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Niagara Falls- Prefer American or Canadian side?


Another Fan

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Thinking of headed to take some pics of the falls this summer, it's been years since I've seen them.  Which side do people prefer, American or Canadian? 

 

I suppose most people saying Canadian for the better view of the Falls, but I remember that area being crowded and feeling touristy.  The Cave of the Winds I think is on the American side. 

 

I mean both sides are nice

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Goat island is by far the best part of the Falls. I haven't been to the Canadian side in a long time and Canada prefers I not visit.  That said, the whirlpool is, to me, the most amazing part of the falls.  There are trails all along it and it's never that busy. From the Canadian side you can take the cable car over it and also the jet boat up toward it.  

 

The whirlpool is where the river takes an elbow turn basically, with so much force the current actually is forced to go under the oncoming water.  No one has ever successfully swam across it, and it's just beneath the rapids on the river. Only one boat, the original maid of the mist, iirc, has successfully navigated the route. Many have died attempting to swim across, and many boats were lost going down it.

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44 minutes ago, teef said:

The American side is the butthole of America. The Canadian side is far nicer. 

And just think how it would be/look if they didn't pass early environmental laws and create the first State Park!

 

The Falls would be a brick wall emergency spill course and ALL the water runnning under ground (American Side) or exposed (Canadian Sides race-way culverts) to get to the power plant. Squeezing every juice of hydro from the river, eventually through the years.

 

If Love had his way, another diversion to Lake Ontario on American Side.  Hooker Chem put an end to that by filling that bad boy in... ;)

 

The only time you'd see the falls is when the culverts couldn't handle an influx of high water...It would be like going to Hoover dam and staring @ the emergency spillway... EXCEPT there would never be an emergency. A natural dam. Like watching a trickle...

 

At least during the times of the Robber Barons, they had the wherewithal to keep some kind of tourist attraction and create the first State Park in the country.

 

Canada didn't have a much bigger (like now, before area was very small population/industry) Toronto, S.Ontario to power until after the Seaway population explosion.  BTW... Ontario is digger bigger power culverts, bigger diversion as we speak... It just flies under radar.

 

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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1 hour ago, Boyst62 said:

Goat island is by far the best part of the Falls. I haven't been to the Canadian side in a long time and Canada prefers I not visit.  That said, the whirlpool is, to me, the most amazing part of the falls.  There are trails all along it and it's never that busy. From the Canadian side you can take the cable car over it and also the jet boat up toward it.  

 

The whirlpool is where the river takes an elbow turn basically, with so much force the current actually is forced to go under the oncoming water.  No one has ever successfully swam across it, and it's just beneath the rapids on the river. Only one boat, the original maid of the mist, iirc, has successfully navigated the route. Many have died attempting to swim across, and many boats were lost going down it.

Did you fail the "do you have a the gun? question at the border?"

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1 hour ago, Boyst62 said:

Goat island is by far the best part of the Falls. I haven't been to the Canadian side in a long time and Canada prefers I not visit.  That said, the whirlpool is, to me, the most amazing part of the falls.  There are trails all along it and it's never that busy. From the Canadian side you can take the cable car over it and also the jet boat up toward it.  

 

The whirlpool is where the river takes an elbow turn basically, with so much force the current actually is forced to go under the oncoming water.  No one has ever successfully swam across it, and it's just beneath the rapids on the river. Only one boat, the original maid of the mist, iirc, has successfully navigated the route. Many have died attempting to swim across, and many boats were lost going down it.

My Pops  would tell me stories about spear fishing for sturgeon in the lower river near  the Whilpool in the 30s . Said he was with a buddy when they were abot 12 when the dude hooked a moster with the spear and it was the last they ever saw of him. He grew up basically in the gorge, knew every inch of it, swam all over that river, but nevr messed with the whilpool.

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23 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

Did you fail the "do you have a the gun? question at the border?"

