One of the fun things to do at Niagara Falls is watch the Niagara Falls fireworks at night. The Niagara Parks have released the 2008 fireworks schedule.

Every Friday, Sunday and Holiday: May 16 - August 31.

Holidays:Victoria Day, May 19, 2008
Memorial Day, May 26, 2008
Canada Day, July 1, 2008
Independence Day, July 4, 2008
Civic Holiday, August 6, 2008

PLUS BONUS SHOWS (fireworks only): Every Wednesday in July & August and every Friday from September 5 - October 10, 2008.

Head down to the Park at around 8pm for free concerts. If you are staying in Niagara Falls, New York you can go down to the Niagara Falls State Park and usually here the concert as well, across the gorge - the sound of the music carries!

Enjoy your Niagara Falls vacation!

I like to keep on top of the trends and things to do and see around Niagara Falls. When I am surfing around message boards and other places on the internet, I come across a lot of people and postings saying that there is just not that much to do in Niagara Falls outside of the Falls, and sometimes people will just come for a day. HOW WRONG THEY ARE! So today, I am going to start a new category here on the Niagara Falls Visitors Guide and name it “More to Niagara”. I am going to focus on the region, not just Niagara Falls. When I say region, I mean Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Toronto and everything in between. I will cover  as much as I can.

I am going to introduce to you things to do and places to go that are within just an hour drive of Niagara Falls, so if you are staying here for more then one day you can discover our region and go home and tell everyone what a great time you had when you visited the Niagara area. I hope you enjoy it – and please feel free to post a comment anywhere on this blog so I know there are actually people reading- well, I know you are out there since this website is already getting over 1,000 unique visitors a month in it’s third month of existence; so don’t be shy and SPEAK UP about your experiences here, we would all love to hear about them!

As I rode past the casino today on my way to work, I could not help but notice the big blank space along John B. Daly Blvd where the old Niagara Splash Park once was. The Pizza Hut on the corner has also disappeared. Meanwhile, on the other side of the hotel the old Holiday Inn is just about all down. One thing I have to admit about the Seneca Nation is they don’t mess around when it comes to development. It leaves one to wonder what is going to come up in it’s place. It is rumored to be a state of the art entertainment complex with more gaming space and more hotels on the land.

Further out, construction is also moving forward on the Buffalo Creek Casino in nearby Buffalo.

I will post further construction updates as they happen.

What: Niagara’s Fury
Website: http://www.niagarasfury.com

There is a new attraction that will be unveiled this spring in Niagara Falls Canada called Niagara’s Fury.

From what we understand it will be located in the Table Rock area; by viewing the trailer that is online at the website, it seems to tell the history of how the falls is actually what it is today. It’s tagline is “The Creation of the Falls”. The teaser that is on the website is nothing more then text, music and some still photos; still, it will be rather interesting to see what this attraction will be all about. We’ll update once we know more - in the meantime, check out the teaser.

Based on some queries we have received here at Niagara Falls Visitors Guide about currency, I thought that I would let the readers of this blog in on some tips and recommendations for currency conversion in Niagara Falls Canada. Generally U.S. Dollars are accepted at most attractions, restaurants and souvenir stores. The question is, should you exchange your money before crossing the border at your local bank? If the U.S. dollar was worth more I would generally have to recommend that you exchange your currency before entering Canada, but due to the current exchange rate, it is not really that important. I will update this post if & when the currency rates swing back in the favor of the American Tourist in Niagara Falls.

Why exchange before you come to Niagara Falls on your vacation? I have noticed, on my frequent trips to local souvenir stores in Canada that most of the shops will give a poor exchange rate. I have seen as much as 5o to 75 cents on the dollar over what you could get at your local bank before your even go on your vacation. There are plenty of banks in Niagara Falls USA where you can exchange your money before heading over the border to Canada.

Here is another tip – watch your credit and debit card purchases while in Canada if your issuing bank is in the United States. Most banks charge anywhere between $2 and $5 as a currency conversion rate fee. Check with your card issuer before going hog wild with your credit card on vacation in Canada as you can end up spending a lot more money then originally intended.

This is an expansion of our post “10 Smart Niagara Falls Travel Tips”. In our Niagara Falls travel tips blog posting, we advise you to bring the proper clothing. We thought we’d expand on that section and give you a little more information!

Visting Niagara Falls In Winter – Make sure you bring plenty of warm clothes – sweaters, gloves, hats and ear muffs to be exact. Our temperatures in the winter season can get very cold with days at a time often below freezing. The Niagara Falls area is notorious for wind that whips off the lakes surrounding the falls – which produces a nasty wind chill of below zero, yes – below zero temperatures . You’ll want to make sure if you are visiting in the winter time that you plan your outdoor activities according to the warmest part of the day.

