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Hey all! My wife and I took a last minute weekend getaway to Niagara Falls. Now that we're here, we see the majority of things are on the Canada side and we don't have passports...what would you recommend doing on the American side other than maid of the mist and seneca casino? We'd even be willing to take another couple hour road trip if there's anything else in that radius? Thanks in advance!
There's the Seneca Niagara Casino if you're into that. You can also take the Cave of Winds tour which goes under and near the American Falls as well as hike around Goat Island or take the rim trail along the gorge to Devil's Hole. If you're really an ambitious hiker, you can take the trail/stairs down into the gorge at Devil's Hole. One of the Maid of the Mist boats docks on the American side, I believe, but it's really early in the season, so it might not be doing that yet. You can also visit the NYS Power Authority overlook on the way to Lewiston, which is a picturesque small town just north of Niagara Falls. I highly recommend Ft Niagara, too.
Buffalo is only 20 miles south on I190. Take it all the way into downtown Buffalo and visit Canalside, dine at the restaurants/bars on Chippewa Street, take in a Bisons game at Coca Cola Field,view all the glorious 19th and early 20th century architecture scattered around downtown, along Franklin ST, Delaware and Richmond Avenues, etc.
If you are really into architecture, you can tour the Darwin Martin House (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) near Delaware Park (designed by Frederick Law Olmstead). If animals are your thing, there's the Buffalo Zoo, and for flowers, visit the Buffalo Botanical Gardens in South Park (another Olmstead park). Buffalo has a cluster of museums around Delaware Park: the Historical Society, the Albright Knox with a renowned collection of modern art, and the Penney Art Museum across Elmwood Avenue on the Buffalo State College Campus. The Buffalo Museum of Science is located in Martin Luther King (Humboldt) Park, yet another Olmstead-designed park.
If you're into interesting shops/boutiques, etc, the Elmwood Village, along Elmwood Avenue from Forest Avenue south to about West Ferry Street.
All this should keep you busy rain or shine.
PS - I didn't include any malls or that kind of shopping as that's kind of standard everywhere and nothing special. I do believe there's an outlet mall just south of Niagara Falls.
I agree with Linda's list. I find it much more attractive & interesting north of the falls than NF itself. Recently visited NF and as usual left feeling very disappointed. While the park is a mess right now (lots of active construction work), it should be amazing when complete... so much more to see & explore compared to the Can. side. But the city itself... creepy is the best word I can think of to describe it. It's just so bizarre and disjointed, not one bit attractive or welcoming. I feel like I'm in a 3rd world country when there.
I agree with Linda's list. I find it much more attractive & interesting north of the falls than NF itself. Recently visited NF and as usual left feeling very disappointed. While the park is a mess right now (lots of active construction work), it should be amazing when complete... so much more to see & explore compared to the Can. side. But the city itself... creepy is the best word I can think of to describe it. It's just so bizarre and disjointed, not one bit attractive or welcoming. I feel like I'm in a 3rd world country when there.
Yeah, with NF, it is either the park, parts of Downtown, the outer neighborhoods like LaSalle, DeVeaux and perhaps Hyde Park and the Little Italy portion/area of Pine Avenue(in between Portage Road and Hyde Park Boulevard) or Bust.
I will be in Niagara for a few hours (arrive at the airport around 3:30 pm until the evening). Will the NF park be open past 4 PM? What can I do in the few hours?
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