Niagara Falls - Where to Stay

Niagara Falls is a wonderful destination, but known as an expensive one. We went for a 3 day trip the summer of 2006 with a total bill of $800 for the four of us. The bulk of that expense was the hotel room. Nix the hotel and spend your money on the attractions, and hand select those that appeal to family members. It's easy to get caught up in area game rooms and souvenirs. If you plan to include them, set a limit and stick to it. Personally, when going for souvenirs, I insist upon useful ones, either something wearable or functional, like a water bottle.

Where to Stay

American Side

Niagara Falls KOA
Tent, RV, Cabin, Lodges. Online reservations available.

There are several other New York State campgrounds (reservations), but not quite as near the Falls. Evangola State Park in Irving, Four Mile Creek State Park east of Youngstown, and Golden Hill State Park in Barker. Evangola is situated on Lake Erie, south of Buffalo, offers campsites and a sand beach for swimming. Four Mile Creek is for nature lovers, offerng fishing and hiking. Golden Hill has campsites on Lake Ontario, as well as a boat launch and fishing. It is also near the historical Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse.

The Canadian side does have the more accessible attractions and the Peace Bridge can be walked on foot. Whether on foot or driving over the Peace Bridge, American adults will require a U.S. passport; children will require a birth certificate. For current regulations, visit this site.

Canadian Side

Jellystone Park
Located near the brink of the falls, the campground is for RV's and tents, as well as rentable habitats or "bare bone" shelter cottages. In season summer rates range from $40 for basic tent sites (w/o electric, though electric and/or water available) to $65/night for habitats. Seven night stays receive a 15% discount. Jellystone also has a store, pool and kiddie pool, gameroom, movie theatre, restaurant, wireless internet, wagon rides, playground, putt-putt course, pedal cart rental, daily activities schedule, and much more! Online reservations are available.

Campark Resorts
Tent sites and cabin rentals from $40-75/night. Online reservations available.

Niagara KOA
Tents, RV, cottages, hotel. $38-180/2 people, Canadian. Online reservations available.

Shalamar Lake
Tents and RV's. $32-38. Online reservations available.

Camping Organization

I hate packing. Truly hate it. So I want to do it as little as possible. Grab and go. As far as clothes, they have to fit in a backpack. In fact, the summer of 2007, we didn't camp on PIB (Put-in-Bay), we ferried over on foot and stayed in a hotel for 2 days. It was a spur of the moment, 2 weeks before type of thing, and we got around the island in a golf cart (incidentally, they loved the golf cart, and there is a golf cart rental right outside of the PIB campground - an hour rental will get you once around the island, w/o scenic stops, that we did last year just to get it out of their system). The kids and I each had a backpack, and I also have a mini backpack that acts as my purse (love that thing). Great fun, but that very basic motel ran over $90/night. My tent has nicer accommodations, better view, and lake breezes.

Back to topic. I picked up 3 of those crates with lids at Kmart, green for camping, and packed them with everything we needed for the trip. Dry goods, coffee!, medical kit, dishes and utensils, stove, oven mitt, propane 2-pack, clothesline, foot pump, dishtub, water carrier, extension cord, marshmallow/hot dog roasting "sticks," garbage bags. Initially, I started with 4 crates, but it was a tight fit in the SUV considering dear son's bike had to fit in there (it's too short for the bike rack). Going to see if I can condense to 2 crates this year; we'll see! I can stack two, if they are in the middle due to walls in SUV, so that does help, and I'd really like to add a screen house this year - I saw one for $60 at Target that will fit the bill. The crates also came in handy as a dishwashing station holding my dishtub and water carrier.

Kids Backpack Checklist ~
PACK:
o 2 Tshirts
o 1 shorts
o 1 fold-down capris (girl) or long pants (boy)
o 4 underpants
o 1 socks
o 1 pajamas
o 1 water tennies
o 1 swimsuit
o 1 beach towel
o 1 face towel
o 1 sweatshirt
o 1 iPod
o 1 book
o 1 bathroom caddy (check for toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, soap, hairbrush, razor and ponytail holders)

Adult list is similar, but toss in a waterproof container or two for the $/credit card and a camera!

