Niagara Falls Fun - Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls Canada

American Spring Break in Niagara Falls Ontario

A Canadian Adventure 
Easter is around the corner and in America students will soon be enjoying their Spring Break recess.  Both great reasons for family travel, plus its nice to reward the kids for their hard work and to enjoy some bonding time in Niagara Falls!

 Niagara Falls is full of great attractions for the family and if you haven’t been to the Canadian side in awhile, you will discover some fresh and interesting changes there!

Boston Pizza Clifton Hill offers a great choice for family fun and features Midway games, the Strike bowling centre, and signature dishes like the Pepper pizza or the Slow Roasted Pork Ribs. Parents can also check the score of their favourite teams on the many high definition televisions, while children are entertained by all the interactive games and amusements.  At the top of the hill, the completely renovated Kelsey’s Restaurant features an all new island bar, high definition televisions, plus scrumptious menu items like the 7 layer dip, Smokey Portobello Chicken, or the heart smart 8 vegetable Pesto Fettuccine. 

 Fun by the Falls
After a nice meal, head to Clifton Hill too see all the dazzling attractions light up the night.  Your kids will be amazed, and never get bored along Clifton Hill’s promenade.   An evening ride on the SkyWheel lets you soar 175 feet above the Falls to see the city lit up and the Falls illuminated with bright colours.  Dinosaur Adventure Golf is a family favourite, and offers waterfalls, billowing steam and the call of the dinosaurs, making it feel like you have traveled back to prehistoric times.  Opening soon is the state of the art XD Theater, which will offer an exhilarating 6D adventure.  For details on this and other attractions click here

 Great Deals
The choices in Niagara Falls are endless, but if you want to save your money, check out the exclusive offers on the CliftonHill.com website.  For example, when you buy the Clifton Hill FUN PASS online, you will get an exclusive bonus admission to the Niagara SkyWheel. It’s only available when you order the FUN PASS online click here for details. 

 Staying the Night
For those spending a night or two on the Canadian Side, be sure to check the Comfort Inn Clifton Hill hotel and their great specials, like the Family Fun Package. You can even build your own “a la carte” package on the CliftonHill.com site to suit your needs. Details can be found by clicking here

 Crossing the Border
For U.S/Canadian citizens’ children 15 and under are required to have parental consent.  If you are travelling with someone else’s children or you are separated and your children have a different last name you must have written consent from the parent to be taking their child across the border.  As well you must have a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, and everyone over the age of 15 must carry a passport to cross the border.

With all the pressures of work, extra-curricular activities, homework and friends, it’s important to maintain a sense of togetherness with the ones you love… bring the family closer together with a Niagara Falls adventure, and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Niagara Falls on a Budget
With all the recent talk of fiscal restraint and budgets, I thought it would be timely to talk about families wanting to get away for a day or so, in a cost effective manner. You may want to print this post and bring it with you on your day of adventure in Niagara Falls.

Meal Planning
A little pre-planning saves you money. Plan for a day of multiple snacks rather than sitting down for one big meal. Pack a few bags of goodies, such as trail mix, nuts and dried fruit before you head out. Once on the road, take a slight detour to pick up some fresh Niagara tender fruits (eg. Peaches are currently in season), at one of many roadside stands. A small cooler bag or lunch bag in the car is all you will need (you will learn why soon).

Getting here
Before heading out, I highly recommended that you read this section on out how to get here and where to park. This will save you valuable time and money. Be sure to leave early, and plan to arrive at arround 10 AM.

If you’re traveling by car on the QEW towards Niagara Falls from either direction, do not take Hwy 420. Instead continue to McLeod Rd taking the McLeod Rd east exit (towards Marineland) and continue to Stanley Avenue. Turn left on Stanley and continue to Robinson St. (you will see a large Skywheel billboard) Turn right on Robinson and continue to the end of the road. Park in the lot on your left.

Once you are in the lot continue until you get as close to the Niagara Skywheel as possible and park. This route just saved you traveling through the heart of the city and heavy traffic. Parking in this lot can save you as much as $10 and puts you in the center of the Niagara Falls entertainment district, with easy access to the Parks, Falls and Clifton Hill.

Here is where the fun begins:
Pick up some Fun Passes at the Niagara Skywheel information booth. You get 5 attractions at $5 each plus Midway tokens. $24.95 for Adults and $19.95 for Kids. For a family of four, you can save over $95 (after tax) on your entertainment for the day!

