OT Niagra Falls vacation

[kmccain]

I have a question!

Never being up there before, I am not sure how the transportation works.

We are staying at a campground that provides a shuttle to the falls. If I purchase an Adventure Pass that includes the people mover, where are we going to be able to go? What is within walking distance. I would like to go to the Hershey Store, is that within walking distance?

I want to be able to see all I can see without incurring parking charges!

Thanks so much to everyone that posted here! I have collected some really great information!

 

[keishashadow]

The people mover runs along the falls/river area. As I recall it loops from butterfly conservatory back down to falls area.

The hershey store (not much to it) is @ the bottom of Clifton Hill, turn left before the small park area & down a block near HR...few min. walk from where you enter maid of the mist area. In the same block is a Rainforest Cafe/arcade & the older casino is behind it.

We stayed @ QI/CI on Clifton Hill & got free parking. Do know that the lots we saw filled up quickly.

Good luck.

I have a question!

Never being up there before, I am not sure how the transportation works.

We are staying at a campground that provides a shuttle to the falls. If I purchase an Adventure Pass that includes the people mover, where are we going to be able to go? What is within walking distance. I would like to go to the Hershey Store, is that within walking distance?

I want to be able to see all I can see without incurring parking charges!

Thanks so much to everyone that posted here! I have collected some really great information!

 

[AlwaysEeyore]

I went 2 years ago and stayed at a very nice Hampton Inn (across and down a little bit from the falls) on the Canadian side. The room was $72 a night. We ate at the Skylon once; it was nice, but pricey. There was a good little Italian restaurant on one of the streets across from the falls (not the main drag). Lots of little shops. The Maid of the Mist was fun albeit WET. The falls at night are awesome with the colored lights shining on them. I truly would not stay more than 3 days. There really isn't a lot to do. We also went to the Butterfly conservatory, and drove past the huge electrical company. Does that help?? I would highly recommend the Hampton...

This is the hotel I got engaged in 4/27/96. I loved the glass elavator. I would stay at any hotel on Clifton Hill just so you are in the heart of everything. You could easily spend a week here for a relaxing trip. I usually go for a long weekend and have no problems seeing everything I want to see. I love all the little museums they have there, but they can start to add up if you go to all of them. Have a blast!!

 

[spoon2003]

We looked at the Sheraton Fallsview. If possible we'd like to use Starwood points to pay for our room. Did you like the hotel? Any other thoughts you'd like to share about it? Thanks!

Thanks too, to everyone offering such great ideas!

We stayed at Sheraton Fallsview last August, we had a exec full fallsview room on the 30th floor which in my opinion is too high, mid 20's would've been better. We booked the dining package and it was pricey!!! Dining was awful, the $38 sirloin was microwaved then grilled. Breakfast buffet was OK, but we were asked to leave after 30 mins because they needed the table!! Needless to say, we won't be going back.

If you can stay with points then it would be good value, just go eat elsewhere. In my opinion, it was not worth the premium price we paid (high season, mid August).

Sue from Boston

 

[welovedis]

Just adding my .02!

We booked the Clarion on Stanley Ave thru Priceline, got there & found the lobby packed (and I mean packed) with people waiting for rooms from a tour group. Once we got our room key we just wanted to get to bed, pulled back the sheets on DS' bed and there were a few spiders in it.

Went back to the front desk & they gave us a different room, went to put the room key in & the door wouldn't open, kept trying, then I hear someone walking in the room towards the door, a guy wearing his red boxers opens it up with a woman right behind him, great the room is already occupied. Took off down the hall pretty fast, followed by the guy & the woman (who was now wearing a robe).

Got back to front desk & demanded a refund, even though I booked thru Priceline they gave me my money back--lol, first offered me a "suite", lol no thanks! We hoofed it across the street to the Doubletree as fast as we could! No offense, Melisazack but you couldn't pay me to stay there!

Great hotel with some fallsview rooms is the Doubletree Resort Lodge & Spa Fallsview on Stanley Avenue and a decent private campground and motel is Riverside Park Motel & Campground which is a just a few mins from NF, close enough by car, far enough that it is not crazy busy.

