1:00 PM - 1:45 PM A stop at AAA in Lewiston, NY.
1:50 PM Entered city of Niagara Falls, NY; 145758 Miles.
2:40 PM Checked in at Pelican Motel in Niagara Falls, NY. I went to my room to put all my luggage there before heading out to see the falls. When I unlocked the door, I saw that the room was a mess. The maid had not cleaned it yet. (The bed sheets were also missing). I left the motel immediately, without entering the room.
2:55 PM Parked at entrance to Goat Island. Then walked across the bridge to the island.
3:20 PM FIRST VIEW OF THE AMERICAN FALLS -- FROM THE TOP OF THE FALLS.
For the next few minutes, I was staring at the water falling down. It was almost hypnotic. Near the bottom, I could see some people in yellow raincoats. They were taking the "Cave of the Winds" trip, which goes to the base of the American Falls. That felt like a good place to start, so I went to the ticket counter for the Cave of the Winds Trip.
4:00 PM I received a raincoat and shoes for this trip. Then took the elevator to the bottom of the falls, where the tour officially began.
I think it will be better if I gave the rating for this attraction before describing it, so here is the rating: 
. Now, the description: This is a journey that takes visitors within an arm's length of the thundering American Falls. Needless to say, the raincoats were an absolute requirement! The highlight of this trip is a place called "Hurricane Deck". This is where it is possible (although strictly forbidden) to reach out your hand over the railing and touch the water falling down. Visitors in the past who have put their hands out have had their wrists broken due to the tremendous force of the water. No one under the age of five is allowed to go on Hurricane Deck. In spite of the raincoat, I got completely drenched at Hurricane Deck from the continuous splash of the American Falls. The trip was finished in less than an hour.
I started to get hungry, so I went back to the car and went to Burger King for lunch. I ordered it "to-go" and ate it on a bench overlooking the Niagara River rapids.
6:00 PM Back to Goat Island, this time by car. I parked on the island, then walked to a viewing area of the Canadian "Horseshoe" Falls ("Terrapin Point").
Rating for Canadian Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, NY/ON =
This one was even more mesmerizing than the American Falls (as the rating shows). I just kept staring and staring and staring and staring at the water.
Dazed and confused, I left Terrapin Point at some time. I don't know when.
7:00 PM Went to Observation Tower near the Maid of the Mist ride on the American side. Went down to Maid of the Mist for the ride.
7:15 PM - 8:00 PM Maid of the Mist boat ride. . Got drenched again, but not as much as at Hurricane Deck. This time, I got to keep the raincoat (poncho). I still have it today.
8:20 PM Back to car.
I had seen a lot of things today. Everything I saw had a minimum rating of . Night was starting to fall, but my day was just beginning...
8:30 PM:
8:40 PM Parked near a Best Western Inn in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I started walking towards the first of the Canadian-side attractions. I passed the Best Western Inn and saw a sign in front of the motel entrance for USA-Canadian currency exchange. Perfect! I went inside and exchanged $20 American money for $26 Canadian money, then bought some Canadian international postcard-rate stamps. Then continued walking towards the first sightseeing attraction in Canada.
9:10 PM Skylon Tower.
10:30 PM Back to the car. I was feeling tired because of all the walking, and a part of me wanted to go back to the motel and a part of me wanted to go back to the falls and see them some more! All of me was also feeling hungry, so I went to a Dennys restaurant for dinner.
10:40 PM - 11:25 PM Dinner at Dennys -- Niagara Falls, NY.
That was a filling dinner, and now all of me wanted to go back to the motel.
11:45 PM: U.S.A. on Rainbow Bridge; 145784 Miles.
11:55 PM Back to motel. The room was clean now. Called home, then went right to sleep.
Miscellaneous:
CANADA!!!
on the Rainbow Bridge (driving); 145780 Miles.
. I went to top of the observation tower. Observed the falls' night-time illumination. It was FANTASTIC! I had thought nothing could have equaled the illumination of the monuments in Washington, DC. Niagara Falls was far, far better than anything in Washington (except maybe the Air & Space Museum)! I could also see the night lights of the cities of Niagara Falls, NY and Niagara Falls, ON. Those were also very beautiful. I came back down at 10:15 PM.
Town:
Greece, NY
License Plates:
VAN EGGS
NY
GMC Jimmy 4x4
JEWELY
OH
Subaru
(That's how it was spelled!)
PENNOX
ON
Stationwagon
Expenses:
$48.80
Chase
Wellesley Inn
Rochester, NY
$5
Cash
Admission -- Cave of the Winds Trip
Niagara Falls, NY
$5
Cash
Postcard & magnet
Niagara Falls, NY
$2
Cash
Lunch -- Burger King
Niagara Falls, NY
$3
Cash
Parking -- Goat Island -- Terrapin Point
Niagara Falls, NY
$1
Cash
Observation tower -- USA
Niagara Falls, NY
$8
Cash
Fare -- Maid of the Mist boat ride
Niagara Falls, NY
$6
Canadian Cash
Canadian International Stamps
Niagara Falls, ON
$5
Canadian Cash
Admission -- Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls, ON
$7
Canadian Cash
Keychain and magnet -- Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls, ON
$13
Canadian CB
Dinner -- Dennys
Niagara Falls, ON
Go to start of this date
12:15 PM Ontario; 145794 Miles. Last night, I drove on the Rainbow Bridge and did not encounter any traffic going towards Canada. This morning, there was a lot of traffic going into Canada. There was a reason for that, which I would find out later.
