After 3 years of no travelling (thanks Covid) we finally managed to do a family weekend away. The kids had a 4 day weekend so we decided a short road trip (to get us back in road tripping shape) was the way to go, We've basically been everywhere within 4 day road tripping distance but we finally decided to head back out to Western New York and visit Buffalo and do the American side of Niagara Falls - every other time we've been to the falls we've done it mainly from the Canadian side.
The biggest issue however was what to do with the hedgehog whilst we were away - we did some research and found a place that boards hedgehogs just across the border in New Hampshire so we organised for Andy (who also had the Thursday off) to take the little man up there for a little holiday of his own.
Day 1 - Thursday 6th Oct 22, Home - Ludlow, MA
We picked the kids up from school on Thursday afternoon, I had to do a smidge more work, but by 3pm we were on the road. We just had a short trip this afternoon (we originally thought we'd all have to take the hedgehog to New Hampshire so didn't want to commit to going too far) - out to Ludlow Massachusetts. We stayed the night at a Holiday Inn and had dinner at the local pub - The Brickhouse tavern. Seemed like a good idea at the time - and the food seemed good, both Josh and I tried their specialty - the plates of Tater tots - Josh had the buffalo chicken and I had the garlic tots which were yummy - but super filling.
Day 2 - Friday 7th Oct 22, Ludlow, MA to Buffalo NY
Woke up still feeling full and bloated. Had a small breakfast in the hotel then hit the road for our big driving day. Straight out the I90 for 375 miles.
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| It wouldn't be a road trip without a picture of Josh asleep in the car. |
The problem was that neither Josh nor I was feeling that great....and that resulted in an unintended stop halfway to clean out the car. Not the greatest start to the holiday. We skipped lunch and headed straight through to Buffalo. We'd booked into a Wyndham Garden Inn in downtown Buffalo. I don't know that it was really downtown. It was right in the middle of the hospital - it was actually a really nice location. After a short rest (and a load of laundry to clean up) we took a walk downtown. It ended up being quite a long walk and we didn't make it all the way to the canal like I was hoping. We walked down Washington street to Lafayette square, then turned around and headed back up main street,
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| Buffalo City Hall |
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| Main Street Buffalo |
We walked past the hotel and to the Anchor Bar. The home of the original Buffalo wings. It was about 4pm but we'd skipped lunch, and after a nice big walk we were all feeling like eating again so we had a really early dinner. The wings were good - as was the rest of the food we tried.
A short walk back to the hotel, with a quick detour to the local convenience store for ice creams for dessert and then we crashed for the rest of the evening. Our room at the hotel was great - we ended up with a full suite with kitchen, sitting room and bedroom so it was nice to spread out.
Day 3 - Saturday 8th Oct 22, Buffalo NY to Niagara Falls NY
Breakfast was provided at the hotel again then we headed out for some unplanned shopping - Josh needed some new shoes to wear - his old ones didn't go well through the wash - so we found the local Target, rocking up just as they opened. Both Andy and Lexie found new shoes as well (I feel so left out), then we were back on the road. A short hop today - half an hour up the road to Niagara Falls. It was still quite early when we arrived which was nice, we were able to find a free parking spot just a 1/2 mile walk from the falls, and wandered down along the river.
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| Josh you need to be in the photo too..... |
To see the Falls from the American side. I've seen the falls a number of times now, but they are still magnificent.
We paid our $5 (for 4 people) to go up the observation tower to get some great views of the falls - with a double rainbow and everything!
Standing on the observation deck we could look down and see people walking right up next to the falls - they seemed to be coming from where the maid of the mist boat was docked. I've always wanted to do that walk and I remembered that the sign had said our ticked was for the observation tower and lower gorge so I walked up the maid of the mist line (thankfully there was no one in it) and asked if we were allowed to go down and do the lower gorge and they said yes so we did. The trail is not at all maintained - it was rocky and slippery and wet everywhere, but you were able to walk up to what they called the crows nest - a position right up next to the side of the falls...mind you it was wet....really wet....every now and then when the wind blew in the wrong direction it was like standing in a shower. But it was an amazing experience. You could look up and see (and feel) the water coming over the top of the falls right above you. So much fun.
Once we were finished we decided to head up into town and check out the souvenir stores - we thought about doing the Maid of the Mist, but we had to be in Lewiston at 12 and we were not sure if we'd have enough time and didn't want to risk it. We spent a short while shopping for souvenirs and then jumped in the car. We drove up along the Niagara River and stopped in at the Whirlpool National Park. Just downstream of the falls, the Niagara River changes direction, and at the bend a whirlpool forms. We walked to the top of the gorge to check it out - the whirlpool was not whirling too fast today, must be on a delicate cycle!
