June 14 – 21, 2018
Following our affinity for waterfalls, this week we visited one of the best (some call it the New 8th Wonder of the World) – Niagara Falls. The drive from Mackinaw City to Niagara on the U.S. side was more than we wanted to do in one day so we left Mackinaw a day early and spent the night near Toledo, Ohio. The following afternoon we set up camp in Branches of Niagara Campground on Grand Island, NY. The campground offers large gravel sites, lots of amenities and activities, and is only a 15 minute drive from Niagara State Park (the oldest state park in the US).
Niagara Falls
In an attempt to avoid some of the weekend crowds we decided to visit the Falls on Friday. We drove into the park and found an available parking spot near the Visitor Center. Having already determined that we wanted to stay dry for the day, we bypassed the Maid of the Mist tour and purchased tickets for the Observation Tower only. From there we watched as they packed poncho-clad folks on boats for their watery ride near the Falls. We could also see folks snaking their way around the walkways for the Cave of the Winds tour. From Prospect Point we walked along the Lower Grove Trail to the pedestrian bridge leading to Goat Island. On Goat Island we walked to Terrapin Point for a view of Horseshoe Falls and had lunch at the Top of the Falls restaurant. After lunch we rode the trolley back to the Visitor Center and walked over to the Canadian side via the Rainbow Bridge. We followed the walkway down to Horseshoe Falls (the largest of the three falls). Now this is a waterfall! The volume and thunderous sound of water flowing over the falls is just incredible. The mist rising creates interesting prismatic effects that are great for photography. We stood there oohing and ahhing for a while before deciding to sweeten the view with dessert at Elements on the Falls. Soon it was time to head back so, to avoid an uphill walk back, we took the Inclined Railway to the top and walked around the gardens. We recrossed the Rainbow Bridge and re-entered the U.S. Now I can say that I’ve been to Niagara Falls.
When I told a friend several weeks ago about stopping in Niagara he mentioned that we should check out Niagara-on-the-Lake and be sure to eat at the Pillar and Post. A well-preserved 19th century village in the heart of Ontario wine country, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a 50 minute drive north of the campground on Lake Ontario. It’s advertised as one of the prettiest towns in Canada.
Fort George
Since Sunday (Father’s Day) was another beautiful day, we headed north. Just outside of Niagara-on-the-Lake we stopped to visit Fort George, a fortification built between 1796 and 1802 overlooking the Niagara River. The fort was built in response to the loss of Fort Niagara to the Americans in 1796. The fort served as the headquarters for the Centre Division of the British Army during the War of 1812, and played a pivotal role in the defense of Upper Canada. It was destroyed and captured by the Americans during the Battle of Fort George, and was reclaimed by the British seven months later. In the 1930’s, Fort George was reconstructed to its pre-1812 appearance under the guidance of the Royal Engineers, and designated a National Historic Site of Canada. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, there were WWI displays and re-enactments inside Fort George. As we toured the grounds, we talked with a nurse and medic, viewed a squad of soldiers complete an obstacle course, and watched an aerial dogfight.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Following our stop at Fort George, we continued on into Niagara-on-the-Lake. We drove around for a while before finding a place to park our big truck in the Prince of Wales parking lot. Since it was about three in the afternoon, we decided that the first order of business was lunch. Although we wanted to try the Pillar and Post, we were afraid that it might be too late for lunch. Instead we had a nice bite at the Prince of Wales. After lunch we wandered around the Heritage District. I must say that the town lives up to the description – it’s gorgeous with colorful flower boxes and quaint shops. There is even an apothecary – a museum restoration of an 1869 apothecary.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake and recommend that you visit while in the Niagara area.
Well, our seven days in this area are complete. It’s time to move to our next destination – the home of a salad dressing.
