So you want to see Niagara Falls
Well before you do make sure you do your homework first. Being a tourist city, Niagara Falls Ontario can be very expensive, it's to be expected. However if you do your homework first, you can manage to cut costs quite a bit. Starting with your map, there's nothing more frustrating then starting a vacation not knowing where you're going or get lost before you even get their.

Starting Out On Your Vacation
before you even leave the house to travel to other places
Check to see what type of Hotel accomodations are available, what your options are for flying verses driving by car or by train.
Types of Package Accomodation Deal
see if there's tour packages available
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The Horseshoe Falls
More than 168,000 cubic m (6 million cubic ft) of water go over the crestline of the falls every minute

courtesy of Niagara Parks Facts and Figures
What put Niagara Falls, Ontario on the map to begin with, other then the war of 1812 but I'll get to that later, was definitely the actual falls known as The Horseshoe Falls. But as times change, so does the city. Now there's also the tourist attractions on Clifton Hill such as the wax museums, Ripleys moving theater, the Skylon tower with the revolving restaurant, the midway and much more. However, there's also the IMAX Theatre, Oh Canada Eh!, Rossi's Glass Blowing and 2 Casinos. Altho these things are not located on Clifton Hill, they are still in the tourist area with the except of Oh Canada Eh!. If you're looking for an enjoyable night out to dinner and live theatre, I highly recommend it, the food is great and the performances are awesome!
There's also the Journey Behind the Falls, The Maid of the Mist, The Helicopter Ride, The Butterfly Conservatory, The Jetboat Ride, The Bird Sanctuary. All of which can be costly too if you don't go with a package deal.
Some very good sites to check out for all the attractions.
Niagara Falls Tourism
Info for Niagara Falls
be sure to check out the Festival of Lights
Journey Behind the Falls
Niagara Falls - Journey Behind The Falls - 2 portals
Finally, I had a chance to explore the great falls up close, actually as close as you can get: I walked down from the Niagara Falls Fallsview Casino to the Niagara River from where I had a great view of the American Falls. Just a few steps further I reached the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the larger of the two. I had a quick lunch in the Table Rock Center and then headed into the basement where I started to explore a series of tunnels that terminate in two portals located behind the falls. Viewing the power of these majestic waterfalls from these openings and from the outside viewing platform is a truly awe-inspiring experience.
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Someone's having a great time
in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls Daredevils
.....the first person to go over and survive
There's More to Niagara then just the Falls
museums, wineries, shopping and more.........

Everyone seems to forget there's more to Niagara then just the falls. There's the museums, travel further up on Lundy's Lane and you'll find two of them as well as one of the historical battle sites from 1812, the floral clock, the wineries, along the parkway which is the perfect spot for a picnic and along the parkway you'll find a "self guided tour" of where some of the actual battles took place in the War of 1812.
And lets not forget about the casinos! There's the Fallsview Casino, with the Avalon Theatre and Casino Niagara don't forget YukYuks at Casino Niagara. Now I'm not much of a gambler and you don't need to be either, in order to enjoy the atmosphere in them. I do have to admit the newer one, The Fallsview Casino, is extremely impressive to see.

And of course don't forget MarineLand

Refresh your memory a bit
....just in case you've forgotten about the war of 1812
As well as learn about the Winery and how Ice wine is made too.
Something Important to Remember
when traveling to a different country/province/city make sure you understand the traffic laws first!!!
Just a reminder, Ferry Street is only 2 lanes, NOT 4
Make sure you take your map along
Shopping in Niagara Falls
looking for little trinkets to take home for souvenirs
Niagara Falls has over 100 souvenir shops. So if you want to buy souvenirs your best bet would be to look around first. Also, just so you know. Ontario has 2 taxes, a PST and a GST however the local hotels have acquired a third tax called a DMF tax and is 3%, what's a DMF Tax?? Well apparently it's a legal tax that the hotels/motels could add to your bill in order to help them with their costs of advertising outside of the local area. BUT!! it seems a lot of the restaurants and souvenir shops have decided they need this tax too, which simply goes into the owners pocket since there's nowhere else for it to go. Now according to our local paper there was an article on who was charging it and who wasn't and of all the local souvenir stores only one was NOT charging this tax. Jo-Ann's Payless Souvenirs So I suggest you have a look at the items and take note of the prices and when you're shopping around in other stores remember what they are here as well as the fact that you WILL NOT be charged the extra 3% that the others seem to think you should be paying.
Other great pictures
of the things to see Niagara Falls
A Spectacular Winter Light Show
Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights
Everyone seems to think that after Labour Day Weekend, all the stores and residents board up the windows, lock all the doors and hibernate for the winter. Ahhhhh how wrong that is!!!Starting the first of November and going to the second of January is the Festival of Lights see their schedule here. Spectacular fireworks displays....to the animated characters down the parkway and around Dufferin Island.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Travel to Niagara Falls, Ontario
one of the seven wonders of the world
If you've been to Niagara Falls what was your highlight of the trip?
EverythingMouse wrote...
This is definitely on my list of places to visit. The Festival of Lights looks like a great event!
saraht43 wrote...
I'm supposed to be SU this site (and I will), but I had to ask have you ever seen pics of Niagra Falls FROZEN?? Check this out 1911--they had an unusually LONG cold period and area's of the river upstream froze causing the amount and speed of the falls to be low enough that it for the most part FROZE.
www.snopes.com/photos/natural/niagarafalls.asp

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