New Attraction brings Year Round Snow to the Falls

Niagara Falls is usually snow free 6 months out of the year. No longer.

A new attraction called Snow Park Niagara offers outdoor tubing and skating all year round. The tube hill is fifty feet tall and features eight lanes of downhill tubing. The tube hill and the Snow Play area are serviced by snow making machines that are capable of producing snow throughout the summer.

The skating rink is not made of ice, but a synthetic surface that allows users to glide just as if they were skating on real ice. Skate rental is included in your admission fee—you can bring your own hockey skates if you prefer.

I haven’t ridden this attraction yet, it opens on June 15th. I’ll update should I have the chance to sample the Snow Park.

It’s nice to see private development of any kind on this side of the border. Let’s hope the public warms-up to this snowy idea.
Additional information links here and here.

As a Niagara Falls tour guide I've often wondered why so many there are so many Indian visitors to the Falls. Many days I see that visitors from India out number any other ethnic group at Niagara. I'm not complaining, as we welcome any rupees that may come to the region.
Why so many people from India? I think this entry in a blog by an Indian author may help explain:

"When you visit Niagara Falls in USA, you will be left to wonder if you have traveled to India. The only tourists I saw there, were Indians. It was like the entire country was there, except may be Rajinikanth and Bal Thackeray. If there were no Indians visiting Niagara Falls in USA, the place wouldn’t have any funds to support itself. It looks like all the native tourists just drive down to Canada to watch Niagara from there. It is said that Niagara is much more beautiful from Canada.

Perhaps it is a mark that a touring Indian wants to make, He wants to say that he has spent his time in America, by visiting a very popular place in the country. He cannot go back home and claim he has seen Yosemite or Colorado springs without being given empty stares, not many people know about those places. But if you say you saw Niagara, then they can definitely relate it to something back home. Your purpose of the trip will be complete, You saw the most popular place (popular to Indians) in USA."

It appears that Niagara is an icon in eyes of many Indians, a place that they must visit when they come to America. Which is no different than what everybody does when on vacation. When I went to DC, I saw the Washington Monument. San Francisco, I went to Alcatraz. These sites 'brand recognition' to us and we flock to them based on an impression.

Back to the Falls, I've had the opportunity to take several groups of Indian origin on tours. I find that their English is very good and their knowledge of American history is better than most yanks. They tend to travel in extended family groups and make decisions based upon consensus. Once the decision is made, there are no questions asked. I sense there is a reverence for parents and grandparents in this culture.

If you're visiting the Falls from India, consider taking a guided tour. I know you'll have some great stories to tell about the Falls when you return home. And definitely stop by the Punjabi Hut for an excellent meal.

First Tour of the Season

This was going to be a tough tour, I thought. A group of ladies visiting the Falls in April--no Maid of the Mist in the water, many attractions closed and snow/ice at the Falls. Add another level of difficulty--some of my guests work in the tourism industry!
I think we managed to have a good time however, as the follow-up e-mail from the client showed:

Hiya Joel

just wanted to drop a line and say a BIG THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

We have just returned to work today our first day back (arrived yesterday afternoon) but wanted to drop a note asap to say thanks, we had a discussion at San Francisco airport just before we left our friend Jackie to fly back to New Zealand & the remaining group to the UK regards the highlights of the trip and by far we all said the Niagara trip was the BESTEST, for the girls and myself to see you at the bottom of the stairs with your suit was the surprise start to a really fun day, your sense of humour, knowledge, attention to detail with the food and drink from the local area all combined to make it a memorable day and something we will not forget.

So again thanks, wishing you and your family the best of health, wealth and happiness for the future.

Luv Karen, Jackie, Sandra, Sally & Diane.
Cheers Mate.
xxx
:)

I guess it doesn't matter what the season is--Niagara's stories are compelling anytime of the year. It also helps to have a group with a great sense-of-humor who were open trying different things. We went off the beaten track and explored some of the more ordinary aspects of life in this region.