Category: Niagara Falls Hotels

Niagara Falls is a remarkably popular holiday destination, even during the bleaker winter months. Not only are the waterfalls a stunning sight even when it’s cold and icy, but hotel accommodations are less expensive, and the Winter Festival of Lights is underway from November through January, routinely attracting over 1 million people to its lush and luminous displays.

As the days begin to lengthen and the weather slowly warms, however, other holidays enter the calendar, and it turns out that spring has its own reasons for visiting Niagara Falls that rival winter’s. In particular, Niagara Falls hosts a couple of separate Easter egg hunting forays: one for kids and one for dogs.

For Kids

While no one is certain when the first Easter egg hunt took place, the fun and competitive tradition has been around for at least a few hundred years, and children, it seems, have always been the primary participants of the hunt. Niagara Falls has its own version of the egg hunt that takes place every year on the Friday before Easter at Fireman’s Park. Put on by the Stamford Volunteer Fireman’s Association, the day’s events start at 11 a.m. and include face painting, a coloring contest, a bouncy castle, visits with the Easter Bunny, guessing games, Boy Scouts, 400 pounds of chocolate, and, of course, Easter egg hunting. Children from ages 4 to 6 can hunt for eggs at 11 a.m. and noon.

Children ages 7 to 9 can hunt eggs at 11:20 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. Kids from 10 to 11 can hunt at 11:40 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. Children 3 and under can look for eggs at any time. Admission to the day’s events is just $3 per child or a food donation to Project SHARE, a nonprofit organization in Niagara Falls that supplies emergency food and support services to people in the area living at or below the poverty line.

For Dogs

Hosted by National Service Dogs (NSD), an organization that works to provide specially trained Golden Retrievers and Labradors to families and individuals in need regardless of their ability to pay, this Easter egg hunt for dogs and their owners is a fundraiser for NSD. Each year, NSD trains and graduates roughly 30 dogs, and this Easter egg hunt fundraiser and others like it are one of its primary means of funding. Participants collect donations and pledges related to the number of eggs (plastic eggs filled with a dog treat) their pooch can find. There are multiple hunt locations on the Friday before Easter, and this year, each location will give out a grand prize of a Bissell DeepClean Lift-Off carpet cleaner package worth over $350. Bring your dog or just go for the fun. The hunt takes place at Burgoyne Woods in St. Catherines. Registration is at 10:00 a.m., and the hunt starts at 11:00 a.m.

Spend Easter in the Niagara area this April. Whether you have children or dogs, or you just like to watch a good egg hunt undertaken for a good cause, these two Easter egg hunting events make being in Niagara in early spring an ever more attractive option.

March is National Women’s History Month, which serves to remind everyone of the important women of the past and present. Niagara Falls has long appreciated the power women wield to shape history; in fact, some of Niagara’s most significant developments occurred because of the wits and wisdom of women. If you visit Niagara Falls in March, make sure you remember these four women while you enjoy Niagara’s amazing attractions.

1. Lelawala

You have likely heard of the Maid of the Mist, the must-see boat tour that takes tourists up close and personal with the mystical water at the base of the falls. However, you might not have heard about the legendary American Indian woman who gives the boat its name.

According to the Ongiaras Tribe (the group that lent their word for “thundering water” to the entire Niagara region), long ago a young woman name Lelawala was wholly distraught by the loss of her husband and decided to throw herself off the edge of Niagara Falls. Instead of crashing into the water below, Lelawala was caught by Heno, the god of thunder, who invited her to live with him and his sons behind the Falls’ veil of water.

Lelawala is said to have lived for several decades with the gods, mothering several children and saving the nearby human tribes from certain ruin, including from pestilence, flood, and famine. Without Lelawala’s diligent eye, the native peoples around Niagara may not have been around to enlighten European explorers of the region’s fertility.

2. Theodosia Burr

Despite the natural romance in the misty air, Niagara Falls wasn’t always the Honeymoon Capital of the World. For much of history, Niagara Falls was simply a magnificent wonder enjoyed by a handful of local colonists and native American Indians. However, around the beginning of the 19th century, Theodosia Burr — noteworthy daughter of America’s third vice president, Aaron Burr — decided to travel to the rumored waterfalls with her newly minted husband, and a worldwide tradition was born.

