Niagara Falls: Worth seeing just from US side?

[MsWhatsit]

We're going on vacation in a couple of weeks, and MrWhatsit has expressed a desire to see Niagara Falls, since he's never been.

My recollection from my trip there as a kid was that the NY side was kind of lame, and the Canadian side was much better. Unfortunately, you now need passports to travel between the US and Canada, and I'm the only one who has a valid passport right now, and you can't get a passport in just two weeks.

So my question is, would Niagara Falls be worth seeing if we can't visit the Canadian side? If anyone has been there recently (as in, the past few years or so) I'd appreciate your input.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Yeah, either way, it's still pretty and impressive.

[Hyperelastic]

I vote yea, but would encourage you to roll something else into the trip, like Chatauqua or (a stretch) Cooperstown. Upstate NY is pretty this time of year.

I went to Niagara last summer and also was stuck on the US side due to lack of passports by others in my family. We did the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds in one afternoon. It's something everyone should see once, but not enough to plan a whole vacation around.

[MsWhatsit]

Oh yes, to be clear, this will be one day out of a bigger trip involving various stops along the East Coast.

Thanks for the input so far!

[Implicit]

You can do Maid of the Mist from either side, so you can still get a good view of the falls.

[Spoons]

I think you can have a nice day at Niagara Falls if you're planning on spending it only on the American side. It's been a few years since I was last there, but I do recall the US side as having a nice park (maybe plan on having a picnic), plenty of places to get close to the falls and to see the American and Horseshoe Falls, and attractions like the Maid of the Mist.

I cannot speak for any restaurants or similar on the US side, so others will have to help with those. But in my experience, you will enjoy your visit even if you are restricted to the US side.

[Duke]

Da Falls looks nice from this side, yes. You'll have to take a trip to Goat Island and on the Maid of the Mist to really experience it. You can go up to Lewiston to take the Jet Boat from there through the Rapids, which is loads of fun (although take the covered boat unless you want to get really, really wet).

There are a lot more restaurants than there used to be...lots of Indian restaurants, which I like, but it might not be your cup of tea. And then there's the casino, which has a good Chinese buffet and an expensive steakhouse, but it's a casino.

I used to work for the son-in-law of the owner of the Maid of the Mist, I could have gotten you free tickets!

[Eureka]

Yes, the falls are more impressive on the Canadian Side, but yes, they are still worth seeing just from the American Side, and yes, the Maid of the Mist gives you a nice view of both.

I think my last visit was five years ago, and I stopped for a couple hours in the afternoon, and did the thing where you can go down behind the falls.

My last trip before that, we'd walked across the bridge to Canada, had dinner, walked around, dealt with crossing the border, walked back to our motel, and checked out the view from the American side first thing in the morning. Lots of Rainbows, not so many tourists.

I have fond memories of the Maid of the Mist, but those are older.

[PapSett]

I went in 2008 and thoughtit one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, and I didn't even get to do the Maid of the Mist. The surrounding park is lovely. I would love to go back some day.

[StusBlues]

You can do Maid of the Mist from either side, so you can still get a good view of the falls.

This is what I did as well. Didn't feel slighted in the least.

[aruvqan]

I vote yea, but would encourage you to roll something else into the trip, like Chatauqua or (a stretch) Cooperstown. Upstate NY is pretty this time of year.

I went to Niagara last summer and also was stuck on the US side due to lack of passports by others in my family. We did the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds in one afternoon. It's something everyone should see once, but not enough to plan a whole vacation around.

Add Letchworth State Park (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/79/details.aspx), the Grand Canyon of the East, 3 very lovely falls and what used to be a fairly decent restaurant.

You decide if the views (http://www.google.com/search?q=letchworth+state+park&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=xFm&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivnsbm&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=XfcuTpP_F_C70AG7m9SxAQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1334&bih=736) are worth it =)

[GoodOmens]

I would say the falls themselves, and the surrounding greenspace, is nicer on the US side. The Canadian side has much more development, and more "touristy" stuffy, if you're interested in that.

