Hey everyone!
Yesterday we visit undoubtedly one of the finest moments of our trip… Niagara Falls! Not only does it mark the farthest point of our journey, but it also signifies the beginning of returning home!
Niagara Falls is a sight unlike any other. Millions of people visit it every year, and with the combination of it’s three waterfalls, Niagara has the greatest water flow in the entire world.
Let’s get to it then!
Niagara Falls
The city of Niagara Falls is only 30 minutes from Buffalo, so we drove from our hotel to get there. Already we had seen some neat sights!
That is part of Downtown Buffalo, which we passed.
And here is one of the bridges that crosses over onto Grand Island. Grand Island is connected by two bridges, and is situated between the two cities.
And here is the other bridge!
Arriving at the town of Niagara Falls, we soon came upon “Little Italy”, which oddly enough, had lots of Asian restaurants in it…
Niagara Falls is actually located inside “Niagara Falls State Park”, which oversees the U.S. area of the river, so after checking in at the Visitor Center… we found it…
This is just one of many vantage points throughout the park, but look at the sheer size of those falls… The one closest to here is the “American Falls”, and the far one on the right is the “Horseshoe Falls”.
And that is looking across at the Canada border! It seems that there is a town of “Niagara Falls” there too.
Coming to the observation deck atop the tower, we looked down, and saw one of our destinations! That is the “Maid of the Mist”, a ferry that transports you through the very base of the falls! And all those people down there are wearing ponchos. We’ll come back to that.
And that is the “Rainbow Bridge”, which serves as a connection between Canada and the United States.
So, we took the elevator down to the docks below, and got our blue ponchos, ready to board the “Maid”.
Fun fact, the “Maid of the Mist” was actually a legend about a native American woman who sacrificed herself to the thunder gods to save her people from a giant snake that would poison the waters and devour them. She supposedly vanished into the falls, and became one with it’s flow. The snake was killed by the grateful gods, and made the “crescent shape” of the falls.
Quite a handful if you ask me.
From the docks below, we could see the observation tower and it’s deck. This is where we were earlier!
This a picture across the river at the Canada side. Apparently, the Canadians are red, while our ponchos are either blue or yellow.
One last selfie at the calm before the storm!
There are many different paths and outlooks around the falls. That path those people are going up is called “The Crow’s Nest”. We’ll come to there later.
The American Falls are powerful in their flow… and the mist was practically everywhere. My poor glasses didn’t help at all with my vision, they were condensed with water drops!
There’s me and dad! The excitement was practically everywhere, this is unlike anything we’ve ever seen!
Passing the American Falls, we began to approach the Horseshoe falls.
So many seagulls were perched on the nearby rocks. Every single one of those seagulls cast a white blanket over the rocks.
Hundreds of their cries were everywhere.
Well… here goes nothing…
At this point, I tried to take a picture, but the mist had become the equivalent of rain, and it was nearly impossible to take a picture, not because of the thickness of the mist, but also that it was getting really…really… wet. There was a point where we could practically see nothing!
In the end of course, we made a U turn, and returned to port. We then went to the Crow’s Nest!
After a slightly difficult ascent, we arrived at the Crow’s Nest!
Word’s can’t express the sheer majesty of the falls…
Im not entirely worthless at selfies!
There’s a good picture of the ferry, and of how many people were on it!
We headed back up to the observation deck for some more pictures!
The state park had very nice grounds too! Further down the hill is the river, but you can’t see it unfortunately.
And here’s one of the residents of the park! These things are especially ambitious for food. And what’s worse, they keep laughing at us (or so it sounds like with their call).
…. So does this bird only have one leg, or is it just doing that to show off? It seemed pretty chill either way.
We took the trolly over to Goat Island, between the two large falls, to see the “Cavern of the Winds!”
Goat Island was so named because a farmer brought his livestock here for protection against predators. They still came however, and only one stubborn goat was left. Thus, the name “Goat Island”.
