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| Niagara Falls Ontario Canada |
The majestic rumble of the falls can be heard from miles away, but
the sight itself never fails to cause the viewer to pause and gaze in
wonder at the 600,000 gallon per second mass of hissing, frothing water
crashing over a 170 foot cliff amid huge clouds of spray and mist.
The Canadian Falls, is also called the Horseshoe Falls (because of its
shape). A small body of land known as Goat Island divides the river into
two channels. On one side is the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, and on the
far side across the border is the smaller, American Falls. On sunny days
rainbows rise just above the mists.
The Rainbow Bridge, the Queenston Bridge and the Bridge Street Bridge
each span the distance between the cities of Niagara Falls, New York,
USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada: two totally different worlds.
Across the Canadian border in New York State, the area beyond Niagara
Falls is filled with the charm and beauty of small rural towns. A State
Park and a large industrial area of Niagara Falls, New York border the
American Falls.
In the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario (the Canadian side) can be found
acre after acre of meticulously landscaped lawns and a profusion of
colorful flower beds, all open at no charge to the public. There has
been a tremendous building boom in recent years especially in the Oakes
Drive and Fallsview area. Hotels have been constructed, existing
facilities modernized, and emphasis placed on esthetically pleasing
architecture that blends with the incredibly beautiful natural features.
One street, Clifton Avenue, retains a carnival midway atmosphere, but
there is a definite advantage to having all of the congestion and glitz
confined to one minute area. Controlled and planned growth has prevented
the proliferation of this type of attraction elsewhere.
Throughout the area, historical sites have been preserved. The Oakes
mansion now serves as the headquarters of the Niagara Parks Commission,
but its first floor remains as it was in the lifetime of philanthropist
Sir Harry Oakes. Fort Erie has been restored and welcomes visitors to
reenactments of military life in the early 19th century.
The Niagara Parks Commission operates a School of Horticulture on the
grounds of its Botanical Gardens. Established in 1936, this is one of
the few residential schools for apprentice gardeners. A greenhouse that
is second to none is open year round with free admission and outstanding
floral exhibits that change with the seasons. A family oriented vacation
destination, Niagara Falls Ontario offers hundreds of acres of parks
with broad lawns and shade trees; free boat launching areas; covered
pavilions with picnic tables along the Niagara Parkway.
A recreation trail runs parallel to the Niagara River from Lake Erie (
site of Historic Fort Erie) in the south, to Lake Ontario (Fort George)
and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This popular trail is used for
jogging, biking, and walking, and has historic interpretative plaques
placed along its length. The Falls are illuminated year round as an
international project. The beautiful display of the various colors
lighting the Falls is viewed nightly by many visitors. Friday night
fireworks at the Falls are also a favorite.
Casino Niagara has become popular with thousands. Its attractive
interior, excellent restaurants and interesting shops, combined with a
wide variety of games of chance and a comedy club, have attracted
patrons from the United States, Canada, and from other countries as
well. June, 2004 marked the eagerly anticipated opening of a second
casino in the Fallsview area. Named Niagara Fallsview, the casino is
part of a luxury Resort complex which is lavishly appointed. The huge
entry courtyard features three bridges to the front door, representing
the three local bridges connecting Canada with the United States. An
extensive Galleria showcases a street-long expanse of exclusive
boutiques. The casino portion of Niagara Fallsview spans 200,000 square
feet on one floor. A 1500 seat theater adjoins the gaming area, where
top name entertainment is scheduled throughout the year.
The city's musical offerings span the tastes of a broad spectrum of
visitors. The Hard Rock Café is usually filled to capacity with guests
who enter along the "sidewalk of the stars" in which one finds
personalized paving stones from many well known stage and screen
personalities. Niagara Concerts offers world class ballet, instrumental
concerts, and symphony.
Niagara-on-the Lake is a delightfully picturesque town of 13,000 at the
northern end of the Falls, on the shores of Lake Ontario. It is graced
with lovely 19th century homes set in beautiful gardens. There are many
shops and boutiques to delight the visitor. The town has three theaters
and is especially famous for its annual George Bernard Shaw festival.
Vineyards and wine tasting tours are another popular attraction.
The Niagara Falls area is known for both winter and summer sports. Golf,
hockey, skiing, fishing and boating are among these. Experience the
magic of the Niagara region soon. It is an unforgettable travel
destination: home of the famous Falls, and so much more! |
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