So, Canada has a lot of statutory holidays, a lot. In the U.S. basically one day a year, Christmas, the whole country shuts down. That means there is one single day when you have to prepare the day before, but even then, there is usually something open in a pinch. That is not the case in Canada. I would say every 6-8 weeks there is a stat holiday that shuts everything down, and I mean everything! These days usually involve tears on my part because every time I am not prepared and, every time, I am frustrated at how consumerism is put to a complete halt so often. Of course, the benefit is all of the extra days off for Rusty, but that doesn’t make me any less frustrated when I pull into an empty grocery store parking lot.

Not this time! This last stat holiday was Victoria Day and we actually planned ahead. We decided to visit Niagara Falls! Of course, even in Canada, you can always count on a hot tourist spot to be alive and well any day.

I have never been and Rusty had never been to the Canadian side so, we had no idea what to expect. It was fantastic! Of course the falls were gorgeous. They didn’t look exactly how I had imagined them to look, but gorgeous none the less. The surrounding area had a little bit of everything, which made the day even more fun. There was a cheesy tourist side of town with rides, mini golf, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, an arcade,  a million restaurants, and a ton more. There was also a side of town that was just a beautiful park that over looked the falls. We decided to have a picnic in the park and then head over to a restaurant for dinner.

Because it was a holiday, there were Fireworks. There are also fireworks every Friday and Sunday during the summer. Carter obviously loved the fireworks because nothing scares that girl, but of course, Monroe was terrified; he is my little chicken. He just kept pointing at the fireworks and yelling, “NO!”

Lessons learned on our first trip to Niagara Falls? 1. It’s a lot closer to us than I thought it was. 2. Drive around and check parking prices. We actually parked in a lot that charged $15.00 on one side and $10.00 on the other side of the exact same lot, but we didn’t know to check the other entrance. There were also a bunch of lots that only charged $5.00 for the day. 3. There are a bunch of activity passes for really good prices, so check those out. 4. The fireworks go off near the bridge to the U.S. so sit somewhere with a good view of the bridge.

We definitely enjoyed our entire Victoria Day experience. Point for Canada.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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