One of the highlight of our 25th anniversary trip to Canada last year, was our visit to magnificent Niagara Falls. Although it was much too brief, much like the Grand Canyon, which we visited several years ago, it is an awe-inspiring sight to behold. Although I had seen photographs before, none of them truly captured the scope and magnitude of the spectacular panoramic views. Niagara Falls actually consists of three waterfalls; Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Unfortunately, due to time restraints, we were only able to see the falls from the Canadian side. I hope to one day return to see them from the American side.
On the Canadian side, the Falls cans be viewed from the beautifully manicured Queen Victoria park, with a variety of observation points featuring spectacular views of the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls and plenty of photo spots featuring stunning views of the falls in the background. Our tour also included a rather wet ride on the Maid of Mist boat, which offers exciting “up close and personal” views of the waterfalls. Raincoats are included and very much needed for the breathtaking spectacle.
The town of Niagara Falls is a typical tourist town offering a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops, although it is a bit of an uphill climb from the park and falls. Helicopter rides are also available but are quite expensive for a brief 15 minute ride. Due to the strict time schedule on our tour, we only had about 2 hours to explore the fall and park and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
When we left our hotel in Toronto, it was pouring down rain, and we had some concerns about whether the park may even be open. However, about halfway to Niagara Falls, the weather cleared and we were able to enjoy of one of the most incredible sights in the world, a true masterpiece of mother nature, the magnificent Niagara Falls.