Niagara Falls

I know it's a cliche to say "you have to see it to believe it" and "pictures don't do it justice", but this is very true in the case of Niagara Falls. I grew up 15 minutes from 'The Falls' and it never lost it's amazingness. Make sure to see The Falls from the Canadian side at night because they light them up beautifully.

I agree with Derek, the falls are just something you have experience to really understand how powerful it is. The Canadian side is definitely the place to view them from, and while you're there be sure to do the Maid of the Mist!

Awe-inspiring. That sums it up.

I do recommend staying on the Canadian side of the falls. The US side is a bit rundown, with a limited amount of restaurant options, unless you're into chain food.

Pro-tip: In order to get in/out of Canada, you'll need your passport. Minors need a valid ID as well. Don't make the mistake of walking all the way over the bridge, just to turn around with nothing but sweat on your brow.

If you have the stones, take a helicopter ride, and make sure you jump in the front seat. Don't get stuck in the back.

THIS IS WHERE JIM AND PAM GOT MARRIED!!! Oh man, I loved "The Office" so much, and Jim and Pam getting married in the falls on the Maid of the Mist was soooo romantic! Totally kitschy. The town itself is run-down as others have mentioned. It's really sad actually. But there are some cute little places that haven't become all commercialized. The casino on the other hand is incredibly dire. It's this mammoth building that you can't really escape. It's a shame, Niagara used to be THE place to go on honeymoon and on family road trips, but now it's really just the Falls, which are insanely cool, by the way.

We stopped by here on the US side last winter. Was a pretty chilly, misty morning, but still really enjoyed walking along the park and up around the falls. They are damn epic and one of those things you have to see at least once before you die! We then dropped in for lunch at The Red Coach Inn, which my wife was going crazy about because I guess it's where Pam & Jim from The Office got married. The town in general is a little run down and touristy unfortunately, but there are some great spots buried around.

Viewed from the Canadian side on my most recent trip (June 2014). It's well worthwhile to make a dinner reservation at the Skylon Tower. The view of the falls from there is awesome.

We only went on the American side of the falls and, to be honest, I was pretty excited to leave. The surrounding town is run-down and smells strongly of sulfur. The area immediately surrounding the Falls is, essentially, a giant mall of tourism with millions of opportunities for you to spend your hard-earned money on cheap nonsense or cheap/chain restaurants. Now, all that being said, I really do think our trip was worth it, because the Falls were absolutely breathtaking. We stayed for awhile in the surrounding park area and took some pictures of the Falls. It was something that I'm definitely glad we did, and I would like to come back with a passport and journey over to the Canadian side.

You really do have to see it to appreciate how awesome this is. I could sit and watch the falls for hours. Viewing the falls from the New York side is amazing and I think should be done as well as the Canadian side.

My wife and I spent a few days on the Canadian side and enjoyed every minute of it. We found plenty of great food and fun activities on Clifton Hill but we did venture further into the city to find cheaper food options occasionally. Besides that, everything in the tourist area was in walking distance from our hotel and taking in the falls is an event itself any time of the day.

Visited the Canadian side first- beautiful, well organized with nice walkways etc (and $20 parking!), headed to US side. That town was like a ghost town after dark. Not even a gas station nearby (head towards the outlets/airport if you need gas!). We ended up skipping the US side but after looking at the map of the park, we kinda regret it now. Don't skip seeing the light show during the evening, and ride the maid of the mist boat under the falls if you can too!