Following in her footsteps, millions of newlyweds flocked to the landscape. Today, countless thousands of couples make the pilgrimage to Niagara Falls every year to experience the natural ardor of the region, and it is all thanks to Theodosia.

3. Laura Secord

While the War of 1812 may pass through the sieve of American memories, it remains one of the fiercest military skirmishes that Canada has ever fought, especially on its own turf. Situated squarely on the border between America and Canada, Niagara Falls was a contentious zone filled with bloody battles. American and Canadian families alike were torn apart on the battlefield.

One woman sought to end the troubles of her family by intervening in the military efforts. Laura Secord, a Niagara local, by chance overheard the military strategy of the American armies on the Niagara peninsula. Frustrated and frightened by the frequent war activity that threatened the livelihood of her and her husband, Secord refused to wait for a military messenger; she walked 20 miles through the Niagara wilderness spotted with enemy camps to deliver her news to the closest Canadian military company. As a direct result of Secord’s heroism, the Canadians were able to ambush the Americans and push them out of peaceful Niagara.

4. Annie Edson Taylor

It is difficult to imagine Niagara Falls without thinking of the long legacy of daredevils that flock to this astounding place. It is even more difficult to imagine that these risky stunts were all inspired by the work of one 63-year-old woman looking for fame and glory.

In 1901, Annie Edson Taylor realized late in her career as a schoolteacher that she had not generated enough savings to keep her housed and fed for the duration of her retirement. Instead of resigning herself to the poorhouse, she designed a large, oak barrel, stuffed herself into it, and threw herself off into the rushing water of the Niagara River and down the plummeting Falls. While she suffered little injury, she gained little fortune from her act. Still, despite Taylor’s admonitions against others attempting the feat, dozens of copycats have tried (and succeeded as well as failed) to survive a trip down the Falls.

Every year, on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, people of all denominations celebrate a holiday of fantasy and whimsy. With faces covered in masks ranging from heavily ornate to mysteriously simple, bodies outfitted in outrageous costumes ranging from scandalous to hilarious, people take to the streets to revel in what traditionally was the last glorious day of excess and joy before the 40 days of mourning prescribed by the Christian Church.

However, even as fewer people participate in Lent every year, the Mardi Gras practices of eating lavishly, imbibing copiously, and generally being merry in any and all manners continue across the world — in many places well past the singular date of Mardi Gras.

While Quebec City may be the Canadian town most notorious for Fat Tuesday festivities, the French Canadians have nothing on Niagara Falls. Though the annual celebration occurred on February 17, Niagara Falls is dedicated to continuing the party well into spring. Here are all of Niagara’s hot spots where you and your friends can enjoy in the dazzling Mardi Gras style throughout the season.

Niagara Nightlife

Even though Niagara Falls is frequently called “The Honeymoon Capital of the World,” the city is as well-known for starting love affairs as it is solidifying them, and there is no better place to meet new people than in a crowded club filled with music and dancing. Niagara Falls boasts some of the best destination bars and clubs in the country, which means you and your friends will have no shortage of late nights to make merry during Mardi Gras.

One club in particular takes the familiar and exciting atmosphere of Mardi Gras to the extreme: Instead of carousing for just the season, Club Mardi Gras welcomes Fat Tuesday pleasure seekers all year-round. Inspired by the wild and free celebrations of New Orleans, Club Mardi Gras provides partiers masks and beads with the hope of encouraging fanciful fun. Bright lights, loud music, and elevated dancing cages ensure a thrilling night; as goes the slogan of Club Mardi Gras: What happens behind the mask stays behind the mask.

