NYer

That would be an amazing sight. I must admit the power of all that water frightens me a little - I refused to get on the Maid of the Mist. A friend of mine who scurried to the front of the boat got totally drenched.

becks_r

Oh I did Maid of the Mist - no idea why though, because it was extremely wet, even with those ponchos. You can't see much because of the spray, but it was an experience I am unlikely to repeat!

becks_r

Oh How did I forget Seattle - great city

NYer

Yes, it wouldn't be my first choice of activity. Might as well go over in a barrel. As Oscar Wilde said, Niagara Falls is the second biggest disappointment of the bride.

carcajou

Alaska. I went when I was 20. Though, the best advice I ever got about travel was save it [Alaska] for your 50s, because if you go too early in your life it will ruin every other place for you. That is also the stereotypical road trip for Americans just retired - hire a camper and road trip up to Alaska.

When I was 18 I did a Spring Break road trip from New Orleans, up along the Mississippi River to Memphis. New Orleans is a very underrated tourism city, a lot of people think it's just drunkards on the French Quarter but there is a whole lot more to it than just that.

A few years later I did another Spring Break road trip, through Memphis and St Louis to Chicago. St Louis I did not like at all, but I do enjoy the culture and history of Memphis, though 2-3 days is enough.

When I was getting my PhD I did a much smaller road trip, around Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, and then down the Pacific Coast to the Oregon/California border. Lots of forests, waterfalls, and nice beaches (though too cold to swim 10 months of the year) in that area.

Next time I am back - I want to rent a car in Albuquerque, drive it across Texas and leave it in New Orleans.

MarylandNed

I've literally lost count of the number of times I've visited Niagara Falls over the past 30 years. My wife and I lived in Toronto for 7 years and took every visitor we had in that time to Niagara Falls. Now that I live in the US, I still pass through several times a year.

IMO, I think it's worth visiting both sides and I think it's actually better to take the 'Maid of the Mist' from the US side. After getting off the boat on the US side, don't exit immediately - keep your poncho on and walk up the steps to the American Falls.

The flow is adjusted. During the main tourist season (Apr - Oct), the flow is halved at night. The flow is also halved outside the tourist season (the entire period of Nov-Mar) - which is why 'Maid of the Mist' stops at the end of Oct.

It was just the American Falls that were turned off in 1969. As you say, they will be turned off again at some point in the next several years to allow for bridge work further up the river on the US side.

https://www.wired.com/2016/01/new-yo...lls-heres-how/

Hiro11

Vermont is the summer is basically heaven on Earth to me. Little villages, high quality local food, blue skies, red barns, rolling hills, immense forests, mountains to hike up, great inns with antique furniture, endless two lane roads to drive or cycle on, no traffic, no billboards, very few chain restaurants or strip malls.

mikelincs

You will be upsetting the UK readers who think that the only place to visit is Orlando and the Disneys, shame on you for giving alternatives.