Niagara Falls, USA & Erie Canal 26

Day 1

Welcome Aboard! Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach to Niagara Falls, New York. After checking into the Hyatt Place Hotel for the next four nights we are treated to a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2

After breakfast we meet our step-on guide and depart for a day of sightseeing. While the Falls formed approximately 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls State Park was established much later - in 1865 - making it the oldest state park in the United States. We begin the day with a ride on the Niagara Scenic Trolley which will help you get acquainted with the history and layout of the state park. Once oriented, take a water-soaked voyage on the iconic, all-electric Maid of the Mist boat ride, which has been operating since 1846. Next, head to the Cave of the Winds & The World Changed Here Pavilion. Learn how Nikola Tesla harnessed the power of the Falls to create hydroelectricity. Then, don a poncho and descend 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge, making your way along the walkways and stairs that bring you within feet of the crashing Bridal Veil Falls. Later we visit Oakwood Cemetery, the final resting place of many notorious Niagara Falls legends, including daredevil Annie Edson Taylor, the first person to survive a trip over the Falls in a barrel! Following our tour, we depart for dinner before returning to our hotel for a good night's sleep.

Day 3

After breakfast we meet our step-on guide and depart for another day of sightseeing. Go back in time to the creation of the Erie Canal on a guided sightseeing boat tour with Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises. You will see five of the original locks on the Erie Canal and a cruise beneath the widest bridge in the country, prior to an included lunch at the Canalside Restaurant. The Canal completed in 1825 was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Referred to as "The Nation's First Superhighway" the Erie Canal is a historical canal that runs 363 miles east-west between Albany on the Hudson River to Buffalo on Lake Erie. Finish your time in Lockport, New York by walking through the Erie Canal Discovery Center, which features interactive experiences to help visitors better understand the history of this feat of engineering. It is never too early for sweet treats! Next, we visit North Tonawanda, New York and stop first at the Platter's Chocolate Factory, a local favorite since 1938. Try the signature orange-flavored chocolates and sponge candy and watch the chocolate-making process unfold through the various viewing areas. We conclude our day of touring with a visit to the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum. Enjoy a nostalgic spin on an original Alan Herschell carousel. Here visitors of all ages can ride antique carousels, view historic exhibitions and galleries, and witness wood-carving demonstrations. We return to our hotel following our tour. Tonight, dinner is on your own

Day 4

After breakfast we meet our step-on guide and depart for our final day of sightseeing. No trip to the region is complete without a stop at Old Fort Niagara, the oldest continuously occupied military site in North America. Wander about original 18th century buildings, watch musket and artillery firing demonstrations, and more. Move onto the Civil War era with a visit to the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. Standing on the border of freedom, Niagara Falls was one of the most important points on the Underground Railroad. The museum tells the story of how the actions of the community - particularly the free Black American residents - coupled with the region's natural geographic benefits and location on the border to Canada were critical in bringing countless individuals to freedom. For some people of African descent, it was home and a safe place to work and live. For others, the city was a crossing point over the last barrier to freedom - the Niagara River. Our final stop for the day is a visit to the Niagara Power Vista, located in Lewiston, New York. Explore the exciting high-tech virtual ride that takes you through the power generation process, which features over fifty interactive exhibits on hydroelectricity. An observation deck, overlooking the Niagara River, gives visitors a panoramic perspective of the Lower Niagara Region, as well as the area surrounding Devil's Hole State Park. Following our tour, we return to our hotel. Tonight, dinner is on your own.

Day 5

After breakfast we depart for home taking with us memories of the beauty of Niagara Falls, the role of the Niagara River in the development of hydroelectricity, the importance of the Erie Canal, and the region's key role for freedom seekers and abolitionists on the Underground Railroad discovered on a spectacular Niagara Falls, U.S.A. get-way!

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner