I'm after some information on Niagara Falls.

I've heard on the grapevine (i.e the wife) that the New York State side of the falls is like blackpool and the Canadian (ontario) side is a much nicer place to visit.

Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Also any recommendations for local hotels to the falls would be greatly appreciated.

We're going in April so any info sooner rather than later would be good :D

The Canadian side is much better, it's not much more than a shed in some nice surroundings unlike the US side which is built up. On the Candian side you can go down into the rock and get excellent close up views. Either way it's an amazing place to visit :D

The American side if the falls is nothing compared to the Canadian side, if your staying in a hotel there, try the Marriott it is absolutly fantastic. If your staying in Niagara, the main strip is breathtaking, but if you take a look behind the main drag it becomes a bit seedy, I was also surprised how expensive it is now, but if you are going I'm really jealous. The Marriott hotel is totally overlooking the falls, there is a massive plate glass window which takes in the full view of the falls, and there's a little lever under the window that shuts out the sound if you don't want to here the water.If your going , don't miss Niagara on the lake, it's like going back in time. If you've ever been to Bourton on the water in the Cotswolds it's very much like that, very quaint.I know you'll have a brilliant time.

Originally posted by Applegrim
The American side if the falls is nothing compared to the Canadian side, if your staying in a hotel there, try the Marriott it is absolutly fantastic. If your staying in Niagara, the main strip is breathtaking, but if you take a look behind the main drag it becomes a bit seedy, I was also surprised how expensive it is now, but if you are going I'm really jealous. The Marriott hotel is totally overlooking the falls, there is a massive plate glass window which takes in the full view of the falls, and there's a little lever under the window that shuts out the sound if you don't want to here the water.If your going , don't miss Niagara on the lake, it's like going back in time. If you've ever been to Bourton on the water in the Cotswolds it's very much like that, very quaint.I know you'll have a brilliant time.
Cheers for this recommendation - what's this Niagara on the Lake effort you mentioned?

Yes. Canadian side.

Just one major recommendation. If possible, on your first arrival, do not bang straight into the centre (the falls).

Try and stop downstream (the beginning of the promenade near Rainbow Bridge) and walk your way up to the main falls. You will be able to take in the splendour and have an element of surprise/awe as you come onto the big baby after hearing the noise etc.

It is about a 30-60 minute stroll.

Have you seen this website? (http://www.niagarafallslive.com/Facts_about_Niagara_Falls.htm)

Cheers for the tip :D

Yep defo Canadian side. We heard that the US side is actually a bit dodgy after dark.

The Canadian side has all the light shows and there was a live band on the street and stuff. The other side was dead!

We too stayed at the Marriott with a falls view room and it was amazing. A trip on the Maid in the Mist is also worth it - we got some great photos from down there.

Make sure you have your camera and have fun!

Originally posted by DaBouncer
Cheers for this recommendation - what's this Niagara on the Lake effort you mentioned?
I'm with everyone else.... Niagra on the Canadian side is soooo much better...

Couple of things though..
1. it's better because of the views, not because of the town.

2. Niagra on the Lake is a sort of clinker built old style town that's a bit like you'd expect to find in a National Heritage supported town. Lots of jams, crafts, etc... But really nice to visit.. You do need a car to get to it but I'm sure there's buses, if you're using the trains to get up there.

3. If you go in winter (which I can thoroughly recommend! :thumbsup: ) then be sure and take some proper all over waterproofs as the spray gets up from the falls and covers everything before freezing... It's a great effect but with windchill of around -30 you could end up hypothermic darned fast if you're not prepared.

Woooo that site has a webcam too http://www.niagaraparks.com/webcam/webcam.php

Have a great time Dab it looks awesome :D

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuump

keep suggestions coming folks :D

Have you booked?
One of the best ways to get value for money and see a lot more is to fly into Toronto with a car hire deal and book some fixed hotel nights where you need them (Toronto & Niagara) but then go with the flow as there are lots of hotels/motels around in the towns between the two (very cheap now with the exchange rate) where you can get a room on the fly.

Cheers Applegrim for the tip about staying at the Marriott Hotel @ Niagara Falls.

