Advice please about Niagara Falls area

[Meesh77]

We are flying in and out of New York next May for a seven day trip.

We are going to spend five nights in NYC then fly to see Niagara Falls, where we will spend two nights.

We need to get back from Niagara on the same day we fly home. Our flight home is at 7pm out of JFK.

My original plan was to fly to Toronto and stay there, hire a car and drive there and back in a day. I’ve provisionally booked a hotel near the airport. Flights from Toronto tend not to land at JFK, so we would need time to transfer on arrival back in New York.

However, I later realised I could fly to Buffalo and avoid the drive from Toronto.

The problem is, if we fly to Buffalo, we’d like to stay in Niagara on the Lake. I understand this is on the Canadian side, which means getting back over the border into the USA on the day we fly back to NYC.

Can anyone advise on the practicalities of this trip? The accommodation in NYC is booked and paid for, but no internal flights yet. I hope we will get back to JFK after lunch, but again it’s a long day at the airport waiting for the flight back to the Uk.

But what is Niagara-on-the-Lake? A pretty small town with lovely wooden houses? Nothing you can’t find on a day trip from NYC, unless you manage to get tickets for a festival event.

It sounds like NOTL is justification for going to NF, and you are going to spend over $1000 for the priviledge.

I love NF and have probably been 20 times over the last 35 years, but I really think it lends itself to a vacation in Southern Ontario (Toronto, Muskoka) rather than one in New York City.

It’s an amazing place so should be on everyone’s bucket list.

PS. Bit of a shame you don’t get the Canada leg of your holiday because nobody else was interested ! If it was me I’d be tempted to go on my own

Niagara reminded me of Margate. Great fun for an afternoon though. We did the train from Toronto, really enjoyed that.

I had a whole trip planned through Vancouver and lake Louise. Miserable buggers. I’ll go when they are older.

Oh and thank you again for the advice, you’ve made my mind up to go for one night and come back to New York, you were all really helpful.

A good call; I was really disappointed with Niagara Falls!

How old are they?! Seriously, ditch them and go on your own. I bet they’ll regret it. (I never got any choice about holidays as a kid, until I was old enough for ‘either you’re coming or we’re leaving you at home’).

They’re 9 and 13 - too young to leave, and tbh I wouldn’t want to. I’ll leave Canada on the back burner.

As somebody who grew up in relative poverty, it amazes me to hear my kids say they aren’t bothered about Canada. I was bothered about everywhere at their age - I’d have been over the moon with Canada.

According to my parents I kicked and screamed about being taken to Florence at a similar age. Strange because all I remember is incredible memories. I grew so much on that holiday. Sometimes kids don’t know what they want.

We stayed on the Canadian side at Great Wolf Lodge (very themed water park hotel). Not sure if it would appeal to older children but my younger ones LOVED it.

All sorted - New York apartment rented for full seven nights, Niagara will be an overnight job and we will be back the night before we come home.

We’ve just come back from Tuscany, Jenny!!! Kids loved it, but we avoided Florence because it was too hot and busy. Another time.

Niagara on the Lake is a very pretty town in the Niagara area - it's not tacky, a bit twee and touristy but nice. Niagara Falls itself is fine for 3-4 hours tops - the falls are amazing but it's tacksville. I 'd do a day not 2!

I’ll find somewhere to stay there then!

We stayed at the Embassy Suites Falls View in Niagara Falls, right above the visitor centre, so well away from the tacky part of town. We were really high up so had amazing views of the Horseshoe and American Falls, as well as the Niagara River. It was great for the fireworks as the window opened so we could hear the bangs, as well as the sound of the Falls.

Thanks I’ll have a look at that

Op Canada has really poor pr in terms of exciting temptations for young people, but the country is beautiful and the people are lovely. I sort of love just being there to experience how different it is from the US. And I loved Toronto! Maybe you'll get to go next time.

I came to this thread planning a camping/road trip that will take in Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburgh (we went to Niagara on our last trip so will miss it out this time). We leave next week. Can't wait!

Have a great time.

I’m very jealous. Its not personal to Canada; they don’t much fancy any long haul destination. I think it’s such a shame to have the opportunity and not go

Hmm, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh - not the usual tourist trail.

CraftyGin the smaller cities have a lot of character. I love Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Our last trip took us to DesMoines, Minneapolis and the Upper Peninsula (MI).

I agree, but you don’t see a lot of people around with your inquisitiveness and open-mindedness.

If you want any advice on Cleveland, let me know. It’s where DH is from. I assuming you are planning a trip to Rock Hall. I’m not a music buff, but had a very enjoyable 2 hours there.

I must admit, of Ohio cities, I prefer Cincinnati.

Niagara on the Lake is a good 30 minute drive from the Falls. Book your boat trip before you go. You can also go behind the Falls.

CraftyGin lol thank you. I love seeing the local culture of these places. I grew up near NYC and have seen a lot of the eastern seaboard but the midwest is all new to me.

Thank you for your Ohio advice. Tbh we're including Cleveland because it's a third point on a triangle with Pittsburgh and Buffalo and we only have just over a week. We'd swing by Cincinnatti if we had a few more days.

I just had a quick look at my trip planning map and we don't yet have much on there for Cleveland. Our usual strategy in this case is to set up camp at a state or national park (maybe Cuyahoga?), then swing into the local gay village, where the independent shops are. It has served us pretty well so far. By all means do recommend anything you think is worth a visit!