Chicago to Niagara Falls

Hi,
I used this forum last year for a trip around to CA and i got some great ideas (actually best holiday i ever had!). My girlfriend and I are now planning another US trip from Chicago to Niagara falls and would love some ideas on what to do.

We have 9 days at the start of September to do this and love scenery.

Would we be able to see alot of the great lakes or mount rushmore and Boston in this time period?
Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Keith

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

You'll have to decide which way to go. You have your choice of staying entirely in the US, and going through Cleveland (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cuyahoga Valley National Park) or going up through Michigan (American Museum of Magic in Marshall and the Cascades in Jackson) and crossing into Canada at Sarnia, or go one way out and the other way back. If Canada is in your plans, then you must have either a passport or both a government issued photo ID and you Birth Certificate or Naturalization Papers. While in the Niagara area, be sure to visit the lower river and the towns of Niagara-on-on-the-Lake (Ontario) and Youngstown (New York) on Lake Ontario.

AZBuck

Thanks for the response but to be honest i didnt get much out of it. Cleveland? any scenery? Think Michigan sounds like the best direction? I am from Ireland and dont really know the area of Chicago.

We will be flying into Chicago in early September and plan on spending 3 nights there, then heading off to somewhere (We would love to see alot of scenery if possible along with Niagara Falls??). Then spending 2 nights in Boston and then departing out of Boston back to Ireland.

We are hoping to fit this in within 10 days...is this possible? Any national parks that are worth a visit?

What is the best possible scenic route? We did California loop last year and it was exactly what we like!

Any help would be great.
Thanks,
KM

There are basically two main routes from Chicago to Niagara Falls. One route, which also happens to be the quickest, takes you through Canada. Because of that, AZBuck was cautioning you about what you would need to cross the border into Canada and back again. You don't want to be unable to return to the US if your destination is Boston, right? Also, while I'm told with most car rental agencies this isn't a big problem, you will want to make sure that your car rental is allowed into Canada.

So, anyway, if you decide to go through Canada, this is the most expedient route. If you go that way, he is suggesting you consider these stops: American Museum of Magic in Marshall and the Cascades in Jackson.

If you want to stay in the US, you will want to consider this route . If you choose this route, you can see Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Hope this makes it more clear.

Whichever route you choose, it's only about 1000 miles in total, not counting your side trips alons the way, so it's a very easy trip to make in 10 days. It could be somewhat leisurely even.

Hope this helps a bit.

Thanks a mil Judy - i see what you mean with the borders and such.

We have been checking out flights and worked out that its actually cheaper to fly into Boston and do the trip that way to Chicago.

Our plan is:
Fly into Boston and stay 2 nights
Drive to Niagara Falls and stay the Canadian side for 1 night
Drive to Toronto and stay 2 nights
Drive to Chicago and stay 3 nights
Then fly to LA and stay 2 nights
Home to Ireland (Eire)

Does this sound doable?

Any suggestions?

Thanks again

Céad Míle Fáilte!

As it stands, your proposed trip is certainly doable, but I prefer to think in terms of days spent doing and seeing things rather than nights. For example, you list Boston as two nights, but in reality you only have one day to see that incredibly vibrant and historically rich city since the first night will be spent getting over jet lag and on the morning of the second night you'll have to hit the road for Niagara. So try to think of it more in those terms to get a better idea of what you'll be able to do.

The drive from Boston to Niagara can be quite enjoyable in its own right, so don't be in a great hurry to just get from one destination to another. Take some time along the way to see something more of North America than the big cities. The Berkshires in western Massachusetts are the only 'mountains' you'll be driving through, although the are pretty old and worn down. And between Toronto and Detroit you might want to take some extra time to drop south and follow the shore of Lake Erie rather than just take the motorway.

AZBuck

You may want to consider staying in Buffalo (20 miles from Niagara) The cost for lodging is much less, plus Buffalo is a great city to explore with its great architecture, history, fine restaurants.

Thanks for all your helpful comments, we will definitely take them on board.

I have been told that the trip by car from Boston to Niagara (Canada) and Toronto to Chicago is quite long.

We were planning on doing this in one day and getting some site seeing in as well along the way, will this be a problem for us with traffic and the border etc.?

How long will each route take?

Thanks,
KM

Boston to Niagara Falls is pretty much a full day's drive. You might have time for one quick stop somewhere if you otherwise stick to I-90. But if you really want to experience the sights and attractions on the way, you'll need 1½ to 2 days for the journey. Toronto to Chicago is an even longer drive but the same general timescale applies

AZBuck

Thanks AZBuck - im going to cancel the stay in Niagara then. Are there any good places to stay between Boston and Niagara Falls, preferably in the middle with some scenery? :)

...having a look at resorts like Saratoga Springs or Ballston Spa along the Hudson or towns on the southern edge of the Adirondacks like Johnstown/Gloversville.

AZBuck

Plan on doing Cave of the Winds-it's definitely worth it. Also, do this first then the Maid of the Mist. COW will give you sandals that you can wear later on the MOM, which will keep your real shoes dry for all your walking the rest of the day. Trust me on this! We did it in reverse and had wet shoes all day, not fun.

Enjoy your trip!

Also, since you're staying in Canada if you are there on fireworks night, it is really nice to watch the fireworks from the Skylon Tower. Great view of both falls but get there early enough to stake out a spot because it gets crowded.