Oh, I can hear it now. "Niagara Falls? You gotta be kidding! That's sooo commercial and full of tourists." Think about that statement for a moment. Why would a place always be full of tourists unless it had something very special to offer? What makes Niagara Falls so special is not merely the falls, but the fact that you can get so up close and personal with the falls in so many different ways. Before I was married, I traveled throughout Europe and South America. Every time I would visit some spectacular array of falls on these continents, the brochure would compare them to Niagara Falls - twice as high, three times as wide, four times as much water. No matter what was said, the comparison was always with Niagara. After I became a single parent, I decided I would visit the Mother Lode. Our trip turned out to be fun, lots of fun.

Niagara Falls is a long drive from anywhere on the East Coast, but there are many interesting attractions along the way should you have the time to do a "circle trip" of New York state. If you are flying in from a distant state, the entry airport is Buffalo, New York or, if you prefer, you can also fly into Toronto, Canada, about an hour and a half away by car. If you are renting a car, make sure the rental car company will allow you to drive the vehicle over the border.

To see the major attractions in and immediately around Niagara Falls requires three full days. Here are the "must see" attractions unique to Niagara:

• Maid of the Mist Boat Tour - This fantastic ride, slickers and boots provided, has been enjoyed by presidents and kings alike and is the most famous and popular attraction at the falls, next to the falls itself.

• Cave of the Winds - This attraction allows you to walk along the side of the falls, on wooden steps, to within 25 feet of the base of the falls. Slickers provided. The force of the water spray dislodged my daughter's contact lens onto her cheek. She was impressed.

• Table Rock House - is a series of tunnels leading to the backside of the falls. I think this was where Marilyn Monroe had her "illicit kissing tryst" with her boyfriend in the movie "Niagara."

• Daredevil Gallery - displays all the contraptions used by those crazy people who survived a trip over the falls. Not to be missed!

• Goat Island - Here you can stand only a few feet from where people have gone over to the falls either to their death or to permanent fame. It is from this area that several people have also been rescued.

• Fort Niagara - Only a half hour from the falls, this scenic fort offers a history lesson and a musket-power demonstration.

• Artpark - This was a surprise big hit. The kids absolutely loved Artpark! This large park, in a lovely setting, offers outdoor sculpture and lots of crafts. My nine-year-old son kept busy playing "mason," building a stone wall with real concrete blocks and mortar. My teen-age daughter was enthralled with the opportunity to get hands-on with pottery-making and other crafts. This is a free attraction and combines nicely with a visit to nearby Fort Niagara. Bring hats and sunscreen. Except for the canopied crafts area, much of this park is exposed to the outdoors.

For more information on attractions and accommodations, contact the Niagara Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau: Web site: www.nfcvb.com or phone toll free: 800-338-7890

If you are driving to Niagara from the East Coast or want to do a circle trip of New York State, here are some major attractions that merit at least an overnight or a day's visit:

Cooperstown, NY
This delightful small town looks like it just stepped out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Besides the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which is fun even if you are not interested in baseball, there is a fabulous Farmer's Museum. This indoor/outdoor museum depicts farm life in this area in the 1800's. There are lots of hands-on displays for the kids. My son learned the origin of the name Cooper and my daughter was surprised to learn that the most dangerous occupation for women's health at that time was doing the laundry. (Long-term exposure to lye was quite harmful). There are other smaller museums as well so you may want to consider buying a special combination museum pass if you plan to visit more than two. There are several restaurants serving home-cooked food in a family style atmosphere. To save money, you can stay in a tourist home rather than a motel. The town maintains an excellent Web site for information and booking accommodations via email: www.cooperstown.com

Erie Canal Village
Located in Rome, NY, this attraction offers a quaint village and an opportunity to ride a mule-drawn barge down the historic Erie Canal. It is located one and half hours from Cooperstown and three hours from Niagara Falls. Call 888-374-3226 or visit www.ErieCanalVillage.com

Finger Lakes Area
Besides all types of boating and outdoor activities in this scenic area there are many local wineries. Watkins Glen, at the south end of Seneca Lake, is famous for being a gliding and auto-racing center and nearby is the not-to-be-missed hike up the Great Gorge, where you walk by eleven waterfalls culminating in the bridge walk over the Gorge. At night there is a sound and light presentation at the Gorge called Timespell, which explains the geology and history of this glacially carved area. Visit www.FingerLakes.net

Corning Glass Works and Museum
Near to this interesting museum is the beautiful campus of Cornell University. Call 800-732-6845 or visit www.cmog.org.

For information and accommodations in the above areas, try the New York State Web site: http://iloveny.state.ny.us

If you are planning to visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, some attractions are:

Welland Canal
This is Canada's "up close and personal" version of the Panama Canal. We all enjoyed watching freighters and ocean going vessels drop down or go up over some of the eight locks that span the 300-foot drop of the Niagara Escarpment. For information call 800-305-5134 or visit www.infoniagara.com/d-canal.html.

Tivoli Miniature World
Located in the town of St. Catherine's, this attraction recreates the world in miniature. Toronto Often billed as the cleanest city in North America, this multi-cultural metropolis offers a myriad of attractions for families. Among them are:

• CN Tower, the largest free standing structure in the world and hallmark of the Toronto skyline.
• Ontario Science Center, a fantastic hands-on place of fun and learning with over 800 exhibits, one of which will literally make your hair stand on end. The museum is also an architectural wonder, built right into the side of a ravine.
• Ontario Place, a man made island of fun and excitement
• Toronto Harbourfront, over two miles of waterfront area containing shops, restaurants, theatres, cultural events, boating and street entertainment.
• Canada Wonderland, a major theme park located a half hour from Toronto

For further information on Toronto attractions, check out the city's official Web site: www.TorontoTourism.com

Georgian Bay
This unique area, offers white sand beaches and crystal clear water that stretches out as far as the eye can see before becoming deep water. No sharks to worry about here! A good place to visit is Collingwood, at the south end of the bay, which is three hours from Niagara Falls or one and a half hours from Toronto. We explored a series of unique and fascinating caves once used by the Native Americans. Our favorite was the "refrigerator" cave, used to store foodstuffs. In addition there is the Blue Mountain Pottery Center, a good place for some quality souvenirs.

After your vacation, we hope you too will come away saying, "I LOVE NEW YORK."

If you liked what you read, please support The Single Parent Travel Network by buying The Single Parent Travel Handbook. Read about how you can buy a book, by clicking here. Or you can join other single parents who take trips with Single Parent Tours, click here to see where Single Parent Tours is going