Niagara Falls also offers a bevy of other exciting bars and clubs to provide the Mardi Gras spirit of scintillation and satiety. Here’s a shortlist of Niagara’s hottest places to get your revelry on:

• Rumours Nightclub. Dedicated to hot beats and cold drinks, Rumours knows how to get a party going. The club cultivates only Niagara’s best DJs, and the regular crowd is always rowdy — in a good way for Mardi Gras celebrations.
• Club Rouge. Rouge is the newest club to hit Niagara’s scene, but it opened with a bang and hasn’t stopped running since. Effectively balancing elegance and high spirits, this club is an excellent choice for both a kickoff point and a last stop on your night of merrymaking.
• Club Se7en. Long touted as the crown jewel of Niagara’s night scene, Se7en is as sophisticated as it is boisterous — the perfect atmosphere for Mardi Gras. With a full bar and dancefloor ready all night long, you might never want to leave this club.

The Morning After

Even after all-night revelries at Niagara’s best bars and clubs, you can spend your days in the Mardi Gras spirit. You can enjoy a relaxing day full of winery tours replete with luscious tastings and mouthwatering food pairings; in fact, Reif Estate Winery welcomes Mardi Gras celebrations on March 7 with discounted prices and festivity-specific food.

You may also choose to spend your days luxuriating in the pools at Fallsview Indoor Water Park or wandering around Niagara’s myriad beautiful parks and gardens. After all, you’ll need to conserve your energy for more nights of Mardi Gras magic at Niagara’s nightclubs.

Not many people immediately think of Canada when they are asked to name countries with excellent cuisine. However, though Canada may not include particularly exotic ingredients, the food produced here is certainly some of the world’s best.

In honor of February’s celebration of the 26th annual Cuvee festival, a gathering where Niagara’s most talented chefs and winemakers present their fare to locals and visitors, here are some of Canada’s most iconic foods to sample during your next trip to Niagara Falls.

1. Maple Syrup

It isn’t just coincidence that put the maple leaf on Canada’s flag — it is Canadians’ profound love of the sticky, sweet sap the tree produces. As versatile as it is iconic, maple syrup isn’t just for breakfast foods; natives will drizzle it on just about anything, from pancakes to bacon. Cooked into candy and mixed into marinades, maple syrup shows up in Canadian recipes you’d least expect. Make sure to try as many maple goodies as you can while you’re north of the border, and bring back a bottle, or five, of the sap to experiment with your own maple creations.

2. Poutine

This monstrosity of a meal is becoming more famous in the United States, but it remains a recognizably Canadian dish. French fries slathered in gravy and littered with cheese curds makes for a salty, gooey treat that will fill your calorie requirement for at least two days — but somehow, it’s always worth it. While there are many variations on poutine, you should start out with the traditional three ingredients for the real Canadian experience.

3. Beaver Tail

Though Canada developed into an important colonial holding due to its profitable beaver trade, this noteworthy treat has nothing to do with the dam-building rodents. Instead, a beaver tail is a huge, sweet pastry, perfect on cold Canadian days. Shaped like their namesake, sweet pastry dough is then topped with the diner’s preferred garnishes, which can include chocolate syrup, fruit, sprinkles, or, of course, maple syrup.

4. Nanaimo Bar

Another favorite Canadian dessert, the Nanaimo bar is much simpler to make at home than the beaver tail, but the real thing can only be tasted at a Canadian bakery — though they require no baking whatsoever. The treats are layer cookie bars, and like poutine, they have spawned several hundred varieties due to their popularity. However, the traditional Nanaimo bar as first created in Nanaimo, British Columbia, features a graham cracker base, vanilla custard filling, and chocolate ganache top.

5. Bannock

Every culture has its own type of bread: Jews have challah, the French have baguettes, and the American South has cornbread. Canadians enjoy a quick, biscuit-like bread called Bannock that is incredibly adaptable to any meal. Covered in icing and sprinkles, bannock tastes just like a doughnut. Wrapped around a hotdog, bannock is buttery and crisp just like a toasted bun. During at least one meal in Niagara Falls, you are bound to find bannock sitting next to your plate.

6. Ketchup Chips

Americans enjoy dipping potato chips in a variety of sauces — from French onion to Mexican bean — but very few would ever consider slathering their crisp in bright red ketchup. However, ketchup is such a popular topping for potato chips in Canada that familiar chip vendors in the states, Frito-Lay for example, produce (and frequently sell out of) ketchup-flavored varieties. While these snacks won’t win a culinary award anytime soon, you won’t find a bag of Ketchup chips in America, so you should sample them while you have the chance.