Just booked for 2 nights online - staying in a Two Room Family Suite :D

Should be a good couple of nights - can't wait :clap:

I stayed in Toronto and we drove to Niagara - Toronto is an amazing city :D

You only going to Canada for a couple of days then DaB? Problem I found with only being there a few days is that the jet lag kills you :gag:

DaBouncer, I am so jealous, you cannot imagine just how wonderful that view is,there is a lift from the back of the hotel down to the falls,in the evening the falls are floodlit, do you know what floor your on? we were on I think 23, there was a fireplace table and chairs, on the door it said 1000ca dollars per night, but we didn't pay anywhere near that, I think it was about 250ca dollars. they gave us an upgrade at no extra cost. Loads of food places knocking about,

..................................

It seems you are doing a similar route to us, we started of at
New York, then to Toronto, were we'd been before stayed too long this time, then to Niagara which we loved, try to go to Niagara on the lake,even if it's just for just for the afternoon, then from Niagara, to Baltimore (try Phillips's crab cakes), then to Washington,whichwas much better than we thought, then back to New York, which was a million times better than we thought. ENJOY !!!!

I agree with earlier posts Niagra on the Lake is lovely. we drove up there from penn state through buffelo and got lost and i was terrified lol, its weird around the falls its lovely for photo shoot distance and then goes casino crazy a little further back.. the guys at the passport border were really strict too! had amazing fun but aviod the niagra falls IMAX it was rubbish :)

Originally posted by Applegrim
It seems you are doing a similar route to us, we started of at
New York, then to Toronto, were we'd been before stayed too long this time, then to Niagara which we loved, try to go to Niagara on the lake,even if it's just for just for the afternoon, then from Niagara, to Baltimore (try Phillips's crab cakes), then to Washington,whichwas much better than we thought, then back to New York, which was a million times better than we thought. ENJOY !!!!
We fly into NYC then drive up to Niagara where we stay for 2 nights. Drive back down to NYC then take an internal flight to Phoenix where we'll then hit Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, San Fransisco and the west coast border.

USA here we come :D

PS If anyone is ever on the East Coast of the USA (in particular Massachusettes) drop into a place called Friendly's 9they're a chain of burger/ice cream restaurants).

Order a Reeces Peanut Butter Cup Cyclone - I promise you will orgasm upon first taste :D

Ahhh 3 weeks, you'll be ok then - last time I was there it was only for 4/5 days and sleeping was seriously screwed up :gag: It was free though so can't complain :D

Is this ask an expert topic?

Originally posted by letting
Is this ask an expert topic?
If you read post 1 then you'll get your answer :lol:

Dude, go to Niagra on the lake, it is so nice there really picturesque. As you know I went two years ago to Canada and Niagra, on the way I stopped off at an ice wine yard. If you like wine try Ice wine it's really sweet and easy on the tonge (hic)

DaBouncer,

Sounds like you and the missus have a great trip planned. Don't know if you've ever stayed at the Embassy Suites:

http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/index.jhtml

They have good rates on suites and we always stay there whenever we travel, if possible. They have a wonderful, free, cooked to order breakfast each morning in the atrium downstairs. With the kids, this saved us loads of money as well as time. And the breakfast was usually so big we often didn't need to eat lunch.

In San Francisco (my hometown, yay!) you can take a tour of Alcatraz: (that is, unless you've already been. But, eh. We go almost every year with the kids and their friends. It's a nice break from the Central Valley heat in summer)

http://www.destinationcoupons.com/California/sfo/activity_b&g/bg.asp

You can ONLY buy tickets through the Blue and Gold Fleet. Pier 41, on Fisherman's Wharf. Go early in the morning, and on a weekday if you can manage it. It's very crowded, and tours sell out fast. Once you're on the island, you can take a prerecorded tour (with headphones, price included in your ticket purchase) of the cellblocks, or just wander around as you like.

No need to hurry. Last ferry back is at six pm. The view of the city from Alcatraz is magnificent. They don't sell food or drink on the island, so bring water, etc. There are restrooms there as well.

