New York

[gallsman]

Hi, myself and a crowd of friends are looking to go to New York for a week in mid-March over St. Patrick's Day. Had an idea to rent a car and go visit Niagar Falls and then spend the night in Toronto before heading back the following day. Lot of driving to do in two days but I think it would be a good thing to do as I definitely want to do more than spend seven days and nights in the city visiting tourist sites and then going out. Has anyone done this in such a timeframe? If so, would you recommend it?

[thewobbler]

Did something similar a few years back, but over 10 nights.

We did four nights in New York, rented a car, then headed North to Buffalo. We had a couple of nights there, and did Niagara and Niagara on the Lake on day one, then a Bills game on day two. Headed north onto Toronto for a night.

Up to that point it was all planned and booked, and we winged the last couple of days, doing a lap of Lake Ontario, staying in Waterville, over to Lake George for the day, then Saratoga that evening. The final day was a leisurely jaunt back to JFK.

What I'd pass on is:

- Niagara Falls is simply breathtaking (especially from the Canadian side). But don't stay at Niagara, it is tackiness personified. Niagara on the Lake is 20 mins up the road and is gorgeous.

- There is really not very much to to in Buffalo apart from eating Buffalo Wings.

- Toronto is definitely nice, but after a few days in Manhattan it's actually a bit disappointing to visit a city that isn't a big tourist attraction. Once you've done the CNT, it's hard to think of anything in the town that's even slightly as good as NYC. Which is the case for most towns. Plus Canadian dollars are just confusing.

- Waterville is a dump of epic small town America proportions and even if you're asleep at the wheel (as I was), drive on by.

- Apart from New Orleans, Saratoga is the most European feeling place I've visited in America. It has an upmarket, cafe culture that flies in the face of McDonalds drive thrus that litter every other US town.

- If, like me, you're going to drag everyone else out of bed at 6.30am to drive 3 hours to a Six Flags theme park, check in advance that it's open. Pure wally world stuff. Lake George though was nice, even out of season.

- The fact that we could pick up our car in midtown but drop it off at the airport saved us hours of messing around. It seems a standard arrangement in America.

- Even if you leave at the perfect hour of day, and sit at 90 the whole way, it's going to take 5-6 hours to get to Niagara in a car. To be honest I'd recommend you accept this, and plan somewhere nice for lunch along the way, rather than hope/plan you're going to get there early. Once you get past the NJ turnpike, it's one long straight road. Some stunning views of rivers and mountains, but it's motorway driving.

[Tony Baloney]

Did something similar a few years back, but over 10 nights.

We did four nights in New York, rented a car, then headed North to Buffalo. We had a couple of nights there, and did Niagara and Niagara on the Lake on day one, then a Bills game on day two. Headed north onto Toronto for a night.

Up to that point it was all planned and booked, and we winged the last couple of days, doing a lap of Lake Ontario, staying in Waterville, over to Lake George for the day, then Saratoga that evening. The final day was a leisurely jaunt back to JFK.

What I'd pass on is:

- Niagara Falls is simply breathtaking (especially from the Canadian side). But don't stay at Niagara, it is tackiness personified. Niagara on the Lake is 20 mins up the road and is gorgeous.

- There is really not very much to to in Buffalo apart from eating Buffalo Wings.

- Toronto is definitely nice, but after a few days in Manhattan it's actually a bit disappointing to visit a city that isn't a big tourist attraction. Once you've done the CNT, it's hard to think of anything in the town that's even slightly as good as NYC. Which is the case for most towns. Plus Canadian dollars are just confusing.

- Waterville is a dump of epic small town America proportions and even if you're asleep at the wheel (as I was), drive on by.

- Apart from New Orleans, Saratoga is the most European feeling place I've visited in America. It has an upmarket, cafe culture that flies in the face of McDonalds drive thrus that litter every other US town.

- If, like me, you're going to drag everyone else out of bed at 6.30am to drive 3 hours to a Six Flags theme park, check in advance that it's open. Pure wally world stuff. Lake George though was nice, even out of season.

- The fact that we could pick up our car in midtown but drop it off at the airport saved us hours of messing around. It seems a standard arrangement in America.

