Unique Places in Niagara Falls

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Everybody knows that Niagara region offers tours to many wineries and vineyards. However, we would like to recommend cherry, apple, strawberry and plum picking in one of the many orchards. It is lot of fun while on a road trip. For information on orchards and farms, one can pick up a Rural Routes brochure at about any Avondale Stroe in Niagara. Avondale stores are variety stores that you can find in many plazas and strip malls in Niagara region.

Here are some things to watch for:

1. Pick an off peak traffic day and time. Peak traffic times will kill all the fun that you can have.

2. Go on the road less travelled and pick a farm that is not crowded.

3. For picking from the trees, ensure that you don't unnecessarily bend any branches for that can break them and destroy a tree and subject you to heavy fine.

4. Always wear rough and dark clothing. Ripened fruite juices and small insects will fall all over your clothes and when you remove them, they get squashed leaving bad patches on the clothes you are wearing.

5. Let the younger lot go for plucking the fruites, while parents rest and gossip.

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By leaving the well marked trails of Niagara Glen and carving our own way carefully (picture # 4), we approached the banks of Niagara River where we saw it in all its rage. The rapids would have been ideal for white water rafting, but instead these were being negotiated by whirlpool jet boats (picture # 1). The spots near the river offered wonderful views of the river upstream (picture #s 2 and 3), the aero car over Niagara Whirlpool (picture # 5), the rapids, and the mountain and river bank on the US side of the Gorge. Wesaw a couple of families picnicing on the US side.

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Spring season comes with crocuses and daffodils adorning the park area. 30,000 bulbs of daffodils along Niagara Parkway offer 180 degree tourism to those interested in flowers. We noted that spring came to the Niagara Falls area slightly later than in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Whereas daffodils were fading out and giving way to tulips in the GTA, they were still in their prime blooms in the area. Early tulips had begun blooming too, but most of them were still in pre-blooming development stage.

Dufferin Islands Nature Preserve is just 1 mile upstream of the falls. It's a peaceful place with footpaths leading from little island to island. A picnic area is provided complete with grills for Bar-B-Queing.
Parking is free. It's worth a stop for a look around. I saw people fishing as well as picnicing. The are also quite a variety of waterfowl in the park.
Fishing is allowed in the park, but it is catch and release only.

Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

During tourist season there are 100,000 cubic feet/second of water going over the falls. The flow is regulated by a joint board and is cut back in the evenings and during the off season times.

Power plants along the Niagara River, on both sides of the border generate about 4.4 gigawatts of electricity. (1 gigawatt=1 billion watts) Power generation, because the falls produce such an enormous amount of energy, is an enormous benefit. Water from the Niagara River is diverted through huge tunnels. These pass thru turbines and create power for both sides of the border. Niagara is easily the largest energy producer in New York State.

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Learn record breaking facts in our Sports, Animal and Structures sections.

Enjoy watching: adventures in space, the marathon toppling of dominoes, or the crazy food eaters, and more...

Great fun for all ages!

Due to construction work in the central district , we had to take a side road through some gardens to get to the parking lot. It turned out those are used to grow sweet apple. We had apples for lunch and it was so yummy. If you re there in the apple season dont miss a try.

West of Niagara Falls is the Welland Ship Canal, allowing lake and ocean freighters and pleasure craft to bypass Niagara Falls and the Niagara River in their trek from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

The lakes are at different elevations, requiring the use of a series of locks. Lock 3 between the cities of Thorold and St. Catharines has a public viewing area. It is fascinating to watch this engineering marvel at work. Kids and adults alike will be interested in the lock, and the lift bridges. Just south of this lock are the "Flight Locks", a series of 3 double-laned locks. There is no public access here, but driving along side it gives a sense of the height that ships must climb in this one section alone.

Just east is one of the previous ship canals, with now dilapidated locks, built a long time ago for smaller ships. This gives a sense of history to the visitor, and perspective on the changes yet similarities in technology with the passage of time.

In summary, this a definately a worthwhile family outing, away from the usual touristy sites at nearby Niagara Falls.