I recommend visiting the Butterfly Conservatory , Marineland, and also the other touristy things that others mentioned like the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, etc..the Aerocars and Jet Boats are cool too & different that what most people do:
http://www.niagarafallslive.com/Attractions_in_Niagara_Falls.htm

If you do go to Marineland, you might be better off taking a bag or 2 of marshmallows for the bears--they love these and will congegrate near you if you throw some in the pit. We also take a bag of cheerios or kix as fish food. The food for people is expensive in the parks and not terrific, I'd recommend stopping off & getting something at a supermarket or even a Wendy's (like salads, etc..) and taking a cooler. You can take a cooler into the parks and they have lots of picnic areas or they do have some picnic areas outside the park in the parking lot sections.

 

[MELISAZACK]

welovedis -- sorry about your experience - Don't know when you went but they did recently remodel and are adding a wing...we have 3 large hockey teams staying there together and had a great experience with them...
they were helpful and even had specials for the restraunt just for the teams..
keep in mind this isn't tourist season when we are there either so it is mostly all hockey team in almost all the hotels... We had a suit and it was very clean and I did follow up with all my parents and no one found fault with the hotel..
mind you I am very picky especially since I am spoiled with wdw hotels and resorts...lol....sorry again you had such a bad experience but I guess they do get them every now and then....

 

[tweetylori]

Can I join the discussion? We're flying to Buffalo in a couple weeks to go to Toronto to see Lord of the Rings (tix were what I surprised my husband with for his birthday). Airfares to Toronto were $340 roundtrip, but I got us $108 roundtrip to Buffalo. We're renting a car ($24 per day thru Priceline-Avis). We're driving to Toronto, spending three days (got us a four-star Westin Castle for $67 a night- Hotwire), and then we're staying one night on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls for $88 at the Doubletree Resort (four-star-Hotwire). I hear gas is really expensive in Canada, right? And if I'm understanding correctly are we better off using credit cards for everything?
Thanks for all the info on this thread!

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

I agree with:

You only need a few days in the Niagara Falls area.

Must do Maid of the Mist - wet but I thought it was a blast - lots of water pressure!

Stay on the Canadian side. More to do and they had such a nice park along the Falls walk.

The American side is scarey looking beyond the Falls!

Spend the money to stay at a nice hotel. I got a room on line and it was in the AAA guide book but it was a DUMP! I think it was a Rode Way Inn and run by a bunch of very young employees who were all of middle eastern decent. My goal is to get there hotel taken out of the AAA book so others don't make the mistake I did. I did some serious complaining.

Restaurants were pricey. We ate at one that was in the AAA book and it was a very clean family restaurant. I think it was Betty's? It was a little out of the way but very good food.

My brother did the "behind the falls" tour and said he didn't think it was worth it. His pictures just showed the back side of a water fall. He said it was disappointing.

The bad hotel did kind of ruin that part of the vacation for us but I still LOVED seeing the Falls. I could have stood there and just stared for hours. The second day of our trip the kids asked....."didn't we already see this"? Would go back but there are many other places in the world that I want to see too! Have a great trip!

 

[MEM]

I agree with:

You only need a few days in the Niagara Falls area.

Must do Maid of the Mist - wet but I thought it was a blast - lots of water pressure!

Stay on the Canadian side. More to do and they had such a nice park along the Falls walk.

The American side is scarey looking beyond the Falls!

Spend the money to stay at a nice hotel. I got a room on line and it was in the AAA guide book but it was a DUMP! I think it was a Rode Way Inn and run by a bunch of very young employees who were all of middle eastern decent. My goal is to get there hotel taken out of the AAA book so others don't make the mistake I did. I did some serious complaining.

Restaurants were pricey. We ate at one that was in the AAA book and it was a very clean family restaurant. I think it was Betty's? It was a little out of the way but very good food.

My brother did the "behind the falls" tour and said he didn't think it was worth it. His pictures just showed the back side of a water fall. He said it was disappointing.

