Telephone City, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls

Canada's roaring treasure

Niagara Falls ... Who has not heard of this huge and loud waterfall, almost deafening by the force of the falling water? Being so close, we cannot help but see it. It is about 300 km from Chatham-Kent , so getting there won't take long.

On the way, we will pass another town called Woodstock . The name may be secondary, but it is certainly impossible to say that about the beautiful Oxford County Courthouse or Woodstock City Hall , or even about the picturesque Victorian houses, which are exceptionally numerous here. We will also pass Brantford , sometimes referred to as Telephone City for the sake of the famous resident, Alexander Graham Bell, the creator of the telephone. Another famous person born here is Wayne Gretzky , considered by some to be the greatest ice hockey player of all time .

Already almost there, not far from the waterfall, is St. Catharines . It is exceptionally nice, so we will be happy to stop in it. There are several parks in the city, including Montebello Park , which is part of the Ontario Heritage Act . It is famous for its huge rose garden - there are over 1,300 bushes here in 25 varieties. The heart of the park is a beautiful pavilion built in 1888 and a "shell", that is, a historic fountain. The authorities of St. Catharines quickly realized the importance of highlighting the city's tourist attractions, so visitors will find numerous walking paths here. One of the most famous is Walker's Creek. An interesting fact worth seeing is also the Silver Spire United Church on St. Paul - as the name suggests, the top of the temple is decorated with a silver pointed spire visible from a distance.

Niagara Falls - one attraction of two countries

Finally, we reach one of Canada's greatest attractions - Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls). You can joke that this attraction is so big that two countries calmly shared it. To be precise, it is not really one, but three waterfalls that together form a famous complex. It is beautifully illuminated at night, and in winter it is charmed by giant icicles created by the water. You can take the opportunity to go on a cruise on a small tourist ship - it regularly sails almost to the cascades. The natural cave next to the waterfalls, known as the Cave of the Winds, is also worth visiting. The route leads to it through a complex of scaffolding and platforms, on which you can feel the force of wind up to 110 km / h. This is an attraction for seekers of extreme sensations.

Niagara Falls is the name of the waterfall itself, but also of the city, or actually two cities - one is in the Canadian province of Ontario, the other in the US state of New York. Of course, this interests us in Canada. We can be glad that we are on the Canadian side, because the local tourist infrastructure is much more developed and the landscapes are more beautiful - you can see both the American side of the waterfall and its Canadian part. In addition, Canadians can enjoy the casino built here in the 90s. In close proximity to the masses of falling water, there are huge parking lots , numerous souvenir shops, observation towers , hotels, casinos and theaters. There are golf courses a little further. However, it should be emphasized that the city offers not only attractions related to the waterfall. Tourists can visit Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory , the butterfly zoo, and MarineLand - a popular amusement park, is also waiting for them. Visitors are interested in both the close vicinity of Niagara Falls and the rich offer of entertainment.

A plan to say goodbye to Canada

Understandably, there are many campsites in the vicinity of such a famous place. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the waterfall who often want to spend more time here. We chose Branches of Niagara Campground & Resort (2659 Whitehaven Road), where the accommodation for a group of 4 like ours costs from 42 to 61 dollars, depending on the season. The campsite is located between Niagara Falls and Buffalo, minutes from Fantasy Island Amusement Park.

We will also follow the example of other tourists and spend some time here. Especially that we are encouraged to do so by both the surroundings and the campsite itself, where guests have at their disposal a heated swimming pool , a fishing lake (well stocked), kayaks , as well as a mini golf and volleyball field . Soon we will be heading to Toronto without haste.