for things to entertain the kiddies this is definitely the place to be.
A short walk from the Hilton I found the Falls Incline Tram that took me down the side of the gorge to the main viewing area for Horseshoe Falls and the visitors center. It’s a great way to get up and down the hill, buy a day pass!
Once down in the main area of the falls, it is a lovely long park with beautiful gardens that stretch all the way back to Rainbow Bridge. You will find all the attractions, boat tours, and zip lines here. I chose to do the Hornblower Cruise up to the falls and the Journey Behind The Falls experience. Both great tours and must do’s in my opinion. I was a savvy little traveler and read a sign near the ticket booth that said to buy the pass online instead of waiting in line. This saved me quite a bit of time as there were quite a few people in line.
Hornblower Cruise
Journey Behind The Falls
Everywhere you walk the views are amazing of the falls on the Canadian side. At night they light up the falls from 9 pm to Midnight so make sure to go down and see them in the many stunning colors. I was also lucky that the night I arrived was Victoria Day so I was treated to fireworks over the falls!
There are many dining options in the area. I chose to stick close to home and dined at Brasa at the Hilton, the Grand Buffet at the Fallsview Casino across the street, and my final night I treated myself to a beautiful meal at the Watermark on top of the Hilton.
I’m so glad that I took advantage of the open seats and finally got to visit Niagara Falls. It was honestly a very relaxing 3 days and I hope to return again one day soon.
Billy's Travel Adventures 