[MsWhatsit]

OK, I think we're decided in putting the falls on our itinerary. Thanks! We're also tentatively looking at seeing the Brooklyn Bridge and Mystic Seaport in Connecticut on this trip. I'm also checking out some of the other suggestions that people mentioned in this thread.

[Leaffan]

A passport is highly recommended, but not an absolute requirement.

From the Canada Border Services Agency (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html) website:

When you enter Canada, a CBSA officer may ask to see your passport and a valid visa, if one is necessary. If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada. However, you should carry proof of your citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as photo identification.

[MsWhatsit]

I think the trickier problem is getting back into the US afterwards. From lower down on that page:

For entry into the United States via land and sea borders, U.S. citizens will need to present either a U.S. passport, passport card, NEXUS card, Enhanced Drivers License or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant document.

All of those things take more than two weeks to obtain. We checked into getting passport cards, and there's just not enough time. Thanks for looking that up for me, though!

[Leaffan]

Bah! I missed that.

What are they going to do though, not let you come back home? I don't buy it. It may be a hassle in each direction without a passport, but you could still try it. Like I said, I seriously doubt the USA would make you wallow in poutine purgatory for the rest of your life.

[Little Nemo]

From the American side you get a close-up view of the falls (you can get within a few feet of them). From the Canadian side you get a more distant view which lets you see the entire falls at once.

[Little Nemo]

Bah! I missed that.

What are they going to do though, not let you come back home? I don't buy it. It may be a hassle in each direction without a passport, but you could still try it. Like I said, I seriously doubt the USA would make you wallow in poutine purgatory for the rest of your life.They're very vague about what can happen. My understanding is that they'll probably let you back in to the United States with no problem. And ultimately, they have to let you back in if you're an American citizen. But you can get caught between these two - they can spend several hours checking on your citizenship and theoretically make you apply for an emergency visa through an American consulate in Canada (the closest of which is seventy miles away in Toronto).

[MsWhatsit]

Yeah, in an emergency situation (like, I don't know, one of my kids got lost and wandered across the border without us somehow?) I'd chance it, but as it stands, a border crossing just bears too much risk of really screwing up our vacation.

[elmwood]

There are a lot more restaurants than there used to be...lots of Indian restaurants, which I like, but it might not be your cup of tea. And then there's the casino, which has a good Chinese buffet and an expensive steakhouse, but it's a casino.

What is the deal with all the Indian restaurants in Niagara Falls, New York, anyhow?

Like I said in another very thread, check out Buffalo; the Elmwood Village and Allentown neighborhoods, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Darwin Martin House in Parkside, and the multitude of Italian restaurants along Hertel Avenue on the north side.

[delphica]

They're very vague about what can happen. My understanding is that they'll probably let you back in to the United States with no problem. And ultimately, they have to let you back in if you're an American citizen. But you can get caught between these two - they can spend several hours checking on your citizenship and theoretically make you apply for an emergency visa through an American consulate in Canada (the closest of which is seventy miles away in Toronto).

This is pretty much what happens, essentially they let you back in, but it takes a long time - a few hours, enough to make your day suck when you were originally planning to have a fun day of vacation activities. And I got the feeling it took a long time at least in part because they wanted it to take a long time to teach you a lesson.

It is possibly even more annoying if this happens to someone in your party who is not in the same car as you, despite the fact that you told everyone a million times to double-check to make sure passports were in hand before leaving the house, so you get to sit in your own car in the parking lot waiting for hours. I'm just sayin'.

And frankly, if you are just going for the day, I think the American side only is fine -- even if all your documentation is in order, depending on traffic volume, it can still take a while to do the border crossing and it can eat up time you would rather be doing something else. I am a stronger advocate for the Canadian side for people who plan to be in the area for a few days.

