Cold Warm or Wet….Fun in Any Weather
Clifton Hill has a great reputation for being tons of fun in the spring/summer time. Although we have noticed more and more people realize with so many indoor attractions we have to offer, there is just as much activity during the winter months as well! In fact the only truly outdoor activity is our Dinosaur Adventure Golf. Even our popular SkyWheel has heated booths for you to enjoy the beauty of the falls during any season. Transformations Coming
Spring is just around the corner, and this also means changes along Clifton Hill. The Kelsey’s has been transformed and is more inviting and entertaining then ever! As well look for our newest attraction, The XD Theatre Ride, opening in early May.
So far we have been lucky to have decent weather in the Niagara Falls region. Should Mother Nature decide to give us a real winter treat we have you covered. Below we attached a link to have indoor winter fun with the family. http://fun.familyeducation.com/snow/activities/crafts/67650.html
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.
A few weeks ago we were contacted by professional photographer Ken Cranney, who recently visited Niagara Falls with his wife Ina and son Riley. They traveled all the way from Holland and met up with some close friends, who drove in from New Jersey. Ken is actually a Canadian living in Holland while his wife and son are Dutch. They all converged on Clifton Hill’s World Famous Street of Fun by the Falls to kick off a fun filled weekend!
According to Ken the two families started at Planet Hollywood where they walked and enjoyed browsing the unique stores along Falls Ave. on their way to Clifton Hill’s main tourist area.
We enjoyed so much the activity and all the people taking in the amusements on the Hill.
They spent most of the first day browsing the stores and all the oddities of Ripley’s Believe It or Not and seeing all the wax figure’s at Movieland and Louis Tussauds. Luckily the weather was nice that day and they went for a short walk to the American and Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side and shot photographs. According to Ken “We just took in the sites and action near the river like the Maid of the Mist running to and from the Falls. It was a fun filled day!” Although at this point, they had not seen Clifton Hill’s colorful transformation at night!
Later that evening they ventured out again, but this time with the lights of the night, which was even more fun according to Ken. “We strolled by the Dinosaur Adventure golf which was a total blast to see with all the huge dinosaurs and the Skywheel, which was amazing, just to even watch as people loaded on and off.” To cap the evening with the kids they all shared an ice cream and headed back to their hotel rooms to unwind.
Once everyone was settled and enjoying the evening comforts of their room, Ken headed back alone to the Illuminated Falls to shoot more photographs until midnight, and after they turned off the lights on the Falls. He then walked to the centre of Clifton Hill by the SkyWheel and shot even more images of all the fun in and around the SkyWheel and Dinosaur Adventure Golf.
Click on the images above to expand.
We all had so much fun here in Niagara Falls that I am sure we’ll be back again.. as soon as we can. The people were all so friendly and accommodating it was truly a pleasure for us all. We look forward to our next visit to Niagara Falls!
We are very grateful for Ken sharing his memorable experiences with us and providing some spectacular photos! We greatly look forward to their next visit!
To see more of Ken’s photo work please visit: Riker Video Productie & Fotografie – www.rikervp.nl
Excellent nighttime video of Clifton Hill’s World Famous Street of Fun by the Falls by kookniagara
[youtube width=”500″ height=”405″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2sdOVsSfqk[/youtube]
Photo Number 4 in our SkyWheel Photo Series, and my personal favourite. Christine’s comments are below. Sky Star ~ Absolutely love the sense of ‘dizziness’ standing directly underneath the skywheel…a beautiful witness with the gorgeous blue sky above.
Photography by Christine R Lobsinger
Email – clobsinger1@cogeco.ca http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=293635
Photo Number 3 in our SkyWheel Photo Series. As always, let us know what you think. Christine’s comments are below.
Front Row Seats ~ Walking up from the parking lot…I was amazed to view her towering over the surrounding buildings of fun.
Photography by Christine R Lobsinger
Email – clobsinger1@cogeco.ca http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=293635
Thursday, October 14
The Niagara Parks Commission and the Niagara Falls Illumination Board will partner with Estée Lauder to illuminate both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls in pink, as part of the Global Landmark Illumination campaign. Together with other prominent landmarks around the globe, the world-famous Falls will be lit in pink, thereby continuing a tradition of drawing attention to the need for knowledge and research aimed at combating breast cancer. Event Highlights 7 p.m. Pink Falls Illumination Ceremony and Silent Auction at the Table Rock Grand Hall 7:30 p.m. Pink Fireworks Display over Niagara Falls
Photo Number 2 in our SkyWheel Photo Series…let us know what you think. Christine’s comments are below.
Extreme Engineering ~ It’s big, it’s round and it moves SLOWLY so visitors will take in the breathtaking views of the Horseshoe and American Falls, the City and beyond. Canada’s largest wheel at 175 feet tall was designed by Ronald Bussink Professional Rides of Switzerland and manufactured by Chance Rides if Wichita, Kansas. It was interesting to me that Siemens designed the “high tech control system”
Photography by Christine R Lobsinger
Email – clobsinger1@cogeco.ca http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/gallery.asp?memberID=293635
One of our Niagara Falls Blog readers emailed us some photos of the Niagara SkyWheel. We thought they were so good we asked her if we could post them to the Blog. So, for the next 5 days I will post one picture per day along with Christine’s comments. Let us know what you think. Back of the SkyWheel ~ To capture this magnificent view, I walked around the back and wedged myself in-between a fence and an industrial garbage bin…I could not resist the sun setting and framing of these gorgeous purple trees
