George Bailey's Blog about Niagara Falls

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Niagara Falls Tourism Blog
written by Niagara's own
George Bailey

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Blog Archive
FEB. 4TH MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ICE-BRIDGE TRAGEDY
CLIFTON HILL IS STILL THE STREET OF FUN
BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS OF THE WAR OF 1812-14 BEGINS
GILLETTE AND NIAGARA
CHRISTMAS IN THE GREENHOUSE
TIGHTROPE WALKERS REQUEST DENIED BY NPC
RADIO AND TELEVISION FIRSTS AT NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA FALLS PHOTO CONTEST ANNOUNCED
THE RIVERBRINK ART MUSEUM-ONE OF NIAGARA'S HIDDEN GEMS
POWER FAILURE AND BIRTH RATES
NIAGARA’S RAINBOW BRIDGE IS 70 YEARS OLD THIS MONTH
MOUNT CARMEL SPIRITUAL CENTRE
NIAGARA RESIDENTS TO SLEEP CHEAP
NIAGARA TURNS ON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FOR THE 29TH YEAR
SCARY STUFF
NIAGARA’S 16-TON JADE STONE
PLAQUES ALONG THE NIAGARA RIVER RECREATIONAL TRAIL TELL NIAGARA’S HISTORY
NIAGARA’S GRAPE HARVEST AND FESTIVAL BEGINS
OAKES GARDEN THEATRE..A PLACE OF PEACE AND BEAUTY
NEW PEOPLE MOVER SYSTEM IS ANNOUNCED FOR NIAGARA
THE NIAGARA PARKS SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE IS 75 YEARS OLD
OLD FORT ERIE IS NOW NEW AGAIN
ANOTHER NIAGARA MIRACLE
FREE FALLS, FIREWORKS AND FAMILY FUN
TIGHT ROPE WALKERS AND THE FALLS
NIAGARA PARKS FLORAL CLOCK A TIMELY ATTRACTION
TWO OFFICERS RESCUED FROM NIAGARA RIVER
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NIAGARA’S TOWERS
WHERE IS THE NIAGARA RIVER THE DEEPEST?
NIAGARA FALLS - STILL A POPULAR HONEYMOON ATTRACTION
WHY IS THE WATER AT THE EDGE OF THE FALLS A BLUEISH-GREEN COLOUR?
BECKY BREAKS THROUGH
DUFFERIN ISLANDS IS A NATURE LOVERS PARADISE
A FEW OF NIAGARA’S FAMOUS VISITORS
MAID LAUNCHES FOR THE SEASON, MAY 4TH
EASTER AT THE NIAGARA PARKS SHOWHOUSE
SHAW FESTIVAL IS 50 YEARS OLD
NIAGARA FALLS SCOTIABANK CONVENTION CENTRE OPENS APRIL 8TH
NIAGARA AND SHREDDED WHEAT CEREAL
WELLAND CANAL OPENED FOR THE SEASON TUESDAY, MARCH 22ND
NIAGARA ON THE LAKE AND THE MOVIE, “THE DEAD ZONE”
NIAGARA’S ICE BRIDGE AND SHACKS
“BIG BECKY” TO SURFACE THIS SPRING
NIAGARA’S WINTER SCENERY IS SPECTACULAR
NAVY ISLAND –SITE OF THE UNITED NATIONS?
MARILYN MONROE AND NIAGARA MOTELS
HOSNI MUBAREK AND NIAGARA FALLS
THE SONG-NIAGARA FALLS-SONG OF THE YEAR 1841
HOW LUNA ISLAND GOT ITS NAME