Borrow What You Can

While we wanted to have all the essential gear to make camping enjoyable, to make it affordable, you need to use what you have and borrow what you can.

• We borrowed intertubes for our Put-in-Bay trip. Indispensable fun!
• We borrowed a foot pump from a camping neighbor when ours was lost in our gear.
• We borrowed a fishing pole when our son realized he'd left his next to the car when we left home for the trip.

Use What You Have

For our foray into camping, we used what we have.

• We already had sleeping bags, and fortunately when I purchased sleeping bags for the kids years ago for the requisite sleepovers, I purchased "real" camping sleeping bags, just in case. No, we weren't campers! In fact, with the exception of one overnight adventure to Put-in-Bay in 1998, I hadn't been camping since my teens.
• One queen air mattress. It has a slow leak we can't find, but the kids were ok with it.
• I packed up our worn out plasticware and plastic tablecloths I had at home, as well as spare cooking utensils.
• Traditional Coleman stove plus kerosene. Warning, kerosene makes for sooty cleanup!
• Dishtub for washing dishes. You can bring disposables, but I like to live as green as possible.
• Cooler. I'm grateful mine is on wheels.
• I brought a fishing rod and the tackle box. I had no problem finding someone (since husband wasn't there due to work, yes, I'm happily married) to show my dear son what to do, since I didn't feel like procuring a fishing license for myself (and kids are free, in Ohio anyway)!
• Flashlights and chairs! Everyone has these!
• The bikes! There is something about kids needing and loving bikes on a camping trip.

Camp Meals

For peace of mind, I've found I prefer bringing less spoilables and a medium-size cooler. I bring frozen burgers and hot dogs for the first night, plus a quart of frozen milk. There's always a little store in town and since you'll need to purchase ice anyway, can purchase dinner then. I pre-measure pancake mix, the type that just requires water, and pack cereal for easy breakfasts. Granola bars are another good staple and make great snacks, too. I package frozen veggies in individual tin foil "packs," as these can also be cooked on the fire. Add some steak or chicken strips, bring soft tortillas, and you have wraps! A good knife is essential. Don't forget the bread, and PB & J! We also like to bring a small melon, and of course, fixings for s'mores!

Our Summer Itinerary

Presque Isle State Park
Erie, PA – 2 days
Lodging: Sara's Campground (private) for about $30/nt - reviewed as crowded, but nice. Alternative for $70/nt is Inn at Presque Isle ; across from Waldameer Amusement Park.
Camp at Sara’s Campground, no reservations (with popular Sara’s Diner, restaurant, and grill), surrey bike around Presque Isle (visit beach #9 for kites) and visit lighthouses and nature center with sky high movies, visit Waldameer Amusement Park and Water World, the SportPark with bungee jumping, bumper boats, go-carts.

Put-in-Bay
South Bass Island Ohio State Park, 3 days $78
Put-in-Bay, the sole town on South Bass Island, is one of our favorite destinations. This photo gallery does more justice than explanation. Get a campsite on the bluff (take a look at the first summertime photo in the gallery; we camp right on the bluff) and bring steel stakes and mallet due to rocky terrain, non-electric near showerhouse. $26/nt. Ferry cost of $44 total (includes car, 2 adults, 1 child, passengers alone, much less-visit website). Alternative: Day trip from Lorain (new this yr), pricey, Fri-Sun 1x/day $60/person, however, daytripping via the Miller Ferry is also available-leave your car on the mainland at Catawba and take the bikes, or go on foot and rent bikes or a golf cart that seats 4 or 6. They even provide the car seats. South Bass Island is a popular boater destination and has several marinas. Many also bring smaller boats over on the ferry, due to the volatile nature of shallow Lake Erie, which tends to kick up storms or rough waters. Note: Families should plan to visit from Sunday-Thursday as the island is very adult-oriented on the weekends.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park
Empire, MI, Platte River Campground, 7days.
Campsites with electrical hook-up for 1-6 persons: 96 Total Sites, 27 Reservable. Fee/night = $21.00 with no reservation (yes, booked and picked over already!); a ranger recommended to arrive early Sunday and to call two days ahead. Campground is 1 mile from beach. $1.00 shower tokens. Platte Point Beach (end point for rentable kayaks or tubes). Photo Gallery. Website indicates that "sometimes Lake Michigan is a little colder than you want for swimming, so there are a few swimming areas on inland lakes in the Lakeshore too: North Bar Lake - just north of Empire is usually pretty warm and has easy access to Lake Michigan too. Glen Lake picnic area is just north of the Dune Climb and provides access to swimming in Glen Lake." Map of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Other area campground list.