[ryan]

Yes, I think it's worth viewing from the NY side.

Just as a point of interest, you can get passports in a very short time, but for processing in under 2 weeks it will require a visit to a Passport Agency office and some extra fees.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

Granted I got mine a decade ago, but I did receive it in the morning Fed Ex delivery the very next day.

[MsWhatsit]

Just as a point of interest, you can get passports in a very short time, but for processing in under 2 weeks it will require a visit to a Passport Agency office and some extra fees.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html


Yeah, the nearest one of those to us is Chicago, which is about a 6-hour drive from here. Not really worth it just for this.

This has decided me, though, that we're getting passports for everyone ASAP. I want to be able to go on an impromptu trip to Canada if I feel like it.

[Barkis is Willin']

My coworker got a passport in under 2 weeks from right here in Columbus, OH just a month ago. He had to pay the extra fees and all, but he got it in about 8 business days.

Now, Niagra Falls is pretty cool on the US side, but it's amazing from the Canadian side. Canada's got a better view and about a million times more stuff to do while you're not gawking at the water.

[Sateryn76]

Add Letchworth State Park (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/79/details.aspx), the Grand Canyon of the East, 3 very lovely falls and what used to be a fairly decent restaurant.

You decide if the views (http://www.google.com/search?q=letchworth+state+park&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=xFm&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivnsbm&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=XfcuTpP_F_C70AG7m9SxAQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1334&bih=736) are worth it =)

Highly recommended!

I can never go back there; however - I have an unpaid ticket for walking on the river bed when I was 18. :)

::sigh::

[smithsb]

If you like history and water, a short side trip to Lockport, NY would be interesting. It's actually just a bike ride over and back. You can see/read the history of the Erie Canal and next door neighbor (and unromantically named) New York State Barge Canal.

[StusBlues]

What is the deal with all the Indian restaurants in Niagara Falls, New York, anyhow?



When I was there, we ate at the Hard Rock. That's always kinda cool.

[Magiver]

I would go to the Canadian side just for the food and beer.

[elfkin477]

I'm going to buck the trend and say no, it's not worthing seeing it. From either side, really. My father summed up Vynce's feelings by looking at his face and saying, "I can tell what you're thinking: you dragged us all the way here to see THIS??" and that about covered what I felt about it too. The falls were the least favorite part of that whole vacation. The Ripley's Museum (http://ripleysniagara.com/attractions/ripleys-believe-it-or-not/) was cool, Howe's Caverns (http://www.howecaverns.com/#SlideFrame_2) were awesome, but the falls were a bunch of water. whatever.

[Dangerosa]

They're very vague about what can happen. My understanding is that they'll probably let you back in to the United States with no problem. And ultimately, they have to let you back in if you're an American citizen. But you can get caught between these two - they can spend several hours checking on your citizenship and theoretically make you apply for an emergency visa through an American consulate in Canada (the closest of which is seventy miles away in Toronto).

A friend spent 72 hours stuck in Canada unable to get "back home" because she didn't have proper documentation.

They eventually let you back in. It might not be today or tomorrow....

[MsWhatsit]

I'm going to buck the trend and say no, it's not worthing seeing it. From either side, really. My father summed up Vynce's feelings by looking at his face and saying, "I can tell what you're thinking: you dragged us all the way here to see THIS??" and that about covered what I felt about it too. The falls were the least favorite part of that whole vacation. The Ripley's Museum (http://ripleysniagara.com/attractions/ripleys-believe-it-or-not/) was cool, Howe's Caverns (http://www.howecaverns.com/#SlideFrame_2) were awesome, but the falls were a bunch of water. whatever.

Fair enough, but I was vastly impressed by the falls when I was a kid. I just wanted to make sure the US side wasn't a big waste, since we spent most of our time on the Canadian side on that trip. I like natural wonders like this, so am unlikely to come away thinking "meh, just a bunch of water". :)

[Little Nemo]

Probably completely unrealistic but I wish once a year they would turn off the power generating plant and let us see the full falls.

