OT- Nice, cheap place to stay at Niagara Falls in the US...not Canada?

[loveysbydesign]

We'd like to take the kiddos to Niagara Falls for 2 nights and want to stay on the US side...we don't have passports for the kids and we just want to see the falls, go on Maid of the Mist and hike at the park. Nedd someplace cheap as this is a major budget trip. My dh and I have never been to NF before, nor have the kiddos!
I can't find any really good reviews for places on the US side...I'm also looking for a place to stop halfway between the Lehigh Valley and NF. Looks like Binghamton, NY is about half way. Any help's appreciated!

 

[crashbb]

I don't have any suggestions for places to stay, but your kids don't need passport if crossing the border by car.

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html

 

[tripplanner2]

We went a couple of years ago and it is well worth it to cross over to Canada. The NY side is a bit run down. Biggest piece of advice to give is to get Canadian dollars from your local bank on the US side. We waited to convert and they did not give the best conversion in Canada. Someone working there told us to pay everything by credit card and we would get the best conversion rate but our cc charged an additional 3% on every transaction because of the currency conversion so our budget trip cost us a ton more than we planned on. Also, if you purchase before you leave home, AAA has a great discount package on Maid of the Mist and other tourist spots. Once you get there, there is a small AAA discount but nothing close to what our local office or the internet was offering.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We went a couple of years ago and it is well worth it to cross over to Canada. The NY side is a bit run down. Biggest piece of advice to give is to get Canadian dollars from your local bank on the US side. We waited to convert and they did not give the best conversion in Canada. Someone working there told us to pay everything by credit card and we would get the best conversion rate but our cc charged an additional 3% on every transaction because of the currency conversion so our budget trip cost us a ton more than we planned on. Also, if you purchase before you leave home, AAA has a great discount package on Maid of the Mist and other tourist spots. Once you get there, there is a small AAA discount but nothing close to what our local office or the internet was offering.

We have 3 kids and don't have enough time to get passports for them as we plan to go in May. Maybe when they are older we will take a 2nd trip and pay for passports for them. For now the US side it is for us!

 

[loveysbydesign]

Opps..just realized another poster said they won't need passports...Thanks for that info!
We do want to avoid the glitzy, touristy stuff and just go for the nature..a.k.a. cheap part of visiting NF!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I don't have any suggestions for places to stay, but your kids don't need passport if crossing the border by car.

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html

And to think, I was happy with finding out all we needed were passport cards for going to Canada! (Obviously not big travelers). Wish I'd known this before we spent the $$$ on the passport cards in March! Oh well, thanks for the info, I'll know for the second 5 years, the boys will still be young enough to not need 'em..

 

[crashbb]

And to think, I was happy with finding out all we needed were passport cards for going to Canada! (Obviously not big travelers). Wish I'd known this before we spent the $$$ on the passport cards in March! Oh well, thanks for the info, I'll know for the second 5 years, the boys will still be young enough to not need 'em..

PLEASE check before your next trip. It is very likely to have changed.

I have visions of you reaching the border and saying - "but crashbb said I didn't need passports for the boys"

 

[MonkersMama]

I live in NF, NY.

There are 2-3 brand new hotels in the "shopping" area of NF about 4 miles away- not at the brink of the falls, that downtown area is VERY run down. Look up hotels on Niagara Falls Blvd. One I can think of right now is the Holiday Inn Express, but there are a couple others, just can't think off the top of my head.

 

[loveysbydesign]

I live in NF, NY.

There are 2-3 brand new hotels in the "shopping" area of NF about 4 miles away- not at the brink of the falls, that downtown area is VERY run down. Look up hotels on Niagara Falls Blvd. One I can think of right now is the Holiday Inn Express, but there are a couple others, just can't think off the top of my head.

Thanks...I'm trying to find one that we can walk to the park from. Someone on trip advisor mentioned trying the Holiday Inn on Buffalo Ave.

