Explore NE: Niagara Falls

Once we found out mom wanted to come to Cleveland while dad was gone.... we asked her if she would stay through the weekend so Wes and I could slip away for an extended date weekend to Niagara Falls. It has been an adventurous summer full of stressors, fun, endless activities and changes... but through it all Wes and I hadn't had much time to just hang out without all the transitions. So since we celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss :) last Thurs on July 19th we called it a 10 year trip but really it was a much needed time away doing a shared experience as a couple without the kids! We felt like kids enjoying the boat ride on Maid of the Mist and getting splashed with water during Cave of the Winds! 

Our passports have expired so we had to stay on the USA side of Niagara Falls. I have heard the Canadian side has better views since the water is flowing from Lake Erie down the Niagara River toward Lake Ontario. Next trip we will stay on the Canadian side and try some of their tourist events to get a different scenery. But if you have to stay on US too, we stayed at the Sheraton. The staff was very nice and it was in walking distance to the Falls and Niagara Falls State Park. Even if you stay on the Canadian side it would be worth coming over to Niagara State Park (oldest state park in the US) and hear the history, walk the grounds, take bridges over the river, and do Cave of the Winds. 

 Maid of the Mist tour is the US boat that takes you past American and Bridal Veil Falls and into the biggest, Horseshoe Falls. No reservations needed. The boats leave every 20 min and only cost $15. They alternate with a canadian service doing the same thing called, Hornblower. Either is good as they both provide the same experience. We got to the Maid of Mist dock before the first boat left at 9am. There was no wait and less tourist out this early. I would recommend that to others!

Pictures from the boat....

picture taken from Cave of the Winds looking at the Maid of Mist taking tourists

picture from top of Horseshoe of a tourist group going in 

 After that we walked over the river to Cave of the Winds. It takes you down 175 ft in a elevator to a cave outlet that leads you to a man made staircase (this is taken down and reconstructed each year due to winters). Then you can walk the steps close enough to get blasted by Bridal Veil Falls! The Canadian side offers Journey Behind the Falls we will do next time! The red steps below were where we walked.

picture from Horseshoe falls looking at American and Bridal Veil 

View of first hydroelectric plant and the course that changed the history of electricity from top of Horseshoe looking across of Niagara River  

Rainbows all day! 

 The nighttime view at sunset along with the lighting of Niagara Falls make for a beautiful scene as well!