HOW TO SURVIVE NEW YEAR'S EVE IN NIAGARA FALLS



Murray Hill, Niagara Falls
New Year's Eve 2009

I have probably spent no less than 7 of the past ten New Year's Eves 'ringing it in' down by Niagara Falls.  It is the ideal 'ready made' New Year's Eve Party and apparently many others agree because Queen Victoria Park and the nearby streets are jammed with revellers. It is a family event with well known bands and fireworks going off at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00.  Although Niagara Falls sees its share of tourists during the summer months, I have never seen the area as busy as on December 31st.  Even inclement weather doesn't seem to scare off the party goers.  A crowd of this size converging into a relatively small areas has special considerations and over the years I have learned some of the tricks, tips and pitfalls of surviving New Year's Eve in Niagara Falls.

1. If you bring children, be prepared to carry them, piggyback them, or put them on your shoulders at some point in the night.  Or make sure that you have lots of goodies available to coax them into walking.
2. Your children will see other children with various types of glo-sticks and will wine and nag you to buy them one.  They are over priced and you are going to resent doing this!!  Get down to the dollar store sometime in the week before and pick up some glo-sticks for a buck a piece.  Or better yet, do what we did one year;  stock up  on glo-sticks and let the children cash in on the whole glo-stick hungry mob by using the cute factor to make a 300% profit on their own glo-sticks.

Benji and TJ ready to head down to the Falls
New Year's Eve 2005

 3. If you make the mistake of going anywhere near Clifton Hill with children, be prepared to spend some cash at an arcade, candy shop, fast food joint, or gift shop.  In my expert opinion, your best bet at the arcade is to encourage they play the game where you shoot shoot the pennies and try to topple a whole bunch down into the tray below.  Once you develop the sufficient technique, this yields more tickets than most games.  For a mere $60.00 you will probably have enough tickets to redeem for the super deluxe plastic cowboy and Indian Village or a medium Sponge Bob stuffed toy.    4. If you're short, you will soon realize that trying to position yourself right front and centre of the action will become very frustrating, especially with young one's.  You won't be able to see much at all.  One of the best seats in the house, if weather is an issue, is on the balcony at the Niagara Fallsview Casino.  Bathrooms are convenient and there is shelter if things get out of control or just plain too cold!  If you do plan to watch the festivities from there, I suggest that you bring a set of binoculars for everyone.  You can still hear the concert and see a bit but a bit of magnification wouldn't hurt.                                                                                                                                                5. Don't expect to come at the last minute and grab a perfect parking spot.  Parking spots are scarce and the whole experience of finding that 'perfect one' can set a pretty frustrating stage to begin the evening.  Lot owners are cashing in and charging for spots and traffic becomes incredibly congested on New Year's Eve in Niagara Falls.  Ideally, you should arrange for a ride there and back.  If that isn't possible, then scope out your parking options early.  If you arrive early enough, you might be able to get into the Fallsview Casino underground parking and if you have a player's advantage card, this is quite possibly free.  Side streets further back from the Falls are also less chaotic, though they may require a stroll to get to the action.  If you manage to get a cab down there, be prepared to either walk home or wait for hours to get another cab to take you back.  That happened to my six year old son and I once.  We ended up walking clear up to Main Street before we could get a ride home from a local who was making spare cash as a spur of the moment taxi service.  

 6.  Don't wear stilettos down there.  This had to be one of my most memorable what was I thinking?'    New Year's Eve decisions.                                                                                            7. Dress warm.  It tends to get drafty down by the Falls at the end of December.                                                                                                                                  



Grabbing a bit to eat at the Niagara Fallsview Casino Food Court
New Year's Eve

8. If you're planning to grab a bite to eat after the concert and you want it to be special, may I suggest you either make reservations or begin to slowly meander towards your chosen restaurant before the rest of the mob does.  Over the years, we have eaten at Planet Hollywood, the food court in the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort and at an Indian buffet on Fallsview Avenue.  The line up at the food court was a bit long. 9. Keep an eye on the ground after the concert.  You may or may not find money or a still functional glo-stick but you most likely will find the other puddle of vomit that you want to avoid stepping in.  On that note, be prepared to explain to curious youngsters about the pockets of drunk teenagers that you might encounter.  Tell them they don't need to be frightened. 10.  Don't kiss too many strangers at midnight.  You don't want to survive New Year's Eve in Niagara Falls, just to be sick for the next few weeks. For more information about holiday events and New Year's Eve in Niagara Falls, visit my article at bukisa.;  Niagara Winter Concert and Holiday Events 2010/2011



Happy New Year 2010!!