- Even if you leave at the perfect hour of day, and sit at 90 the whole way, it's going to take 5-6 hours to get to Niagara in a car. To be honest I'd recommend you accept this, and plan somewhere nice for lunch along the way, rather than hope/plan you're going to get there early. Once you get past the NJ turnpike, it's one long straight road. Some stunning views of rivers and mountains, but it's motorway driving.

You make it sound like a bad thing!

[Hound]

Hi, myself and a crowd of friends are looking to go to New York for a week in mid-March over St. Patrick's Day. Had an idea to rent a car and go visit Niagar Falls and then spend the night in Toronto before heading back the following day. Lot of driving to do in two days but I think it would be a good thing to do as I definitely want to do more than spend seven days and nights in the city visiting tourist sites and then going out. Has anyone done this in such a timeframe? If so, would you recommend it?

No experience myself, but an American friend (who does a lot of travelling) told me that Niagara Falls is over-rated (not near as deep as the Superman movie makes out!!), but if you are going, view it from the Canadian side. He said that there's a town nearby called Niagara on the Lake that is very nice.

[Canalman]

For a 7 day trip not worth the bother imo in wasting a day up and a day down only to see Toronto and the NF.
Better imvho (if you really have  to) to go for a trip to DC by train and be able to stop off in Philadelphia, Baltimore etc on the way for a few hours each  . Philadelphia is a real nice place.

Also a real good chance that you get hassled at border trying to get back in to the US.

[heganboy]

Unless you are a massive fan of the wire, I wouldn't do Baltimore...

[nifan]

Unless you are a massive fan of the wire, I wouldn't do Baltimore...

If you're a massive fan of the wire you should know well enough to avoid b'more!

[heganboy]

you really want to start me on your you're use spelling

I hear you have an interesting new colleague...

[tyssam5]

For a 7 day trip not worth the bother imo in wasting a day up and a day down only to see Toronto and the NF.
Better imvho (if you really have  to) to go for a trip to DC by train and be able to stop off in Philadelphia, Baltimore etc on the way for a few hours each  . Philadelphia is a real nice place.

Also a real good chance that you get hassled at border trying to get back in to the US.

I'd go South too instead of North, I like Washington DC. Or if I was going North I'd consider Montreal, really nice old city and you drive through some nice country on the way up, could do a day's skiing in Vermont or somewhere if you're into that kind of thing.

[nifan]

you really want to start me on your you're use spelling

I hear you have an interesting new colleague...

Fixed the spelling

"Colleague" - there is a few levels between us!

[whitey]

Hi, myself and a crowd of friends are looking to go to New York for a week in mid-March over St. Patrick's Day. Had an idea to rent a car and go visit Niagar Falls and then spend the night in Toronto before heading back the following day. Lot of driving to do in two days but I think it would be a good thing to do as I definitely want to do more than spend seven days and nights in the city visiting tourist sites and then going out. Has anyone done this in such a timeframe? If so, would you recommend it?

Don't do it. You would be way better off hopping a bus/train and hitting up to Boston for a few days. That time of year traveling upstate is a nightmare-all types of lake effect snow, ice etc. I'm speaking from firsthand experience. Falls are nice, but there's SFA to do up there that time of year.

[Stall the Bailer]

I was at falls in January time a couple years ago. It was poor.
Half the falls were froze and the maid of mist was out of action. Probably at least spring before it starts up again. Unless you like casinos Niagara has little else, a bigger tacky version of Bundoran ,without the sea.

[Hardy]

I was at falls in January time a couple years ago. It was poor.
Half the falls were froze and the maid of mist was out of action. Probably at least spring before it starts up again. Unless you like casinos Niagara has little else, a bigger tacky version of Bundoran ,without the sea.

Would it not be worth the trip to see that alone?

[Stall the Bailer]

I was at falls in January time a couple years ago. It was poor.
Half the falls were froze and the maid of mist was out of action. Probably at least spring before it starts up again. Unless you like casinos Niagara has little else, a bigger tacky version of Bundoran ,without the sea.

Would it not be worth the trip to see that alone?

It means the falls is smaller than in the summer, about half the water going over it in the winter.
I was underwhelmed by it.

[Hardy]

OK - I see your point. I saw it in the Summer and it was the opposite of what I read about the Giant's Causeway, which I haven't seen, but I gather is something of a disappointment. Niagara was way more impressive than I was prepared for.