Definitely didn't have a gun at the border. :lol:

12 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

My Pops  would tell me stories about spear fishing for sturgeon in the lower river near  the Whilpool in the 30s . Said he was with a buddy when they were abot 12 when the dude hooked a moster with the spear and it was the last they ever saw of him. He grew up basically in the gorge, knew every inch of it, swam all over that river, but nevr messed with the whilpool.

Damn, I believe it. It's a sighr to behold.

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2 hours ago, Another Fan said:

Thinking of headed to take some pics of the falls this summer, it's been years since I've seen them.  Which side do people prefer, American or Canadian? 

 

I suppose most people saying Canadian for the better view of the Falls, but I remember that area being crowded and feeling touristy.  The Cave of the Winds I think is on the American side. 

 

I mean both sides are nice

 

Is it even a question? Canada wins hands down. I mean there are some things to see on the US side. But in every other metric NF, ON is the better place.

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8 hours ago, Marv's Neighbor said:

Did you fail the "do you have a the gun? question at the border?"

We must have... Went over Rainbow this past Christmas Holiday... Wife, Children with me in the "BluTaco" (Blue Tacoma)... I have a bed cover and had two pairs of skis... Canadian Customs gave us the business about guns.  I said, all I had was two pairs of skis.  We were going to NF Festival of Lights and Parkway back to Fort Erie for Chinese food... Canadian Customs did their best Wendy's commercial and told me to "park it" & go have a seat inside... They took our passports and rummaged through vehicle.  My Illinois plates probably didn't help:

 

ilmichcanal.gif

 

Probably confused the !@#$ out of them from which state I was from, and the whole being back in WNY thing.

 

I did look like a gun toting Deplorable... Can't say I blame them.  Even if I tried to convince them that I was meaning no harm to the Great White North w/WBFO on and my Coastal Elite skis in back.

 

I tend to do that to a lot to people... Confuse the !@#$ out of them...:lol: I should have showed then my Army CaCard, they would have really "tuned me up!"  I forgot. .

 

Good thing I wasn't accidentally packing the Family Ruger. Knowing one has to declare passports does kinda make sure you square away your scheist. <_<

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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10 hours ago, Boyst62 said:

Goat island is by far the best part of the Falls. I haven't been to the Canadian side in a long time and Canada prefers I not visit.  That said, the whirlpool is, to me, the most amazing part of the falls.  There are trails all along it and it's never that busy. From the Canadian side you can take the cable car over it and also the jet boat up toward it.  

 

The whirlpool is where the river takes an elbow turn basically, with so much force the current actually is forced to go under the oncoming water.  No one has ever successfully swam across it, and it's just beneath the rapids on the river. Only one boat, the original maid of the mist, iirc, has successfully navigated the route. Many have died attempting to swim across, and many boats were lost going down it.

I think they have jet boat tours that take you into the Whirlpool if I am not mistaken... It is it outside the Whirlpool @ "Devil's Hole"... ???

 

That would be other vessels that successfully navigate the Whirlpool.

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7 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Is it even a question? Canada wins hands down. I mean there are some things to see on the US side. But in every other metric NF, ON is the better place.

It is a question.  Goat Island makes the Falls a far more intimate experience on the American side.  

 

The panoramic view of all the falls is far better on the Canadian side (especially for pictures) and there's a lot more other things to do.

 

But if you're going simply to experience the falls, don't skip Goat Island.

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31 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I think they have jet boat tours that take you into the Whirlpool if I am not mistaken... It is it outside the Whirlpool @ "Devil's Hole"... ???

 

That would be other vessels that successfully navigate the Whirlpool.

The jet boats leave from Niagara on the Lake.  They go towards the whirlpool, but turn around before they get there.  The local's don't like them because of the noise.

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51 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I think they have jet boat tours that take you into the Whirlpool if I am not mistaken... It is it outside the Whirlpool @ "Devil's Hole"... ???

 

That would be other vessels that successfully navigate the Whirlpool.

The jet doesn't go in to the whirl pool or did not last I knew. 

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