5 Road Trip Ideas To Niagara Falls From Cincinnati

A classic American road trip that should be put on your bucket list this second is Niagara Falls.  We opted to take on a road trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto from Cincinnati.

Roughly six hours from Cincinnati, OH can leave you in another country viewing the spectacular falls.  So put in that vacation request, dust off the suitcases, and prepare to navigate like a boss.

After hours of internet research, multiple interviews, and lots and lots of pinteresting we had our itinerary set and hit the road. There is plenty to see on a road trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto from Cincinnati.

Our first stop up I-71 was none other than a classic American road trip icon, McDonald’s.  However, this particular McDonald’s is home to a charmingly horrific effigy.  Just take the Sunbury exit and prepare your selfie stick for the visual feast of a bigger than life Ronald and friends.

Abandoned Chippewa Lake  Amusement Park

Further up the road, we took a detour to try to get a glimpse of the old abandoned Chippewa Lake Amusement Park. The park was abandoned in the ’70s and very few things remain.

Daring adventurers who aren’t afraid of trespassing have captured stunning images of the decomposing park. Especially of the Ferris wheel and roller coaster.

However, I did not go beyond the no trespassing sign.   Concerned parties in the car would not allow such a heinous crime to be committed, regardless of how easy it would have been to climb through the massive gaping holes in the fence.

I was able to snap this photo of the overgrown and haunting ticket stalls before hitting the pavement again. It left me wondering what was behind those fences.

Update as of 2021: The Medina Parks District has purchsed the 95-acre abandoned amuseument park with goals of transforming it into a public park and wetlands.

Cleveland

We decided to stay in Cleveland overnight to break up the drive and to explore the quirks and oddities that the city has to offer. It is a great walking city with scenic walkways by the lake and near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Music and Rock lovers alike will enjoy a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, however, after seeing it previously, there was no need to revisit.  Just walking the streets of the city you will find fun oddities like a giant rubber stamp, sculptures, and fountains.

Swing down E. 4th Street for the hipster, foodie, and local food and bar scene, but there are other great restaurants and bars in town that are worth investigating.

Christmas Story House

The next day we went out to see the beloved house where the Christmas Story was filmed, complete with the soft glow of electric sex emitting from the infamous leg lamp. Walk a further down the street to see a replica of the lamp on display at the house of Jim Moralevitz, the man who was given the

role of the man who delivered the leg lamp in exchange for use of his driveway for camera crews.

Grab a coffee at Rising Star Coffee Roasters then head to the Dittrick Museum of Medical History in the Allen Memorial Medical Library.  This museum is free and offers an intriguing look into the history of contraception…this is a must for anyone in a medical field or just plain interested in medicine.  Then it was off to the falls.

Niagara Falls 

Regardless of your views on Canada, get that passport out or apply for one because you MUST  view the falls from the Canadian side. You will be extremely disappointed if you only get to view the falls from the American side because it fails in comparison.

Depending on the type of traveler you are I have to warn you about the falls.  This is an extremely touristy destination. For those of you who have visited Myrtle Beach and

Gatlinburg expect all the Ripley things. Ripley’s museums of everything, aquariums, arcades, the list goes on.  This is a great spot to bring kids because you can definitely find something for kids of all ages.

We enjoy walking through to take in the sights and the people.

Tip: The people-watching here is superb, a cheap activity. You can easily grab a drink, sit on a patio, and watch the people walk by.

Things to Do at Niagara Falls

There are a few tourist things that you must do to make the most of your trip to the falls.

1) The Maid of the Mist on the American Side or the Horn Blower on the Canadian side. This was the highlight of our visit to the falls. I recommend positioning yourself to the back of the boat by the railing,  that way as you pass the falls you have the most amazing view without tons of tourists heads blocking your view.

2) Journey Behind the Falls; Go through the tunnels that snake their way behind the falls and see the falls through two peeps holes. Then the highlight is to head out to the observation deck and get up close and personal with the falls. We went at night to see the falls all lit up which is spectacular.

Note: You will get wet, but no worries they provide ponchos!

3) Go hiking at Niagara Glen Nature Reserve and Upper Whirlpool Trails.

4) Go wine tasting throughout Niagara on the Lake. Hit Caroline Cellars for lunch and some great wine!  I would even recommend staying in Niagara on the lake if you are a couple looking for a romantic getaway and then driving to visit the falls.

I just couldn’t imagine paying $400-$500 a night to a hotel for a room that overlooks the falls because it would not be worth it to me. Not when you could use the money saved to experience them in other more rewarding ways.

Where to Stay

We used Hotwire to book an amazing boutique hotel for a fraction of the cost, The Sterling Inn and Spa, which even included breakfast in bed!  There are tons of hotels for all budgets on both sides of the falls. Shop around and see who is offering specials and deals before booking.

The American Side

On the American side, you will want to visit Goat Island and  Three Sisters Island to get good views of the rivers carrying the water to the falls. Go and visit the observation deck then head to Whirlpool State Park for some hiking.

There is a trolley that runs on the American side that will take tourists to all the sights for a nominal fee.

The American side is dirtier and doesn’t offer much, other than a worn-down casino. I am going to take a minute to comment on just how dirty the American side was.

Not only did the Niagara State Park smell like an unkempt zoo, but the public toilets were something out of a horror film.

