Day 7: Niagara Falls

9 October 2018

This is our last full day in Canada and we are going to the Niagara Falls. Marcia spoils us with delicious fruit, yoghurt and some ‘biscuits’ (similar to scones for us) for breakfast. Eke is going to catch the train down to join us and we will pick her up along the way at the Port Credit train station.

It is surprisingly hot already and promising to be 30C today – a record high for this time of year. Gill and I don’t have many clothing options available so make do with our lightest shirts.

Our journey travels around the edge of Lake Ontario but for the first part of the journey we don’t see the lake at all as it is too built up. Past the Hamilton area there is a huge bridge that takes us up across the river and allows ships to pass underneath as well. We are able to take the Queen Elizabeth Express Way all the way through to Niagara.

We park on the upper level and then have to find our way down through hotels to get near the falls. I am the only one that hasn’t seen the falls previously and I am blown away by the sheer size of the falls area and the volume of water that is flowing.

We have to take the Incline Railway straight down to the main level (that is level with the top of the Horseshoe falls. I learn that the Niagara Falls are made up of 3 separate falls: the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Falls. At the bottom there is a stand offering all sorts of different activity packages designed to lighten your wallet over several days.

We all decide to do the Journey behind the Falls and discover that it is very close and we can go in 10 minutes time. We have to go into the adjacent building and down to the lower level. Then we are given yellow rain ponchos (I thought we were done with yellow jackets) and directed to an elevator that takes us 150m down almost to the base of the falls.

At the bottom we are directed into tunnels and first go out to a viewing platform just to the side of the falls but the spray is still very strong and we definitely need our jackets. We continue along the tunnels deeper behind the falls and see a couple of areas where there are portals looking out at the back of the falls – the water is thundering down and waves are roiling up where it hits the pool at the bottom.

After queuing to catch the elevator back up we decide that we are starving and make our way to the Elements restaurant that has tables almost at the top edge of the Horseshoe Falls. It is a spectacular place to lunch. I have a Niagara burger in celebration.

Then we walk along the promenade, melting in the heat but enjoying the view. Gill and I have decided to take the boat that goes right up to the falls but the departure point is quite some distance away. Gill makes a valiant effort despite her still sore foot but walking back is not going to be an option for her.

We get our tickets and trudge down a spiraling ramp to an area where we are given our red rain ponchos and directed to more elevators that take us down to river level. There we follow further spiral paths to join the queue for the next boat. It is a very efficient process as the previous passengers are ushered off and then we are ushered on.

We head up to the top deck and take our place at the railing. Our first stopping point is at the American Falls followed by the Bridal Falls. The strength of the spray is pretty strong but is nothing compared to what we experience at the Horseshoe Falls. The boat makes its way right into the centre of the horseshoe, with the water boiling all around us, and the spray is so strong that we can hardly see anything and the ‘wind’ whips our jackets violently around us. I risk taking a few pictures but we can’t really see a lot.

By the time we get back to the wharf area and back up the elevator, Marcia and Eke have kindly walked back to get the car and brought it down not far away. We have all had enough of the crowds and heat, and we head to the nearby town of Niagara on the Lake. We are also avoiding the traffic that builds from 4-5pm.

First priority when we get to Niagara on the Lake is to get an ice cream. There is a shop called Cows that has a very extensive selection of icecream, sorbet and gelato, and an extensive queue of people to match. It is worth the wait: Gill has maple walnut while Eke, Marcia and I all choose the Gooey Mooey (that has maple, toffee and chocolate in it).

We have all run out of steam so have a half-hearted walk around the very pretty town that would definitely be worth a better effort as it has all sorts of artisan shops to explore. Then we begin the homeward journey, stopping to deposit Eke at Port Credit station along the way.

We get home, have a cup of tea and then collapse into bed exhausted for a great night’s sleep. Our flight doesn’t leave until later in the day tomorrow so we can have a sleep in, leisurely breakfast and then to the airport around midday. We are actually looking forward to the flight home this time – business class makes such a difference!

We have a 5 hour flight from Toronto to Vancouver, and then a much longer flight back to Auckland but we know we can have dinner and then a good night’s sleep before arriving home at 5.00am.

 

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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