Canadian Escape

The clan and I recently traveled to Niagara Falls, Canada. What an amazing time! The temperatures were in the low 80's, low humidity and no rain. Who could ask for more? The sound of rushing water was so incredibly peaceful--all 600,000 gallons of water per second. I wished we could've bottled it up and brought it home with us. *chuckle* I could have sipped some on the way home when it took us three hours just to cross the border, but that's another story...

We hit the usual jaunts such as Journey Behind the Falls, Whirlpool Aero Car and Clifton Hill. This year we tried something different and actually hiked down to the bottom of the gorge. Twisting trails led us through breathtaking views of the Niagara River. When we reached the bottom, I found a huge rock and sat for a long time. Clean air, no cars, just the sounds of nature herself. *sigh* The picturesque views of the Niagara River were truly beautiful.

 

We journeyed north through the wine vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you're ever in the area, the scenery alone is worth the trip. One does have to wonder what these residents do for a living. Passing two red Ferrari's and too many sports cars to name, it was definitely the Rodeo Drive of Canada. 

The charming little shops along Queen Street beckon any passerby. Of course, this Scottish historical author could not pass up her stop into The Scottish Loft. I believe some MacGregor and Campbell items may have fallen into my basket. The dh claims too many, but hey, it's research. Right? I also found a charming little shop called Irish Design and knew some of my writer friends would have loved it (Maeve and Pat!)

Have you been on an exciting trip lately? 

Canada eh?

Recently, we took a family trip to Niagara Falls, Canada. I had not been there since I was a little girl. I have to admit, I was not too sure about this family vacation so I only booked it for three nights. When I was there some time ago, there was nothing but the falls. Needless to say, it was a little boring. I was immediately impressed with how much it has grown since then.

The gardens and landscaping were beautiful.

One of the first tourist attractions we did was Maid of the Mist. This was a completely up front and personal view of the falls. We really enjoyed it.

After getting soaked on a bright, sunny day, we scampered off to Clifton Hill. The Sky Wheel offered spectacular views of Niagara Falls. Every night at 10p.m. fireworks dazzled the sky. The place to be was on the Sky Wheel during that time. It was so romantic. In fact, a man proposed to his girlfriend the same night we were there. I think he was a keeper!

Marineland offered the kids an experience similar to Sea World.

If you're not afraid of heights, the Aero Car is for you. Riding several hundred feet about the whirlpool, breathtaking views greeted us. The Car glides over to the New York side where New Yorker's stand on the top of a cliff, looking down the cliff at you. It was quite amusing when a guy on the Car held up his hands and yelled, "Help me! I want to come back to America!"

A short drive away was Niagara on the Lake. The DH took us on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the small town that has plenty of scenic gardens to enjoy. Not to mention, quaint little shops and a ton of wineries. We definitely did not spend enough time here.

At the end of the vacation, both of my kids said in unison, "This was the best vacation ever!"

That could be because we also stayed at an indoor waterpark ;)

Have you done anything fun this summer?