Niagara Falls, never a Mountie when you need one. eh!

If you ever visit Niagara Falls, the following three points will be invaluable
1. Go to Canada
Yes I know, Canada, the country 'immortalised' in such songs as 'Blame Canada'*, 'The Royal Canadian Mounted Yaksmen', and of course Monty Python's 'Lumberjack'. Canada may not scream "visit me", but trust me on this, because:
a. It has the longest unguarded border in the world, to none other than the U.S.A. nudgenudge winkwink say-no-more.
b. If you want to see the Niagara falls, you can't do them justice on the USA side and you will be jealous of the thousands of tourists on the other side looking back at you, and their perfect view of the falls.

2.
Go on the Maid of the Mist
This is a boat (or more correctly-boats) that run up the river to the apex of the crashing water of the Horseshoe Falls (also called Canada Falls). The view from this boat is amazing, and the only way to fully appreciate the sheer volume of water pouring down the otherwise fairly low height. (Niagara is not even close to the highest waterfall in the world, but nothing compares to the millions of litres per minute flow).
Ironically if you board the Maid of the Mist from the America side, you will have fewer tourists competing for views on the boat. Stick with point 1.

3.
Go behind the falls
Can only be down on the Canadian side (see, point 1 is coming in handy already). For $13 (Canadian or US, both are accepted in Niagara) you can don a plastic poncho and walk behind the falling water in a man made tunnel leading to three lookout points.
Two of the lookout points are next to useless. Why? Because the cascading water covers the lookout hole entirely and all you will see is white, and some splashing.
The first lookout point is excellent however; with a decent photo opportunity of the falls (but watch your camera for water damage), and an open area that allows you to get completely saturated (did you remember your poncho?)

Follow these simple three steps and you are guaranteed to lose 10 kilograms in your first week**, I mean, have an excellent time in Niagara Falls.
One last thing on Clifton Hill, a glitzy neon laden tourist road I heard described as "Niagara's Time's Square".
It really isn't.


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*
"...Blame Canada
It seems that every thing's gone wrong
Since Canada came along
Blame Canada
They're not even a real country anyway..."
** Results not typical