Our trip includes Niagara Falls, Mississippi, California, Nevada and Utah

We left Ottawa on Feb. 11th on our vacation, driving to Niagara Falls, Ontario the first night. We left early in the morning around 6:45am so that we would get into Niagara falls early in the day to see the falls and spend a little time at the casino. Roads were excellent and once we got past Toronto, the traffic was fine, with one exception.

We were on the Queen Elizabeth Way, just SW of Toronto in the middle lane passing a tractor trailer on the right. As we pulled along side the rear wheels of the tractor, one of the tires on the tractor, literally exploded within 3 feet of the passenger side of our car. It is like a bomb going off, the sound is so loud and there was rubber from the tire flying everywhere. Fortunately for us, the rubber went behind us and missed our car completely. Carol was freaked out and I have to admit it shook me a bit as well. What a surprise start to our first day driving to California.

We stayed at a Hampton inn north of the falls and after checking in went down to the Niagara Falls casino. This is a really great hotel and casino and is designed to compete with the American Seneca casino across the river in Niagara Falls , New York. Great entrance, lots of shops and very elegant restaurants as well as coffee shops.

 

Niagara Falls Casino, Canada .Niagara Falls Casino, shopping comlplex

We took a walk down to the falls to see the Canadian and American Falls during the winter. The falls are always spectacular, but even more so in the winter with all of the ice, the mist and the permanent rainbow shown below. Behind the rainbow you can just make out the American side of the falls, and the picture on the left shows the mist rising up over the Canadian side of the falls.!

American side of Niagara Falls .Rainbow over the Candian side of Niagara Falls

It was a clear cold day when we took these pictures and the mist rising up from the falls freezes on everything it touches. The ice on the railing is at least 2 inches thick. The power and the amount of water going over the falls is amazing and the pictures really do not do justice to the majestic Niagara Falls.

Ice on railing at Niagara Falls.Canadian side of Niagara Falls

We stayed in Niagara Falls for one night and then crossed over into New York state the next morning. Another great day with lots of sunshine. There was no line up at the border and after a few questions we were on our way south west towards Tunica Mississippi, which will be our first major stop. On the way we will stay one night at the Belterra Casino Hotel in Indiana.

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