Finger Lakes and Niagara Falls
 

We're going to take a week long road trip up to Niagara Falls with a stopover in the Finger Lakes. Looks like we'll spend several nights in Ithaca as a base, and then at least one night in a very touristy hotel right on the Falls on the Canada side where every room has a supposedly amazing view of the Falls.

Anybody familiar with the Finger Lakes? What should we make sure not to miss? We're planning to go to a few parks and the glass museum but I feel like we have a couple days we need to fill. What is a must see in that area?

Walking across the Rainbow Bridge (yeah, rainbow bridge) was super fun, but we had a much shorter trip than you're planning (just a day trip). Be aware that just over the bridge on the Canadian side is a carnival/arcade/Disneyland/funpark/moneypit district that will exert a pull on your wallet. The kids will be attracted to SOMETHING, I promise. Be prepared. Also, everyone will need their US citizenship documentation which is subjected to scrupulous inspection upon returning to the US (thankyouDHSvermuch... not). Be prepared.

I bought duty free booze in Canada, totally worth it. Also, the view of the falls from the Canadian side was much more beautiful than what we managed to see from the US side. Do you have a polarizing filter for your camera? It may improve your shots of the water, depending on the light when you visit. Even polarized sunglasses are a great help. The museum/historical visitor center was very interesting (to me, less so for the others in my group).

That brings me to another point... the different stuffs will interest the different people in your group ... differently. Duh. But the differences can be extreme. I had zero interest in the arcade and my kids' interest in the historical displays was *less than* zero. Conflict, or at least grudging boredom. Perhaps you can divide the groups, or alternate, or ... something.

Also, there was MUCH WALKING. Miles of walking, prepare accordingly. I could easily spend the whole day, or more, in and around the falls. There is much to see on both sides.

I think I want to go swimming in a Great Lake. Maybe both of 'em there.

I remember from my childhood that they are like the ocean, but not as rough, and fresh water. So I need to look for a nice swimming beach.

I've been to the Finger Lakes several times. The Finger Lakes are noted for their wineries.

Almost all of the wineries offer tastings, which I realize are not as interesting for the youngsters. (Although it may give them an introduction to alcohol in a better setting than any of their peers will get.) But some of the larger places also offer a short tour of their facilities, which is more likely to be interesting to everybody.

They grow almost exclusively white wine grapes, due to the cold winters. This hot summer will produce a great vintage year, if it keeps going.

There are a lot of excellent B&Bs up there, so you might consider doing that as a change from the usual hotel thing.

Cellar connection: while you are there, if you travel up route 96 out of Ithaca, you may notice a small shitty roadside bar called "Barangus". This bar was the inspiration for a (fictional) story by early dwellar Richh, who would have been a famous writer if he A) was less consumed with making every story incredibly pornographic, and B) hadn't died in his 30s.

http://www.lunabase.org/~faber/RICHH/gresge/Barangus

Lake Ontario is COLD, even in summer - be forewarned! It's so deep it never really warms up. Lake Erie is far more shallow and warms up enough to have some nice swimming spots. The only ones I really know are on Presque Isle in Erie, which is pretty far off your planned itinerary.

You have to go on the Maid of the Mist while you're in Niagara Falls. The boats (there are several, all named the same) go as close to the base of the falls as possible. You get thoroughly wet (they provide rain ponchos) but it's a great way to appreciate the sheer power of the falls. Ignore the kitschy tourist-trap stuff as far as possible and drive up to the Whirlpool and, further along the Niagara Parkway, the School of Horticulture. A little farther and you arrive in Niagara on the Lake, a beautiful historic town well worth a visit and maybe even an overnight stay. High tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel is fun, if you like that sort of thing. There are numerous wineries in the Niagara region as well, and some excellent restaurants. Just avoid the touristy stuff (unless you enjoy it, of course). Have a great trip!

Be sure to take time to visit The Jello Museum in Le Roy, just west of the Finger Lakes.

http://www.jellogallery.org/

Oh yes and while you enjoy the Finger Lakes, realize that they were created by glaciers! The glaciers created tons of debris at their edge, and then tons of meltwater... for which the debris created dams. The water eroded valleys into what had been a more mountainous area.