 

[pigletof4]

Why not check out hotels in Buffalo. Niagara Falls isn't that far of a drive and you might find a better deal. We haven't been in a few years, but when we have, we have stayed on the Canadian side.

 

[brymolmom]

Last time we went to NF we got a good deal on hotwire or priceline (can't remember which one). We stayed on the Canadian side - but sure can do the same thing on the US side too. My bet is this is the BEST deal you'd get.

Are there even any walkable hotels on the US side? If so, not many.

 

[evergreen4]

We stayed a few summers ago at the Comfort Inn The Pointe. It was a clean hotel with free continental breakfast. The best part was the location. We literally walked out the door, crossed the street and were in the state park. It was a short walk to the bridge that crossed over into Canada. Enjoy your trip!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

PLEASE check before your next trip. It is very likely to have changed.

I have visions of you reaching the border and saying - "but crashbb said I didn't need passports for the boys"

I'm hoping we don't need two trips! I wanted to take them to Niagra, but everyone says the Canada side is so much prettier, so I wanted to be sure we could go there. So many places I want to go, figured before passport prices went up, we'd get them and within the 5 years theirs will be good we'll go.... and hopefully be done with my obsession on it!

 

[katiebelle21]

I would recommend staying at the Casino on the American side. I think kids are allowed. It's brand new, well maintained, and right by the falls. The prices are pretty reasonable too!

 

[merrily]

We stayed a few summers ago at the Comfort Inn The Pointe. It was a clean hotel with free continental breakfast. The best part was the location. We literally walked out the door, crossed the street and were in the state park. It was a short walk to the bridge that crossed over into Canada. Enjoy your trip!

I agree. We stayed there last summer. The hotel was clean, comfortable and perfectly located for what it sounds like you want to do. My only recommendation is getting back in your car and leaving Niagara Falls for dinner. Everything there is crazy expensive!

 

[ChrisinNJ]

We went last summer & stayed at the Hampton Inn on the NY side. The Holiday Inn was about 1 block closer to the park & falls. The Gorge hike (I think it was at whirlpool park) was a nice nature hike. Just wear comfy shoes & take drinks with you. It is a long way down to the water & back, but my kids loved it.

We also enjoyed the maid of the mist & the cave of the winds tour.

 

[palavra]

We stayed at the Howard Johnson at the Falls on the New York side. It wasn't rundown at all. The rooms were simple but clean. It was very near the Falls.

 

[lovetoscrap]

No hotel help-- we stayed at Best Western in town and it had some issues, so I can't really recommend it, and it was not as close as you are looking for.

But I just wanted to say that we only went to the US side and absolutely loved it. I had brought our birth certificates in case we wanted to cross over, but the line of cars to get across the bridge was hours long.

And we noticed that while we were waiting for the Maid of the Mist on the US side with about 20 other people (and that was all that got on the boat) there were more than we could count waiting on the other side, the boats were packed and there were more waiting than could go on one boat. The State Park was beautiful, we enjoyed the little museum with the history of the falls, and while I have heard so much about how beautiful it is from the Canada side, it was absolutely breathtaking from the US side. I could have stayed there for hours just watching the falls.

I had to wonder if it is prettier from Canada because you are looking at the natural beauty of the US State Park and not at the Tourist Trap area that you see from here!

You will have a great time. Make sure you do the part where you can walk up the stairs to the falls. Even though I was in a wheelchair I used all my stamina to get up the stairs for that at it was worth every painful step!

 

[jgates]

I really prefered the Canadian side. We stayed at a hotel on the US side (several years ago) and while it wasn't horrid, it was old & a bit run down. Although in a nice pretty area with lots of trees & greenery. But down near the falls on the US side it was cruddy.

If Cave of the Winds (?) is open yet, it was a great tour.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice! I am so excited to finally go there. I've wanted to go since I was a child and I know my kids will be so surprised to go there. I just hope we can survive the 6+ hour drive without the 3 of them killing each other in the car-lol!