Niagra Falls - How many nights do u recommend?

[disneycrazzy]

Hi,

We just returned from 2 nights at Niagara and had a good time. Two nights was plenty of time for us. We did the Adventure Pass that included 4 attractions and I think it was a good deal. If you order it online before you go, you save a little bit.

The food is very expensive, so you may want to allow for that in your budget planning. A sandwich and fries in many restaurants was $20. Stay away from the "All you can eat" breakfast buffets that advertise $6.99. Drinks are extra and they are from $4.00 up for orange juice, coffee or bottled water (no cups of water are available).

If you do "Niagara's Fury" be ready to get wet!

Happy Planning!

 

[robsmom]

Do your 10 and 12 year boys like baseball? Have you thought about stopping in Cooperstown instead of Albany? I checked it on mapquest and it would only add 1 hr total to your drive. Since you were thinking of up to 4 nights in Niagara, maybe you can even take the extra night and do 2 nights in Cooperstown.

 

[robsmom]

Another stopping point might be Corning, NY. Would not add very much time to your trip at all. I have heard great things about the glass museum and you probably could drive in the morning and tour the museum in the pm. 4 1/2 hrs. Then you have less than 3 hrs to Niagara the next day.

 

[lizabu]

I would avoid the iHop in Niagara Falls too. The only time breakfast ever cost us $60

 

[rigs32]

Thinking we are going to go right b4 the 4th of july, actually checking out on the 4th and then driving to our friends in Dunkirk to spend the 4th and a few more days - definitly getting Hot Wings!!

Realize that July 1st is Canada Day, so the time you're talking about is going to be crowded and hotels will be pricier.

Also, don't call them hot wings in WNY. Don't call them Buffalo wings. They're just chicken wings. Anything else and you'll be pegged as an out of towner.

 

[canwegosoon]

Do your 10 and 12 year boys like baseball? Have you thought about stopping in Cooperstown instead of Albany? I checked it on mapquest and it would only add 1 hr total to your drive. Since you were thinking of up to 4 nights in Niagara, maybe you can even take the extra night and do 2 nights in Cooperstown.

I live in the Albany Area

Holiday in Turf on Wolf Road Albany- is a pretty popular hotel- pool- large hotel on a main area when there are restaurants and mall/movie theater-lots of choices. Close to thruway less than 5 minutes

I also like La Quinta in Latham- newer, breakfast, and pool nice, basic- good diner/red robin nearby. 3 exits up from wolf road-15 minutes from thruway

Both hotels have supermarkets very close to stock up on snacks and drinks.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

2 to 3 nights is plenty. I would suggest spending fewer nights and using the money you save to get a nicer hotel room with a view of the falls. The Embassy Suites is a great location.

You need to see the falls during the day, then again at night
Ride the Maid of the Mist (about $15)
Journey behind the falls (about $14)
See the flower clock and the butterfly conservatory (about $6)
Ride the huge skywheel (about $8)
The Niagara arboretum (free) is very nice and a short walk from the falls
There are many, many combo packs you can buy for a two day visit that include unlimited use of the buses and trolleys and admission to the most popular attractions. They can be a good deal.


Other than that all the other attractions are the same to any other tourist location.

Depending on how long you are in the area I'd also suggest Old Fort Niagara (on the US side). This historic fort was a key position in the Revolution and war of 1812. Well preserved and lots of history. Teddy Roosevelt National Historic Site (south side of Buffalo). A day trip to Toronto (about a two hour drive) for great restaurants, Museums and the CN tower.

OOOOhhh yes! I was just going to post this! We booked a falls view room and ours was on something like the 34th floor. We had a great view of the fireworks from our window too. We paid slightly extra for the 'family fun pack' which included some very small extras such as some silly 4D show (had to walk all over to find it) and also a magic show. Turns out the magic show was free anyway, right off the lobby of the Marriott next door, which was an excellent show btw.
We also ate dinner at the overpriced steakhouse at E.S.that had a great view of the falls. Our package included a $50 gift card to there. I agree, after 2 days of looking at a waterfall (even as beautiful as this) from every possible angle, you kind of had enough.
Like pp said, the Embassy Suites offered different tour packages which probably could have done slightly cheaper separately on our own but it was convenient that their bus took us to each attraction so it saved a lot of time & stress. Our package included Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls, the butterfly conservatory, flower clock, IMAX, observation tower, and then some.

Food was expensive but I would call this a long weekend not comparable to a cruise. btw, we stayed Sun-Tues b/c the weekend prices were ridiculous.

 

[aprilgail2]

Spanish Aero Car is a fun thing to do! There is some weird totem wood carving type park thing on the way to the aero car too.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

There is also a Great Wolf Lodge if you're interested. That's what got me looking at NF in the 1st place.

 

[maleficentmom]

we did Marine Land I believe the first year it opened...went in Oct. after the rides were shut down.Honestly,we practically had the place to ourselves...seriously like 20 people total at the dolphin show.We got to pet killer and beluga whales.It was very plain and laid back compared to Sea World(gravel parking lot,the deer tried to eat my shirt off and my husband had to save me,the trainer was finishing his cig before he walked over to the whale area... ) but we still talk about that place all the time!The rides looked fun. We also did a wax museum that was fun in Windy Hill.

 

[skier_pete]

Actually, PP mentioned Marineland and it is indeed great. It's not Sea World or anything, but really a lot of fun at half the price. It's also got probably one of the best roller coasters in North America. It's built into/around a pretty big hill, which makes it really unique (the main lift hill at the beginning, you never get off the ground because it's riding you up the hill, and there are FOUR inversions on the ride).

I also personally would avoid NF for "3-4 days before 4th of July". July 1st is Canada Day, which is the equivalent of our 4th of July so a BIG holiday weekend in Canada. If you want to go that week, I would see if you can flip it around...stay with your friends in Dunkirk first, and then after the 4th go up to NF. It'll still be crowded but not quite as bad. Also room rates might not be quite as bad.

Maybe it's because I live here, but I would never bother spending the extra $$$ for a fallsview room. The reason being that (to me) you get to your room and you look at the falls and go "Wow" for about 5 minutes, and then after that you really don't bother anymore. Of course, i've never thought paying extra for a room view is worth anything - if I want to look at a view - I'll leave my room - so perhaps it's just me.