Canada

We finally made it to one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Niagara Falls has been on our list and now it has a ✔️ next to it. We left Traverse City after a wonderful summer and crossed into Canada at Port Huron. From there we ventured across southern Ontario and camped at a KOA on the Canadian side of the falls.

Map showing the route from Traverse City, Michigan, to Niagara Falls, Ontario, with marked locations. — Our route

A man stands in front of the Niagara Falls KOA sign, accompanied by two small dogs. The backdrop features a landscaped area with a rock formation and a small waterfall. — Our route

They say you have to see the falls from both sides, so we did. Early on our first day we crossed back into the USA and set out to explore Niagara Falls State Park, the country’s oldest state park. From the park we were able to access our top priorities: Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds.

A person stands beside a stone monument for Niagara Falls State Park, featuring an emblem with a depiction of a waterfall and the text 'EST. 1885'. — Oldest State Park

Maid of the Mist

The iconic Maid of the Mist first launched in 1846 to operate as ferry across the Niagara River for stagecoaches and carriages.

A person stands on a walkway near Niagara Falls, wearing a green vest and holding a blue rain slicker, with trees and the falls in the background. — Maid of the Mist

Now the all-electric vessels shuttles over 1.5 million visitors each year to the base of Horseshoe Falls. We donned the signature blue rain slicker and still got pretty damp. The mist from the falls is no joke.

Panoramic view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the cascading water and mist rising from the Falls, with a rocky shoreline in the foreground. — American Falls

A man and a woman wearing blue ponchos stand in front of Niagara Falls, with mist and cascading water visible in the background. — American Falls

Cave of the Winds

After our experience on the water, we walked across the park and onto Goat Island. Here we found the next attraction: Cave of the Winds.

A man standing beside a railing along a path, with vibrant fall foliage in the background and a 'Please Stop' sign nearby. — Goat Island in the Fall

A man standing next to a yellow sign for Cave of the Winds, with a stone wall in the background. — Goat Island in the Fall

The original cave behind Bridal Veil Falls was discovered in 1834 but was destroyed in a 1954 rockfall. Now you go through a tunnel and elevator and walk on a boardwalk that takes you right up to the base of Bridal Veil Falls.

A person wearing a yellow rain poncho stands smiling on a wooden walkway near Niagara Falls, with mist and greenery in the background. — Ready!

Two individuals wearing yellow rain ponchos stand in front of the rushing waters of Niagara Falls, with mist and rocky terrain visible in the background. — Ready!

Honestly we were not prepared for how wet you get on this attraction and the flimsy yellow slickers didn’t help much. Still, we loved climbing the wooden stairs up to the Hurricane Deck which is the closest you can get to any of Niagara’s three waterfalls, with powerful winds and water crashing around you. Our shoes were sopping when we finished but the exhilaration was worth it!

Visitors wearing yellow ponchos on the Hurricane Deck at Niagara Falls, surrounded by mist and water from the falls. — Steve on the Hurricane Deck

Video from the Hurricane Deck

Skylon Tower

On the Canadian side you get a direct view of the falls as opposed to a side view from the US. We opted to view the natural wonder from above.

Skylon Tower was built in 1965 and shows its age. Still, the revolving restaurant at the top provides some of the best views as well as a great deal on an early bird fixed-price dinner.

Aerial view of Niagara Falls showcasing the cascading water and surrounding greenery, with urban buildings in the background. — American Falls from above

A woman with blonde hair poses thoughtfully while gazing out from inside Skylon Tower, with a view of Niagara Falls and a cityscape in the background. — American Falls from above

While enjoying a three course meal featuring prime rib for Steve and salmon for me, we slowly rotated roughly 52 stories above the falls. As you can see we got some great photos! We highly recommend seeing the falls from Skylon whether you have dinner (make reservations early) or just head up to the observation deck.

A man enjoying a glass of red wine while sitting at a table inside Skylon Tower, overlooking Niagara Falls with a scenic view of the waterfalls and surrounding landscape. — Dinner and wine above the falls

Aerial view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the powerful flow of water cascading over the edge and a boat navigating through the mist at the base of the falls. — Dinner and wine above the falls

There’s a ton more to do in this area including wine tasting around Niagara-on-the-Lake. But we have a few more stops to make before Steve’s next race.

We love the National Parks in the United States. However, our first visit to a Canadian National Park has blown us away! Banff National Park in Alberta is truly spectacular, and our four days here only scratched the surface.

We arrived to the Tunnel Mountain II Campground in Banff National Park in a snowstorm and wondered if we’d see any of the beautiful peaks that define the area. But, low hanging clouds and cold air didn’t put a damper on the excitement.

But within hours, the blue sky began to show through and it was on!!

Our first hike was from our campground to the hoodoos overlook. Sweeping views of the snow drenched mountains with the Bow River below indicated something special.

With our traveling companions, Russ and Susan Shoemaker, we braved the cold, and a little snow, to finish the first of several beautiful hikes.

We headed to Lake Louise on our first full day and were greeted with more snow and low-hanging clouds.

The view was not what we had hoped for but Susan’s photoshop skills allowed us to see what it might have been like had the clouds lifted and the ice on the lake had melted.

On our third day here we were blessed with spectacular blue skies and a bit warmer weather (if 50 is considered warm). We set out to take on the popular, 1 1/2 mile Johnston Canyon hike.

Though much of the trail was ice-packed which made for slow-going, we made it to the upper falls with ease. The advantage of being here early in the season is smaller crowds. We were happy to have parts of the trail to ourselves which made it even more special.

Evenings are special too. We’ve been taking turns making dinner and have enjoyed several meals cooked in the Park’s cooking pavilions, around a wood-burning stove. Spending time with Russ and Susan is always fun, as we love to hear about their world travels.

We’ve known them since Susan and I worked together at the City of Phoenix in the early 1990s and being together is always so easy.

On our final day in Banff we tackled the Tunnel Mountain Summit trail which provided 360-degree, sweeping views of the town of Banff and surrounding area. We could have sat up there and soaked in the views all day.

We are sad to leave this beautiful area, with it’s many animals, sweeping views, and wonderful people, but we know there’s more spectacularness ahead!

Marnie and Steve Travel

We're retired! Let's go!

Niagara Falls Iconic Attractions

Banff National Park Oh Boy!