Niagra Falls

The last week in August, my wife and I will be traveling to Niagra Falls, Ontario for a week. We will fly into Buffalo and drive to Niagra.

We are assuming the weather will be nice - their web site says 52 - 79 average temps.

What are your recommendations for the "must see" things in and around Niagra Falls?

Thanks, Bob.

There's a lot of things in the NF area for all ages. Almost all can be done by the entire family. When we took our kids, we went to:
The Falls...
Cave of the Winds
Maid of the Mist
Prospect Point/Observation tower
Goat Island
Aquarium of NF

We then went by car northwards and visited:
Whirlpool park
Devil's hole park
Hyrdo-Electric plant (there's a hands-on museum thing there)
Fort Niagara (one of the oldest forts in the USA).

There's also casinos on the Canadian side but we didn't go. Daredevil rides in the area as well.

Here's a site with all the info.
http://www.niagarafallslive.com/index.htm

To get some idea of costs: For a family of 5, total price:
5-parts of NF = $100 or so (buy the pass that gets you the things listed above for the falls as a single book and transportation between them for a day).
Fort Niagara - $32
State parks = free
Hydro-electric plant = free (or really cheap, I don't remember).
2 nights in NF hotel = $200 (There's a Comfort Inn right at the entrance of NF that has rates under $100). It has a pool, restaurant, free parking... It was just converted from a Sheraton a couple years ago.

A heads up that you will need either an enhanced drivers license or a passport to cross over to the Canadian side and get back to U.S. It is a great place to visit and we have been there many times. Will be taking the girl sometime in July. We are lucky that it is only a 3 1/2 hr drive for us so have not stayed overnight since the late 70's. There is also a casino on the American side now. If you hit good weather might want to try one of the helicopter rides. It gives a real panorama of the falls and the gorge beyond it. Be prepared to get wet on the boat ride and the cave of the winds. Take your own sandals or you can buy disposable ones for the cave.

Zoom, great suggestions. Thanks. My wife had heard of some of the things you suggested, but not all.

Muleman, we knew about needing a passport and updated ours earlier this year. The helicoptor ride sounds like a lot of fun.

One question though: what is an enhanced drivers license? Have not heard of that.

Bob

We were there in the late 80's and took a ride on a cable car over whirpool rapids. That was an experience! I think the car we rode was called "Pucker Up". Don't know if they still have it , but I'm sure you can still check out the rapids.

Zoom nailed it. One thing you will never forget about going to the falls for the first time - is as you walk toward the falls, the sound and energy that you hear and feel gets your adrenalin going.
You begin to walk as fast as you can!