Following this, take a stroll to the Rainbow Bridge just a short jaunt down Clifton Hill. Once you get on the bridge you will discover some of the best views of both the Canadian Horseshoe and American Falls. For just 50 cents each, you can walk out to the center of the Rainbow Bridge and get some amazing pictures. One foot in Canada and one in the USA. The Canadian and American Falls provide an amazing backdrop, along with the Canadian parklands and Niagara Skywheel nearby. Take your time and get some great pictures then simply walk back to Canada! Just make sure you have proper ID for everyone in your group. Your friends and family back home will wonder how you managed to get such interesting photos. You could also share these photos on Clifton Hill’s Facebook or Twitter pages!

On the way back to Clifton Hill, be sure to stop by Movieland Wax Museum, which is this first attraction you’ll see walking up the hill. This one of a kind attraction showcases the world’s most famous stars in wax! After mingling with the stars, recharge your batteries and grab some fresh cut fries or a soft ice cream at the nearby concessions.

There is still a lot left on your FUN PASS and you can start up again by testing your skills at the nearby Dinosaur Adventure Golf attraction. From here you can move onto the Niagara Skywheel, for breath taking views of the Falls and a chance to sit down and relax in the air conditioned gondolas. Next head off to the Midway for Ghost Blasters and the FX Ride Theatre for some thrills and action. Remember, you also have some Great Canadian Midway tokens to use throughout the 70,000 sq ft arcade. If your taste buds are itching for another quick snack head into Boston Pizza where you can play interactive games and split a small pizza. Cash in your winnings and get ready for the next part of your budget day in Niagara Falls.

Off to the Park

Head back to your car and drive back towards the Robinson street entrance where you started the day.

Park as close to the entrance as you can, but don’t exit the lot. At the foot of Robinson (in the turn around) there is a staircase and path that leads you down into the Niagara Parks called the Jolley Cut. Locals have used this for years and it is a well-kept secret. Grab your snacks and head on down to the Park (remember the cooler bag I told you to keep in the car?). You just saved up to $20 in parking! Enjoy your time in the park and when it is time to go, simply walk up Murray Street, cut through the Skylon Tower parking lot and you are right back at your car.

Heading Home
Retrace your route and you are on your way home after a unique and affordable day in Niagara Falls.

Let’s add up the cost of a full day of fun on a budget. 2 adult Fun Passes $49.90, 2 kids Fun Passes $39.90, snacks(ice cream or Fries and a drink) $15, Bridge toll for 4 people $2 ,an individual pizza shared with drinks for 4 people $25, parking $10-15. Your entire day cost under $150 for a family of 4.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: To mark 15 years as Canada’s largest retail skateboard shop, West 49 is celebrating in a big way. West 49 Take The Cake skateboard contest will take place in Niagara Falls, Ontario in October 2010. On Saturday, October 2, 2010, West 49 Take The Cake will erupt Oakes Garden Theatre in Niagara Falls featuring 10 of the worlds most influential and recognizable pro skaters throwing down their best tricks for a $100,000.00 CASH prize. Canada’s largest Cash purse event in Canada.

West 49 Take The Cake event will be the standout skateboard event of the year, a must attend on anyone’s calendar of events. An amateur qualifying contest on the Friday will give one skater the pass to ride with the worlds best in Saturday’s final feature. Managed by eventSing promotions inc. who have more than a decade experience in packaging and producing National action sports events. Together, West 49 and eventSing promotions made the easy decision to involve Canada’s most respected park designers; New Line Skateparks who will be installing the best trick feature that promises to play upon the 15th birthday celebration. The excitement begins on Friday, October 1st with an amateur contest and a large welcome party for VIP and invited skaters.

The event space will be filled with action sports retailers and manufacturers featuring interactive games and up to 7,000 fans throughout the two-day event. West 49 is in the process of finalizing some great sponsorship deals to make this event the best possible and hopes to secure a national television deal to broadcast West 49 Take The Cake.

According to Sam Baio, President & CEO of West 49 Inc. “In celebrating our 15th year we are proud to present Canada’s biggest skateboard competition in years. Skating is our roots and our culture. Our customers deserve a show of this magnitude.” With 76 stores in nine provinces, West 49 serves up gear from the most trusted and popular action sports brands such as DC, Quiksilver, Element, C1RCA, Nike 6.0, Etnies, Volcom, Vans, Emerica, Fallen, DVS, Lakai, Hurley, Flip, Almost, Globe, Zoo York, Billabong, Osiris, RDS, Zero, Plan B and Alien Workshop.

West 49’s selection of the latest hoodies, tees, denim, and boards is unrivaled.

# # #

For more information on West 49 or Take The Cake, please contact:

Micki Benedetti 905 466-2575 micki@benedetti.ca

Natalie Lodge natlodge@eventsing.com

www.west49.com

Niagara Falls – A Place in The Balance film Trailer- A year in the making.

One of the best film of Niagara Falls ever made… See Niagara as you never seen it before..

