Day 8 & 9- Man that is a lot of water - forget Toronto

Look at that water
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Ryan from Canada: Today we drove for a really long time (about six and a half hours), but we only had to stop once for a bathroom break, and another time for lunch at McDonalds. We started the morning at about eight thirty, and then we went to Aunt Nancy’s for breakfast, event though she was already gone to work along with Lisa. Once we got to the border, we went and saw the falls from the American side.

From Diane:

Forget Toronto - Niagra on the Lake is great

Another Great View of the Horseshoe Falls
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Yesterday we arrived at Niagara Falls about 4pm. We walked all around the American side, took pictures, and even walked through the woods on a trail that was so close to the water the kids went and put their hands in it. (This was not near the Falls).

The weather channel predicted rain afternoon, so we got up early, and walked to Maid of the Mist. It was very nice that there are very few people here as compared to NYC and DC. No lines-we walked right on the boat. The kids loved it!! Katie and Ryan had water all over their faces-Ryan didn’t even bother with the hood. We next walked to Table Rock Resturant, and went to tour Jouney Behind the Falls. Katie asked more than once when we were going to get wet again. We were very close to the water, and Richard, Ryan and Katie love the getting wet part. Amanda & I liked it too, however it was 59 for a high today, and very windy by the falls, so we kept dryer and warmer.

Great Botanical Gardens
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After riding up the Incline Railway, we quickly walked back to our hotel, getting a bit lost until Richard woke up a sleeping cab driver to ask how to find our hotel on Victoria St. We got back inside and the rain broke loose! I took a short nap, while the kids and Richard played some Arcade games and then we took off for Niagara on the Lake.

Niagara on the Lake is charming, beautiful and not crowded with people. It’s very scenic to drive down-overlooks and museums on the way. A butterfly conservancy, golf course, botanical gardens, floral clock, lilac gardens, etc. were all along a very nice winding road, that followed the water and took us right by the Canadian electrical generating plant as well. We didn’t take the tour there, but parked and walked and shopped. They had lovely, pricey boutiques, and more regular stores. The girls and I enjoyed a hat store full of beautiful hats for everyone ( a brown cap was $50-others were much more. I liked a straw hat which was collapsible (for packing?) but when you put it on was very elegant with a bow which popped out of the fold. Ryan drooled over the Swiss army knife store next door!

Floral Clock - very pretty
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We ate in a basement restaurant called Fournos, which was excellent. We then went to Taylors bakery, and the girls had ice cream cones, Ryan an apple dumpling ( a whole apple inside)-he loved it! I had a lemon poppyseed muffin-yum!! They even had Devonshire cream available for you for only $1 more. After stopping at the Centennial Lilac Gardens, and Floral Clock we drove past the falls once more, and got back to the hotel just as it started to rain again. Our prayers for good sightseeing weather are being answered!!

Tomorrow is Thursday, and we plan to get an early start back to Harrisburg, by way of Heart’s Content forest. Then we see Nancy again that evening, and Katie, Ryan and Amanda will once again enjoy playing with the cats.