Buffalo NY & Niagara Falls (Ontario)
Niagara Falls and Buffalo: A Weekend Adventure
We recently took a quick getaway to Niagara Falls and Buffalo, and it turned out to be the perfect mix of natural wonder, good food, and a little football thrown in.
Day 1: Getting There
We flew into Buffalo, New York, and from there it was surprisingly easy to cross into Canada. We grabbed an Uber to the Canadian border, walked across with our luggage (super simple and stress-free), and then took another Uber straight to our hotel—the Marriott Fallsview.
Our room overlooked Horseshoe Falls, and honestly, the view alone was worth the trip. Falling asleep and waking up to that iconic waterfall right outside our window was nothing short of magical. If you are wanting to experience Niagara Falls, I cannot recommend this hotel enough!!
Once we checked in, we roamed around the area a little while. There was SO much to see and do from arcades, to putt putt, to casinos. I wish we had the kids with us because there were so many kid friendly things to do in walking distance from the hotel!
We grabbed a bite to eat and drink from the hotel and then headed back up to the room to stare at the falls again =)
View from our sitting area in the hotel room!
Day 2: Exploring Niagara Falls
Our second day was all about adventure and a little indulgence. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel which had a full buffet and then headed down to the water to see what kind of adventures we could get into. We started with the Maid of the Mist boat ride, which was an absolute must. There’s nothing quite like feeling the spray of the falls up close. You are given a poncho ( we did get more wet than I thought we would but not too bad!) and from our experience you did not need to arrive too early. We got there about 20 minutes before the ride, bought tickets right on site and were on the boat quickly after that- not too much waiting around at all!
We wanted to do the zip line after the boat tour but the line was becoming increasingly long. I wish we had done the zip line first, but we did not get a chance to! Once we got cleaned up from the boat ride, we headed out to Peller Estates Winery for some tastings—such a beautiful spot and a nice change of pace from the action at the falls. The grounds were stunning and the charcuterie board was 10/10.
Afterward, we checked out Niagara’s Flight Simulator, which turned out to be surprisingly awesome and gave us a unique perspective of the area. The ride is not too crazy so kids and elderly people both were able to ride!
Dinner that night was at Massimo’s Italian Restaurant, and I can’t recommend it enough. The bruschetta and bolognese were perfection, and paired with the restaurant’s incredible views, it was easily one of the best meals of the trip. We ended the evening watching fireworks right from our hotel room—another perk of staying at the Fallsview.
View from Massimos
Day 3: Crossing Back into Buffalo
The next morning, we Ubered back across the border, which only took about three minutes. We actually talked to an Uber driver we had the day before and he told us he could take us across in car to make it easy (which it was!)
We then checked into the Embassy Suites in Buffalo, dropped our bags, and headed straight to the Buffalo Bills game—an unforgettable experience if you’re even remotely into football. We became Bills fans last year after meeting a bunch of their fans in Indianapolis when they were playing the Colts. We kept joking that they were converting us to Bills fans and they were so proud. We promised we would make it up for a game this year and I am SO happy that we did!
After the game, we headed back to the Embassy Suites and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. It was the perfect low-key way to wind down after such a fun and full weekend.
Final Thoughts
Between the breathtaking views at Niagara Falls, the wine and dining experiences, and the excitement of a live Bills game, this trip had a little bit of everything. If you’re considering a weekend getaway that combines natural beauty with city energy, Niagara Falls and Buffalo make a fantastic pair.