Drive to Niagara Falls vs. flying? to keep it budget...

[disneybound31]

Anyone ever drive to Niagara Falls from the South instead of flying? I have been checking into this and it will cost over $1200 for our fam of 4 to fly from TN vs. driving for approximately $400 gas plus 2 hotel stays up and back (which I can prob get free with my hotel reward points)...

It looks like Columbus, Oh is about midway point...and while very time consuming, I think the $800 savings might be worth it...that $800 pretty much would cover lodging/food AND the activities we plan to do while in Niagara...

Any opinions? Our kids roadtrip well, BTW, so no probs there...we drive to WDW each time--is 11 hours for us. Mapquest says 13 to Niagara...

 

[sarahgirl]

Which airport are you trying for? BUF is the airport code for the Buffalo Niagara International airport. Having been born and raised there I can tell you that airfare can be expensive when flying there.

It's not that bad of a drive if you are planning on coming in the spring/summer months. I would advise against going in the winter months if you are not used to winter driving. Also I would advise on going on the Canadian side of the Falls as they tend to have much better views that we can get from the American side. But remember this would mean you would need to get a passport or passport card to cross the border.

 

[DaniB]

Ohh, I just heard on the radio (about 10 mins) about an ad from an airline. It was advertising 1 buy ticket and your companion travels from. From Niagara Falls to Florida!

Darn it all, I cannot recall the airline!

I was cooking lunch (and cookies) and kept repeating the name so I wouldn't forget it. Then my daughter phoned about a minute later asking to come home sick from school. That took my mind right off it and now I forget...

Anyone know the names of airlines running out of Niagara Falls? I wanted to look into this for our trip as well!

EDITED - LOL - I have Disney on my brain. I just re-read your posting and realized your looking to some from the south TO Niagara Falls. Sorry!

 

[henri + katie's mum]

I live in Buffalo now and I know that Southwest offers some decent fares. Also, the city of Niagara Falls has a smaller airport and supposedly the airlines that fly out of there are affordable, but you have to find one that also serves your local airport.

That being said, I think you will definitely need a car in Niagara Falls, which will add to your expenses if you fly in. Besides the Falls, there is a lot to do in the region, but it's not all close together.

I don't know if you thought of this yet, but you need a passport if you are planning to go to Canada. (Actually, you need one to get back into the states. You can leave without one, but you can't get back in without one.) Children don't always need a passport, but check the restrictions on that.

 

[pearlieq]

That being said, I think you will definitely need a car in Niagara Falls, which will add to your expenses if you fly in. Besides the Falls, there is a lot to do in the region, but it's not all close together.

Oh, no. Really? The Fodor's guide said to go without one since everything was close together and parking was hard to find and expensive. That's not really the case?

I had been hoping to go without, but I would be very grateful to know ahead of time if that wouldn't work. We were planning to go for a long weekend and were pretty much just going to do the basic stuff since it was our first visit. Will it be no good without a car?

 

[monorailmom]

I would say you need a car. We did Niagara last June, and though we were able to drive (we live in Massachusetts), and had a very reasonably priced hotel on the Canadian side, the price of the food in the Niagara Falls/Clifton Hill area was outrageous. For example: the Burger King whopper jr. meal on Clifton Hill was $8!!! The Caesar salad at Denny's ...no chicken...was $16!!! If you have a car, you can drive about a mile to an Olive Garden, McDonalds, etc., and save alot of money. I was so happy when we found a good hotel, thinking we wouldn't need to drive..yet we always had to drive when it was time to eat. On the upside, it was a wonderful vacation. I would actually do it again!

 

[disneybound31]

Oh, no. Really? The Fodor's guide said to go without one since everything was close together and parking was hard to find and expensive. That's not really the case?

I had been hoping to go without, but I would be very grateful to know ahead of time if that wouldn't work. We were planning to go for a long weekend and were pretty much just going to do the basic stuff since it was our first visit. Will it be no good without a car?

I have been reading another thread on here about budget eats in Niagara and it looks like if you stay at the Comfort Inn or Quality Inn and Suites in Niagara (NY side) then you are so close to everything you can walk easily- also if you get the Discovery Pass it includes use of a trolley...Goat Island a block away, etc...

We do not plan to go over to the CDN side and would not get passports as it would add significantly to our cost and the more natural (USA) side of the Falls appeals to us anyway...

 

[disneybound31]

Which airport are you trying for? BUF is the airport code for the Buffalo Niagara International airport. Having been born and raised there I can tell you that airfare can be expensive when flying there.

It's not that bad of a drive if you are planning on coming in the spring/summer months. I would advise against going in the winter months if you are not used to winter driving. Also I would advise on going on the Canadian side of the Falls as they tend to have much better views that we can get from the American side. But remember this would mean you would need to get a passport or passport card to cross the border.

Yes, May or June...not doing CDN side at this time-- the views from the hotels look AMAZING, but we are trying to go as budget as possible.

 

[henri + katie's mum]

I guess if you were doing just the falls and the attractions in the immediate area, you could do it without a car. As someone said, the food could be a little pricey, even on the American side.


