Since we were a skip and hop away (in Pennsylvania), we contemplated a visit to the mammoth Niagara Falls. My mother had joined us for this portion of the road trip (God bless her) and this was the first time to Niagara for all of us. Yet, we weren’t sure we should go. Why?
1. We were road weary.
2. Gas is expensive.
3. I had heard from my aunt that it wasn’t as great as you’d think it would be. My trip to Old Faithful is an example of over-the-top expectations ruining an experience. It had been built up in my head as truly amazing and spectacular that the actual event seemed anti-climatic and kind of a letdown.
Eventually we forged ahead and just went for it ‘cause I don’t like saying “I wish I’d…” The drive there was lovely and we had a great little picnic in an abandoned lot in a small town on the way. (It was nicer than it sounds.)
We found an RV park about 20 minutes outside of Niagara and decided to spend the entire following day at the Falls.
The weather was perfect, so this was a good omen. We got a tip that we could park at the local aquarium for free, so we did. It was just a few blocks from the actual falls, and the walk was a great time in itself. There is a walking bridge that connects from the aquarium to the walking path along side of the Niagara River. We walked up the path, admiring the views, picking blackberries, and the sounds of rushing water kept us anticipating the prize at the end of the short walk.
Here are some pictures from the day, including a video at the end:
Driving into the U.S. side of the Falls.
It’s looks like Las Vegas over on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Our first peek. This is the U.S. side.
Beyond you can see the Canadian Falls.
How can you pass up the opportunity to ride into the Falls?
Sophia, Ben, Bella and I took the Maid of the Mist ferry.
The wind was whipping around… it was like being in a hurricane. So cool.
Was it worth the trip?
Absolutely.
My mother later asked my aunt why she had said it wasn’t that great when we obviously had a grand time.
Her answer? She didn’t want to build up our expectations too much. We would enjoy it more if we went there thinking it could be boring, so she downplayed it for our benefit.
Hmmm. That’s an interesting strategy, yet so clever ‘cause it really worked.
Does this mean I regret going to see Old Faithful? Nope. I never regret going anywhere. But I did learn to reign in my expectations in order to enjoy things a little but more.
My travel mantra: Keep expectations low. But see everything.
P.S. Pictures can only show you so much. Here’s our Flip video of the voyage:
{ 2 comments }
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Did you park your RV at the aquarium or was it a tow vehicle?
Thanks
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