[jasonh300]

From the American side you get a close-up view of the falls (you can get within a few feet of them). From the Canadian side you get a more distant view which lets you see the entire falls at once.

On the Canadian side, the river bank goes around in front of the falls so you can stand across from them and get a good look at them. But you can also walk right up to the edge and spit into the river above the falls from Canada.

There's no place on the American side you can get a good view of the falls except from directly above or directly below (or on the Maid of the Mist).

[blondebear]

Interesting article from today's LA Times: Niagara Falls considers a return to its daredevil past (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-niagara-falls-wallenda-20110727,0,7672294.story)
"This is where our history is. Right here," said local historian Michelle Kratts, adding that the city owes much to its daredevils. "These are the people who are going to bring us back."

[aruvqan]

OK, I think we're decided in putting the falls on our itinerary. Thanks! We're also tentatively looking at seeing the Brooklyn Bridge and Mystic Seaport in Connecticut on this trip. I'm also checking out some of the other suggestions that people mentioned in this thread.

Ohhhhh - how about a tiny side trip to the US Sub base museum .. the USS Nautilus (http://www.ussnautilus.org/) is bolted to the pier and you can *tour* her - first US nuke submarine! It is open every day except Tuesdays. And it is just a couple exits earlier off 95 north. There is also a very nice aquarium in Mystic, and a bit of a small touristy shopping area next to the aquarium also.

[and most people just drive over the Brooklyn Bridge rather than stop and look at it...]

[aruvqan]

Probably completely unrealistic but I wish once a year they would turn off the power generating plant and let us see the full falls.

The first time we went to Toronto to see the Canadian National Exposition with some Canadian friends I was so pumped, I would get to see Niagara Falls for the first time ever ... dry (http://www.niagarafrontier.com/dewater.html). :eek::dubious::(:smack:

[Jaledin]

I wouldn't bother with the Canadian side. It can be very crowded, and it's a hassle, IMHO.

Go on the Maid of the Mist, check out all the stuff, maybe get liquored up at the Hard Rock Cafe and go to the Albright-Knox museum (a remarkable collection), or check out the abandoned grain elevators south of Buffalo if you and the little woman like urban exploration. The Carousel Museum in Buffalo (Tonawanda, actually -- really it's Buffalo, though) is amazing as well, if you have kids or you like that kind of stuff.

Niagara-On-The-Lake is a very nice place for a picnic, as well as good old Delaware Park in Buffalo proper.

[MsWhatsit]

Ohhhhh - how about a tiny side trip to the US Sub base museum .. the USS Nautilus (http://www.ussnautilus.org/) is bolted to the pier and you can *tour* her - first US nuke submarine! It is open every day except Tuesdays. And it is just a couple exits earlier off 95 north. There is also a very nice aquarium in Mystic, and a bit of a small touristy shopping area next to the aquarium also.

[and most people just drive over the Brooklyn Bridge rather than stop and look at it...]

I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge once and now I sort of want to walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Symmetry, you know.

The sub museum is definitely going on the list. MrWhatsit is a former reactor operator and if there is a sub on display, we're seeing it. I think he will be very excited about this!

[aruvqan]

I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge once and now I sort of want to walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Symmetry, you know.

The sub museum is definitely going on the list. MrWhatsit is a former reactor operator and if there is a sub on display, we're seeing it. I think he will be very excited about this!

Good =) They have other mini subs on display also. Sort of fascinating.

[Little Nemo]

The sub museum is definitely going on the list. MrWhatsit is a former reactor operator and if there is a sub on display, we're seeing it. I think he will be very excited about this!If you want to see a sub on display, you can also go to Buffalo Naval Park (http://www.buffalonavalpark.org/index.html). They have the USS Croaker, a WWII submarine, on display along with the USS Little Rock, a cruiser, and the USS The Sullivans, a destroyer.