Pier 39 is nice, too. My kids love this place because they can shop 'till they drop. (if you're gonna be right there, what the heck!)

http://www.pier39.com/

And San Francisco's Chinatown is a must see. Cool place.

http://www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/

You can have a look at Oakland, Ca:

http://www.oaklandcvb.com/index.cfm

Oakland is sort of the poor stepsister to San Francisco. If you like chinese food, try Tin's Tea House. 701 Webster St. in Oakland. The best dim sum in the Bay Area. Period. The Oakland airport, although smaller, is far easier to navigate and much more convenient than SFO. We always fly out of Oakland. Always.

And don't forget Tahoe.

http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com/

Still lots of snow there. You and the missus can ski if you like. Heavenly Valley is...well, heavenly!

http://www.skiheavenly.com/

Too much stuff for me to tell you about here. You and Mrs. DaBouncer have a good, safe, trip.

:) Sierra

Cheers Sierra.
Where in Cali you located cos we'll be hitting the Cali coastline from Sanfransico down to Newport Beach.

Will look through all those links man cheers.
Any tips for safe road driving and area to avoid while in california / LA / San Fran etc would be greatly appreciated mate.

DB :thumbsup:

Nothing to do with me, really, but wouldn't it be fantastic to read, later, on this forum about how Sierra and DaBouncer made contact during the holiday?

Ok cgksheff, nice thought. :hihi:

We are in Modesto, Ca. About 90 miles east of San Francisco.

Now,

I'm assuming DaB, that you and Mrs. DaB are starting your drive down the coast from San Francisco? If you like, take a short drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. Or, as my siblings and I used to call it, "the GG bridge", because all the freeway signs are marked GG for the bridge's initials, to Marin County.

http://www.nps.gov/goga/ The toll on this bridge only keeps going up. But it's a lovely drive.

You can visit Muir Woods. Named for Scotsman John Muir. Truly amazing old growth redwood forest. (At the last house we lived, our INSANE next door neighbor planted no fewer than TEN of these humungous trees in his back yard. Redwood trees are the biggest living things on earth. Within three years, they went from seedlings to being bigger than the house, and we had to move to get away from them. I sh*t you not.)

http://www.nps.gov/muwo/home.htm

There are actually two bridges across the bay. The other is the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco-Oakland_Bay_Bridge

This is the bridge my family and I cross to visit relatives in San Francisco. It was damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. They've retrofitted it for safety, and there's talk of replacing the entire thing. (Swell, tax is going up.)

I'm sure you and Mrs. DaB will want to stay and sightsee in San Francisco for a few days.

You can find loads of websites with info about San Francisco, and there's many, many sights to see. If you and Mrs. DaB get tired of walking, you can take one of these tours, and stay seated while you see the sights:

http://www.magicaljourneys.com/USA/usa-travel-california-sanfrancisco-sights.html

You and Mrs. DaB are renting a car and driving yourselves? Be warned, the parking in San Francisco (like most big cities) is BAD to nonexistant. There are parking garages, but they're expensive, and not always where you need them. Driving can be difficult in crowded streets with frequent traffic jams, and while most streets are well marked, quite a few are not. The MUNI Bus system is good and cheap:

http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/mms/home/home50.htm

(And my Uncle Johnny worked for them for years. :D )

Maybe hold off on renting the car until you're leaving the city?

On the bright side, the drive south (down Pacific Coast HWY 1, or HWY 101, not sure where it changes, but it hugs the coastline and is spectacular!!) should be a breeze and very enjoyable. Most California freeways are a mess at rush hours in the mornings and evenings. From about 5-9 am to 4-7 pm or so. If you drive before and/or after these hours, you should be fine.

http://boomersint.org/pchwy/SF2LA.htm

Stop and see Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel. Clint Eastwood is no longer the mayor of Carmel, and I don't think he owns the Hog's Breath Inn anymore, but you never know, he might stop in.

http://www.hogsbreathinn.net/

Stay on the interstate and/or marked roads and streets. Los Angeles and San Francisco are big cities, like other big cities anywhere in the world. If you use common sense and keep your wits about you, you shouldn't have any trouble.