Making lasting change in your life is never easy, which is why we often save resolutions for January 1, when we have a brand new year and a clean slate of opportunity. However, when you’re surrounded by your regular friends and activities, it can be exceedingly difficult to break the cycle and construct a new you. If you are looking to actually fulfill any of your resolutions in 2015, here’s why you should head to Niagara Falls.

You Can Save Money and Still Enjoy a Vacation

A popular resolution is to get out and see the world, but that is often difficult for those with tight budgets. So why not start out with a trip to Canada? Niagara Falls offers one of the most budget-friendly vacations in the world. There are hundreds of activities and attractions that are completely free and completely worthwhile.

For example, it costs nothing to view the city’s most popular sight, which also happens to be internationally recognized as a Wonder of the World, Niagara Falls itself. On top of the Falls, there are miles of free nature trails through parks and forests to explore on foot, as well as miles more of scenic cycling or driving roads weaving throughout the region.

Because Niagara Falls is most popular among budding families and young couples without much income to spare, even paid attractions won’t break the bank. Lodging in the middle of the action will actually save you the expense of transport, so you will be able to afford to see any number of award-winning shows or dine at top culinary spots in the city. Come to Niagara Falls for a fulfilling vacation, and put the rest of your earnings in a savings account for future use.

You Can Get Fit

Vacations aren’t always the most conducive to weight-loss goals, but Niagara Falls has a built-in fitness center that will keep you moving while you relax. Just minutes from the hubbub of the tourist district of the city are the miles of hiking trails and walking paths that will take you into the heart of Niagara Falls wilderness. Simply by meandering through the pristine parks and fantastic forests throughout Niagara Falls and the surrounding region, you can burn calories and stay true to your fitness goals without even realizing it. Here are two sights you can only spot by adventuring on foot:

• Whirlpool Rapids. Regarded as some of the most dangerous rapids in the world for their speed and intensity, Niagara River’s Whirlpool Rapids can be seen up-close and personal on a short three-mile hike.
• Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens. Encompassing more than 99 acres, these stunning gardens are crisscrossed with walking paths for visitors to enjoy the rotating arrangements of local and imported flowers. The most popular spot is the rose garden, which is world famous for its more than 2,400 blooms.

You Can Quit Smoking

Believe it or not, Niagara Falls can help lifelong smokers finally work towards kicking their habit, too. Canada as a whole has a lower percentage of smokers than the United States; less than 17 percent of Canadians regularly buy cigarettes (and that number continues to annually decline), while more than 20 percent of Americans smoke. Coming to Niagara Falls, cigarette smokers will find a fresh, natural environment generally free of common smoking triggers, like stress and fellow smokers. Thus, a vacation to Niagara might be just the thing to help you in ending that dangerous, lasting addiction.

Every fantastic place needs a fantastic origin story. Indigenous groups all over the world have extraordinary mythologies explaining the creation of a region’s landmarks, the existence of the moon and stars, the birth of humankind, and more. Niagara Falls is no different; ever since the first Native Americans set eyes on the unbelievable intensity and beauty of the Falls, people have been telling stories about how they became what they are today. However, while traditional stories may involve gods and magic, the truth behind Niagara Falls’ creation is just as amazing. Learn more about the origin of the region so when you visit Niagara Falls this year you’ll fully comprehend their majesty and power.

Precambrian Niagara

More than 600 million years ago, the area we recognize as the Great Lakes region, including Niagara, was buried beneath a vast, shallow sea. For more than 100 million years, the forces of nature churned the waters of this North American sea until the hard rocks below became fine, soft sediment resting on top of hard bedrock. The sea held all types of life, including vast tropical reefs filled with fish, but the violent commotion of waves caused by storms often destroyed the beautiful marine communities and left their limestone skeletons at the bottom of the waters.

During this time, the rest of the North American continent underwent extreme topographical shifts. The Appalachian Mountains shot up out of the ground, new rivers wound their way around the landscape, and different types of geology appeared all over.