I drove to the "Niagara Spanish Aerocar" parking lot in Niagara Falls, ON. This is a ride on a "Spanish Aerocar" that goes above a whirlpool in the Niagara River. The whirlpool is caused by a 90deg. turn in the river. The line to get on the ride was a two hour wait, so I decided not to go there right now. I bought an ice cream cone[34] and went for a walk along the river rapids. I bought two Canadian postcards there and mailed them to Perry -- this he had not asked for. Then came back to the car and left.
1:50 PM Parked at another location in Niagara Falls, ON. This one charged a fee -- paid $9 (American cash) to park there. In addition to parking, that fee also included unlimited day-long "Niagara Falls Tour Bus" rides. There was a currency exchange building in the parking lot, and since my Canadian cash supply was nearly finished, I went there and exchanged $30 American cash for $39.90 Canadian cash. Next, I took the tour bus to the first attraction along the tourist area.
I had gone to the "Cave of the Winds" trip on the American side yesterday; today I went to the "Journey Behind the Falls" trip on the Canadian side. I came within twenty-five feet of the thundering Horseshoe Falls, then followed a tunnel to a spot behind the falls. Got completely drenched yet another time! .
For the rest of the afternoon, I walked along the river, stopping at every viewpoint to take some pictures.
6:00 PM USA on Rainbow Bridge (walked across).
6:10 PM Canada on Rainbow Bridge (walked back). Took more pictures in front of the Canadian flag and a "Welcome to Canada" sign.
6:45 PM - 8:00 PM At "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" museum in the Maple Leaf Village section of Niagara Falls, ON. . I had been to another "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" museum in San Francisco, and I liked this one better. The majority of stories on display were different from the San Francisco museum. A large room in this museum was dedicated entirely to unusual facts about the Niagara Falls, the daredevil tight-rope walkers over the falls, and most interesting of all, the people who went over the falls inside a barrel -- on purpose.
At the museum, I overheard some people talking about the fireworks over the falls that night. This was unexpected -- I wanted to stay for the night illumination, but fireworks too??? WOW! I did not know this, but July 1 is "Canada Day" and so there are fireworks on every first of July. July 1 is also the start of the "fireworks season": After this date, there are fireworks again on July 4 and every Saturday night thereafter until the start of winter. Wow! I was going to see fireworks tonight! This was a great way to end my stay in the Niagara Falls region.
9:00 PM - 9:20 PM I came back to the car to pick up my jacket -- it was getting cold. I wore my thick jacket and left again by bus for the "Table Rock" viewing area[35]. The fireworks would start at 10:00 PM.
They started precisely on time, and lasted ten long minutes. The grand finale was spectacular!
Immediately after the fireworks ended, the falls lit up. The Horseshoe Falls was illuminated with colored lights forming the design of the Canadian flag to celebrate Canada Day. The American Falls were illuminated with the American flag, to celebrate the upcoming Independence Day. This was a great ending to a fantastic attraction!
10:50 PM Boarded one of the last tour buses that night to go back to the parking lot.
11:50 PM Back to the car. The reason it took so long was that we had to go the entire route of the bus, all the way to the Niagara Falls Spanish Aerocar attraction[36], then all the way back! Otherwise, the direct route was only two kilometers from Table Rock to the parking lot.
12:30 AM It took me another half hour to drive the three kilometers from the parking lot to the Rainbow Bridge. The crowds were overwhelming! Entered USA on Rainbow Bridge (driving). 145806 miles.
Overall rating for Niagara Falls, USA/CANADA region (including all miscellaneous attractions in the general vicinity, considering all factors, including the crowds) = .
I did not want to sleep another night in a motel in Niagara Falls[37], so I started driving South towards Ohio.
2:20 AM Pennsylvania; 145898 miles.
2:25 AM Arrived at Pennsylvania visitor center/rest area on I-90 immediately after entering the state. I ate some free donuts and drank some "what-was-supposed-to-be" coffee that was offered for free to all visitors to this state. Friendly folks! The coffee did not taste like coffee. It was... different. The donuts were nice though. By definition, donuts are supposed to contain sugar and coffee is supposed to contain caffeine. Both sugar and caffeine are supposed to keep people awake. Immediately after coming back to the car, I fell asleep.
License Plates:
| DORFIN | ON | Acura Vigor |
| ALLABTME | NY | Hyundai |
| ITS ME 92 | IL | Pontiac Grand Am |
| $54.39 | Chase | Pelican Motel -- one of the highest prices paid for the worst motel on this trip | Niagara Falls, NY |
| $12 | CB | Gas -- Sunoco | Niagara Falls, NY |
| $100 | CB | Cash withdrawal -- Citibank | Niagara Falls, NY |
| $2 | Canadian Cash | Two postcards -- "Niagara Falls Spanish Aerocar" gift shop | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $3 | Canadian Cash | Ice cream cone -- cafeteria near "Niagara Falls Spanish Aerocar" | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $9 | Cash | Parking -- American currency, paid in Canada | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $30 | Cash | Currency exchange for $39.90 Canadian cash | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $4 | Canadian Cash | Admission -- "Journey Behind the Falls" | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $1 | Cash | At "Journey Behind the Falls": Souvenir fold-out map of Niagara Falls, ON -- American currency | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $5 | Canadian Cash | Another ice cream cone -- "Table Rock" | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $6 | Canadian Cash | Admission -- Ripley's Believe It, or Not! museum | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $3 | Canadian Cash | Yet another ice cream cone -- just before the fireworks started; ate ice cream while watching fireworks! -- A PERFECT ENDING! | Niagara Falls, ON |
| $1 | Cash | Toll -- I-90 | Buffalo, NY |
| $2 | Cash | Toll -- I-90 again at Pennsylvania border | Ripley, NY |
Go to start of this date
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Continue on to July 2