On the same day that Johnnie and I visited Welland Locks, we drove the southern portion of the Niagara Parkway from Niagara Falls to Fort Erie. The Niagara Falls area was very crowded, but we got a good view of the Falls. We were just going for a ride and a quick view since we were taking the tour in the morning that included the portion of the Niagara Parkway within the city of Niagara Falls, so we did not bring our camera. Mistake.
At this end of the Parkway, the Niagara River gets wide and looks like a lazy river, no apparent evidence of the Falls that lie downstream. We could see across to the USA side and there was little activity on the river. The ride on this end of the Parkway is worth it just to see the houses. The houses range from small, old homes to mansions. No matter the size, they all have the Niagara River as their front view.
On our last day in Niagara Falls, we drove the upper end of the Parkway starting in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Friends had recommended Niagara-on-the-Lake as a place that we would enjoy. There are wineries in the area with tours and tasting. Neither Johnnie nor I drink, so this was not appealing to us. The town itself was quaint with lots of shops. I am not a shopper and nothing really caught my eye to make us stop. There are lots of restaurants but the place was crowded. It reminded me of Haddonfield, NJ. So, very nice to drive through and so was the rest of the Parkway to Niagara Falls.
Parallel to the Niagara Parkway in most places is the Niagara Recreation Trail. It is 35 miles in its entirety and nicely maintained. We walked a very small portion of it. It would have been great for our bikes, but again the weather was uncertain so we had not brought the bikes with us. Another thing to do on a return trip. Pictures from the Niagara Falls section of the Trail and Parkway will be in the next post.
Views from the Rear Window 