Gas is plentiful and (by UK standards) relatively cheap. There are ALWAYS gas stations right off the freeway, usually with rest rooms and places to buy food/drink/maps etc. If you and Mrs. DaB want to save some money, most supermarkets have pretty good deli's. You can get a sandwich or soup with fruit and/or a salad and fresh bread pretty cheap.

I have to include this place, in San Luis Obispo:

http://www.madonnainn.com/ No, it's not named after the singer, but it's very cool and definitely worth a look.

Also, don't miss the city of Santa Barbara, and the nearby mission, Hearst Castle, and the city of Cambria. Mr. Sierra loves Cambria so much, he wants to buy vacation property there. It is nice.

Word of caution, when you come inland on HWY 101 from the coast to LA, stay OFF the 110 freeway to Compton, Gardena, and East LA. Rap songs aside, these are bad areas, and there's nothing to see there anyway. Really.

The driving and parking is better in LA, but in some areas, it's still not good. Disneyland's parking is ok, but be prepared to walk. And if you're an OC fan, ;) you'll be in heaven.

http://www.fox.com/oc/home.htm

Stop in Malibu and see how the movie stars live. Trust me, it's better than how we live! Whew! Hope this helps. You and Mrs. DaB have a good trip. If I can be of help, just ask, mmkay?

This guy, is my all time favorite San Franciscan:

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/norton.html

:) Sierra

WOW cheers for all the info Sierra.
Unfortunately we will be hiring the car from when landing in Phoenix so we wont have a choice but to drive into San Fransisco.

You assume correctly with Mrs DaB coming with me :D
Let me know if you wanna meet up for a coffee in San Fransisco cos we will be going to Alcatraz while there and you can give us some tips.
Hey can you take a video camera on the Rock?

If I think of anything else, I will certainly give you a yell.

Cheers for all the info Sierra :clap: :clap:

Well,

God bless you. Driving shouldn't be all that bad. It really is the best, fastest way to get around from city to city. (We do it all the time) Since you're on vacation, and not in a rush, you'll have plenty of time to see everything. You can also take advantage of hours when most people would be working.

You may find it more convenient to leave the car in a garage or long term parking lot for the day when in San Francisco, and walk or take public transportation. Don't even try to park in SF Chinatown. Just cut your losses and walk.

For the area around Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, you can leave the car all day for about $30-$40. Everything there is pretty close together.

Yes, cameras and video are allowed on Alcatraz.

I will certainly talk to Mr. Sierra about meeting up with you and Mrs. DaB for coffee in San Francisco.

When are the dates you will be there?

And I'm sure you're aware, the pound is very strong against the dollar right now!

http://web.ask.co.uk/web?qsrc=6&q=How+Much+Is+%2410+in+Pounds%3f&o=0

The weather for your trip should be good. No snow, either here or in Arizona. (except in the mountains) The worst it may do is rain.

If you and Mrs. DaB need anything, or want me to send you more info, either pm or email me. Truly, I would be happy to help out.

:) Sierra

Muchas Gracias for your help Sierra.
Not sure of exact dates we'll be in San fransisco but I'll be sure to let you know.

DB :thumbsup:

If you want to see the real Niagara Falls then go to www.jumpthefalls.com

Come and join the forums

http://www.jumpthefalls.com/photos/fp/slides/And_yet_another_Niagara_Street.JPG

You can get some accurate information about Niagra Falls from my signature :)

I have 15 posts so lets see if this works.....


http://www.jumpthefalls.com/photos/funky2/slides/Burn_Victim.JPG

How come the pictures themselves don't show up?

Go to niagra on the lake for def. its very quaint but there's a little home-made icecream parlour which is so nice its worth going back just for that!!! canadian side is much better than the US side- it has the horseshoe falls which is much bigger

This forum still refuses to let the picture be seen?

How come???

http://www.jumpthefalls.com/photos/funky2/slides/7th_Street.JPG

Is there another way to post pictures??

http://www.jumpthefalls.com/photos/funky/slides/Yet_Another_Burned.JPG