Travel News January 2022 ... continued from Page 32
Dinner options? Literally 100s and 100s! The Loose Moose Grill on Front St. West was a great option for quality burgers (try the Woody and see if you can finish it!), fries, craft beer and a bit of Canadian Sport on TV. One of the most popular dining spots in the city is St. Lawrence Market- a venue that is perfect for general foody inspiration. Think St. Georges Market in Belfast... only bigger and better! Packed with counters selling everything from raw fish and meat, to counters selling cooked foods and everything in between - you can take a while walking the market and deciding what to have.
My recommendation is to head all the way to the
back to Buster’s Sea Cove and order the New England Seafood Chowder – what a dish for a cold winters’ day. Or the local favourite (and internationally acclaimed) Peameal Bacon in a bun - imagine a bacon butty but in a ciabatta bun and stuffed full (8-10 pieces) of thick back bacon, VERY filling! And if you fancy something sweet for dessert grab a coffee and an amazing pastry from the bakery in the middle of the market – unbelievable! An important thing to note during these COVID times – all dining and hospitality venues where you plan to sit in require you to show proof of double vaccination and ID before you will be permitted entry, even food courts in malls.
Niagara Falls - Where To Stay …
We stayed in the Radisson Hotel and Suites Fallsview which, as you may have guessed is right by the Horseshoe Falls. The hotels around Niagara Falls are split into several areas with the ones overlooking the Falls the more expensive … as you can imagine with any potential view! We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a Fallsview room which is without a doubt the best hotel room view I will ever likely have. It overlooked the Horseshoe Falls and you could have easily just sat and watch, almost hypnotically, at the water going over the giant falls. What a sight to wake up to in the morning as the sun rises above the Falls …. We didn’t even close the curtains in the room at night so we could continue taking in the spectacle! The room was a great size as was the bathroom and modern and very clean. There was even a microwave, fridge, and tea and coffee making facilities in the room which is always a bonus. If you can afford the higher priced room then I would MASSIVELY encourage you to book the higher rooms with the view, it really is worth it. The Hotel staff were all lovely and very helpful, with lots of local hints and tips. The vicinity to the Falls as well as Clifton Hill makes this hotel a perfect spot for visiting Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls - What To Do ...
Ok … wow where to start with this one! First and foremost, head straight to the Fallsview area of Niagara Falls and take in the breath-taking beauty, power and sheer size of both the American Falls, and the stunning Canadian Horseshoe Falls. During the day, or when lit up with colour at night, you can’t help but be amazed at this natural wonder. Look further upriver and see if you can spot the Niagara Scow shipwreck, which has been in place for over 100 years until it moved around a year ago, bringing it closer to going over the Falls! Once you have marvelled at the Falls take a walk along the promenade towards Clifton Hill for all the bright lights and main street where you can find attractions, funfairs, bars, restaurants, haunted house
Below and right: The Ninja flies high above Niagara Falls
NINJA-TASTIC NIAGARA FALLS 33
experiences, bowling, a big wheel etc etc!! By far the most amazing activity we did on this trip came the morning after arriving in Niagara Falls. While more expensive, and short-lived, I cannot recommend highly enough a helicopter ride over the Falls. One of the most amazing experiences of my life because as amazing as the Falls are from ground level, they take on a whole different perspective from the air. Simply stunningly beautiful. We flew with Niagara Helicopters who were amazing. The whole experience lasts approx. 15-20 mins and does a few loops of the Falls so plenty of time to not just take photos and videos but to also just take in the Falls - one to tick off the “bucketlist”! If you happen to have access to a car, I would strongly recommend a trip to Niagara on the Lake - the most picturesque, quaint, chocolate box town - be sure to take the scenic route and not the main highway to take in some beautiful houses and scenery along the way. Every building in Niagara on the Lake is so bespoke and even the main brands (of which there really aren’t many – which is part of the attraction of coming here) fit in well without the usual bright and bold signage. There are local art galleries, wine shops, bakeries, restaurants, coffee shops and even another little craft brewery! We stopped for a coffee and a chocolate tart at the Niagara on the Lake Bakery, about halfway down the street and grabbed a bench on the street to just enjoy watching a slower pace of life in this little town. There is also a most impressive Christmas shop which is a must visit for some Canadian Christmas decorations. You will also notice on the way to Niagara on the
Lake, an abundance of wineries, many of which offer guided tours. The local Iced Wine is a great taste and a perfect gift for someone back home … or for your own winerack! A lovely break from the lights and glamour of Niagara Falls itself.
