Family Guide to Niagara: What We Did Right and Wrong

Our summer vacation this year included a quick few days at Niagara Falls. For more on why we chose Niagara, and what season of life we are currently in, click here. In this family guide to Niagara, we’ll tell you the many things we managed to do right in our visit– but also what we did wrong.

Niagara Falls is certainly no well-kept secret. It is a gem, just not a hidden one. Niagara is visited by millions each year and is on the radar as a must-see for millions more. As the most impressive waterfall (or rather, three waterfalls together) in the United States (and Canada, of course), it carries a lot of clout in competing for family tourism dollars. No way were we were going to miss taking our kids there before moving to Idaho away from all things East Coast.

Family Guide to Niagara: What We Did Right

*We chose Niagara Falls in the first place. If you haven’t been … GO. If you have kids, GO EVEN SOONER.

*We read about Niagara Falls before we left. We checked some books out of the library. A few discussed the Falls itself. Another one, The Kite That Bridged Two Nations, by Alexis O’Neill, was based on a true story. It told the engaging story of a children’s kite flying contest that kicked off the building of the first bridge spanning the USA and Canada. Both books helped the kids get excited about the trip while giving them some knowledge to build on during our visit.

*We bought the Niagara Falls USA Discovery Pass as we were planning to do all the activities in one fell swoop. We wanted to leave no stone unturned, or at least turn over as many stones as we could in the 1.5 days we had allotted to this adventure. While some of the activities included on the pass disappointed us (keep reading to find out more), the pass is still the best deal to get the whole Niagara experience. And if you don’t happen to live close to the Falls, as is our case, you’ll want to do it right the first time.

*We did not neglect Canada. We started our Niagara adventure leaving from the Erie, PA, area where we had spent the previous night. Driving straight for the Canadian border, we had with our passports ready–do not forget those, or other acceptable documentation. We paid about $18 US to park in one of the major lots around Queen Victoria Park and took our time the next few hours savoring the view.

It’s true that if you don’t have passports, or other acceptable documentation, you can still have an entirely satisfying Niagara experience staying on the American side. However, the view of the three falls, especially Horseshoe Falls, feels completely different from the Canadian side. You can enjoy all three looking straight on, as opposed to the side angles you’ll see from Niagara Falls State Park (which are still amazing). It is completely worth it to cross the border if you are able to. Besides, you can buy souvenirs from Canada, and my kiddos thought that was pretty cool. Souvenirs are always much better from Canada, as everyone already knows.

Family Guide to Niagara: What We Did Wrong

*We stayed in Buffalo. Our decision was based on financial necessity. Obviously the further you travel away from the Falls, the more economically priced the accommodations will be. Our hotel was about a 25-minute drive from Niagara State Park. While still workable, we would have much preferred to stay right near the action and not wasted precious time in travel.

*We did not see the Falls lit up at night, nor catch the fireworks show. This was due to our short time at the Falls and needing to stay in Buffalo. We were not able to do a full day of activities and then stay on for the night viewing. A better choice would’ve been adding a day to our trip and doing all of the activities at a more leisurely pace. Our schedule could have included swimming/resting back at the hotel some during the day to return feeling refreshed towards evening to see the lights.

*There’s no way we would’ve known to ask for this ahead of time. But ask your ticket clerk, when you exchange your Discovery Pass voucher for actual passes, to write the numbers of your family’s passes on the back of your receipt. Then put that receipt immediately in a safe place.

These numbers will come in handy later on if someone in your party loses his/her pass. (Not that that would happen to you, but it did to us.) One of our kids lost his pass, and although a park worker did replace it after some haggling, delays, and a phone call, it was a hassle. If we would’ve had the number to his pass, the clerk would’ve immediately been able to look it up electronically and issue him a new one on the spot. You want to avoid these types of hassles on vacation, especially if you’re on a tight schedule like we were.

*Although we were happy with our time in Canada, we alternately could’ve parked our car only at Niagara State Park for only $10. To visit Canada we could have simply then walked over the pedestrian bridge. This would’ve worked especially well if we had allotted two full days for Niagara and stayed nearer the Falls. I probably would choose this scenario instead of what we did if I could do it over again.

Discovery Pass Attractions

*Cave of the Winds: The pass recommends you start your day here, and we agree. Cave of the Winds, a top-notch attraction, is best done fresh. The Hurricane Deck near the Bridal Veil Falls is particularly exhilarating.

*Maid of the Mist (don’t forget the Observation Tower): An excellent must-do. I was impressed at how quickly the line moved. We were there at the height of the tourist season and only waited about 15 minutes to board a boat. After you exit the boat, you can climb additional staircases, à la Cave of the Winds, for an up-close-and-personal view of the American Falls this time.

*Trolley Transportation: Your pass includes a 1-day ticket to ride the trolley around the park. Plan wisely as the walking distances are a bit far. Waiting for the trolley at times was a bit long, however.

*Niagara: Legends of Adventure movie at the Niagara Adventure Theater: The kids dug the movie. I found it somewhat nerve wracking as they reenact people going over the falls, tightrope walking across the falls, etc. It also makes you think twice about standing too close to the guardrails around the park. Overall, though, the movie was a nice break from being outside among the crowds.

*Discovery Center and Hiking Trails: This part was disappointing. The Discovery Center appears as if it’s seen better days. Visiting the center later on in our day when we were getting tired did not help matters either. We only gave the center a cursory glance around before moving on to a trail.

Speaking of the trails, the website is misleading. Only one of the four trails advertised was actually open to visitors due to a construction project. The workers at the center knew practically nothing about the trail, even though the trailhead was only a short walk and an elevator ride from where they were situated.

However, we persisted in following their unenthusiastic directions to the trailhead (one admitted she had never seen the trail herself) and set off. Unfortunately we couldn’t get a clear answer on how long it was and if it was a loop or a straight line. Not knowing what to expect, we turned back and returned the way we came after about 20-30 minutes. The scenery was beautiful, though, and it was another nice break from the crowds.

*The Niagara Aquarium: Chances are, if you’ve ever visited an aquarium, you’ve visited a more impressive one than Niagara’s. And, after all, you aren’t spending your vacation at Niagara in the first place to go to an aquarium. Although the sea lion show was cute, the aquarium is not worth a stand-alone ticket. However, as part of your Discovery Pass, you can take a break for another indoor activity. Time your visit close to one of the sea lion shows if possible.

Bottom line to all this: Niagara is a one-of-a-kind attraction, for the United States anyway. It is so worth the effort to go even if you don’t execute the trip perfectly. Combine it with a trip to Erie, Canada, or Upstate New York for even more bang for your buck. We’d love to hear your thoughts or what your experience in Niagara was in the comments below. Please share/pin this post, too!