Living only an hour and half from the Falls, we do a getaway there a couple of times a year. But it's been years since we've visited on a summer weekend specifically because it gets SO crowded. I would venture a guess that summer Mondays will be busy, but less so than weekends.

In Niagara Falls we usually stay in one of the Fallsview district hotels with a room overlooking the Falls. Some of the hotels in that district have bars and restaurants with great views, e.g. the Lobby Bar in the Marriott Fallsview and the Keg Steak House in the Embassy Suites. The Skylon Tower is a revolving restaurant with fabulous views although I'm not sure about the food (it's also been years since I ate there and don't remember the food as being memorable, go for the view). Neat casual dress would be acceptable I think just about everywhere in Niagara Falls.

The Stone Road Grill in Niagara-on-the-Lake is very good, lively casual-upscale (the outside is deceiving - in a small strip mall - don't let that put you off). For a beer or cocktail we always enjoy the Churchill Lounge in the Prince of Wales Hotel. We've also enjoyed dinner in their Escabeche dining room, but there are a number of other high end Inns in NOTL offering 4 star dining (check out "Vintage Inns" and others). More casual fare can be found at the popular Olde Angel Inn pub in town. I think pretty well every restaurant in NOTL offers a good selection of wines from the many wineries in the region. I would make reservations days or more in advance for a summer Saturday night though.

A number of the area wineries themselves also offer excellent dining.

Google for hotel deals related to the Niagara Falls casino or look on those coupon discount sites. The savings can be substantial and you don't have to set foot on the gambling floor.

Mat54 and Southam have given you good advice. I have less of an issue with Niagara Falls on the weekend vs weekday; it depends what kind of experience you're looking for. About the only challenge I find around Table Rock (the edge of the Horseshoe Falls) is parking which is definitely dearer and more of a challenge to find on the weekend. However, the crowds tend to trail off (relatively speaking) after about 3 or 4 which sounds like it'd work better with your intended schedule.

As for casual dining in Niagara On The Lake, the Stone Road Grill's a good choice and it's hard to go wrong with the Olde Angel Inn. As for The Syndicate, I haven't had a chance to try it yet although it definitely sounds promising. Taps On Queen Brewhouse and Grill also gets good ratings on TripAdvisor.

HTH
u

How long does it take to do the falls, figure the Maid of the Mists, the Caves and all the usual touristy spots around the falls. I have no idea how much time to give ourselves.

If the crowds thin out later in the day then maybe getting there later would work better.

As for dinner the first night, probably do something like Olde Angel Inn.

I see that Taps on Queen looks to be owned by the same people as The Syndicate. I was leaning more towards the latter as they have what looks to be a pretty good prix fix deal for $20 for dinner. Is Taps on Queen right in the falls area, meaning that we can walk there? The Syndicate is a short drive.

Thanks,
KathyH

Other than restaurants and Shaw Theatres, everything in Niagara on the Lake closes at 6pm every day, so there won't be much to see or do on a Saturday night.

The Discovery Pass is for the attractions in Niagara Falls, NY, so you will be crossing the border twice to do them. If you plan on driving, each way could take anywhere from minutes to an hour or more, especially on a Sunday.

The Falls Illumination starts at 9pm and the fireworks are at 10pm, so not much time to get a dinner in there. These restaurants all have views of the Falls - Elements on the Falls, Edgewaters, The Keg at Embassy Suites, Canyon Creek Chophouse and Golden Lotus at Fallsview Casino, The Pinnacle at the Tower Hotel, Skylon Tower Revolving Dining Room and Summit Suite Buffet, Terrapin Grille at Marriott Fallsview, Watermark at Hilton Niagara, Fallsview Restaurant and Windows at Sheraton on the Falls, and the Rainbow Room and Crowne Plaza. For drinks, I would recommend R5 Lounge at Fallsview Casino, a quiet oasis with indoor and outdoor areas overlooking the Resort courtyard and the Falls.

To do "all the usual touristy spots" (especially on both sides) takes a couple of full days at least. If you're only allowing part of one day, you'll have to pick what you really want to do and plan your time accordingly.

The Syndicate is excellent, more a restaurant than pub. Taps on Queen offers more traditional pub fair, but is in the older downtown area, not near the Falls.

Just had a quick look and using Table Rock as start point, it's a wash as to which is closer. But it'd mean driving in either case so you may as well go with your original idea. Here's their proximity to each other.

A is Syndicate, B is Taps and C is Table Rock

http://bit.ly/Syndicate_Taps_Horsehoe_Falls

u

Thanks everyone for your help. I like to try to get a lot of my vacation planned but yet always am willing to be flexible and change things up at the last minute.

On Monday I think we will do a winery tour. Is it possible to eat lunch at most places without a reservations? I'd rather kind of wander and decide on lunch when we get to a place with a menu or atmosphere that suits us.