Niagara Falls

Our road trip continues …

I faced quite a challenge trying to pull Tim away from the new friends he'd made at the Erie Canal, but Niagara Falls was calling!

When we told family and friends we were heading to Niagara Falls, the first question they all asked, "Do you have passports?"

My passport expired a few years ago, and I never renewed it; Tim has never had one, and now that we're on the road, we knew it would be difficult and costly to obtain. I researched the Falls and learned that they could be viewed "more naturally" from the American side, and that appealed to me, so we went.

As always, budget was a huge consideration in our planning. Niagara Falls is a New York State Park, but they don't charge admission. They do, however, charge for parking ($10). I'd read about the Maid of the Mist boat ride, but knew we didn't have it in the budget, so we planned to just walk around the park and view the Falls from every angle available on land.

The moment we climbed out of the car, we knew we were at Niagara Falls - a fine mist floated across our cheeks, the power of the rushing water vibrated the ground beneath our feet, and the unmistakable roar filled our ears. The power of the Falls touched my pocketbook, too - I decided on the spur of the moment that we'd eat PB & J for a week so we could go on the boat!

Tim earned the nickname Papa Smurf with this photo!

Visiting Niagara Falls was the experience of a lifetime and we're both so glad we splurged on the boat. Definitely worth the price, and the memories will last a lifetime.