Ha! That's right on the way. We may just have to stop there.

In no particular order (with no attempt at being comprehensive [and not necessarily listed as an endorsement or suggestion]), you might look into the following places:

The Glenn Curtiss aviation museum, which I remember mostly as detailing the legacy of a slightly bitter dude.

Corning Museum of Glass, always good for lightening your pocket. Come for the glass, stay for the Indian buffet.

The women's rights movement first started in upstate NY. Seneca Falls has a few interesting museums/national historic landmarks relating to women's suffrage and otherwise telling the story.

It's the wrong season, but for two months out of the year (when the maple is flowing) there's an amazing all-you-can-eat buckwheat pancake restaurant in Angelica.

Kodak was started/headquartered in Rochester. There's probably a good museum connected to that, but I've never been.

Western NY has its roots in a weird mix of religious minorities seeking freedom and solitude, radical leftists, video artists, and hippies. Such an odd place.

Watkins Glen.

Taughannok Falls, Cascadilla Gorge, and Buttermilk Falls will all be worth the trip! There is hiking all over and many more falls and gorges. Sometimes they do get over-crowded though. Cornell Campus is really nice and you'll want to wander College Town. Make sure you get to Purity Ice Cream, it is the yum.

Oh, try not to stare at the nakid dirty hippies. It only encourages them. ;) There are creeks everywhere just keep looking around. Check out Ludlowville Falls (Salmon Creek). There is also a dinosaur museum but the name is escaping me. Have fun!

Sounds like there is tons to do!

We were planning on going to Watkins Glen and other gorges and streams, these other ideas are great. Just what I'm looking for.

Wednesday, a friend was telling me I have to check out The Food Truck in Ithaca.

We may have waited too long to make all the hotel reservations. :sniff: We had a few days here and there to fill in, and the hotels we wanted in some of the smaller towns have been all booked.

Some of the Trip Advisor reviews are saying gas workers in the fracking fields are filling up these hotels, so it may always be like this.

You really can't take spontaneous trips to small towns and expect there to be vacancies!

We're still doing the trip, but need to adjust plans a bit here and there.

Sonnenberg gardens

http://www.sonnenberg.org/

Is camping an option for you guys?

Not this time. We don't want to carry that much stuff. Especially through a border crossing. I know there is tons of good camping there though.

We've since got hotel rooms lined up. Different hotels in different towns.

I was camping/riding with a kid who lifeguards at Treman State Park, that's a good one as well but they've had to close the swimming a couple times after heavy rain due to e coli from upstream cows... I believe they test the water daily.

One last question.
We're going to be in Canada for an afternoon, overnight, and the following morning. We're paying with a credit card for the hotel and meals. Should I change any cash into Canadian $? I can't think of any reason to need Canadian cash, but is there something I'm not thinking of?

I'm going to the AAA office on my lunch break today, and can change money there.

We were in rural Alberta, CA for a week 2 years ago. Had no problems using plastic.

Tipping?

Buying food or things from street vendors?

I decided against it. I walked over to AAA and got a couple maps. Always good to have a paper map in case the GPS is acting wonky.

Plastic should be good. Be sure to call your credit card company ahead of time to warn them you'll be using the card outside the US. If you don't, and you charge for gas, it'll be inactivated.

Foreign transaction fees may apply

I might post the occasional picture on this trip.
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Probably too late, but pretty much everyone I know takes plastic abroad.
If your credit/ debit card charges, then get a prepay. You will always get a better rate of exchange withdrawing from an ATM in your country of destination than you will in changing money. Well, I admit my knowledge is based on UK/ European banks :neutral:

I used ATMs in Amsterdam because many, many places don't take plastic there - odd in a capital city but perhaps because fraud has been a big problem. But at the time there was a zero charge for using LINK cards anywhere. Since the banking crisis I believe this has changed. In fact British banks are now even floating the idea of charging for current accounts. So I'll be withdrawing my wages in full once a month and putting them under my mattress...

More pictures. Moar, moar, moar.
Toilets and food and landmarks and family mugging for the camera and a travelogue when you get back please. Never been to Canada and would like your take on it as a furriner but neighbour.

