Buffalo, NY

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Recommendations on where to stay in Buffalo, NY? How many days does one need to see it all?

[Sance Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sance]

Best Place to stay

The best Place to stay in Buffalo is The Mansion on Delaware Avenue.
http://www.mansionondelaware.com/nonflash.html
Awesome place near everything, I nice weekend you sould be able to see everything.
Bob

[EileenSRN Member Find all posts View Profile Close EileenSRN]

Besides the Falls, (1/2 day, easy), there are 3 Casinos. One in NY and 2 in Canada - don't forget to bring passport or Government issued ID if you want to cross the boarder. Seaworld in Canada, as well as some beautiful gardens.
Here's a website that should help:
http://adserver1.harvestadsdepot.com...ews/ss/046800/
If your a camera buff ( ), Rochester is only 60-90 min on the thruway to Kodak. They also have beautiful gardens, as well as the Kodak acility.
Staying in Canada is less expensive. Toronto is only 90ish min, also.
If you decide to head west towards Erie, Pa. Westfield, (where I live) is the home of Welch's and Grace Bedell. (Bet you don't know who she is!). You can find out here:
http://westfieldny.com/
The Chautauqua Institition is on Lake Chautauqua and an internationally renowned place to visit.
Lots to do in and around the area.
You can PM me if you want to.
Eileen

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Crossings and identifications

Do the hotels in Canada check passports and/or pictured Federal/State IDs? Or do we just need them to get accross the border? How much time will it take to get into and out of Canada from Niagara Falls?

[dtug61 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dtug61]

Needing info on Niagara Falls - Canadian side

Do the hotels in Canada check passports and/or pictured Federal/State IDs? Or do we just need them to get accross the border? How much time will it take to get into and out of Canada from Niagara Falls?

I would love to hear the answer to these questions too! I will be traveling with my husband and my 8 children (2 adults and 6 minors). The younger ones have no government ID. What should I take for them - birth certificate copies? TIA!

[EileenSRN Member Find all posts View Profile Close EileenSRN]

Wow! This is really wierd. I thought I had posted, just yesterday, a very late response to riverdees05. You need a valid government, photo ID or a birth certificate to return to the US. A driver's liscense is Gov ID, but I'd bring my BC if available. The hotels don't ask. Usually the Canadian guys will check to make sure you have what you need to get back over before they let you thru. Crossing time will just depend on when you get to the border. Weekends are longer. Not knowing where you're coming from, I'd still suggest using the Peace Bridge to cross. The ride up the Niagara River is breathtaking. It's a little tricky, but not difficult, to get onto the river road. If you want more info, just email me. There is a 3rd Bridge north east of the Rainbow, but we've never used it. The Rainbow Bridge is the busiest. The view of the Falls is nicer from the Canadian side. I'll be happy to help all I can... have a wonderful trip.
I'll be in the Falls area Aug 21/22 and happy to say "Hi" if you're there too.

Eileen

[bev Member Find all posts View Profile Close bev]

The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake N. of Falls, CND side

If you have enuf time- take the River Rd. (travelling N. from the Falls area, it is the scenic ride along the deep gorge, it only takes about 20 min. Or if you like leave your car in the Falls area parking lot and take the Shuttle Tram like series of cars that go north from near the Pansy Clock to the Town of Niagara on the Lake.. they actually drop off and of course pick up at the old Fort there on the outskirts... but it is only a short walk from there into the picturesqe town.. I think a day pass on this "Shuttle" is about $8. and you can go both ways on it.. the Large Fallsviewing area is one of the points where it stops. So after seeing the attractions there.. you can search out in the big stone building the "tourist booth" or Info.. and they will tell you how to buy a pass.

Winston Churchill called N.on the Lake the prettiest little town in Canada. It is just full of little cottages, b & bs, and the locale of the Shaw Festival, where you can see top notch summer theater in about 5 venues all near each other. Restaurants and little pubs that look like they are right out of Merry old England abound.. Top notch is the Oban Inn. . not to be missed in town 1/2 blk off main drag is the Angel Inn... a very old tavern from War of 1812 with its own ghost legend. Gift stores and unique shoppes are everywhere-- but be careful about parking your car... they do ENFORCE the towing laws!! and it is strict... if the meter runs out. The beach area there is nice to relax at with all the very old mature tree-lined streets. Just email me if you want to know more.. I stay at a certain B & B when we go.. bh2441@msn.com try this website: Niagaraonthelake.com

[bev Member Find all posts View Profile Close bev]

The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake N. of Falls, CND side

If you have enuf time- take the River Rd. (travelling N. from the Falls area, it is the scenic ride along the deep gorge, it only takes about 20 min. Or if you like leave your car in the Falls area parking lot and take the Shuttle Tram like series of cars that go north from near the Pansy Clock to the Town of Niagara on the Lake.. they actually drop off and of course pick up at the old Fort there on the outskirts... but it is only a short walk from there into the picturesqe town.. I think a day pass on this "Shuttle" is about $8. and you can go both ways on it.. the Large Fallsviewing area is one of the points where it stops. So after seeing the attractions there.. you can search out in the big stone building the "tourist booth" or Info.. and they will tell you how to buy a pass.

