We decided to drive to Niagara Falls, so that we could stop by some fun places on the way to and from Canada/New York. Here are some insights about what we found along the way, and things you may want to consider if you ever decide to road-trip there.
I would strongly recommend seeing both sides of Niagara Falls. You can stay at a hotel in Canada and walk/drive Rainbow Bridge to visit Niagara Falls from the New York side, or you can stay on the New York side and visit Canada by driving or walking Rainbow Bridge. Just remember that you will need a passport or passport card to travel back and forth from Canada to the USA. There is not a lot to see on the New York side besides boat rides and helicopter rides, and tons of things to do on the Canada side. However, I LOVED the view I was able to see and capture on the New York side; especially at dusk and dawn. We spent our days on both the USA and Canada side by walking Rainbow Bridge.
If you are road tripping, you need to know some of the cool places between Georgia and New York that are worthy of taking a break from driving and visiting. The first place we decided to stop and visit is near Cincinnati, Ohio. It's called Loveland Castle or Chateau Laroche in Loveland, Ohio. I know there are buildings around the US that look like castles or hotels that seem very castle like, but this was a real castle with a dungeon and all. The history behind building the castle was nice to learn, and there was a small creek/river below the castle where we took a breather and ate lunch at. The coolest part for me was sending my husband to the dungeon! Plus, visiting a castle has always been on my bucket list anyways.
We decided to stay in Columbus, Ohio and explore two places nearby, the Ohio State Reformatory and the Field of Corn. We also wanted to visit the zoo and aquarium in Columbus, but we were too tired. The Field of Corn was a very unexpected and unique place we found by following signs. It consists of rows and rows of corn shaped figures.
The Ohio State Reformatory is a real haunted prison which was also on my bucket list; just google it and see how haunted it really is! However, I would plan ahead due to it's operating time frames. It was a stop I had planned before leaving on our trip, so I that I made sure we arrived near Mansfield OH during the time frame it is open.
We learned two things driving from Mansfield, Ohio to New York; if you don't leave your blinker on long enough while changing lanes a state patrol will pull you over and ask you a million questions, and there are lots of beautiful farms to view along the way.
Another unexpected but wonderful stop along the way to Niagara Falls was in the lovely state of New York. We took a turn toward Great Lake Erie shortly after entering New York. We pulled over to get gas and stubbled upon a lovely lighthouse, grape vines, a beach, and the Great Lake Erie with some awesome views! There were boats, rocking chairs, grapes, sand, and so much more. It was a nice break from driving and our last stop before Niagara Falls. I loved this stop so much that I added the Great Lakes to my Bucket List!
Now, it's time for the wonderful experiences visiting Niagara Falls can provide you. First of all, the waterfall views from New York and Canada are very different but you need to see both sides if possible. You can truly feel the powerful wind and water from the USA side. This is something that is lacking on the Canadian side. However, you can pay to ride in a boat from one of the boat companies and feel the magnitude of power which I would recommend as well. There are two different companies; one on the the US side and one on the Canada side. The boat experience is very much worth the money no mater which side you choose. If you can get a hotel on the Canadian side of NF, I would recommend staying there. There is so much you can experience around that area. Plus, there are fireworks during the summer which look amazing from Canada. Clifton Hills, the SkyWheel, the waterparks, casinos, and the Skylon Tower have the most AMAZING views and food! As long as you don't mind spending some cash, you would never be bored over there.
