What is there to see in New York?
Ever since I was a little girl, I had heard about the majority of the sites we visited today. It was remarkable to actually be in the locations and learn more about each site.
Niagara Falls
There are three main parking lots for Niagara. We parked in one of the two lots on Goat Island for $10. Niagara has three big waterfalls; Horseshoe, Bridal Veil, and American. The viewpoint from the top of Horseshoe Falls is on Goat Island. We checked that out for a good amount of time; so much mist everywhere! There are ticket stations on Goat Island where you can get tickets for the Cave of the Winds, (a 40-60 minute hike/adventure/tour) and/or trolley tickets.
We then walked along Goat Island road (it’s more of a bridge) to Prospect Point. This is where American Falls is located and a great viewpoint of a bridge that leads to Canada. There are ticket stations here where you can buy tickets for a boat ride called Maid of the Mist that takes you right up to Horseshoe Falls and past American Falls. The tickets are $25 per person and the boats leaves every 15 minutes.
We got the tickets on site, took the elevator down 200 feet, and got right onto the next boat. After we got in line though, the line behind us exploded and was quite long after our boat returned. I’d suggest getting to the park early, unless you’re not in a hurry.
We went right up to the falls and would have been soaked in a minute without the ponchos they provided. It was a neat experience to be that close to so much powerful water at one time. Fun fact; the boats they use now are electric!
Devil’s Hole
About 20 minutes from Niagara Falls is a 2.5 mile hike down the canyon and along the river. Unfortunately, only the stairs to the river were open due to rock fall, so we were not able to go very far, but the stairs got the heart rate up and the river is gorgeous. There are areas by the river with lots of broken glass so watch your step!
Lock 29 Tavern
We drove two hours to Palmyra and were pretty hungry. We read that this place has really good food. So we went and tried it out. It’s a super small bar but the burgers and onion rings were delicious!
The rest of the day became a church history tour in Palmyra New York.
First we visited the Book of Mormon Publication Site first because it’s right across the street from where we ate. They have a really cool tour about the printing and binding process back in the day.
Next, we visited the Hill Cumorah where Joseph Smith found the plates that he later translated into English. There is another tour here at the visitor center, then you can walk up the hill to a memorial on your own if you choose.
Finally, we visited the Smith Farm. The missionaries take you through two of the Smith homes; some parts of the original structures were used in the restoration of the buildings. Right behind the Smith farm, is The Sacred Grove (where Joseph saw God and Jesus Christ). It was incredible to be here, and as a bonus, began raining near the end of our visit.
We stayed in the Vintage Gardens Bed and Breakfast in Palmyra. The house has so much character, inside and out, and is still following covid precautions.