Stall doors were hanging on by a single hinge, toilet paper decorated the floors, everything was wet and oozing with dirt, but the worst monstrosity lay within the stall itself.

It was a miracle these toilets even flushed, but regardless someone decided to take a big adult poo in a bag and left in the corner for someone to clean up.

That’s right folks, big man poop in a bag. Only to be discovered after you have finally achieved the delicate balance of hovering over the vile toilet and holding the stall door closed because all the latches have been ripped off.  It is at that very moment that you realized you have lost all hope in humanity.

Word to the wise: use port-o-lets.  Trash littered the entire American side as if a trash can was a new and foreign object that didn’t know how to be used. I beg all visitors, please be a good tourist and clean up your shit, literally, and don’t do something that belongs on a tourist shaming website.  Rant Done.

Toronto

Toronto is roughly an hour and a half from Niagara Falls which means it is the ideal city for a day trip or an extended visit. We recommend checking out this great two-day Toronto itinerary that will help you plan out your visit.

We took Toronto by storm because there was so much to see, eat, drink, and do. We started our morning off by hitting Lawrence Market and picking out stuff for a picnic to take to Centre Island. This amazing market hosts tons of delicious delicatessens.

After drooling your way through the aisles and picking out what you are going to shove in your face hole it is off to the Ferry Terminal to catch a ferry to the island.  The island is a must-see for any visitor to Toronto.

There are picnic tables plenty that sport stunning views of the city, then enjoy the beauty of the Toronto Islands.  It is a mix of botanical gardens, petting zoo, old-timey amusement park, beach, and nature preserve. You can rent bikes or walk your way around the island, next time we are biking it.

Subway Tour

After a few hours on the islands, we decided to take a subway tour of the city to sample all the food and drink that Toronto is known for. There was one rule…at each stop, we would have to eat or drink something from a different restaurant or bar.  After acquiring our all-day subway passes we began our journey.

I can’t stress enough how I wish I would have taken a whole day to do this so we could have done even more subway stops…but by the time we figured out what in the hell we were doing it was late in the afternoon.

The key is to not only eat or drink something but to also walk around that designated part and see what each district has to offer.  We loved Chinatown and had some of the best dumplings known to man at Mother Dumplings. We had to have poutine at another stop and then fancy drinks at the Hair of Dog in the LGBT district.

Other Sights To See In Toronto

We visited Graffiti alley, Canada’s oldest cigar factory, and some amazing theaters followed by the times square of Toronto! If we had more time we would have visited a few museums along the way.

A district that you must visit is the distillery district…which has tons of great restaurants, eclectic shops, and bars. The subway will not drop you off there, but they have a parking garage.  At the end of the day, we could barely move from sheer exhaustion…but it was worth it!

The next morning we were in need of pancake goodness and it was found at Old School. What you see is what you get folks…pancake perfection..topped with brown sugar butter and drizzled with blueberry syrup. GLORIOUS!  Now that we were in our pancake coma, we said our farewell to Toronto and started our journey back home.

*Completely Random yet important note when traveling in Canada. They do not sell beer in their supermarkets you must go to the Beer Store.  This is a foreign concept to American’s since you can get beer almost anywhere.

Buffalo: A Must-Stop On Any Trip To Niagara Falls From Cincinnati 

Buffalo was the last minute add in our itinerary and many folks were curious as to why we choose this city for a quick stop.  My philosophy is that every city has unique and fun opportunities and places that other cities don’t have.  We found a quirky, fun bar right out of the gate.

Founding Father’s is a presidential packed patriotic pub that will leave you feeling more patriotic than Abe Lincoln riding a grizzly bear shooting a machine gun. Every nook, ceiling tile, and place setting is lined with presidential memorabilia and you might even stubble out by the end night having learned something.

Right down the street from Founding Fathers is Buffalo Proper. Amazing food, drinks, atmosphere had us coming back here twice in less than 24 hours. That should speak volumes!

Don’t forget to hit Oshun for oysters and seafood that won’t disappoint. After eating all day and night we waddled back to the hotel, only to repeat the next day.

Don’t Forget These Gems While Driving To Niagara Falls and Toronto from Cincinnati

Anchor Bar

Head down to the Buffalo Naval and Military Park to check out the warships, museum and don’t forget to get your selfie with Shark Girl who is located on Canalside. For lunch, we ventured to the Anchor Bar, who claims to be home of the original chicken wings.

Don’t be fooled by the line or lack of parking, we were able to get a spot at the bar without waiting. They also do carry out orders, which might be a good option if you don’t have much time or care to wait.

Eternal Flame Hike

A side trip that we ventured out on was a hiking trip to see the Eternal Flame. This hiking trail is located in the Chestnut

Ridge Park which takes you into a small grotto at the waterfall’s base that emits natural gas that has been ignited to form the flame.

It can be difficult to navigate but in a nutshell, it is in the creek bed. Just follow all the other hikers and you will get there.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but the flame looked like someone lite a zippo lighter. Don’t expect a bonfire, a torch, or even a lantern.  It is much smaller than you imagine so prepare yourself.

Our final stop on was on our way home from Niagara Falls to Cincinnati was to see Elle the Pink Elephant at 21 Brix Winery.  Be sure to go inside for some wine sampling.  I can’t imagine a better way to end a trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto from Cincinnati.

Are you looking for another fun adventure not far from Cincinnati?  Take a look at our favorite weekend getaways!

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