How to Explore Niagara Falls in One Day Without Spending a Fortune

We could only take a very short vacation this year, so, minus all the driving, we had just one day to spend at the Niagara Falls State Park. This might sound a little rushed, but we were able to see and do everything we wanted, at our own pace, without overstraining ourselves, and without spending a fortune, either. We stayed at Super 8 Motel only about 1.5 miles away from the falls. The motel was okay, an older but decently remodeled building, fairly clean, with a heated indoor pool and free breakfast. That was good enough for us; we intended to spend most of our time at the park, so all we needed from our hotel was a decent place to sleep the night, and we got that.

When we checked in, we had overheard a disheartening conversation about the Niagara Falls tour prices. According to the clerk, they could cost as much as $139 per person. There was a particular tour I especially wanted to take called Maid of the Mist, which is a boat ride to the very base of the falls. Well, from what we had overheard, it did not sound like we would be taking it: Maid of the Mist was said to be among the most expensive ones.

I do not know what tours they were talking about at the hotel, but I am very glad that we did not purchase any of them there: when we came to the Niagara Falls State Park on the next day, we were able to buy a Niagara USA Discovery Pass for only $30 per person. The pass included Observation Tower, Maid of the Mist, another tour called Cave of the Winds, Aquarium, Niagara movie, Discovery Center, Niagara Scenic Trolley, and coupons for other places like Wax Museum. I'd say we had gotten a good deal!

We began with the Observation Tower that allows you to see the falls from a bird-eye view. You get to see mostly the American waterfall and a glimpse of Horseshoe, which is on the Canadian side. From there, we proceeded to don blue rain ponchos and board the Maid of the Mist. The 30-minute boat tour is unforgettable. When you see those masses of water crashing down, your thought process seems to stop, all you can do is look and admire... And then the boat takes you farther along, to the basin of the Horseshoe fall, which is at least twice bigger.

Those rain ponchos come in very handy, there is a thick cloud of mist down there at the base of the falls, but if you want to get really soaked, go for the Cave of the Winds tour. You get yellow ponchos and special non-slip sandals for that one (you will have to remove your shoes and socks). An elevator takes you down almost to the foot of the American falls, and you climb several sets of stairs along the side of the waterfall. This is where you can hear it roar... Prior to the trip, I kept thinking about the Bible verse that compares the voice of an angel to the sound of many waters. Now I know what it is like to hear a powerful spirit speak.

We enjoyed the Aquarium where we saw penguins and a very fun seals performance. The Niagara movie was not exactly what we expected, but it was still good to see. It starts with an Indian legend and proceeds to tell some of the history of the falls. Did you know that the first person to go over the falls was a 63-year-old schoolteacher? She did that in a wooden barrel... I guess you never know what those naughty kids can drive you to.

In the evening, we were prepared to pay tourist trap prices for dinner, but someone had tipped us off that there is a very nice buffet at the Seneca Niagara casino for only $22 per person. We went there and enjoyed an excellent meal. The buffet is indeed very nice, let me just say that I had my fill of large crab legs.

I hear that the Canadian side of the falls has a lot to offer as well. We did not have a chance to go there this time, so we will save it for later.

We've had a great trip. If you only have a day or two and want to see Niagara Falls without breaking the bank, it can be done.