One of the newest attractions to open in Niagara Falls is the Niagara Power Station. Formerly a functioning power station for 100 years, this is now a museum to the astounding science and engineering that went into not only building the Power Station, but harnessing the sheer power of the Niagara River to generate electricity and power for the surrounding areas. To think this was all done 100 years ago shows the genius of the scientific minds who contributed to this. This is a must for any science and engineering buff – but if you don’t happen to fall into either of those categories, then Niagara Power Station by Night is for you (and the science geeks), specifically the Currents Light Show which takes place after dark for 30min. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this even newer attraction ( opened Sept 21) but the experience is one I will never forget. It was one of the most immersive, light and sound
shows I have ever experienced, and its quite hard to describe how visually and audibly stunning this show is. It is a full-on sensory, mesmerizing, hypnotising and utterly spectacular experience. Another must see / do activity is the Journey Behind the Falls which is a self-guided journey through old tunnels to two viewpoints directly behind the Horseshoe Falls where you get to experience the shaking of the ground, the deafening noise and roar of the falls and the sheer volume of water that continually goes over the edge. While these viewpoints give a behind the Falls view and experience, the Observation Deck that sits just off to the side of where the Falls meet the river below, gives the most unbelievable view and sensation of just how amazingly powerful the Falls are. Be warned, the plastic poncho you get at the start is not enough to keep you dry!! While the more tacky attractions aren’t really my thing, if you have a spare 15min and don’t mind having the life scared out of you, give one of the Haunted Houses on Clifton Hill a go. There are 3 x scare levels: you must go for the insane level– there can be no other option. While the interior displays (when you aren’t in pitch black) aren’t anything to give you nightmares, the live ‘actors’ in those pitch-black parts of the castle surely are! The suspense of knowing something is coming, but not having a clue when is terrifyingly fun. The last experience in Niagara
Falls was another one for the thrill seekers among us all! The 2,200 ft Wildplay Niagara Zipline which skirts the promenade all the way down towards the Horseshoe Falls. It takes only 45 seconds to get from top to bottom but what an exhilarating thrill. As you climb the stairs and do your best not to look down at how high you will be zipping off, the adrenaline begins to pump. The Zip line is very safe and once strapped into my harness, which includes a seated support, you not only feel secure and ready for the zip, but surprisingly comfortable too! As the gate opens and you are edged reluctantly towards the drop every instinct makes you want to push back, but once off you quickly forget about the height, and instead take in the
Hello Toronto! The vibrant Toronto Sign sits prominently in the City Centre
stunning views of the American and Horseshoe Falls as you speed towards the bottom of the line. And if you want to do it again, they offer a repeat rate of only $10!
Niagara Falls - Where To Eat ...
The first thing to note is that just as in Toronto, all restaurants, coffee shops, bars etc. all require proof of vaccination and ID before you will be permitted to dine. The second thing to note is that the prices for all food and drink can be quite over-inflated purely because this is Niagara Falls. It is worth checking places out as you wander the various parts of town making a note of those in the more affordable range - any venue with a view of the Falls will take full advantage of that- but like any major tourist attraction in the world there is a variety of options and price points around.
That said, as in Toronto, you can expect all the usual
fayre for food, drink and coffee. We visited a NInja favourite Outback Steakhouse (Fallsview) and this is where the most expensive dinner was bought. For some bbq ribs, fries and a drink - $70!! But it was very handy to the hotel and the weather was heavy rain we arrived so we just took the hit! For breakfast next morning we had a handy local tip off from our hotel, who directed us to Lundy Lane, and the absolutely epic Flying Saucer Restaurant which, as you have no doubt guessed is actually in the shape of a flying saucer. Step inside (and to another world) as it has the feel of a 1950’s American diner, which personally I loved. This is where the locals eat and you can tell, because the prices were literally half what you would pay at Falls View or Clifton Hill breakfast spots. And since it was great value I went for the ET Special which was enormous - a proper feed! Great little discovery and I would go there on my next visit. It is a bit further out of town though, so you need a car or short taxi/uber ride.
One of our favourite places for food and drink was
the Niagara Falls Brewing Co. located in the heart of Clifton Hill and serving up a multitude of craft beers, both its own and guest brews. The food menu is small but all you need for a brew pub. The Meatball Sub with fries was a perfect side for my flight of craft beers – roughly a quarter of a pint of each allows you to get a flavour of the quality and variety of beer styles. If we had enough time, we defo would have stayed and increased the size of at least a couple of the sample beers. And even if you’re not a beer drinker there is something food or drink wise that will suit your palate. Great spot and something different to the chain restaurants. The last restaurant we dined in before bidding
farewell to Niagara Falls was Kelseys, another chain restaurant but one I was unfamiliar with. It sits at the top of Clifton Hill and was more reasonably priced (approx. $20 for a burger and fries). And with that, my time in Niagara Falls came to an end. Next stop the airport – but not without an en-route trip to the outlets at the Outlets Collection at Niagara. Depending on what room you have left in your suitcase, there is no shortage of designer and typically Canadian / American clothing stores here to stock up for the coming season. You do need to do a bit of shopping around for a bargain however, as although an outlet, not everything was at outlet expected prices! But that’s part of the fun – looking for a bigger bargain. Again, there is a good selection of eateries to take a well-earned break mid-shop. Shortly after that, we were back in the airport ready
for the Air Canada flight home. Pretty easy to get to sleep on that flight given all that was done over the previous 4 days blitz - Toronto and Niagara are both awesome places to visit and id love to get back... Hopefully for a little longer next time though!!.
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