Here’s a view up the river! There are many rapids before and after the falls, and very rigorous and powerful.
Now I know what your thinking. Why is a statue of Nikola Tesla, the famous electric pioneer, doing in a place like this?
Don’t worry, i’m thinking the same thing.
Another view from atop the hill and looking down the river.
That’s looking down at the walkway to the Cavern of the Winds! It’s a very famous attraction here at the falls.
Looking towards The American Falls.
This small river empties into “The Bridal Veil Falls”, the smallest of the three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls!
We put on our yellow ponchos, put on special sandals, and went down to the walkways!
I can’t remember if this was either a female seagull or a young seagull. They seemed pretty agitated when we got near.
I’m at a loss for words. Except, there are also the grey kind of seagulls among the rocks. Put that into your figuring of how many there are.
Well… lets walk away faster…
This is probably where the mist is going to be the heaviest. Well, no way to go but up!
Still going up!
Looking to the side. That’s the Observation Deck in the distance.
At this point, the conditions were fierce enough for us to keep our cameras to ourselves.
But did that stop my dad? No it didn’t.
The conditions up here were equal to a Category 1 Hurricane, which isn’t too serious, though it was still very intense!
We emerged drenched from the “Cave”, and into the broad (actually, not broad) daylight!
I’d imagine many people have tried stunts to brave the falls… many have tried, some have succeeded.
That view is looking upstream at the rapids. This is a very big river.
We then noticed the “Lord of the Lamppost”, this seagull on a nearby lamppost. Many of these birds act regal.
Niagara Falls used to be surrounded by factories and plants that would harness it’s energy into mechanical power for their economies, and even dammed the river. Thankfully, the buildings were removed, and nature and beauty came back to the region.
So why do millions of people visit it? Not only because of it’s uniqueness as a powerful series of waterfalls, but also because of the need to see something greater than us, the power of nature! It is certainly a humbling sight, leaving you with not only lifelong memories, but also a greater appreciation for nature, and for the unknown!
This marks the farthest north that I have ever been, and also the farthest point on our trip. Starting now, we are ON OUR WAY BACK HOME!
Of course, there’s other stuff to do in Buffalo first, but the journey is now homeward bound!
We returned to Buffalo for a bit of last minute sight seeing. Two things that were on our minds were the Mckinley Death Rock, and Millard Fillmore’s gravesite!
First, the McKinley Death Rock marks the spot of the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition in 1901, where President William Mckinley was shot by an anarchist, marking the third presidential assassination. Though now the grounds are a series of neighborhoods, a plaque still remains as a reminder to our fallen leader.
Rather simple, but sadly, it’s all that’s possible since the exposition no longer exists.
It was brief, but we had to race to Forest Lawn Cemetery, before it closed.
Forest Lawn Cemetary
It was less than an hour before the cemetery closed when we approached it’s grounds…our mission was simple. To find the final resting place of Millard Fillmore, our 13th president. Only one gate was open, and we had 40 minutes…
While not as big as Crown Hill Cemetery, this Cemetery was still incredibly large. Thankfully, we came across it in good time!
It’s a very nice gravesite, I’ll give it that!
The plot wasn’t unlocked either. So we figured, “Why not?”
This was just the marker.
This was the actual headstone, in the hedge. Very simple, even by simple standards.
Nearby was his wife Abigail, who died shortly after he left office.
10 minutes before it closed… we raced to the gate!
And made it just in time!
To celebrate a good day, we celebrated at a downtown restaurant, where I partook in a tradition that I planned since we put Buffalo on our route!
Buffalo Wings! (Sorry for the sideways pic.) It was good too.
Now, we are resting near Buffalo, where hopefully, we will knock out both the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, and the Millard Fillmore House today. From there, we will head back towards Ohio, and on the way home!
Let’s start the next leg with a bang! See y’all soon!
Mark's Historical Roadtrips! 