JANUARY IS THE PERFECT TIME TO VISIT NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA ICEWINE FESTIVAL JANUARY 14 TO 30TH
NIAGARA’S ANNUAL ICE BOOM IS NOW IN PLACE
NEW YEARS EVE LINEUP IS ANNOUNCED
CLIFTON HILL - STILL THE STREET OF FUN BY THE FALLS
TWENTY U.S. PRESIDENTS HAVE VISITED NIAGARA FALLS
DAVID LETTERMAN AND NIAGARA FALLS
SHAW FESTIVAL FILM FESTIVAL NOW UNDERWAY
NEW NIAGARA FALLS CONVENTION CENTRE TO OPEN IN SPRING 2011
NIAGARA’S ROAR IS HEARD WORLDWIDE
NIAGARA AND ALUMINUM
RUN FOR FUN THIS SUNDAY IN NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA’S FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS
NIAGARA WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS BEGINS ON NOVEMBER 6,2010
NIAGARA’S DRUMMOND HILL IS A PLACE OF SIGNIFICANCE
THE LEAVES ARE FALLING
PRINCESS DIANA REMEMBERED
THREE OF THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET
AN OLD ADVERTISEMENT TELLS A LOT ABOUT NIAGARA’S HISTORY
TABLE ROCK’S ”GREAT FALLING SHEET OF WATER”
AN INVENTION THAT CHANGED THE WORLD HAPPENED IN NIAGARA FALLS
DISCOVER A LUSH OASIS NEAR THE FALLS
THE NIAGARA BOUNDARY
A FEW TRIVIAL FACTS ABOUT THE NIAGARA RIVER
NIAGARA FALLS UNDER LIGHTS
THIS SMELLS GREAT!
MAKE TIME FOR NIAGARA'S FLORAL CLOCK
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW CARILLON - LET THE JOY RING OUT
NIAGARA FALLS IS HOT
A 1678 DESCRIPTION OF THE FALLS
50 YEARS AND ROGER WOODWARD
CHIPPAWA AND WEST POINT
CLIFTON HILL - THE STREET OF FUN!
NIAGARA FALLS HONEYMOON CERTIFICATES ARE AVAILABLE
ONTARIO TRAVEL CENTRES CELEBRATE TOURISM WEEK
NIAGARA IS HOME TO 48 GOLF COURSES
NIAGARA FALLS HOSTEL TAKES TOP NORTH AMERICAN AWARD
NIAGARA’S FIRST DAREDEVIL MAKES A SPLASH
ANOTHER NIAGARA FIRST
THE PRETTIEST SUNDAY AFTERNOON DRIVE IN THE WORLD
CROSS INTO THE U.S. WITHOUT GOING THROUGH CUSTOMS
THE STRAIT CALLED A RIVER
NIAGARA'S GREAT GORGE ROUTE
MAID OF THE MIST OPENS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH
NIAGARA ON-THE-LAKE
HISTORY ALONG THE NIAGARA RIVER RECREATION TRAIL
"WEDDINGMOONS" ARE MOST POPULAR IN NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA SOUVENIRS
NIAGARA FALLS ONTARIO HAS A SISTER
NIAGARA FALLS HOTELS
BIRTHPLACE OF THE FALLS
ONE OF THE TINIEST CHAPELS IN THE WORLD
NIAGARA'S ICE-BRIDGE TRAGEDY
NIAGARA FALLS, MANY NAMES
LIQUID GOLD
NIAGARA'S CHEAP FLORIDA VACATION
A FIRST FOR ME
DID CHARLES DICKENS EVER VISIT NIAGARA FALLS?
WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES TORCH ARRIVES IN NIAGARA
NIAGARA AND PHOTOGRAPHY