Why is the bridge crooked? Am I missing something?

crooked??

do you mean the appearance of a bell shaped entrance to the covered bridge?

maybe a wider path narrows to the width of the bridge? maybe it's distortion from the wide lens?

maybe I don't know what you're talking about.

It's not leaning sideways, it's leaning forward. Observe the triangle created at the fenceposts.

Actually, not leaning at all. I'm guessing it was built that way to protect it from water splash from the road.

I use that excuse when I'm drunk too.

Here is a blog with more pics of the same bridge...
A couple of interior pics show architectural features.

Newfield Bridge
NY-55-01
Newfield, NY - Tompkings County

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Corning!
Is that Toughanock or Watkins?

Ah! The illusion is corrected now. Thanks!

Buttermilk? I think it was called that.

Corning is super cool.

Is that your kid glass-blowing?!

Yes! Isn't that cool? $30 to make a Christmas tree ornament of his own design. He chooses the color combination and a few design features, and gets to be right in there with the glass dude right by the furnace and does all the blowing. Has to keep his hands in his lap though. No touching. The guy does all the talent work. I think it's really cool.

Sundae, this is for you. Dinner was across the street from our hotel at the Wegmans supermarket. Tons of choices of various types of food. You pay by the pound. I had some shrimp potstickers, some pork potstickers, a little sweet and sour chicken, a big salad from the bar, and a slice of pizza. Got a bottle of milk too.

Our balcony table had a nice view of the bakery department.
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Water descending photos are amazing.
I read corning as coming. Both sound dirty.
Notice hefty hirsute man with shirt off? I did. My kinda location!

Glass blowing for amateurs - what a fantastic introduction and an excellent experience.
Making a Christmas ornament will always be remembered, even if said item breaks. I want one now (unique Christmas decoration, not a child.)

You go to the top of my Nice Chap list for taking food pics so very soon into your trip.
It looks teh yum. Whip off that cucumber and I think I could eat it, plate and all, within about five minutes. Or I'd eat my hat. No, really. I'm so hungry now I would eat my hat.

Time off for effort expended.
You have a pass for meals which you do not consider noteworthy.
Saying that I'd still love photos of anything from Hot Pockets to champagne and caviar and everything in between.

(Limey did not get this pass because she was on the honest-to-goodness Orient Express)

molten glass pipe --- blow, NEVER suck.

Yeah, that's right Buttermilk Falls. Nice.

Isn't Wegmans awesome? The brick bakery oven they build into most of their stores is the secret of their fantastic in-house bread. There's a Wegmans 35 miles north of smallville and it's a favorite destination. We can now enjoy a glass of wine or beer with a meal, before setting out to do the grocery shopping.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/05/tu9uny7u.jpg
A giant slice of salami in Watkins Glen is attacking my boy!

salami monster resembles glass ornament

Salami Monster prompted a loud braying laugh from me. Very unladylike.

At $1 Canadian = $.96 US, why bother? You might over-tip 4 cents, or 8 cents.
C'mon glatt, even you aren't that cheap... vacation ferchristsakes.

Treman state park
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Wow, so pretty!

Hotel last night. Very nice place.
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I never imagined that such a small balcony could have such a nice view.

What a view. LOVE the glassblowing -- so cool! I'm late to this thread -- are you guys planning to do the Lady of the Mist boat that takes you close to the falls?

Yeah, we did the boat ride. It was more fun than I was expecting. Really worth it. I'm glad we did it and recommend it without any reservations.

Here's a family portrait in the hotel. I set up the tripod on one of the queen beds. That hotel room was awesome. The shades were drawn when you walk in, so you can pull them back for the grand reveal.
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What a great photo! Very nice-looking family, you got there.

Weird. Tapatalk is double posting my images. I tried editing one to remove the double post, but only managed to delete the salami monster pic.

Awesome photo sir! Yes this is confirmation that Tapatalk is misbehaving. I do not know why they are doing this.

Looks like it might have been the lazy guy using the phone. An update to tapatalk came out over a month ago and I just loaded it this morning. Let's see if it fixes the issue.

Here's an amusing picture from Letchworth State Park.
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