Chronosynclastic Infundibulum

I was in Niagara Falls, Canada for about 5 days last week. The beauty of the falls in surpassed only by how expensive everything is there. I was lucky ‘coz my employer paid for my first three days’ stay and the flight tickets, so I had to fend for myself for only the last 2 days which was not too bad. However, for people visiting Niagara Falls on a self funded vacation, it can get expensive and very quickly so. But it does not have to be so. There are ways in which you can actually enjoy a lot of what Niagara Falls has to offer without burning a hole in your pocket. This post will give you an idea of how to accomplish that.

First off, lets see typically, how much a three day trip to Niagara Falls costs:

• Stay $50*3 = $150
• Food $20*3= $60
• Attractions = $50
• Tourist Traps = $40

That brings your total to about $300 or thereabouts. But I can show you how to bring that down to a manageable $120 or so. How? Well read on :)

For starts, the biggest expense is (obviously) accommodation, or stay. The cheapest motel casts over $50 per day, on the other hand youth hostels (like Hosteling International) are much cheaper. Lets debate the pros and cons of staying in a youth hostel.

Pros:

• The hostel charges on a per person basis. So if you are traveling alone this is much cheaper.
• The hostel has a well set up kitchen. This allows you to bring your own groceries and cook your own food bringing down the cost of the food to almost zero. So the saving is not just on the stay, but on the food as well.
• You meet people from all parts of the world at the hostel. This makes for an interesting group to hang out with. Also, if you are looking fro someone to see the place with, you are more likely to find a comrade in a youth hostel than a motel.
• Youth hostels often arrange for their guests to experience the nightlife, if any, in the area.
• The youth hostels are typically located close to downtown, or is in close proximity to the attraction you are visiting. Typically, a cheap motel is much further away, and you have to deal with the problem to having to get to where are want to go to every time. But with youth hostels, it is not an issue at all.

Cons:

• Rooms are smaller, much smaller, and you share it with strangers.
• They have common bathrooms and showers. Hence, limited privacy.

To me the Pros outweigh the cons, and I would definitely recommend a youth hostel to people (especially if you are traveling alone).

Assuming that you are staying in a youth hostel, the preparation for the vacation starts with the packing itself. Make sure you have packed some groceries or eateries for the three days vacation. Why? Because youth hostels have kitchens and you can cook in them! Get some Ramen noodles, breakfast cereals, oatmeal, etc. Stuff like eggs, juices etc. are available at grocery stores close to the hostel in Niagara Falls.

Since you are packing for just three days, its fair to assume that your baggage fits into a backpack that you can carry around with you without much discomfort.

The next part will focus on planning your itinerary for the three days, all within $120.