With a bit more rest last night, we got a later start this morning! We knew we needed to get to Niagra Falls early. Tyler read that in order to find adequate parking, it was recommended to be there first am. By the time we read that, it was already after 9:30.
We left Lockport, NY, and backtracked slightly to the Niagra Falls State Park. It was only about a 20-minute drive and when we entered the park, we wound through various parking sections and into parking lot #3 where trailers and buses could park. There was no one in the lot and the $10 parking fee was waived.
The dogs were moved into the trailer to spend their time comfortably in their bed and we set off towards the falls. There were various viewing areas to see and we, of course, stopped at every single one of them. I took pictures and video snippets trying to capture the breathtaking views. We walked through the entire park and stopped to see all three falls: Horshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls.
The views were incredible and I wanted to be able to capture every detail to look back on. At one viewpoint, we stood and the mist from the falls dampened us. Even though it was cold and we were getting wet, I couldn’t bring myself to step away. Inside the waterfall was the most vibrant rainbow I have ever seen.
After walking through the park and seeing everything there was to see, we went back to the trailer and made lunch before getting back on the road. Today we traveled another 368 miles. It was a long day of driving and when we thought we would call it a day, we were in the wrong town. The campsite we reserved earlier in the day was named the same as another in a neighboring city 70 miles away. Since it was getting dark, we decided to try to find something local. Unfortunately, without reservations we struck out…so we are parked off of the side of the road in a dirt lot that looks to be used for commuters. It may not be ideal, but we have everything we need and we are enjoying some wind-down time.
I won’t lie, Tyler and I had to hug it out as we were both quite frazzled by the end of the day. It’s day 16 and if we would have stuck to our original plans, we would be home by now. Instead, we are having the time of our lives! The kids are seeing and learning more than they could ever learn from a school field trip and Tyler and I are adding states to our list to check off. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend this crazy time in our lives and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.
Tomorrow we will be heading towards New Hampshire. We have already secured our place for the night so, pending any surprises, we hopefully will avoid the chaos we had tonight.
We didn’t play Sequence tonight, but for the inquiring minds, Addi and I are up 8-3. Now Tyler and Ashton are saying best of 17!
The Church Hideout 