MORE NIAGARA TRIVIA
STYX AND GLASS TIGER HEADLINE NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY IN QUEEN VICTORIA PARK
A DISCOVERY IN NIAGARA THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
OUR HERO RUEDI HAFEN
BURIED NIAGARA TREASURE
ROLLING THUNDER
NEW RINK AT THE BRINK OPENS IN NIAGARA FALLS ON NOVEMBER 23
SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF KIRK JONES GOING OVER NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA FALLS HISTORIC TORONTO POWER PLANT GETS $850,000 FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
MORE GOVERNMENT MONEY HEADING TO NIAGARA FALLS
HOW MUCH DOES NIAGARA ERODE EACH YEAR?
FALLS HELICOPTER PILOT, RUEDI HAFEN IS UP FOR A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
DO FISH SURVIVE THE DROP OVER NIAGARA?
WHERE DID THE WORD NIAGARA COME FROM?
PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA VISITS NIAGARA FALLS
THE RAGWEED ARRIVES IN NIAGARA AND SO DO THE FESTIVALS!
SOME MORE FACTS ABOUT THE FALLS
WHEN THE AMERICAN FALLS WAS SHUT-DOWN
SPOTTED A DEER TONIGHT
STRANDED SCOW IN UPPER NIAGARA RIVER IS STILL STRANDED
BIG BECKY IS BORING
FLOWERS, FLOWERS EVERYWHERE
HERE COME THE JUDGES
NIAGARA AND PHOTOGRAPHY
MY FAVOURITE SPOT ALONG THE NIAGARA PARKWAY
BIRTHDAY FACTS
ON YOUR NIAGARA FALLS HONEYMOON
NIAGARA FALLS FUNAMBULISTS
NEW BORDER CROSSING REGULATIONS NOW IN EFFECT
IS IT THE NIAGARA RIVER OR THE NIAGARA STRAIT?
NIAGARA DAREDEVILS
HOW NIAGARA FALLS WAS FORMED
MARILYN MONROE AND THE MAKING OF NIAGARA
SPRING ACTIVITIES IN NIAGARA FALLS
EARLY SPRING IN NIAGARA: OUT OF THE WOODS AND INTO THE (BOTANICAL) GARDENS
A GOOD READ ON NIAGARA HISTORY
MAID OF THE MIST BOATS OPEN THIS WEEK
THE SHAW OPENS 2009 SEASON
SPRING HAS ALMOST SPRUNG AT NIAGARA
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GO TO NIAGARA FALLS
LOOK AND LISTEN TO NIAGARA FALLS TO LEARN WHAT THE DAY WILL BRING
CAN'T WAIT TO SMELL THE FLOWERS...THEN DON’T
DOES THE NIAGARA RIVER FREEZE?
BLAME THE ROMANCE ON NIAGARA'S NEGATIVE IONS
ICE-BRIDGE PUSHES THE HONEYMOON BRIDGE INTO THE GORGE
NIAGARA'S ICE WINES ARE READY TO BE SERVED
NIAGARA FALLS IS FOR THE BIRDS AND THE BIRDERS
OH CANADA EH
BROCK'S MONUMENT
NIAGARA FIREWORKS
WINTER HAPPENINGS AROUND NIAGARA FALLS
NIAGARA ON A WINTER MORNING
NIAGARA SUNRISE
THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN NIAGARA
THE GENERAL BROCK HOTEL AND TWO GREAT SHOWS
PRINCESS DIANA AND ME
LOOK THERE'S A RAINBOW
MR. NIAGARA FALLS



