Thanks Apple! Yeah, we will be right in Niagara Falls on the Canadian side for like 4 days. We will probably do the Maid of the Mist, definitely hitting the casino to take home some suitcases of canadian cash. Since we only have a few days, Toronto is out for right now. I really do want to get up there at some point and check it out though. It seems like Niagara is probably not the best place for culture and such but do you know of any art museums or galleries in the area? Or any other interesting or quirky places to check out? We don't really go for the sanitized pre-packaged experience that is found in most tourist spots and we constantly try to find some out of the way things to do.
Depending when you go in September there is the Grape and Wind Festival in St.Catharines 10 minutes down the road from the Falls http://www.niagaragrapeandwinefestival.com/ and as Apple suggested there is quite a few wineries in the area and you can do the tours where they will take you to various wineries in the area for testing and sampling. You may want to stay at a bed and breakfast in Niagara on the Lake (15 minutes down the road),while you are there, all of these can be found pretty easily on google. The hotels make it appear like a small strip similar to Vegas, I quite often spend my lunch hour in my own little quiet spot where you can view the Falls without the crowds and be left alone, corner of Stanley and Fallsview. Excellent restaurants, all the names, try the Keg restaurant overlooking the falls for a good meal, and a good view, but quite pricey. The Copacabana is pretty good, My cousin Vinny's has a live Carribean Band playing while you eat. Appleby's and T.G.I.Friday's and all the big name restaurants. The Welland Canal at Lock 3 has a decent restaurant where you can view the boats going up the canal, just outside of Thorold. Not sure if the Yankees will be in town, I know your a Yankees fan, you may want to see the Jays kick the Yankees out of the penant race while you are there. Let me know if you need more information on any of these.
Wow! Thanks for all that info. I got it printed out and ready to go. I really like the idea of the not crowded spot to view the falls. We are staying in the Konica Tower so most of what you mentioned seems like it will be in walking distance of there. I figure that the stuff over in the casino area will need a cab ride though. Thanks again though. And unfortunately the Yankees will not be in town while we are there to push the Jays a little further down the pole. :lol:
No Problem, by the way, congrats on the wedding. If doing the casino there is a great bar inside called the 365 club, excellent local bands, good cover stuff, do a google search for 365 club niagara casino and you can see who is playing when you are there, Fri and Sat are great nights for the bands, excellent ambienace within, nice chairs or couches to view the bar, doesn't get out of hand, I have seen young girls kicked out for grinding with each other while dancing, not sure the reasoning but the point is they are watching closely for the first sign of trouble. Good skyline views of the area from the Konica tower, formerly the Panasonic, 20 years ago was one of the two largest buildings around, now it is dwarfed by the hotels, although they have maintained the sightlines. Easily walkable from there to all the hotels, restaurants and attractions. For some touristy stuff in the area, all the trappings and t-shirts but still, hit Clifton Hill, and there is also Marineland nearby, with the dolphins and whales, sea lions and stuff. John Daly has a golf course a mile away if you are a golfer, tons of excellent golf courses in the area. 5 miles away towards Buffalo you can hit the town of Chippawa. Nice quaint little town, neat little hole-in-the-wall antique shops and such. A few peeler bars in the area, not suggesting you would go solo or with your buddies, I have gone a couple times with my wife for a few beers and she was not disturbed inappropriately. Finally, not sure what your dates are, and back to Toronto again, Jimmy Buffet is there Sept 5, we already have our tickets, but if interested check the website for the Molson Amphitheatre. Let me know any other interests that you may have, giving you a very wide range, although I didn't give you anything photography related, other than viewing locations, and I know Photography is a big interest of yours...sorry. Hope this helps. Good luck
