Renato and I went to Niagara Falls before the kids were born and they have been asking to go for a while now. It’s funny that they have been at the largest waterfalls in both South America (Iguazu, Argentina) and Europe (Rhine Falls), but they have never been to (one of the) biggest waterfalls in North America! Currently, it is August 2022 and Nina and Alex are 12…time to take an NYC to Niagara Falls roadtrip!
Oneonta, NY
As an alumna of SUCO (State University College at Oneonta), I feel it necessary to visit my old stomping grounds every 15 years or so. This little city is COMPLETELY different…I guess 1991 was kinda a long time ago huh? We enjoyed a slice with extra cold at Tino’s (well, some of us did…the kids thought it was gross, but what do they know?!), and then got back on the road.
Cooperstown, NY
Since Alex and Renato are pretty serious baseball fans, our next stop is the Baseball Hall of Fame. Way more crowded than expected, we had no difficulty getting tickets at the last minute. We all agree that the “generations of the game” movie was the best part of the experience. Someone told us that there is a lot to do here, but we didn’t find many interactive activities in the museum.
Most of the shops on Cooperstown’s Main Street are stocked with baseball souvenirs and memorabilia. We gobbled a sugar pick-me-up from Tin Bin Alley and had a brief glance at Otsego lake before moving on.
Seneca falls, NY
Ah! Finally our first day on this NYC to Niagara Falls roadtrip is complete. At 7PM on a random Wednesday night in mid august, the streets of Seneca Falls are deserted. With the help of a google search, we found 84 Fall restaurant for dinner. It is busy, but the noise level is perfect and the vibe relaxed. The menu options are diverse and interesting, and the food is really good.
The Gould Hotel
Our hotel in Seneca Falls is right on Main Street, so great location! The decor is pretty odd, but it’s clean and the beds are ok.
The following morning, we had breakfast at Penny’s Place. Here, they serve your slice of “Italian French toast” with a side of Americana. Patrons chat across tables about their new ladders and house gutters…purchased in the tractor supply next door.
Seneca Falls Museum
We didn’t have much time to explore Seneca Falls, but we did want to check out at least a small part of the town where the woman’s movement began. The infrastructure and the history are here, but they lack organization, presentation and advertising. Very few people are with us at the Women of the Hall Museum this morning. Nina says it is sad in comparison to yesterday’s mobs at the Baseball Hall of Fame…and she’s not wrong.
Niagara Falls
We had no issue crossing out of America, and the wait for the Canadian border patrol was just 30 minutes or so. After checking into our hotel, our first order of business is nourishment. Lunch at Antica Pizza was unremarkable.
One block away from Antica, all of a sudden, we find ourselves on the carnival-like Main Street of town, Clifton Hill. It feels like a cross between Virginia Beach and Coney Island or Atlantic City here. The area is jam packed, kinda seedy and very tacky. Picture mobs of tourists everywhere cramming into fast food outlets and brightly enticing souvenir shops with every trinket you never knew you needed. It’s a fun place to explore for sure!
Horn Blower Boat
There is an information desk near the water where you can purchase timed entry tickets to see the falls by boat. The wait to board isn’t long, but the perimeter of both decks are quickly filled. The boat gets up close and personal with both the American and Canadian falls. They are magnificent!!! Just so you know: will get wet even with the poncho…but it will help you to be less wet 😀.
No one told us that Journey Behind The Falls closes at 6, even though we bought the tickets after 4. When we finally found the location, we were told that all attractions at the table rock center had closed. Nevermind, the spectacular view makes the excursion well worth it. Wow!
I was starving by the time the Falls Incline Railway brought us up the hill back to the Fallsview Tourist area. It was my first time at Applebees in at least 30 years and the appetizers we ordered hit the spot. I felt fancy like lol!
We walked back to the Main Street with the idea to play dinosaur mini golf, but the line there is out of control. Same story at the Ferris wheel and all of the food kiosks. Kinda disappointed but also pretty beat, we headed back to the hotel to watch the fireworks from our room on the 17th floor.
Doubletree Hotel
The lobby here has a lodge like feel. It’s all dark wood and brick inside. The room decor is pretty standard and the beds are fine. The view however is amazing!
Initially I was annoyed at my family’s decision to return to the hotel instead of watching the fireworks outside, but I’m so glad we did. Our view is awesome and the fireworks display lasted less than five minutes. We could see that the lights on the falls alternated red white and blue, but if there was an actual light show, we were not able to see it.
Day 3: NYC to Niagara Falls roadtrip
Journey behind the falls
Breakfast at our hotel was disappointing. The service was exceedingly slow and the food less than special. We check out and head back to table rock where we are greeted by endless lines at this mass tourism site. The mob decreases the enjoyment factor big time! Something about a natural phenomena filled with hordes of people is upsetting to me. The views are astounding. We were behind the falls for maybe 10 minutes, but in total, the excursion took almost two hours.
Niagara on the lake
A stop in this quaint town concludes this leg of our journey. Here you will find a couple of Main Street blocks with sweet shops, cafes and stores. We lunched at Masaki Sushi where the food is delicious and the service is top notch.
Thanks for reading NYC to Niagara Falls roadtrip ❤️!
For the continuation of this vacation, check out my (upcoming) posts on Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City.