If it's just a long weekend, I guess you will find enough to keep you busy mostly in Niagara Falls. As a local though, we never seem to spend more than a few hours there. (I guess that's the paradox of having such a wonder in your backyard!)

 

[MonkersMama]

I live here (NF, NY)...I have lived on both sides. You'll want to drive. There are regularly priced dining experiences...you just need to stay about 4 miles from the falls to eat at them. There are plenty of dining establishments around the Fashion Outlets (Military Rd), and non-chain restaurants as well. There was a Holiday Inn Express and...hmm...something else just built in the past year or so on Niagara Falls Blvd. If you stay about 10 min from the falls it will save you in hotel and meals.

 

[brymolmom]

Not sure if you said this yet - but no matter which side you stay on (NY or Can) - you really should see it from BOTH sides. No way would I recommend coming all that distance whether you drive or fly and not go to the Canadian side.

I think you should drive and then have your car there!

 

[d1gitman]

if you are 13 hrs from niagra, i would just drive it straight thru. that's doable without totally wiping one's self out for a few days of recovery.

if you fly, you will still need a rental. been to niagra before and can't imagine not having wheels.

 

[sk!mom]

Not sure if you said this yet - but no matter which side you stay on (NY or Can) - you really should see it from BOTH sides. No way would I recommend coming all that distance whether you drive or fly and not go to the Canadian side.

Agreed. I wouldn't make the long trip and spend so much without going to the Canadian side. It would be like driving to the Magic Kingdom and looking at it from the outside to save the admission price.

I haven't driven it but if it's 13 hours then I'd be game. Honestly, use the airfare savings to get passports!

 

[disneybound31]

Not sure if you said this yet - but no matter which side you stay on (NY or Can) - you really should see it from BOTH sides. No way would I recommend coming all that distance whether you drive or fly and not go to the Canadian side.

I think you should drive and then have your car there!

But even if we just walked over to the Canadian side wouldn't we still need to have passports? And we just did not want that expense at this time...we would love to see from both sides, but not to the tune of $400 just to take a walk over the bridge.

 

[disneybound31]

Agreed. I wouldn't make the long trip and spend so much without going to the Canadian side. It would be like driving to the Magic Kingdom and looking at it from the outside to save the admission price.

I haven't driven it but if it's 13 hours then I'd be game. Honestly, use the airfare savings to get passports!

When you put it that way it really makes sense- 'use the airfare saving to get the passports'- had not thought of it that way, plus we know we will be doing some overseas traveling when kids are teens...so we will have to get those passports in the next 4-5 years anyhow...

Of course, if we get passports then I will be wanting to stay at that Marriott on the Canadian side with the great views...

 

[gk90]

Going to Niagara falls and not crossing to the Canadian side would be like going to WDW and not visiting Epcot. Or even like not visiting the Magic Kingdom.

It's a fun place, have a great trip!

 

[charming23]

Have you looked into the passport ID cards? My mom and I want to go to Canada this spring and they are half the price of a regular passport and can be used to travel to Canada and Mexico by land.

 

[Shleedogg]

I live about an hour east of Buffalo and would definitely say you'd want to have a car. How will you get from the Buffalo airport to Niagara Falls? It is a little bit of a drive. It would also allow you to do other things. I would drive though given the option. I agree with you, $800 is a lot of money. I couldn't justify spending it on flights when it's only a 13 hr drive (unless I had a baby).

If you like sports there's the Buffalo Bisons (baseball) in the summer, or of course the Bills or Sabres if it's in season. Also, in Rochester, about an hour east of Buffalo, is an awesome children's museum. The Strong Museum of Play. I don't know how old your kids are, but they have so much to do there for all ages.

I would also echo what pps said about the Canadian side. It really is (imo) not to be missed. If it's doable (passport or passport cards), it's worth it. If you're going just to see the falls, you don't want to miss the Canadian side.

 

[CindoMindo]

I live in Buffalo... Where are you flying into Buffalo or Niagara Falls airport? I have found cheap airfare on Airtran, and would suggest flying into Buffalo if you choose to fly, but then you would need a car. I would suggest driving, but then I would have to agree with all the others, don't come all that way without going to the Canadian side...you would miss so much. There are plenty of restaurants only a short drive away that would also be so much cheaper than eating right in that area, since they jack up all the prices.

 

[disneybound31]

I live in Buffalo... Where are you flying into Buffalo or Niagara Falls airport? I have found cheap airfare on Airtran, and would suggest flying into Buffalo if you choose to fly, but then you would need a car. I would suggest driving, but then I would have to agree with all the others, don't come all that way without going to the Canadian side...you would miss so much. There are plenty of restaurants only a short drive away that would also be so much cheaper than eating right in that area, since they jack up all the prices.

We are driving- flying at all from our area is just too cost prohibitive...I think I might look into just going ahead and getting our passports...so many people are saying what you have about not missing the CDN views, so I may just bite the bullet and do it...passports are good for 5 years before renewal, right?

That would mean kids would be 16 and 19 before they had to be renewed and I am pretty sure we will be taking them overseas before they hit college anyhow so they would need them eventually by that time frame...

Thx for the info!