Phanerozoic Niagara

After 300 million years, the great sea dried up, leaving layer upon layer of various sediments. While animals all over the world started to grow and develop — and the first dinosaurs started stretching their legs — the fledgling rivers from the Precambrian Era grew to massive sizes and carved their names into the ground. The machinations of these rivers eventually formed the basins later inhabited by four of the Great Lakes: Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.

Meanwhile, the landmass migrated farther and farther northward, so temperatures dropped and the environment changed. In quick succession, four major ice ages cut into the continent, their glaciers leaving huge scars upon the landscape. The final ice age, at its peak around 25,000 years ago, was particularly rough on the Niagara region, as the Wisconsin glaciation covered most of Canada in dense ice more than a mile thick. This ice mercilessly crushed everything in its path, from forests to mountains.

Then, roughly 12,000 years later, the glacier reversed its movement. Melt from the retreating glacier was channeled through the deep cuts carved in the earth, and the rivers we recognize today — the Hudson, the Ohio, and the great Niagara — were formed.

Eventually, the last ice age ended and the water levels dropped, revealing the freshly cut Niagara Escarpment. Originally, the Niagara River appeared to be a series of massive lakes spilling into one another. Indeed, Lake Erie fell from the top of the escarpment into the small Lake Tanawanda, which in turn spilled into Lake Iroquois. However, as the water tapered off, the ancient lakes took the shape of a river, and the spillways transformed into Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls has been in formation for thousands and thousands of years, and the landscape continues to change and move with complete disregard to the majesty and wonder it currently inspires. In fact, the
Falls themselves are working to fundamentally alter the scenery, as the rushing waters carve inches off the escarpment every year. Still, all humankind can do is sit back and take note of the incredible power and beauty of nature.

It’s November, which means it’s almost December, which means the holidays are rapidly approaching. However, that doesn’t mean you need to spend the next month and a half knee-deep in stress worrying about the gifts you haven’t bought and the parties you aren’t prepared for. The holidays should be a time of relaxation and reveling. So, before you bite your nails to the quick about how your neighbor’s decorations are more lavish than yours, come to Niagara Falls and experience the beginnings of the holiday season with these thrilling activities.

Swingin’ Little Sleigh Ride! Holiday Dinner and Musical Comedy

From the people who bring you the award winning “Oh, Canda Eh? Dinner Theatre” comes this year’s wintery production full of holiday good cheer — and accompanied by a tasty meal, too. “Swingin’ Little Sleight Ride! Holiday Dinner and Musical Comedy” is a raucous show filled with songs you can easily sing along to and family friendly jokes worth more than a chuckle. This production is a must-see high energy affair, and it only comes around once a year.

With the show, you’ll receive a five-course meal paired perfectly with the season. Festive soups and salads come with feasts of roast turkey, baked ham, and fried haddock. And, we promise, they didn’t forget about the holiday-themed dessert. Served family style to accommodate all appetites and tastes, you’ll be able to take as much or as little as you’d like — though we always take thirds, at least.

Come for the lunch matinee, or experience it all with a full dinner, but the show only runs between November 14 and December 20, so get your tickets soon.

Santa Claus Parade

Much like the American Thanksgiving Day Parade, Canadians celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with their own parade ringing in the magical season; additionally, like the iconic Macy’s Parade, this one in Niagara Falls ends with welcome and thanks to the man who makes it all happen: Santa Claus.

Beginning at 11 a.m. on November 15, the parade will pass through all parts of downtown Niagara Falls. Filled with marching bands and dazzling floats to charm even the grumpiest of Scrooges, this parade is perfect for children who can’t get enough Christmas spirit. It is easy to fill the day watching the parade, eating delicious Canadian street food, and reveling in the joys of the upcoming holidays.

Fallsview Casino’s Christmas on Ice

Starting November 20, Fallsview Casino is putting on a show to remember. Canada may be full of skating rinks, but the feats performed on this icy stage rival those at the Winter Olympics. In fact, nationally ranked figure skaters grace the stage with grace and poise, telling the story of Christmas in a way you’ve never seen before. This show is fast-paced and full of energy, and you won’t be able to leave without feeling touched by the magic of the season.