We continued along the river checking out the beautiful riverside houses, past the hydro electric power stations and up to Lewiston. First thing we saw as we drove into town - a frozen custard shop so of course Andy had to stop - we were all a bit cold (and soggy) after our brush with the falls, but not too cold for frozen custard....The plan for this afternoon was to do a jet boat tour on the Niagara river - but we didn't have to be there for a while yet so we drove around the town of Lewiston for a while - its a cute little place. At 12 we headed for the Whilpool jet boat tour place where we got ourselves rugged up and ready for some action.
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| The jet boat |
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| rugged up and ready to go |
Since it was quite a cool day (only about 12deg (54F)) they outfitted us in both a blue plastic poncho and a more substantial yellow poncho before putting on our life vests, but they made it very clear that that was for warmth and it WOULD NOT keep us dry (spoiler alert - they were right).
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| Too cheap to buy the actual photo, but this gives you an idea of the get up |
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| That's us right down the front..... |
We had a great time - the only problem was it wasn't long enough. Thankfully we had planned ahead so when we got back we each had a bag full of dry clothes we could change into...and we needed it - we were soaked - head to toe. After drying off and warming up we headed into Lewiston to the Brickyard pub and brewery for lunch before headed back to the hotel in Niagara Falls. We were staying the night at the Double tree right on the river front - it was a beautiful location.
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| View from out Hotel window |
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| View standing down by the river looking back at our hotel |
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| View standing down by the river at our hotel |
We relaxed in the room for a while (Josh and I were going to go in the pool but there were too many people in there for our liking) before heading out to dinner. After much deliberation we had decided that we wanted to go to the Steak Stone and Sushi restaurant so we headed out there, only to be old that there was going to be a 20 min wait. We decided that we would try somewhere else instead and went around the corner to the mexican restaurant - but there was a 40 min wait for that restaurant. OK we will just go to Olicve garden......Nope that's a 50 mins wait. At this point we decided that we would head up to Lewiston, maybe somewhere not so touristy would be better so we went to the Griffin Gastro pub 20 mins up the road in Lewiston......45 min wait there. We were rapidly running out of options, but then we went down a back street to turn around and found another restaurant - Tin Pan Alley Tavern that didn't look too busy and nope - they had room for us - when we don't have to go hungry after all. It was 9 pm be the time we finished dinner and got back to the hotel, but we wanted to go see the falls lit up at night, plus we had seen that they weredoing fireworks over the falls tonight at 10pm so we hung around the room for another 1/2 hour then headed back to the falls. This time we drove out to Goat Island for a better view of the horseshoe falls. Unfortunately the spray was really strong and I didn't want to get another change of clothes soaking wet so Lexie and I had a quick look at the light show then retreated to walkway along the top of the island whilst Josh and Dad went for a closer look at the falls.
The fireworks show was pretty cool - it's been ages since I've actually seen fireworks in person, so that was fun. Then we headed back to the hotel to bed.
Day 4 - Sunday 9th Oct 22, Niagara Falls NY to Schenectady NY.
Had a small sleep in today, but since there was no breakfast at this hotel we were still out and on the road by 8am. The plan was to barrel straight back down the I90 this morning to central NY, then spend the afternoon doing some fun stuff...but first we had to do a quick detour by the Gord Downie memorial in Buffalo for Andy.
We made a quick stop at a Tim Hortons for breakfast - hot chocolate/coffee and a box of Tim Bits, then hit the road. But 11am we were almost at Utica and we decided it was time to start playing - we were hoping to do a couple of wineries today and I had found one just of the I90 that supposedly opened at 11am so we jumped off the pike and headed there, only to find out it was closed till 12. bugger. So back on the road, but on back streets this time - we could finally see something of Central NY and boy was it pretty. The trees are changing colour beautifully - and there were even some vistas. At 12 we reached the next winery on our list, Brimfield Farm winery. An old dairy farm that they had converted into a driving range and winery - They had a deck with the most beautiful view - and really nice wines to boot.
Then we figured it was time to do something the kids could enjoy too so we decided to go diamond mining........yes that right you can mine diamonds in New York. OK they are not real real diamonds - but they are double terminated quartz crystals that come out the rock looking just like faceted diamonds so they are called "Herkimer Diamonds". We found the mine site and rented some equipment and then set to work finding ourselves some diamonds - and we did actually find some. I think we pulled 2 medium sized and one small diamond out of the stones, and had a lot of fun - Josh got to wield a sledgehammer whilst Lexie suck with doing the fine work of trying to get the diamonds out of the rocks when we found them.
Day 5 - Monday 10th Oct 22, Schenectady NY - Home.
The main plan for today was to pick up the hedgehog so we headed directly east across New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. We were driving back roads today, winding through the green mountains of Vermont. It was a very pretty drive. Its fun to see where the trees are still green, where they are in peak colour and then totally done in some patches. Had A donut at Dunkin in Keene for breakfast and were in Pelham NH by 11.30 am to pick up Mr QT. Lexie was very glad to have her hedgehog back, but I'm not sure he was so happy with us - a lot of chuffing and prickles from him. Straight back down the 3 and the 95 and home by lunch time.
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