Thursday, September 17, 2009 Too Much “Nothing” to See in One Day

Today we are checking out Niagara Falls. Several of our friends told us there was nothing to see on the American side of the falls so we are going to allow two days to see it all.

We take the Robert Moses Parkway from the campground to Niagara Falls. On the way we stop at Devil's Hole State Park. The park overlooks the lower Whirlpool rapids. A beautiful walkway leads down from the park along the turbulent Niagara River 300 feet into the wooded gorge and offers an up-close view of the gorge's rapids.

    

This is where the British force was ambushed and defeated by Seneca warriors during Pontiac's War in September 1763.

Now on to Niagara Falls.

                           

We start at the visitor center where we can see the rapids above the falls and the falls from the top with Canada in the background.

                 



                                           

Next we walk to the Observation Tower at Prospect Point. It’s kind of half a bridge that hangs out over the Niagara Gorge. It’s an impressive view of the American Falls. The Tower allows you to look directly out into the cascading waters of the American Falls or down into the raging torrents below.

                



                                           

Four elevators provide access to the base of the gorge and the boarding site of the Maid of the Mist boat ride. We get on one of the elevators and descend to the boat ride.

For more than 150 years, the Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist has taken visitors through the foaming waters beneath the falls. We get our souvenir rain ponchos and go for the ride on The Maid to the base of the American Falls and then to the basin of Horseshoe Falls. The crashing waters and massive rock formations are quite impressive and we get to experience firsthand the power and intensity of the falls.

                

                

After the boat ride we climb a series of stairs from the base of the gorge to the Crow’s Nest for a more intimate view of the American Falls and Deb makes a new friend.

                

                

We get a late lunch at the Red Coach Inn across the street from the Park.

                 

Deb got the Prosciutto Wrapped Baked Brie, Fruit and Mixed Greens and I got the Open-faced Meatball Sandwich.

                 

This Meatball sandwich could not compare with the Meatball sandwich I got in Seneca Falls a couple of days ago.

                                          

We decide we have done enough walking and climbing for the day. Too bad “there is nothing to see on the American side of the Falls”. We will have to come back tomorrow to finish seeing the entire nothing.

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