No plans had been made for this weekend. I thought it was going to be one of those days where I just sulked around the house; watch TV, check my e-mail, eat and then sleep (I just wanted to get through the day without dying of utter boredom). My sister, bless her soul, decided we head up to Niagara On The Lake and then Niagara Falls. We had made plans to go several weeks ago but unfortunately things just did not work out. I was extremely upset at the time and to make it up to me, she suggested we go today (even though she has absolutely no interest in exploring the quaint little shops that the area has to offer). Below are some images of our exertion:
We decided to pick up some peaches from Parkway Orchard Country Market. They offered fresh peaches, cherries and plums! We didn't have time to actually pick our own so we opted to just pick up a basket at the front check-out. They also have a souvenir shop attached and a small selection of ice-cream.
Shaw Cafe & Wine Bar has to be the most beautiful eatery on the street!
We had some mango ice-cream here and it was absolutely delicious! There are several ice-cream/gelato places on the street so you'll absolutely find something you love!
Here's the inside of Taylor's.
Ten Thousand Villages is a store you MUST visit if you go to Niagara On The Lake. They have different items from all over the world; home decor, jewellery and more.
Inside Ten Thousand Villages.
I picked up this handmade elephant piggybank from Ten Thousand Villages.
After we finished walking Niagara On The Lake we headed towards Niagara Falls. On the way however we stopped by the following locations:
We decided to pick up some peaches from Parkway Orchard Country Market. They offered fresh peaches, cherries and plums! We didn't have time to actually pick our own so we opted to just pick up a basket at the front check-out. They also have a souvenir shop attached and a small selection of ice-cream.
Here's an image of the inside of Parkway Orchard Country Market.
Here is what we bought from Parkway Orchard Country Market - fresh plums!
Next, we stopped by McFarland House - isn't it beautiful?
The Whirlpool - they have a small aero car that can take you across for about $13.50.
Finally, we arrived at Niagara Falls! It was an absolutely beautiful evening. The area was crowded with people. The Falls are just an excellent location for picnics and outdoor activities. My mother told me that when I was younger, we would always head to The Falls for picnics on the weekends.
Here is a photo I took of The Falls. Having been here a million and one times, we took a few pictures and left towards the shops!
There are many touristy shops and activities right near the falls. Here's a photo of the SkyWheel - one of the more popular attractions on the street! I wanted to take some photos in front of the wax figurines at the Wax Museum however, there were way too people crowding the area (it was hard just getting past). They had an amazing sculpture of The Joker (R.I.P Heath Ledger) and if I ever go back again, I will definitely get a picture with it!
After we finished checking out the shops, we headed to the Fallsview Casino (unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries so I was unable to take any photos). We decided to eat at Shoeless Joe's, located in the far corner of the building just besides Sirens. I wasn't going to mention this restaurant because, in all honesty, the experience was HORRIBLE, but I thought I'd better advise any readers to NOT go there if you're going to The Falls. Although our server was excellent, the food was absolutely disgusting. My sister ordered a chicken quesadilla and she said that the ones at Taco Bell were infinitely better (I think that speaks volumes about the taste and quality of their food). The margarita pizza I ordered was pretty much a plain cheese pizza; there were little to no toppings per slice. Also, it took them literally an hour to bring out the food. Dessert took them 30 minutes and it was pretty much a boxed cake with ice-cream and whip cream (seriously - how long does it take to open up a box and cut a slice of cake?)! I'm going to stop rambling about this horrid experience now because just thinking about the food makes my stomach churn.
If you decide to actually eat inside the Casino (click the hyperlink to view all dining options) complex (as opposed to eating at one of the restaurants on the street) then I would recommend the The Grand Buffet in the actual playing area (their food isn't superb but they have a LOT of variety and tons of great desserts - being a vegetarian, I find their selection lacking however I run into that problem where ever I go). If you're actually eating in the Casino playing area, you need to be 19+ so make sure you don't have any kids with you. I also noticed a new Chinese buffet called Golden Lotus (not located in the playing area so feel free to bring your kids) that was crowded with people (must be good) and they had an excellent selection of food. Unfortunately, they had a grand total of 2 vegetarian options so we didn't go there. Both buffets cost around $20 for dinner (make sure you have a PAC [Player's Advantage Card] otherwise the cost goes up $2 - you can make it for free inside the Casino at the service desk). If you want to skip the whole restaurant experience and just eat some fast food then head over to the food court on their lower level. Last time we went, we ate burgers & fries at Johnny Rocket's and they were absolutely delicious. I wanted to eat there again this time around however due to differing opinions, we opted for Shoeless Joe's (money down the drain).
Have you ever been to Niagara On The Lake or Niagara Falls? How was your experience? Let me know in the comments below! If you know of any good places to eat, please do share!
