Hi I'm from Niagara Falls Ontario ... Here are 5 Tips to Know Before Traveling Here

Hey guys, this is my first Steemit post ever. 

I'm Lucy, from Niagara Falls Ontario 

Niagara Falls is the biggest tourist trap in Canada but it's a place everyone needs to visit at least once in their lifetime. If not for any other reason, at least to take in this beautiful view (picture taken from on top of the Skywheel ride on Clifton Hill) ...

With that said, its also considered to be the 'welfare capital of Canada' but that type of label applies to many border cities.

When people come here, they don't know what to expect at all. So I want to try and give five tips that I've picked up on over the years while living here. It should make your journey a lot more affordable AND enjoyable!

Here we go!

1. Never go during peak season (especially holidays)

While it's expected that you would plan a vacation around a holiday, or during prime summer weather, it's not recommended when going to Niagara Falls.

This summer has been one of the hottest and most humid in a very long time. There were heat warnings in effect regularly, and campsites haven't been doing well due to the lengthy fire bans that were in place.

If 2017 is anything like this year, it would be a mistake to find yourself there in July or August. And, hotels are marked up by as much as two-to-three times, as well as parking rates and various other costs you'll face.

2. Say You Are a Local Wherever You Go

All the tourist attractions, and the hotels and restaurants surrounding them, feature a destination marketing fee which ranges from between 3% and 12% usually. It is labelled as 'TIF' (tourism fee) on most receipts.

This makes tipping difficult. It's also a pain for locals, as if they don't constantly say they're from the area then they get dinged with the 'outsider' tax.

In this CBC news story, it was mentioned that Embassy Suites by Hilton jumped their tourism fee from 3.8 to 10 percent since last year. With a lot more tourists coming in due to the stronger American dollar, the media is starting to pick up the tourism tax in a more negative tone.

Of course, don't try fooling a hotel by saying you're a local if you don't have the ID to back it up. This won't fly over well; which, unfortunately, might mean you're still stuck facing a 10% surcharge on your hotel reservation, at least at Embassy.

Some hotels will drop the tourism tax if you negotiate with them.

But we all hate fighting for pennies, its just that in Niagara Falls those pennies quickly turn to dollars; this is why it's such a 'tourist trap' in the first place. You go to a place like iHop for breakfast, just three adults, and you spend $100 for three omelettes only. It's just not acceptable.

Wendy's on Clifton Hill charges normal prices, making it affordable, but most other places have a price premium just because of where they are located.

With that said, the locals have learned to adjust. 

Eating in Niagara Falls ...

There are tons of great diners and fry trucks in Niagara, just take a look on TripAdvisor to see where most frequent. For breakfast though, the Blue Line diner is definitely a great choice; a buffet supper at the Mandarin is unbeatable as the selection is endless. 

However, if you want something a little fancier there are many places that will gauge you. Live music and a light meal at Johnny Rocco's (on Lundy's Lane) never fails. For supper time, or in the late evening, the only highlight spot to go is the Skylon Tower. You can actually eat in their revolving dinner room with another person for under $100, while enjoying a huge buffet of various old-fashioned + gourmet meals. 

Meanwhile, you can enjoy a view of the fireworks like you've never seen it before -- from where they go off in the sky!

3. Stay Away from Restaurants by the Falls

You will be hard-pressed to find a good deal anywhere. It's' $19.99 Canadian for a plate of nachos at Boston Pizza on Clifton Hill by the Falls. If you go for breakfast at iHop, prepare to spend $100 for just three adults. It costs $15.99 Canadian for two little pancakes, two slices of bacon and two eggs. A total rip off!

By the way, there are a million iHops in one stretch at many different hotels. Back in the day when TeamBuy.com existed, you could get a voucher for this restaurant. It would bring your order down a bit, but not a lot. The same meal that costs $100 today was $55 with those vouchers about three years ago.

If you do end up eating by the Falls, my one suggestion (if you have younger kids) would be the Rainforest Cafe. Their menu is slightly sub-par, but the scenery is fascinating for children of that age. 

For the older crowd, Margaritaville (near the old casino, a short drive away) is also a very entertaining place to visit. They have delicious AND HUGE nachos, and tons of entertainment.

4. If Driving, Avoid the 'Portage Road Continues' Trap!

There are a ton of Portage road and Portage road continues signs. Some lead to a different street for just a moment then they hook onto Portage road again. Others seem to lead nowhere.

It is a joke in the city. But for a tourist, it is true that you could get confused by all these signs. You don't want to rely on this as a way of locating yourself in Niagara Falls. But one thing you can do is get the hang of where the Skylon tower is located on the map and base you present location on that, as you can see it across most of the city.

5. Be Careful What You Wear by the Falls

The waterfalls creates a huge mist that coats the entire walkway where everyone stands to watch the fireworks up close. How wet it is will vary by the day, but sometimes there are huge puddles everywhere. So make sure to wear something without socks or pack an extra pair, and for the kids too! 

If you plan to go behind the Falls, on a cruise, or anywhere else up close, you should also be prepared to get wet; they give you plastic bags to stay covered, but it's not always enough to keep you dry.

PS. In the winter months, when it snows, the mist turns into ice which makes it dangerous to drive by the Falls. Traffic moves vey slow in the winter in this area as well, so plan to travel on foot if you make it a winter vacation.

I hope those tips have helped!

Also ... a trip to Niagara Falls isn't complete without viewing the Falls up close.

Thankfully, there are four great ways to do that:

And they are as follows ...

1) The Journey Behind the Falls

They get you to put on a plastic bag and they take you 'behind the Falls' to see it up close. As you can see in the pictures below, you really do get up close and personal!

However, sometimes there are long wait times both inside and outside of the building that hosts this activity.

When you go for Journey Behind the Falls, the same location offers Niagara Fury -- this is basically a simulation of the Falls. It is a separate cost, but you get to watch a movie while enduring simulations of rain, snow, and horribly stormy winter weather.

Take a look below for a glimpse of Niagara Fury (but it's not a must-do by any means...)

2) The Hornblower Cruises

Maid of the Mist was recently converted into a tourist attraction for Americans, and now we have cruises offered by Hornblower instead.

For around $20 per adult, you can get up close to the Falls from on board a large boat. During the evening, this cruise looks spectacular as the Falls are illuminated at the time. But the meal ticket is the 'Fireworks cruise' which only costs $35 per adult. It made for the best date night of my life!

3) The Helicopter Tours

If you go with Niagara Helicopters, you can enjoy a 9-minute flight for about $140 per adult. It's a little pricey, but the view of the Falls from above is breathtaking. This would make for a great adventure for older children as well, but toddlers aren't recommended since the choppers are constantly loud.

Just look at the amazing view from above:

Don't bother with the tour offered out in Niagara on the Lake. It's about half an hour out, and while the flight is longer it costs more. You'll get the most enjoyment from going right above the Falls and Niagara Helicopters lifts off from right near it.

That said, if you are a thrill-seeker there's even one better option ...

4) MistRider Zipline to the Falls

This ride has a long wait line most of the time, but it's well worth it considering you get the thrill of ziplining while enjoying a close-up view of the Falls.

See how exciting it looks?

It's $49.99 per adult to go down!

Thrill-seekers will also enjoy other activities available in Niagara Falls Ontario, including indoor skydiving, the haunted house 'Nightmares', fly-boarding, water jet-packing, and much more.

That about sums it up.

... I'm from Vietnam, but I've lived here for 13 years.

Want to know anything about Niagara Falls? JUST ASK!

- Lucy