The Majesty of Niagara Falls in May

Itinerary:	Las Vegas, NV to Toronto, CANADA
Length:	3 Days
Cost:	$490 per person, all inclusive*
Pts Earned:	6,500 (valued at $100) + free US/Canada Roundtrip Ticket

Sometimes a place just calls out to you when the time is right.  For me, that place is Niagara Falls.   In the past 12 months I have visited the majestic falls twice, the first time in May 2011 and the second  in January 2012.  Prior to that, I’m embarrassed to admit, it was never even on my radar.

In fact, were it not for the need to get a cross country trip in to qualify for a free roundtrip ticket anywhere in the United States (an American Airlines promotion my husband had signed us both up for), it would never have even occurred to me to plan a trip out there.  Fate being what it is, Niagara happens to be one of my husband’s favorite destinations (he’s been there 3 times on his own) and he was determined that I should not miss witnessing firsthand the majesty and power of the falls.

Before you could spell” Saskatchewan”, flights and hotels were booked and attraction passes were purchased.  This being my first trip there, we decided to go the full tourist route and purchase the combo passes offered by the parks.  The Canadian and American sides both have their own set of attractions and market different passes.  Since our hotel was on the Canadian side (we were arriving by way of Toronto), we figured we’d likely spend most of our time on the Canadian side (considered more picturesque) and accordingly purchased our passes from the Canadian Niagara Parks Authority.   The pass entitled us to admission to the major attractions alongside the falls (including Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls and the White Water Walk) and use of the very efficient “People Mover” shuttle bus which connected all the points of interest.

In the end, we spent 3 glorious days in Niagara Falls, spending time both on the Canadian and U.S. side.  I would say that both are equally magnificent, with the U.S. side being more low key and rustic and the Canadian side more tourist oriented (adult Disneyland).  Maid of the Mist, the boat ride that takes you up close to the falls, did not disappoint and Journey Behind the Falls, a static attraction that allows you to walk behind the falls, was also memorable.  In addition to the attractions, we also took some time out to hike through the forests adjoining the Niagara River.  Although that meant navigating through some muddy trails, the view at the overlooks made the trek well worth it and allowed us to see a different side of the area surrounding the falls.

Prior to visiting Niagara, I had purchased a book from Amazon to read up on the history of this national wonder.  Despite studying countless picture after picture depicting the Falls from every possible angle, I was unprepared for my reaction to standing face to to face with the towering cascades of water.  It was epic and truth be told, a little frightening, all of which is hard to capture in a photograph.

Niagara Falls is truly a timeless wonder – you must visit and see for yourself.

* Total Cost Breakdown for Two People	$980
Air:	$592
Car Rental:	$58
Gas:	$40
Hotel:	$110
Food:	$80
Activities/Incidentals:	$100