niagara falls frankenstein burger king

In Photos: One of the Cheesiest Places on Earth

Niagara Falls, at its best and at its worst, is about as tacky as it gets. It's a fool's goldmine of sorts. It's flooded with kitschy attractions, seedy motels, greasy spoon restaurant, and shoddy souvenir shops - all touting the best prices in town, and all showing their age through dated design, faded colours, and chipped paint. And if you really concentrate and breathe in deeply, they all give off the faint smell of bad cheese.

niagara falls shops

I like doing street photography, but I've been feeling a little "Toronto'd-out" lately. I was also feeling the need for a day off work. So with a good photo friend in tow, we hopped in the car and drove 130km along the Golden Horseshoe to the beloved tourist trap.

It'd been a long time since I'd been to Niagara Falls, and I'd never been there in the off-season, on a Friday afternoon in mid-winter. It was pretty ghost-townish, which I suppose enhanced the experience somewhat. Employees weren't busy, and were friendly and talkative. Finding parking was a snap. Dinner arrived quickly. And at no time were we annoyed by crowds.

niagara falls Ferris wheel

If you ever head down there in the winter, expect many of the attractions to be either shut down completely, or only operating at limited winter hours (opening on Friday nights and weekends). And if you've ever wanted a Ferris wheel all to yourself, this is your big chance.

Photo slideshow below:

Photos by Photosapience.


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports & Play

Toronto Blue Jays star Vladdy Guerrero Jr. drops cryptic messages amid contract drama

Canadian hockey fans boo U.S. anthem after being specifically told not to

Brampton NBA player Tristan Thompson in heated feud with Toronto Raptors

Raptors' new star Brandon Ingram already in love with Toronto food scene

Legendary Toronto Maple Leafs announcer passes away

Marineland park in Ontario planning to finally remove all marine mammals

Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry crashes Super Bowl party in Philadelphia

You can get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Rogers Centre in Toronto