Niagara Falls on a budget
One winter evening, my husband and I were watching a movie. It must not have been a great movie, because I can remember neither the name of the movie or the plot. One of the characters in this movie took a trip to Niagara Falls. My husband looked at me and said “we should go to Niagara Falls on vacation”. Thats all he needed to say. I began to plan our summer vacation (which I later found out my husband was NOT really serious about). Oh well, too late!
Niagara Falls is 1,100 miles from my house. We decided to take a few days and drive. Should we visit the American side, the Canadian side, or both? My son didn’t have a passport and I truthfully didn’t feel like messing with it, so we opted to visit the American Falls only.
I spent the next few days in a flurry of internet research and reservations. Rental car was reserved. Hotels were booked. Plans were made. With everything in place, we began counting down the days!
Day One: We drove seven hours to our first stopping point, the Drury Inn at the Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. Our hotel was , as the name states, right next door to the famous Arch. Because it was late afternoon when we arrived and there was a bunch of construction going on, we did not actually go into the Arch (although I have been before, and it is awesome). I like to stay at Drury Hotels for many reasons. These hotels are not only reasonably priced , but also offer two free meals with every stay. Many hotels serve a complimentary breakfast, but Drury also serves a complimentary light evening meal (along with two free drinks per guest). This is perfect for weary travelers on a budget!
Later in the evening, my son and I took a walk outside of our hotel. We were fascinated by the horse drawn carriages offering rides around the downtown area.
Day Two: This was a long day of traveling. We ended up renting a room in a cheap Motel 6 somewhere in Pennsylvania, catching a movie, and going to bed.
Day Three: We arrived at the Four Points Sheraton in Niagara Falls, NY just in time for check-in. I had researched area hotels and chose this one based on reviews and the fact that it was located right on the huge Niagara river. Although it was about two miles from the Falls, I preferred to be slightly removed from the hustle and bustle. Upon check-in we were offered the chance to upgrade to a suite with a fantastic view of the river, and we gladly accepted! Our suite had a kitchenette and jacuzzi tub as well. Our evening was spent exploring the quaint town of Niagara Falls. I refer to it as a town because it did not seem like a city at all. As we drove around, we noticed that almost every home (older, bungalow style homes) had flowering pots hanging from the porches.
We stumbled upon a small hot dog/burger stand with only outdoor seating, called Sullivan’s Hot Dogs and Ice Cream. This place is not much to look at from the street, but the food was delicious and seating overlooked a creek that I believe feeds into the Niagara river. Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying a shake. YUM!
Day Four: Finally the day had come to see the Falls. I simply programmed Niagara Falls State Park into my GPS and we were guided right to where we needed to go. We arrived early, so there was plenty of available parking at a close distance. The decision had already been made that our first event of the day would be a ride on the Maid of the Mist. If you ever decide to visit Niagara Falls, this is a must! Maid of the Mist is a boat tour of the falls that starts and ends on the American side, but crosses over into Canada in the water. Be prepared to get wet, as this ride takes you extremely close to the falls! So close, in fact, that it almost feels like you are going to end up IN the falls! They do give each passenger a poncho/rain jacket, and it is definitely needed. This was so much fun!
Once we debarked, we strolled leisurely around the American Falls and hung out for a bit. I took a video of the falls up close and personal, and anytime I need 30 seconds of relaxation, I pull my phone out and go back to that moment. The remainder of the day was spent at the many nearby souvenir shops.
Day Five: We chose to spend the majority of the day at our hotel, swimming and relaxing on the large back patio overlooking the gorgeous Niagara river. We entertained the thought of going back to see the spectacular lights of the falls at night, but decided to order a New York style pizza and hang out at the hotel.
Day Six: Time to head home. Instead of taking 2-3 days to get back home, my stubborn husband decided he wanted to drive straight through for 17 hours with a few brief stops.
All in all, our trip to Niagara Falls was a great success. I would love to go there again sometime. Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Post a comment and tell me about your experience! 🙂
