No matter how many times we go there, Niagara Falls
is a sure fire winner with my family. A couple of weeks ago we ventured on down to the falls, checked in to our "go-to"
hotel for the evening, the Courtyard by Marriott on Victoria Avenue, and quickly got back out to see
the sights.As we arrived right around the lunch
hour, the girls were all over me, "Mommy, can we go to TGIFridays for lunch?" As I too like the restaurant, it was an easy decision,
although I had to play hardball. Mom can't come across as a pushover, now can she? After a great lunch, we decided to go
play the mini golf course on Clifton Hill. Watching 4 children who have no clue how to play golf
is in a word, hilarious. Several lost balls, the requisite amount of arguing about rules, lies, and whose shot it was and
we were done. Still a lot of fun though.
I
contemplated taking them up in the giant Ferris wheel to see the sights from up high, but instead we decided
to save it for when the sun went down, maybe after dinner had digested.
Niagara Falls has for years had to reinvent itself over and over. When I think about the day trips
with my own parents as a kid, it is sure to bring a smile to my face. The changes to the amusements, the restaurants, and
the overall experience that is the Falls has become much more of a big city spectacle. I still feel very safe traveling down
there with my girls, even on those occasions when my husband can't make it. We went for the long walk down to the falls.
No matter how many times I see it, it still leaves me in awe of its sheer power and beauty. The Canadian side (Horseshoe
Falls) is definitely my favourite.
The weather
was co-operating quite nicely for our walk, which made it that much more enjoyable. The crowds were crazy busy, as always.
The dinner destination was narrowed down to either
the Rainforest Café at the bottom of Clifton Hill, or the Kelsey's at the top. Thankfully, the consensus was the Rainforest
Café. It is a place you need to be able to dedicate a couple of hours towards the entire experience. The kids absolutely
loved being there. My youngest appeared genuinely scared when the storm began inside the restaurant. From the thunder and
the lightning to the animals calling out to their family members, all had an amazing time. There is never a dull moment when
a torrential tropical storm takes over the dinner conversation.After dinner, we headed on over to the giant Skywheel to see if I could convince everyone to take the ride
175 feet above the ground. The view from atop the ride was made even more special when the fireworks started. If only we could
have stayed up there a little while longer.
As
this momma was beginning to feel a little weary from all the walking and eating, we opted to head back to the Courtyard for a late night swim in the indoor heated pool and giant hot tub. Needless
to say, another wonderful overnighter in the Falls.