Visiting Niagara Falls in Spring – Ahh, the melting snow, the launch of the Maid of the Mist. It’s spring in Niagara Falls. Not just shorts weather yet – and make sure you bring your lightweight jacket. Weather tends to be sunny with rainy periods and with highs in the 50s to mid 60s. Flowers bloom, birds chirp.

Visiting Niagara Falls in Summer – Up and down, hot and humid. July and August can reach highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s with very high humidity, well just because we are around so much water. Bring your sun block solution and shades – you’ll need ‘em.

Visiting Niagara Falls In Autumn – Fall- Our favorite time of year. Crisp, cool and comfortable. Pack jeans and your lightweight jackets to enjoy the outdoors and changing of the leaves.

Generally while on your Niagara Falls vacation casual is the order of the day. There are fine dining restaurants, however, at most upscale restaurants, business casual is the order of the day. Pack a paid of khakis and a polo shirt and you can’t go wrong.

Are you visiting Niagara Falls this summer? We’ve put together this
handy list of “must have” items for your trip to one of the world’s
greatest wonders. Feel free to print this list or link to us.

1. Comfortable Walking Shoes - Niagara Falls is a natural wonder, and
as such you’ll be walking for extensive amounts of time, so be sure to
bring your favorite sneakers or comfortable moccasins. Many of the other
attractions in the area such as the Niagara Falls State Park, Fort
Niagara, Botanical Gardens, Niagara on the Lake, wineries and more all
require extensive walking to fully enjoy the experience.

2. Your Birth Certificate or Passport - Do you plan on crossing in to
Canada? Most visitors to Niagara Falls cross from the United States to
Canada. Make sure that you have your birth certificate and/or passport
with you to ensure a smooth border crossing.

3. The Proper Clothing - many of our tourist friends visit Niagara
Falls every year and don’t bring the appropriate clothing for the time
of year they are visiting. Average temperatures for Niagara Falls and
the entire Buffalo-Niagara Frontier region vary throughout the year.
Summers are usually warm while spring and fall tend to be cool.

4. Photocopy of your Prescriptions - this is especially important if
you are traveling to the Buffalo Niagara Airport (BUF) by air, and you
require a medication that is given by injection (diabetes, etc). Due to
the stringent security standards on most airlines, generally you will
need to carry a copy of the physicians prescription or have the original
bottles with your prescription. If you no longer have these items (some
like to put their medication in “pill boxes”), be sure to get a doctors
note stating the name of the medication and when it was prescribed, how
often you take it (dosage), and that you should be traveling with this
medication and it’s accessories (syringes, liquid form of medication and
so on), if applicable.

5. Cash, Credit or Bank Cards - Generally, you should travel with some
currency of the country you are visiting; most Niagara Falls stores,
hotels, casinos, souvenir shops and restaurants in both Niagara Falls
Canada and Niagara Falls USA accept U.S. and Canadian dollars. It is a
good idea to pay in the correct currency. The exchange rate on foreign
cash is usually a disadvantage, and by paying with your bank card or
credit card, you’ll get YOUR banks foreign currency exchange rate.

6. Swimming Gear. Although you may not have thought as Niagara Falls as a place to swim, If you are going on a Niagara Falls holiday no matter
if it is in the summer or winter, be sure to bring your swimming gear.
There are areas to swim both indoors and outdoors at multiple water
parks in and around Niagara Falls.

7. Gifts. Local hosts, if you are staying in a Niagara Falls Bed and
Breakfast, appreciate local goodies from your are of the country. Bring
some food that you think others may enjoy, or something else that your
area is known for. One kind gesture goes a long way!

8. Insect Repellent. Bring a can or two especially in the spring. Sand
flies are very numerous during this time of year, and mosquitoes tend to
breed around water in the summer.

9. Small Backpack. When you are out and about enjoying your Niagara
Falls Tour and vacation, you may want to bring along a few items to
carry things like your camera, maps and brochures, and things for a
picnic- this way you can leave your large items back at your hotel

10. Camera. Last but not least, don’t forget your digital camera or
flash camera to take many pictures of Niagara Falls - you may also want
to include your tripod to capture still photos of Niagara Falls and
Niagara monuments.

We hope this short list of items helps you plan for your Niagara Falls
vacation! We hope you thoroughly enjoy your stay in Niagara Falls - be
sure to check out your Niagara Falls transportation options if you are
flying in to the Buffalo Airport.

This article is ©Copyright NiagaravisitorsGuide.com, 2008.

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