The event runs from November 20 to December 7, and tickets have been on sale since August, so you might want to act fast if you want to catch a seat at this once in a lifetime show.

Niagara Falls offers a bargain vacation for any group of travelers. What other destination combines unparalleled natural beauty, world-class food and beverage, and entertainment for all ages? Still, there’s one attraction much sweeter than anything else in Niagara Falls: Hershey’s Chocolate World. This chocolate and candy paradise is a sight to behold, and even those travelers who try to suppress their sweet teeth will cave under the veritable mountain of temptation in Niagara Falls.

A Chocolate Factory to Rival Wonka’s

Hershey’s Chocolate World boasts a jaw dropping 7,000 square feet of chocolates and sweets travelers can sample and take home. Mouths begin to water as soon as travelers step through the doors, as waves of flavor from freshly made sweets and treats scent the air.

Every day, experienced chocolatiers hand dip fresh strawberries, bananas, pretzels, and more, and bakers create delectable cookies and cakes. Samples of the expertly-made gourmet fudge are always available, and visitors will find their favorite flavors mixed among custom and exotic fudges you will never find anywhere else. There’s also an old fashioned creamery, where weary travelers can refresh their spirits with a thick and creamy milkshake.

Hershey’s Chocolate World is perfect for kids (of all ages, but particularly the little ones) as they’ll be able to meet and interact with their favorite Hershey’s characters as they roam the store. Hershey’s Kiss is a crowd pleaser, as he regularly risks life and limb by walking the tight rope slung across a miniature version of the falls, but the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and Hershey’s Chocolate Bar are just as friendly and engaging. Additionally, an educational feature explaining how chocolate is made (spoiler: It’s not via waterfall and river) and distributed all across the world will provide some value to a day filled with sweets.

Willy Wonka may have had a river of chocolate (as well as cotton-candy sheep and a team of trained nut-cracking squirrels) but his factory wasn’t exactly consumer-friendly. Any of the delicious treats around Hershey’s Chocolate World are available for purchase, so you can bring the magic of the Chocolate World all the way home — if you can last that long without eating it.

There are also non-edible items for purchase, including plushies and clothing to bring home to friends and family. You can choose to pair them with some iconic Hershey’s treats for some unforgettable gifts, or you can eat the sweets for yourself like you want to.

How to Get There

Niagara Falls’ very own Hershey’s Chocolate World is centrally located on Falls Avenue, in the middle of the action. The shop and its attractions are well within walking distance of a plethora of worthy hotels, and visitors can easily incorporate a tour and a taste into their other Niagara Falls explorations, including the wonderland of Clifton Hill and amazing views of the falls themselves. As the front door to Hershey’s Chocolate World is a four-story-tall chocolate bar, you definitely won’t miss it while you’re out and about.

When you have a conference to plan, it’s tempting to pick a location closest to you. It’s convenient — for you at least — and easy enough to scout out venues. Or, some conference planners stick to a rotation of America’s biggest cities —New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and repeat — simply for the assured hotel space and attraction density. Admittedly, there are benefits to these planning strategies, but by choosing old standbys for conference locations, you’re robbing your attendees and yourself of a fantastic vacation experience.

There are three major tenants of conference location selection:

• The location must have enough space, including a convention center and sufficient accommodation
• The location must provide entertainment outside of the conference
• The location must be affordable

For these three reasons alone, Niagara Falls is an ideal location for any conference.

Space Requirements

While it effectively maintains its small-town feel, Niagara Falls is a major city. While a mere 83,000 year-round residents call Niagara Falls home, an astounding 13 million travelers come to the area every year. As a result, the city has a bevy of excellent hotels, each with its own set of amenities to delight and enchant any visitor. Many of these hotels are equipped with large conference spaces perfect for any size event — from a knitting club meet-up to a multi-thousand attendee convention. It doesn’t take long to find the perfect venue for whatever conference you’re planning.

