Niagara Falls is one of those places that should be on everyone’s ‘to see’ list of natural wonders. The last time I was there was 15+ years ago. I was eager to see if the majesty of the Falls was as huge as I remembered it being and I couldn’t wait to share it with my husband and children who had never been. In search of somewhere family friendly and within walking distance to the Falls, we decided to stay on the Canadian side at the Clifton Victoria Inn at the Falls in one of their family suites. The free breakfast and pool were a major added bonus. When traveling with kids, free food and entertainment are a huge perk to any trip.
The drive from Frederick takes about seven hours, but it is an easy very scenic one. During the drive we listened to a few podcasts about Niagara Falls. Correction, we made the kids listen to the podcasts with us in exchange for time on their electronics afterwards. Either way, it was the perfect way to start the trip.
We arrived in Niagara Falls around 5PM. Knowing the kids needed to get out and move, we told them to change into their bathing suits because we had a a surprise for them. The Americana Waterpark provided us with press passes to use to come in and splash around.
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The waterpark turned out to be a fantastic way to kick off our time in Niagara Falls. We spent the evening there splashing, laughing and burning off energy. The park features a wave pool, kiddie splash zone with both smaller and larger slides, plus much more. We ate dinner at the snack bar and the Mac Kid Dad and I enjoyed an adult beverage while the kids played.
The next day we were off to explore the Falls. We made the walk down Clifton Hill to the Falls. I’m happy to report they were just as majestic as I remembered them being when I was younger. My kids and husband loved how you could feel the mist coming off of the Falls. Being able to see both the American and the Canadian Falls at the same time was an experience I know my oldest will remember for the rest of her life.
Ready for a bite to eat, we headed to the Rainforest Cafe. The kids had so much fun looking at all of the ‘animals’ and the live fish in the tank making it seem it was just minutes until food appeared.
With full bellies, we headed back out to explore Clifton Hill’s world famous Street of Fun. After seeing the Niagara Skywheel in the skyline the previous night, everyone was eager to take a spin on it. Clifton Hill Fun provided us with complimentary Fun Passes that featured six attractions for one low price: Niagara Skywheel, Ghostblasters Dark Ride, Wild West Coaster, miniature golf, Zombie Attack and Midway tokens.
The Skywheel offers an incredible view of the Falls and the whole Clifton Hill area. We were impressed with the length of the ride. I loved that it offered a chance for quiet, quality family time. We also toured the Movieland Wax Museum of the Stars and had fun posing with the model celebrities and checking out some scenes from our favorite movies. Word to the wise, if you have younger children with you, be sure to exit before the scary (but fun) room of mirrors at the end which are suited more for older children or those who enjoy being scared.
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We had a blast on the Wild West Coaster, a 6D motion ride. While waiting in line, the kids enjoyed using the tokens from our Fun Pass and it helped to make the wait time pass quickly. After the ride, the kids were whipped so we headed back to the hotel for some pool time.
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There are so many fun and educational things to do in Niagara Falls, but we were on a time constraint and had to hit the road the next morning. Thank you Niagara Falls for providing our family with a lifetime of memories!
I received complimentary tickets for the activities listed in this review. All opinions are 100% my own.
