After an eventful time in Toronto, we made our way to one of the greatest natural wonders of North America – Niagara Falls – in the early afternoon. Although the distance is only about 130 kilometers, it took us almost two hours to drive. The heavy Sunday traffic and the upcoming Victoria Day – a Canadian holiday – caused a lot of traffic on the roads.
Unser Zimmer mit Blick auf die Niagarafälle im DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton
Nach der Ankunft aus Toronto in Niagara Falls checkten wir im DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton ein. Der Empfang war freundlich und zur Begrüßung gab es – wie bei DoubleTree üblich – warme Kekse. Das Hotel selbst lag etwas außerhalb des Touristentrubels. Kein grelles Neon, kein überladener Kitsch – stattdessen rustikaler Charme mit Anklängen an ein kanadisches Berghotel mit Naturstein, Holz und warmen Farben. Dank eines Upgrades bekamen wir ein Zimmer im 14. Stock mit zwei Queen-Size-Betten und einem tollen Blick auf den Niagara River. Durch das Fenster konnten wir die oberen Meter der Niagarafälle sehen, was die Vorfreude auf den Abend und den nächsten Tag noch steigerte.
An evening at Niagara Falls: colors, fireworks and lots of people
For dinner, we decided on a quick solution: pizza from Domino's – perfect for a relaxed start to the evening. When it got dark, we made our way to the promenade with the stroller. However, the paths to get there were anything but family-friendly – steep streets or many stairs. Finally, we decided to take the stairs to get down faster.
Once at the bottom, a colorful spectacle awaited us with the "FALLS ILLUMINATION". Every evening, Niagara Falls is impressively illuminated – in ever-changing colors. On the official website of Niagara Falls you can find out about the times. Particularly spectacular is the fireworks display at 10 p.m., which lasts about ten minutes and is likely to take place on the occasion of Canada's national holiday "Victoria Day". Because of the crowds and barriers, it was not easy to find a good place – but in the end we still had a reasonably clear view.
Between garish commerce and breathtaking nature – our morning at Niagara Falls
After a hearty breakfast in the hotel, we set off on foot to the waterfalls in the morning. Our way first led us through the entertainment mile of Niagara Falls – a flashy mixture of neon signs, rides, mini golf and a huge casino. Nothing here reminded of a natural wonder, but rather of a small Las Vegas – loud, colorful and completely overcrowded.
Arriving at the promenade, the hustle and bustle slowly gave way to the thunder of the waterfalls. First we marveled at the American Falls, where zipliners bravely whizzed over the gorge and the famous Maid of the Mist boats made their way through the spray. The closer we got to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the more impressive the natural spectacle became. Standing right on the edge of the abyss, where millions of litres of water plunge into the depths, was a moment of awe – massive, loud and beautiful at the same time. Personally, we like Niagara Falls much better from the Canadian side than from the American side. They are somehow more impressive and fascinating.
We started the way back relaxed with the cogwheel train. For 2.75 CAD per person (children free) we drove back up in a few minutes. The short ride offered a beautiful view – and saved us the strenuous ascent.
Short trip to the Niagara Hot Tub
Before we left Niagara Falls, we drove a bit downstream by car – our destination was the Niagara Whirlpool, a huge whirlpool that forms where the Niagara River makes a tight curve. On the way we stopped at several small viewpoints, from which there were fascinating views of the river and the natural spectacle. Particularly fascinating was the view of the Whirlpool Aero Car, a historic cable car that has been floating above the whirlpool for over 100 years. Even though we didn't get in ourselves, it was exciting to see how the small cabin glided seemingly weightlessly over the roaring water.
Then we made our way back to the USA, our next destination: Michigan. The drive to the border dragged on – we were on the road for almost three hours. Shortly before the border bridge, we made one last stop: In the duty-free shop we bought a 1-liter bottle of Absolut Lime for the equivalent of 12 euros. A small souvenir for the Absolut collection at home.
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