Outside Entertainment

Above all else, Niagara Falls is a vacation destination. Travelers of all stripes come to Niagara Falls to indulge in the unique sights and sounds of the rushing river. The falls themselves offer hours of adventure, from thrilling tours below and behind the falls to trails winding around the nearby wilderness areas that offer fantastic scenery. The outdoor nut has plenty to explore in the lush forests of the region.

While people may come for the falls, they stay for the city. Niagara Falls is chock full of entertainment and activities to excite everyone in your party. Clifton Hill is a veritable wonderland of excitement, filled with games, music, bars, and more. Encourage your attendees to ride the Ferris wheel or dare them to take a walk through the city’s perennial haunted factory. There’s so much to see, we guarantee one visit won’t be enough.

If you can believe it, that’s not all. The Niagara region provides prime land and climate for growing grapes, and thus world-class vineyards have sprung up offering visitors tastes of delicious, unique wines. Organized winery tours are a popular escape for many travelers to sample award winning wines and taste expertly paired foods.

Affordability

Niagara Falls is most famously a destination for families and newlyweds — a strong indication that the vacation destination is highly wallet-friendly. Groups of any size can certainly find packages that fit well with their budgets but still contain a plethora of dining options and hotel amenities to make a conference trip feel like a well-earned vacation.

This isn’t to say that Niagara Falls is cheap. Travelers certainly have the opportunity to spring for high-class meals or lavish activities. However, in Niagara Falls there are plenty of delicious five-star restaurants that fall well within the average traveler’s means.

If your conference planning is at a standstill while you choose the next location, make your conference a vacation to remember by organizing it in Niagara Falls.

October is a beautiful month for Niagara Falls. The very middle of autumn sees Niagara’s trees turning gorgeous shades of red, orange, and brown, and temperatures are perfect for activities of all sorts, including snuggling up with your loved ones. If you’re considering visiting us for October, learn about what festivities await you. You’re sure to find an event for everyone.

Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival

Canadian Thanksgiving, unlike its American cousin, occurs at the beginning of October, so if you’re a fan of Thanksgiving foods, you can’t miss Niagara in October. The Ball’s Falls Festival is a local and tourist favorite for its plethora of arts, crafts, and wares for sale. There are also plenty of shows and demonstrations, including magical acts and musical performances. Plus, the Niagara Falls Thanksgiving Festival is turning 40 this year, which means even more excitement to be had by all. The festival takes place between October 10-13, and Canadian Thanksgiving occurs on the last day.

Boo at the Zoo

Let your kids enjoy Halloween twice! On October 11, Safari Niagara is inviting families to trick or treat in the safe and fun environment of the zoo. The zoo will be done up with all the scary decorations you love on Halloween, and when the sun sets, you’ll get to see the zoo in a whole new spooky light. Walk around in full costume and see everyone dressed up for the occasion — and don’t forget to bring your treat bags, for local businesses will be supplying candy to trick-or-treating kids.

Niagara Falls International Marathon

If someone in your family loves to run, give him or her something to strive for by signing up for Niagara’s own marathon. This marathon is one of only a handful to span two different countries, starting in Buffalo, New York, and quickly crossing the border to end in Niagara Falls, Ontario. On October 26, you can walk, jog, or run 26.2 miles through the most beautiful scenery that Canada has to offer.

Before you register for the race, know that marathons are grueling physical feats, and they require extensive training in runners who hope to remain healthy during and after their run. For those not in pique physical condition, the 2K, 5K, 10K, or half marathon also occurring at this event might be more your speed. For anyone who finishes a race, there will be a plethora of prizes, including a finisher medal, a recovery jacket, snacks, and an electrolyte-filled drink.

Rock & Soul

Classic music–lovers will rejoice in this music festival that brings together the sounds of Memphis, Detroit, and Philadelphia. Rock music and soul have a long and storied relationship, and there is no better way to honor it than by hearing the two genres played from the same stage. At Fallsview Casino Resort between October 23-30, you can settle into the musical stylings of The Temptations, The Supremes, Hall & Oates, Bob Segar, and more. Tickets are only $20 per person — well worth the run and relaxation of a night of great music.