The first place I visited was my favourite, and better yet it was free. Just on the outskirts north of the city and on the edge of the Niagara River is the New York State Niagara Power Project-The Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant in Lewiston. Free guided tours (parking is also free) of this magnificent facility are offered daily. Senior tour guide Lori Presti took me under her wing.
“2.4 million kilowatts of clean electricity is produced in the power plant, which is the second largest in the United States,” she said. “The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State is the largest.”
Although tours are no longer offered of the plant in the gorge (since 9/11), there’s plenty to keep you entertained on the upper two public levels. The Niagara History Gallery had me enthralled with many photographs of the collapse of the Schoellkopf Power Plant on June 7, 1956. I can vaguely remember my dad taking me to see the ruins of the plant in the Niagara Gorge near the Rainbow Bridge. A must see from the outdoor observation deck is the two Sir Adam Beck Canadian power plants and the Robert Moses U.S. power plant in the lower gorge.
If you have young ones, the whole family will get a charge out of the Vandgraffe Generator that produces static electricity (get it?). If I had hair, it would stand-up straight when I was grounded to this generator! There are lots of interactive exhibits to keep you for hours, although signage to this attraction is poor. Enter through the main entrance of nearby Niagara University on the Robert Moses Parkway and follows the sign.
If you like art, head to the Castellani Art Museum located smack-dab in the middle of the grounds of Niagara University. The gallery was founded by Mr. and Mrs. Armand Castellani, founders of Western New York’s Tops Markets. The museum houses a permanent collection of more than 5,500 works of art by well known artists like Picasso and Warhol.
One of the highlights of the museum is the Freedom Crossing Exhibit. You can see exhibits and view films depicting people, places and events of the 1800s when fugitive slaves crossed into Canada by means of the Underground Railroad. Admission is by donation.
Another stand-out find is the Aquarium of Niagara at 701 Whirlpool St. near the falls. Sea lions, penguins, a giant octopus and poison dart frogs are a few of the aquatic creatures in this year-round attraction. There are storytelling performances every Saturday at 11:30 am and 2:45 p.m. plus sea lion demonstrations in the central pool throughout the day. Admission is adults $9.50 US, seniors (over 60) $7.50 US and children 4 to 12 years $6 US. Open daily 9 to 5 p.m.
Down the road at 427 First St. is the Snow Park where you can snow tube and skate. Promotional material boldly screams, “The hot new place to chill.” Thanks to the ability to reproduce snow, the park is open year round for winter fun. Adult combo tickets will cost you $13.
I bet lots of Canadians have not seen the falls from the United States side of the border. Here’s your chance to do so. Drive over the 1st Avenue Bridge to Goat Island, where parking and admittance is free at this time of year, and wander to the edge of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls on the American side. See the skyline of Niagara Falls, Ont., in a different light. Later, take time to cross the small stone bridges in the Upper Niagara River onto one of the three Sister Islands. You’ll see the river come crashing down over the falls as you walk the bridge.
If you decide you want to stay over for the night The Giacomo Boutique Hotel is the new hot-spot located in downtown Niagara Falls. Formerly the United Office Building built in 1929 (it’s the tall, stately building we see behind the American falls) underwent major renovations in 2009 and opened in December. The old building still charms and when you enter the lobby you’ll feel like you’ve travelled back to posh 1920s America.
Contact George Bailey at wonderful.life@sympatico.ca
For More Information
Niagara Falls New York Tourism at www.niagara-usa.com. or 1-877-325-5787.
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