 

OFFICIAL BLOG OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM

THE SHAW OPENS 2009 SEASON
By
2009-04-06 15:36:08

12 comments Latest by George Bailey 07/07/11 21:53:24 EDT

If you like live theatre then head to the Shaw Festival found just down the road from Niagara Falls in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The 2009 season has just begun.
Jackie Maxwell, Artistic Director of Shaw (as the locals call it), tells me one of the highlights this year is Sunday in the Park with George (no, it's not me). It's a moving musical love story which originally opened on Broadway in 1984. This season there are eleven productions on stage at the Shaw and several special events.

I can remember when Niagara-on-the-Lake was a sleepy little town with a small main street anchored by a bar where "Women and Escorts" entered through a separate door. All that changed when in 1962 when a local lawyer and playwright, Brian Doherty, introduced this little theatre to produce the dramatic works of Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. It's not sleepy anymore.



Comments

mark mezeros
Just read a book entitled NO MAD by Sam Moffie. The Falls are a background feature in the last (7) chapter. Those that like the falls will appreciate the chapter, if not the book. It's also very funny.

David Rovaldi
I have viewed several sites concerning hotels in Canada at Niagara Falls. I have noted several sites have ratings from those staying there that are quite negative. These types of reviews are offset by rave reviews from other customers. I find the great disparity between ratings very disconcerting. Since anyone can write a review of these sites the negative ones can be written by dissatisfied customers with a legitimate complaint, the rave reviews could be written by an employee attempting to embellish the report and cast a positive light to offset the negative reports. One of the hotels AAA lists at a rating of 3 diamonds. This same hotel has a rating from your local BBB of F. How do you account for this? This seems to have the same slant that the other sites have. I don't understand that AAA site lists this hotel as positive and the BBB lists it as an F rating. How do you expect a potential customer to make an informed decision when those with an interest in the trade have one opinion and the alleged customers sites have almost a complete opposite opinion?

George
Dave, Some questions I can try and help answer,but this is one I don't have an answer for. First, Niagara Falls has no Better Business Bureau(BBB). The closest is in Hamilton, Ontario and they can be reached at 905-526-1111. We do have a Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps you might want to contact the BBB in Hamilton to help answer this question. Good Luck.

George
Someone recently asked me about the vacant building at the corner of Dunn Street and Stanley Ave. in Niagara Avenue and what was happening with it. I checked with the city of Niagara Falls about the status. This was at one time supposed to be the parking lot for a proposed major Hotel.The construction of the hotel apparently is not going to happen and the partially finished parking lot is for sale or lease.You can contact the City of Niagara Falls for more details.

jane wymer
I have a question. My husband and I honeymooned in Niagra Falls in September, 2004. The motel we stayed at was on the main street. I think that it was Clifton area. At the time it was next to a outdoor karoke bar that kept us awake til 2:00 in the morning. Can you tell me the name of the motel and if it is still there so we can come back.

George
Jane, The name of the motel that was beside the place that had a karoke bar is now renamed Travelodge by the Falls. Clifton Hill is considered by visitors to be Niagara Falls main street. The traditional main street is Queen Street found in downtown (not the tourist district) of Niagara Falls, Ontario. This street has over the past few years started to `come back to life` with new stores and restaurants.

Addison Freeman
My wife and I just completed a 7-night (May 13-20, 2009) stay at the Crowne Plaza overlooking the beautiful falls. In addition to seeing the sites of Niagara Falls, we were looking forward to visiting Niagara On The Lake. The only transportation we were told that was available was a 5-0 taxi. I called and made a reservation and asked about paying by credit card. The employee I spoke with said that `we will take care of that when we pick you up.` When picked up, the driver said that we would be able to take care of the payment at the shuttle station outside of Niagara on the Lake where we would then transfer to a shuttle to go into the town. Upon arrival at the shuttle station, we were then advised that they do not accept credit cards. Since we were counting on using our credit card as we had been doing all that week, we had no Canadian money with us, only American dollars. We were then told that they would accept the American dollars for payment for the Canadian amount due. This meant no change for the currency differential. We paid $42 for $42C. Someone pocketed the currency differential of about $8.00. The shuttle personnel told us that the taxi driver didn't receive any of that amount therefore we were compelled to tip him on top of what we had already paid. We left feeling that this was a classic `bait and switch` and we were probably not the first tourists caught in this. This has left a bad taste in our mouths after an otherwise wonderful experience in your lovely cities. Had we been told this up front, we would have gone to the casino next door and converted cash to Canadian funds. After we complained to the Crowne Plaza front desk, they recommended that we email 5-0 taxi but there doesn't seem to be a vehicle on their web site to accomplish that.

George
Addison, I'm sorry to hear about the experience you described. I will pass this information on to the taxi company. Hopefully, they will respond.

Gail
Hello George, Visiting Niagara falls for the first time in July.We are traveling with kids is there alot for kids to do there.The ages are 9 an 13.Also we made a reservation for the keg steakhouse do you recommend this and is it very expensive? Thank you so much...

Amy Wagner | Camping
Hi George I just love coming and reading your posts, I just wish that things weren't so tough with the recession and all to afford to make the trip there.

USA
ecb0S6 I came across to your post and found it very useful for me. Thanks and good luck!)

George Bailey
Tahnkyou.Glad we could help.



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Photos by George Bailey...
View of Niagara Falls from the Skylon Tower Niagara Falls visitors overlooking the Falls
The Horseshoe falls at Niagara Falls Hennepin Point with a view of the American and Horseshoe Falls



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