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Today we talk to Sarah Pittard from Solo Mom Takes Flight about Niagara Falls, including how many days to visit, where to stay, what to do and most importantly — how to save some money along the way. Sarah visits Niagara Falls a few times a year with her two kids and she gives listeners some great inside tips!
ON THE PODCAST
0:34 Kim is back from Israel and tells us all about her trip!
4:39 Floating in The Dead Sea
6:30 Masada
8:22 Israeli food
10:29 Safety in Israel
13:45 Welcome Sarah from Solo Mom Takes Flight
15:47 How long should you stay in Niagara Falls?
17:50 Niagara-on-the-Lake
18:45 Getting to Niagara Falls
20:18 Sample Niagara Falls itinerary
25:37 Where to stay in Niagara Falls, ON
29:20 Tips for saving money in Niagara Falls
31:45 What to eat in Niagara Falls
34:27 The best place to take a family photo
37:13 Sarah’s favorite travel gear
41:18 Tip of the Week: crossing the border by car
43:30 Email us at podcast@vacationmavens.com
43:50 Join us next week to talk about Yellowstone National Park!
ABOUT SARAH FROM SOLO MOM TAKES FLIGHT
Sarah Pittard is a mom first and travel writer second. She has a knack for finding adult-themed adventure trips and tailoring them to include her children. Lately, the have toured Kenya on Safari and hiked through Hawaii. You can find more about Sarah at Solo Mom Takes Flight, or you can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Sarah lives in Toronto, Ontario (about one hour from Niagara Falls) and she travels with her two kids Charlie, age six, and Will, age seven. Sarah has taken the kids to Ireland, Africa, and on many road trips and adventures together.
PLANNING A TRIP TO NIAGARA FALLS
Wondering how long to stay in Niagara Falls? Sarah recommends somewhere between two and four days. On the Canadian side, you will find many family-friendly attractions, while the New York side has casinos. It can get very crowded and attracts people from all over the world. Many people extend a trip to include Niagara-on-the-Lake or Toronto.
In the summer, the wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake are very family-friendly with marshmallow pits, bike paths, games and room to run around.
If you are flying in, you would go into Buffalo on the New York side or Toronto on the Canadian side. On the American side, you definitely need to rent a car to get around. However, if you are on the Canadian side, everything is much more accessible and you can take a taxi from the Buffalo airport and not need a car. You can also walk back and forth between between the two sides (just don’t forget your passport!)
NIAGARA FALLS ITINERARY
The Canadian side has a much better view of the Falls so start with taking your time enjoying the view of the falls (just be prepared for crowds!) Another not-to-be-missed activity is to take a boat into the Falls. From the Canadian side, you would take a Hornblower Cruise (NY-side is still Maid of the Mist.) Sarah recommends purchasing your tickets online in advance to reserve your spot and even though you will be given a poncho, be prepared to get very wet! Be sure to protect your camera and phones.
Make sure you also walk around at night when you can see the Falls lit up. Check the schedule too because some nights they have fireworks over the Falls.
Kids and families enjoy Clifton Hill, with its ferris wheel, laser tag, and fun mini golf courses like Dinosaur Golf and Wizard Golf. Sarah also recommends venturing a little further out for some attractions like the Butterfly Conservatory, aerial tram, ziplines, rock climbing, jet boats, and hiking along the Niagara Escarpment. Ball’s Falls is a great hike with waterfalls.
WHERE TO STAY
The Americana motel on Lundy’s Lane is a good budget motel with an indoor waterpark. After that, there are a selection of larger chain hotels, like the Sheraton, closer to the Falls. Sarah’s favorite place to stay is the Great Wolf Lodge, which is only about eight minutes away from the Falls by car. Her kids love the rooms and the waterpark is included and restricted to guests, plus it gives you a great escape from the Falls. It is also close to the Butterfly Conservatory and other attractions.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
- Check Groupon Getaways as they often have deals on Niagara Falls hotels
- The local Groupon also offers discounts on things like Captain Jack’s arcade and local restaurants like East Side Marios
- Clifton Hill Pass and other money saving family passes
- Go now because the Canadian dollar is so weak right now!
WHERE TO EAT IN NIAGARA FALLS
There is a lot of local food in Canada, but in Niagara it is mostly chains. For a better food experience, head out to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Sarah recommends The Cannery, Treadwells, and Kitchen 76 at Two Sisters winery or Boston Pizza in Niagara Falls. Tamara recommended Windows by Jamie Kennedy at the top of Sheraton on the Falls and Peller Estates.
BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO
Take a photo right outside of the Falls. It is easier to do in the summer than the winter but when you get into downtown, there is a main road that faces the Falls and there are plenty of places along the railing to get a shot in front of the Falls. Just beware, the railing is slippery so DO NOT put your kids up there. The other shot is to get on the boat and get a photo with the poncho on.
FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR
Sarah loves the Silver Ridge line from Columbia because it offers sun protection and have zip off pants for if you get hot, wet or dirty. They even like their hiking shoes and wear them for everything because they are easy to pack and don’t really wrinkle.
TIP/APP OF THE WEEK
Be prepared for a wait when crossing the border! If you want to save time, you might want to sign up for the NEXUS program (different from Global Entry) if you go to Canada frequently. An hour or more wait is not unusual so make sure you have drinks, snacks, and plenty of entertainment.
MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST
Safari Packing list for Families (with Sarah’s favorite travel clothing)
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