Niagara Falls for the Whole Family

                                           

Visiting one of the Natural Wonders of the world is quite the experience. This is a two part trip. We went with my sister and husband and we also took our son Ellis. Both trips were fun.   Living in Ottawa for 3 years we often took family who came to visit us. This post will highlight both trips.

Where to Stay in Niagara Falls?
----Cadillac Motel---
Not usually a fan of Motels. The Cadillac Motel is CUTE and CLEAN.
We booked the Cadillac Motel for its fun vintage vibe. 
You will have a lot of choices on places to stay in Niagara Falls. I'd recommended the Cadillac Motel if you like a little a Retro-Chic reminiscent of the 50's-60's Roadside Inns. Each unique room comes with its own style, whether it's the classic vintage caddy, or models that belonged to ZZ Top, Ghostbusters or even Marlyn Monroe. 
An added benefit to staying at the Cadillac Motel is the close proximity to the Falls and to Clifton Hill. 

An added bonus for staying here is parking is FREE!!

-Hilton Niagara Falls-
Another great choice for your stay in Niagara Falls is the Hilton. We booked the family suite. It had two bedrooms, a spacious bathroom, fireplace and of course incredible views of the Falls. We could even see the nightly fireworks from our room. 
Two Bedroom Fallsview Suite

King Studio City/Casino View
---Niagara Falls State Park---
Niagara Falls one of the most Spectacular Falls shared with USA and Canada.

Make sure to come back in the evening the falls are lit up in different colors and there are even fireworks some evening.




                            
---Maid of the Mist--- 
Warning you Will get wet! But this part of the fun of the Maid of the Mist Boat Tour. 
You will literally be experiencing an up close and personal tour of the Falls. 






If boats are not your thing, you can also get great views of the falls on the Incline Railway
                     
---Souvenir Shops---
There are tons of Souvenir shops in the area. From Keychains, Mugs, to Tee-Shirts. Clifton Hill and surrounding areas have tons of places to choose from.
---Clifton Hill ---
The Street of FUN at the Falls
There are more things to do at the Falls especially for children. We loved Clifton Hill which is full of fun! Restaurants, gift shops, arcade game rooms, rides and SO MUCH MORE!




After ALL THAT FUN, it's time for our ride home. 
We made a little stop roadside stop to 
THE BIG APPLE! You will see the build boards leading up to it. 
A fun place to stretch your legs and grab some apple's. Everything is made from apples. From churros, to butter, cakes, pies and bread.
There is even a farm where you can feed goats and pigs.  









No trip to Canada is not complete with out a stop at Tim Hortons. To taste the Timbits (small doughnut holes)
What a Sweet way to end our weekend in Niagara falls.







Christmas Tradition In Italy La Befana


January 6th is the Epiphany, a major holiday in Italy which wraps up the Christmas season. The story comes from the Three Wise Men. The legend says the three wise men stopped by la Befana's house on their way to find baby Jesus and they asked for help. She said no, and has felt bad ever since.  
La Befana is a kind old which who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy. Italian children leave out their stocking for la Befana. Children are excited to receive candy and naughty children will receive coal or dark colored candy. After the gifts are delivered it is rumored she sweeps the floors of each house. Symbolizing a clean slate for the new year and seeping away last year's worries. This tradition closes out the Christmas season.

If you are around Rome during this time of year you will find many stores adorned with La Befana stocking filled with treats for children.  The newly restored Piazza Navona holds a yearly event for children of all ages. On January 6th The Befana is mounted on a broom suspended on the fireman's ladder over the beautiful and restored Bernini fountain. During the Christmas season Piazza Navona turns into a Christmas Market. If you are looking for a cozy market to enjoy a carousel ride or a warm holiday drink, make sure to stop by. A fun and festive environment for everyone. 

 Here are a few pictures of our time celebrating in Piazza Navona. 











One Night in Bordeaux, France


Bonjour from Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷 🍷 
My husband surprised me with a trip to Bordeaux, France. 
He asked me to be ready to leave the house by 3:00 pm, pack for one night and to bring something nice to wear for dinner. I assumed we were going on a little getaway somewhere in Italy. To my surprise he packed our passports and we hopped on a Ryanair flight to Bordeaux for one night! 
I was super excited when I found out we were going to France for the night. I absolutely LOVE Paris, this was my first time visiting  Bordeaux, France. 
Photo taken from Blinds Website

After settling into our hotel room at Renaissance Bordeaux. Fun fact- they upgraded our room to Suite. Which was a nice surprise for the both of us. Our room was beautiful with a fantastic view of the city. 
-Dinner at Blind-
Blind  Restaurant is a one of a kind experience in Bordeaux, France. A wine tasting experience that will have you guessing the wine variety, appellation or country of origin of the wine you are tasting. 
Our waiter explained the menu to us and explained how he will bring over a wine that pairs well with what we ordered.  We were asked if we could guess the country or the type of wine or the region where the wine was produced. Our waiter was very attentive and informative to our wine journey. Our A really nice interactive wine and dining experience. 
We started our evening with Causa a la Limena and Squid al Olivo.
Cold and fresh potato with Aji Amarillo, Peruvian pepper, prawn, and avocado. Grilled marinated squid with botija olive sauce. 
Ceviche de Pescado
Pork Anitcucho- Filigh Mignon skewers with Peruvian spices. 
Cheers to all of our blessing coming to us this year. 
All of our meals were perfectly paired with delicious wine from Bordeaux and a few were paired with German, and Italian wine.

Desserts-Lost Brioche and Chocolate Brownie 
Vanilla and cinnamon ice cream with a caramel drizzle on top of brioche bread. 
Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle. 
Dessert was paired with dessert wine. Were too busy licking our spoons, I forgot to take a photo. 

Blind Restaurant has quickly became one of my favorite restaurants. The environment, food and wine were all spectacular. The part that really stands out about Blind is the staff. Everyone was friendly and helpful helping us pick out the best wine to fit our taste profiles. We even bought a bottle of wine to take back to our room. 
La Cite Du Vin Museum 
To continue with the wine theme of the trip, he planned for us to go to La Cite du Vin an interactive wine museum. Im not a huge museum lover, but when the exhibits are learning about wine and you are offered a tasting after the museum.... Sign me up!! 
La Cite Du Vin is a multi sensory museum. You are taken through the production, history, sight, and aromas of wine. Plan to stay about 2-3 hours or more in the museum. 

A cool experience where you are encouraged to smell different aromas.
A space to visually see where Bordeaux wine origin came from. 
Upstairs on the 8th floor you continue with the sensory experience. This time it's Taste! Head up to Belvedere where you are invited to test one of the museum's selection of international wines. The panoramic views from the top are incredible. Sip on a glass of champagne or wine and enjoy the 360 degree view. If you are not a drinker they have a non alcoholic choice. 


Keep an eye out for a selfie kiosk. Just add your email address and your photo/GIF will be delivered to your email. A fun free souvenir. 
We ended our 24 hours in France with a walk across the street to Les Halles de Bacalan. A covered food hall. You will have so many choices of foods to try. Since we were in France we wanted to try seafood. And boy it did not disappoint. We shared french fries, fried calamari and the BEST lobster roll we've ever tasted! 10/10
Oh and a glass of local white wine. 

Thank you to my husband who planned the best mini getaway! 
Until next time Bordeaux 💋