Produced by The Niagara Parks Commission
Executive Producer: ………..Joel Noden
Director of Photography :.. John petrella
Directed & Edited by:……… john Petrella

Source: The Review

New Niagara winter tradition debuts today
Rink at the Brink latest winter attraction, putting skaters a stone’s throw from the falls
Posted By Corey Larocque

The unmistakable sound of winter in Canada – metal cutting into ice – will blend with the roar of Niagara Falls today when the Rink at the Brink opens.

After two weeks of get it ready, the new Winter Festival of Lights attraction will open on Niagara Parks Commission land, creating a new winter attraction festival officials say they hope catches on like skating in New York’s Central Park or in front of Rockefeller Center.

“This is the only place you can skate a stone’s throw from Niagara Falls,” said Dave Groulx, operations manager of the Rink at the Brink. (more…)

Source: The Review

The ice is nice: Rink at the Brink is ready for skaters
Posted By COREY LAROCQUE , REVIEW STAFF WRITER

The unmistakable sound of winter in Canada -metal cutting into ice -will blend with the roar of Niagara Falls when the Rink at the Brink opens today.

After two weeks of getting it ready, the Winter Festival of Lights attraction will open on Niagara Parks Commission land, creating a new winter attraction festival officials say they hope catches on like skating in New York’s Central Park or in front of Rockefeller Center.

“This is the only place where you can skate a stone’s throw from Niagara Falls,” said Dave Groulx, operations manager of the Rink at the Brink.

The rink is actually across Niagara Parkway from the parks commission’s Table Rock House complex (more…)

Outdoor skating rink to open Nov. 23 at ‘brink’ of Horseshoe Falls

Source: (CP) Canadian Press

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — A new public skating rink will open next month “a stone’s throw from the brink of the Horseshoe Falls,” say organizers of the Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights.

The outdoor Rink at the Brink, two-thirds the size of an NHL rink, will be located across from the newly renovated Table Rock Centre and offer excellent views of the Falls, says a release.

It will be open daily between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. from Nov. 23 to Feb. 28. Skates and helmets will be available for rent, and skating lessons will also be offered.

Admission without skate rental is $8 for adults, $5.75 for children.

“We think it’s going to be a huge hit with both local residents and visitors to Niagara Falls,” said festival chair Joe Miszk.

On the web:

http://www.wfol.com/rinkatthebrink/index.html

Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

From the City of Niagara Falls Mayor’s Office

People Mover Stimulus Funding

Mayor Ted Salci, City of Niagara Falls and the Members of City Council were pleased to welcome the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for Canada, the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure for Ontario, the Honourable George Smitherman, and Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor to the Niagara Falls VIA Rail Station Monday, September 25 to receive the announcement of infrastructure stimulus funding in the amount of $25 million from the provincial government and reaffirmation from the federal government of their commitment of $25 million for their much anticipated People Mover System.

The Niagara Falls People Mover Project will allow for integration with local transit, addressing the transportation needs of its residents and visitors alike while meeting the federal and provincial government objectives of developing employment and new growth.

The People Mover System will have a significant impact on the environment by effectively challenging the congestion in the tourist core by removing cars from the roads, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transporting our visitors and residents in an efficient and effective manner. (more…)

Originally printed in The Star

Falling for Niagara’s roses
Botanical Gardens’ showcase deserves more attention from tourists

Aug 27, 2009 04:30 AM

Paul Dalby
Special to the Star

NIAGARA FALLS–It’s a bit like having an older brother who always grabs the attention of the girls. Here in the honeymoon capital, nothing can outshine the Falls – unless, of course, it’s Charles Darwin, Dusty Springfield and Dolly Parton.

We’re not talking here about new inductees into the town’s wax museum, just a trio of blooms that could make an appearance in North America’s biggest and best Victorian rose garden. (more…)

Printed by the Review

Classic rockers ringing in new year at falls
Supertramp’s Roger Hodgson, Kim Mitchell headline popular concert
Posted By JOHN LAW REVIEW STAFF WRITER

Classic rock will ring in the new year in Niagara Falls. Just like last year.

Former Supertramp singer Roger Hodgson and Canadian cornerstone Kim Mitchell will headline the annual free New Year’s Eve concert at Queen Victoria Park.

Young country singer Justin Hines rounds out the lineup, announced last week by the Niagara Parks Commission, who will once again partner with the city, the Fallsview Tourist Area, Ontario Lottery Gaming and other private sector businesses.

Last year’s New Year’s Eve had an ’80s flavour with Honeymoon Suite, Loverboy and Dennis DeYoung of Styx.

It was one of the most well-received New Year’s shows in years.

The combination of Mitchell and Hodgson will keep the oldies vibe going.

Mitchell had a strong run in the ’80s with Canadian rock hits like “Go For Soda,” “Patio Lanterns” and “Rock and Roll Duty.” (more…)