Toronto - Niagara Falls

http://niagarafallstourism.com/

Niagara Falls was probably the highlight of the trip. They are so majestic and beautiful, and there was a boat ride! The Falls are the must-see attraction when you are in the area, and that is not intended to take away from any of the other attractions.

I don't necessarily know what to say about them beyond that, because it feels like something that you feel and admire more than you talk about. It is beautiful, but that is visual, and you also have the roar of the falls and you feel the spray and you sense the power, so there is more to the sensory experience. If you get a chance to go, just go.

There were a few things that surprised me, or that were new to me, so that's what I am going to focus on.

Technically there are three waterfalls total, though Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls seem to function more as one, while the Bridal Veil Falls are more separate. You pass by all of them on the Maid of the Mist tour.

That was something else that I had not understood, because I thought of the Maid of the Mist as one boat, which is how it started, but once there was a bridge and a ferry service between the US and Canadian sides was no longer needed, it became more of a tourism thing, and they added more boats. So you can take a boat from either side that will take you around and return you to your departure point, and whichever boat it is will be called the Maid of the Mist, but there will be a number.

One nice thing about being so close to the border was that my phone picked up my regular service, so I had a brief window where I could talk without roaming fees. That may be less of an issue now, at least for Canada.

Years before going, I remember reading a letter from someone who had visited both sides and was disappointed by the amount of litter on the US side, compared to how clean and beautiful the Canadians kept things. Because of that, I was surprised at how tawdry the Canadian side felt once you crossed the street. Without having ever been to Atlantic City, that's what it reminded me of. I have since read other similar comparisons. I guess it's the casinos.

Regardless, I did end up spending some time at the Oakes Garden Theatre, which was really beautiful and peaceful, and it was worth spending some time there.

http://stage.niagaraparks.com/niagara-falls-attractions/oakes-garden-theatre.html

My greatest regret is that I did not take the Journey Behind the Falls tour. I like caves and tunnels and things like that, and I had seen the Falls from above and in front, so adding behind really would have made sense. I was worried about not making it back in time for the van's departure, which is the only reason I did not.

That tour appears to only be available from the Canadian side, but if you visit from the US side you are fairly close, and could probably cross the border pretty easily. I am not ruling that out for sometime in the future.

http://travel.usnews.com/Niagara_Falls_Canada/Things_To_Do/Tips/