Winston Churchill called N.on the Lake the prettiest little town in Canada. It is just full of little cottages, b & bs, and the locale of the Shaw Festival, where you can see top notch summer theater in about 5 venues all near each other. Restaurants and little pubs that look like they are right out of Merry old England abound.. Top notch is the Oban Inn. . not to be missed in town 1/2 blk off main drag is the Angel Inn... a very old tavern from War of 1812 with its own ghost legend. Gift stores and unique shoppes are everywhere-- but be careful about parking your car... they do ENFORCE the towing laws!! and it is strict... if the meter runs out. The beach area there is nice to relax at with all the very old mature tree-lined streets. Just email me if you want to know more.. I stay at a certain B & B when we go.. bh2441@msn.com try this website: Niagaraonthelake.com

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

If you have enuf time-
Winston Churchill called N.on the Lake the prettiest little town in Canada. It is just full of little cottages, b & bs, and the locale of the Shaw Festival, where you can see top notch summer theater in about 5 venues all near each other. Restaurants and little pubs that look like they are right out of Merry old England abound.. Top notch is the Oban Inn. . not to be missed in town 1/2 blk off main drag is the Angel Inn... a very old tavern from War of 1812 with its own ghost legend. Gift stores and unique shoppes are everywhere-- but be careful about parking your car... they do ENFORCE the towing laws!! and it is strict... if the meter runs out. The beach area there is nice to relax at with all the very old mature tree-lined streets. Just email me if you want to know more.. I stay at a certain B & B when we go.. bh2441@msn.com try this website: Niagaraonthelake.com

I have to agree with Niagara on the Lake..great little town with cobblestones and quaint little shops and cafés..beautiful drive

[dtug61 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dtug61]

View of the Falls from both sides

If you have enuf time- take the River Rd. (travelling N. from the Falls area, it is the scenic ride along the deep gorge, it only takes about 20 min.

Bev, Thanks for the info. We spent a few hours watching the Falls from the american side, including the evening illumnation and fireworks and it was wonderful. I had been to NF as a teenager but my children and husband had not and they were suitably impressed! WE took, of course, loads of pictures.

On another day we did try the River Rd. and I loved the views of the river and the gorge. We were running out of time so all we could do to view the canadian side was to cross on the Peace Bridge and travel on the road up to the whirlpool area. Since we didn't spend a lot of time there, I was the chauffer and dropped the family off to view the Falls and then picked them up. They were really glad to have the chance to see it from that side.

I hope we get a chance to go back and maybe see more of the area, such as the quaint towns surrounding the "touristy" area. Thanks again for your advice!

[dtug61 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dtug61]

Canadian-US crossing experience

Wow! This is really wierd. I thought I had posted, just yesterday, a very late response to riverdees05. You need a valid government, photo ID or a birth certificate to return to the US. A driver's liscense is Gov ID, but I'd bring my BC if available. The hotels don't ask. Usually the Canadian guys will check to make sure you have what you need to get back over before they let you thru. Crossing time will just depend on when you get to the border. Weekends are longer. Not knowing where you're coming from, I'd still suggest using the Peace Bridge to cross. The ride up the Niagara River is breathtaking. It's a little tricky, but not difficult, to get onto the river road. If you want more info, just email me. There is a 3rd Bridge north east of the Rainbow, but we've never used it. The Rainbow Bridge is the busiest. The view of the Falls is nicer from the Canadian side. I'll be happy to help all I can... have a wonderful trip.
I'll be in the Falls area Aug 21/22 and happy to say "Hi" if you're there too.

Eileen

Eileen,
THanks for your advice, too. We did do the Peace Bridge to go over and then came back on the Rainbow Bridge. I figured if we had to wait in line, might as well have a great view, right? Got some great pictures from there - a different vantage point.

Going to Canada we were asked questions about length of stay, citizenship and such but not for our IDs. Coming back though we had to show them our picture IDs AND our birth certificates (we had our originals with us and a set of copies, the guard said our copies were fine but I felt better knowing we had our originals just in case). My oldest 2 daughters had IDs as well as my husband and I but the younger 6 children only had their BC but the guard seemed to be fine with it. He asked us pretty much the same questions, kind of randomly verifying the info on our IDs by the questions he asked. It took about 15-20 minutes to cross back on a Saturday evening so it was not bad at all.

Thanks for your assistance again - it was a wonderful scenic drive and an experience I'm glad to have shared with my children!

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

Thanks for all the information. We stayed two nights at the Embassy Suites in Niagara Fall, Ontario and it was great. Also, took the package tour from there and saw and did a lot. It was not cheap, but a great vacation.