We set out for Burlington that night, driving up through Michigan and into Ontario. We stayed in Burlington.
Day by day
Burlington, ON
Good morning from Canada.
Ready to kick off this vacation in style with a private hot tub cabana and butler.
My world. Blessed to call them mine and grateful for our adventures together.
Thomas, "Whatever you paid for this, it was worth it." Agreed. The hot tub cabanas at Great Wolf Lodge are 100% worth it. There are only two of these setups in the waterpark at Niagara Falls. They technically share a very large hot tub. As our coordinator explained, we had everything to the right of the stairs and our neighbors had the left side. Said neighbors were a family with 3 small children and they pretty much abandoned their cabana after 1:00 p.m. I'm guessing it was nap time. My only feedback would be adding a "restricted access" or "private cabanas" sign or having a scan-in system at the gate. We did end up telling quite a few people that this area was for reserved use only when they walked in thinking it was a vacant hot tub. No harm. No foul. Everyone was great and the confusion was understandable without proper signage.
We woke up in the hotel in Burlington, with a view over the city from the window and eggs, cheese and tater tots wrapped up for breakfast. Then we drove from Burlington to Great Wolf Lodge on the Niagara Falls side, pulling in by mid-morning.
Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, ON
We stopped for a photo by the big red chair at the entrance before we went in. Lisa found the Beartrack Landing sign in the lobby and took a photo with the wolf statues behind her. The lazy river curled through the water park below the lodge's wood beams, still fairly quiet that early.
We spent the afternoon moving between the lazy river and the hot tubs as the pools filled up with other families. We picked up passes for the day and kept a bag of chips going between trips down to the water.
By evening everyone was worn out. We ended the day at dinner together before heading back to the room.
Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls, ON
More Niagara adventures. A quick hop over the border to New York this afternoon and back to Canada this evening.
We did some damage
Like a Shirley Temple. So good.
Billy Bones BBQ. OMG. The brisket is incredible.
The day was spent at Niagara Falls, starting with the arcade and a game of bowling at Ten Paw Alley back at Great Wolf Lodge before we packed up the room. By late morning we had driven to Niagara Falls State Park on the American side and in through the park entrance. We walked along the rapids and the Whirlpool footbridge, watched a rainbow form in the mist off the Horseshoe Falls, and stopped for photos with the falls behind us. Lisa and I both signed I love you in one of the selfies.
Niagara Falls, ON
Early afternoon we crossed the river into Ontario and checked into the Skyline Hotel & Waterpark, part of the Falls Avenue Resort complex beside Clifton Hill. We walked over to Hershey's Chocolate World, then spent a long stretch through Louis Tussaud's Waxworks and Ripley's, posing with wax figures from the Beatles to Star Trek to a giant Over Niagara Falls barrel. Outside, Clifton Hill was busy, the SkyWheel turning and the upside-down house on its corner.
We had dinner at Billy Bones, ribs and mac and cheese on the patio, then walked back out to the falls to watch the water turn gold as the sun dropped. We finished the night walking past Nightmares Fear Factory as the sky went dark over Clifton Hill.
The espresso machine is broken. Noooooooo! Vanilla steamer it is.
The boat ride to the falls is a must-do. We all enjoyed it.
View from our room on the 44th floor. I saved the best hotel for last. Two bedrooms, a jetted tub and we'll be able to see the nightly fireworks and light show over the falls.
Clifton Hill was busy from the moment we got there. We grabbed coffee at Tim Hortons under the SkyWheel, walked past Nightmares Fear Factory and the rest of the tourist strip, and made our way toward the falls.
We spent the late morning and early afternoon along the rim of the Horseshoe Falls, working our way toward Table Rock. Kathy, Lisa and I posed under the big Canada rainbow arch, and we stopped for lunch at Table Rock Bistro + Wine Bar.
From there we put on yellow ponchos for Journey Behind the Falls, riding down into the tunnels cut behind the water and out to a lookout at the base. Lisa signed I love you for a photo with Thomas and me in the tunnel.
In the afternoon we walked down to the dock for Hornblower Niagara Cruises, pulled on red ponchos, and rode the boat right up into the mist at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls. All four of us got soaked, and we got a selfie together with the bridge behind us.
Back at the hotel that evening we had dinner and wandered past a costumed dance show, then looked out over the falls and the Skylon Tower from our room. Around 10:30 the falls were lit up red, white and blue, and Bob sat at the window taking it in with us before we called it a night.
Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel & Suites, Niagara Falls, ON
Typically by the end of a whirlwind vacation I am ready to pack up and head home, especially with a 7-hour drive and border crossing ahead of us. This morning I'm letting my crew sleep as long as they want so that I can soak up every last minute in this beautiful suite. The two-bedroom layout worked perfectly. The kids and I shared one bedroom and the husband took the other. Lisa made good use of the jetted tub last night and we all enjoyed watching the fireworks from the comfort of our room. It was amazing.
The falls are a bit foggy this morning.
I'm not a Starbucks person (Biggby for the win), but it was in the hotel, so here we are. This drink is actually quite good. The espresso does not taste burned or bitter like U.S. Starbucks. The Canadians craft great lattes.
We woke to a foggy view of the falls and the Skylon Tower from our room at the Hilton, the mist still rolling through the gorge. Before checkout, Thomas, Lisa and I got one more picture together, then went out for coffee.
Convenience store / market stop, Ontario
Down the road at a market we found a stuffed moose and Lisa posed with it before we loaded the car for home.
Ambassador Bridge, Detroit, MI / Windsor, ON
The drive back took most of the afternoon, crossing the border into Michigan on the Ambassador Bridge. We were home in Coloma that evening.
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