Mackinac City by Mackinac Island
Mackinac, MI, 1 day daytrip (2.5 hr drive North of Sleeping Bear Dunes)
Lodging: Platte River (above) or Camp Mackinaw tent sites $35/nt w electric/water/by lake. Also available: waterfront or view Cabins (sleep 6) $135-150/nt. (On Mackinac, cheapest is $160/nt and much already booked by February. Go sailing with Macinaw Breeze Sailing @ $30/person. In 2009, July 20-22nd is popular for the sail races.

Chautauqua
Chautauqua, NY, 2 days
Lodging: Camp Chautauqua $40/nt Camp Chautauqua also mentions that you can stop in their kitchen and enjoy a meal, a cup of coffee, or a snack. Breakfast and lunch are served during the summer season on weekends and holidays. There are places around outside the campground that do rent out boats. You can use their dock space if you get a rented boat, but you'll need to let the office know so they can assign you to a dock slip. Jet skis will be charged a daily launching fee per trailer to have access to their launch area. Although the campground does not have jet skis for rent, there are several marinas in the area that rent them out by the hour or by the day.

Mohican Canoeing & GoKarting
Loudonville, OH, Day trip, cost $75-100.
There are many campgrounds in the area, including Mohican State Park, which has campground and cabins but no livery, River Run, and Mohican Adventures. Many of the campgrounds have liveries, but they differ in their offerings, which range from canoes to tubes to rafts. We opted for a raft and pulled a tube with rope (Mohican Adventures sells the rope, too); the kids had a blast taking turns. The raft is harder to steer, but was a bit more comfortable. Canoes are a more economical alternative. You can bring a soft cooler, and there also landings where you can stop and enjoy a snack and restroom break. Most trips are 7.5 miles and take from 2.5 to 5 hours (it takes 5 hours to tube down the river!). We went for the 2.5 hour, but it took 3.5 as we made one stop and weren't rushing. Don't forget the sunscreen!

Cleveland Air Show, Labor Day Weekend
Cleveland, OH, Daytrip.
Free outside of the show. Local vendors setup, however, porta potties are far and few between. Take I-77 or I-90 to downtown Cleveland, then take East 9th to Lake Erie and find parking. Head to the water and have a seat! Don't forget the blankets or chairs, and a camera (and you may want some ear plugs)!

Idlewild and Soak Zone
Ligonier, PA
Lodging: Keystone State Park, PA, non-electric on lake (campground map avail). Admission to the park is $28.99, with kids 2 and under free. A second day admission is $14.99. We've never been but always wanted to, and I'm hopeful we'll have enough time (and $) to make it there this summer!

Electric vs. Non-Electric
Since I mentioned air mattresses, mine are electric, with the exception of the queen-size, which inflates with a foot pump, which was quite tiring. We try to get an electric site when possible, but every campground is unique. Last year when we arrived at Put-in-Bay, we had reserved an electric site and were disappointed as these were interior sites, though nicely wooded, and the Lake Erie views were on the bluff. The bluff sites were non-electric. Tip: at a non-electric site (all the water view sites at PIB are non-electric on the bluff), a long outdoor extension cord plugged in for a few minutes in the restroom does the trick! I felt silly the first time I did this, but none of the other campers cared! In fact, everywhere we went, other campers were very friendly and more than willing to be helpful.