The bad hotel did kind of ruin that part of the vacation for us but I still LOVED seeing the Falls. I could have stood there and just stared for hours. The second day of our trip the kids asked....."didn't we already see this"? Would go back but there are many other places in the world that I want to see too! Have a great trip!

Was your motel the Rodeway Inn Fallsview? I was just going to ask folks about it. It is #7 on best places to stay per TripAdvisor and is listed as a hidden gem among giants. It has a Zappy's pizza on site. Please tell me its not the same one - at $110 its more in my price range than the others recommended.

 

[LisaRay]

tweetylori: Great job on the bargins for your trip! If you don't mind me asking what nights did you get the Westin castle for? We are thinking of a trip to Niagara in a couple weeks and my DD would love to go back to that hotel for a night or two! We were there a couple years ago and she loved it! Thanks!

Oh, also any tips for finding the Westin on Hotwire? I have used Priceline but never used Hotwire before. Thanks again!

 

[SnowWhite]

Was your motel the Rodeway Inn Fallsview? I was just going to ask folks about it. It is #7 on best places to stay per TripAdvisor and is listed as a hidden gem among giants. It has a Zappy's pizza on site. Please tell me its not the same one - at $110 its more in my price range than the others recommended.

I have a feeling she must have stayed at the Rodeway Inn on Lundys Lane which is run by "people of middle eastern decsent" and it really is a dive. The pool is always "broken", the Rodeway Inn Fallsview is different and is closer to the falls, much nicer place.


For anyone wanting walking distance to all the attractions stick with hotels on Clifton Hill, Stanley Ave, Fallsview Ave, Victoria Ave, Ferry St, Centre St. When you get on Lundys Lane you could end up 15 minutes away (by car). When eating try to travel up Lundys though otherwise you could pay more for food especially at Dennys and TGI Fridays on Victoria Ave!!

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

I'm sure Snow White is right about: the Rodeway Inn Lundy Lane is where I stayed and yes the pool didn't work and the hot tub was ice cold! ICK! I don't remember the word "Fallsview" in the hotel we stayed at and it was by no means near the falls. Hope others stay clear of it. Now that I've been there I sort of know what would be nice to stay at and what to stay clear of. Like I said.....spend the money for a nice place. Let's face it this is a major tourist attraction area and hotels and meals are spendy.

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

Speaking of pizza:

I just remembered our family was debating wheather to try Boston Pizza or Pizza Pizza in Niagara Falls. We LOVED Pizza Pizza and was way cheaper than the Boston Pizza. I think they had a good "buy 2" deal or coupons. We took ours to go. It was so good we had it again a few days later in Toronto!

 

[tweetylori]

tweetylori: Great job on the bargins for your trip! If you don't mind me asking what nights did you get the Westin castle for? We are thinking of a trip to Niagara in a couple weeks and my DD would love to go back to that hotel for a night or two! We were there a couple years ago and she loved it! Thanks!

Oh, also any tips for finding the Westin on Hotwire? I have used Priceline but never used Hotwire before. Thanks again!

We will be there for three nights, May 13-15th. Thank you for approving of my bargains. I actually read that I could've possibly gotten it for a few dollars cheaper per night on priceline. I'm very much looking forward to this trip and would love any more tips!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

For those wondering: gasoline is running @ between $1.01 - $1.07 a litre in southwestern Ontario. At $1.07/litre, it roughly equals $3.66 US/gallon.

 

[tc's disney mom]

We stayed at the Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview on two occasions. It was a very, very nice hotel, with a themed indoor swimming pool area, and a great restaurant on the top floor. When we stayed, the exchange rate was very favorable, so we went for it. We stayed two or three days each time. A new casino had just opened across the street on our second visit. The hotel is close enough to the falls that you can walk fairly easily to Table Rock. Actually, you walk about two blocks, then you pay a small fee to ride the incline railway down to the area right across from Table Rock. At Table Rock, you are right at the edge of the falls. You can buy a People Mover bus pass there, so that you can ride the buses all day to and from the other attractions. We really liked this hotel, but with the current exchange rates, it is probably expensive right now.