Niagara Brawl: Canada vs. New York

Tell someone you've been to the Canadian side and they'll want to know: Did you see the Floral Clock? This 40-feet-in-diameter working device claims to be one of the largest in the world; it makes time artistic thanks to the efforts of 20,000 tiny flowers. Only the Canadians could pull this off. Their master gardeners get out on ladders to weed it weekly.

Despite the clock and several pretty parks, Niagara, Canada, is no tea-and-biscuit destination. It's more like an arcade. Among many other theme-park-style amusements, there's an Imax theater with a special Niagara Falls show ("Live like a daredevil from the edge of your seat!"), Marineland Canada, the Butterfly Conservatory and the Skylon Tower (like Toronto's CN Tower) for views. According to Lauren Albrecht of the Niagara (N.Y.) Tourism and Convention Corp., development in Canada may be getting out of hand. "They've built so many towers, hotels and other things that it's changed the way the mist goes. The wind currents are different."

Still, you can fill up a week or more over there, and all this stuff keeps picky kids or teenagers from complaining. Especially neat is the Niagara Falls Aviary -- Birds of the Lost Kingdom, which claims to be the world's biggest indoor aviary. It's not clear what lost kingdom these birds are supposed to come from, but no big deal. More than 300 of them flit around and perch in 50,000 square feet of potted tropical rain forest. And you're allowed to feed them -- well, at least the rainbow lorikeets and one or two other species that don't bite.

Grades:

Canadian side: A+

American side: B-

5. Eats and Sleeps

Not surprisingly, the Canadian side has its share of big, touristy hotels. In most cases, these seem to be pleasant and well run (this is Canada, after all). The Sheraton on the Falls is a famous example, with its perch right across from the American Falls and a buffet restaurant where you can look out at the nighttime colored lights that tint the mist and spray. Though it has a four-diamond rating from the Canadian Automobile Association, the floors and rooms vary widely in quality (some may be slated for bus tours), so if you don't like your room, ask for something better. More interesting than any hotel is the Chestnut Inn Bed & Breakfast along River Road, overlooking the rushing water near the falls. It's a historic house with fireplaces, private baths, a terrace and a dining room with French doors.

The American side has some B&Bs that are nearly as good, including Elizabeth House Bed & Breakfast on Buffalo Avenue, with its charming 1922 house, near-the-state-park location and hearty breakfast. "When the sandman departs," notes the Web page, "guests come together in the dining room." It's not a B&B, but the family-run Moonlite Motel on Niagara Falls Boulevard is bargain-priced, scrupulously clean and (bonus) has a sunset-colored neon sign.

The big star on the U.S. side is the Red Coach Inn on Buffalo Avenue, a small historic hotel overlooking the rapids close to the falls. A copy of an inn in Finedon, England, the Tudor-style Red Coach has been in business since 1923. Things are a bit dark inside, with all the antiques and mullioned windows, but you can see well enough to drink the free champagne and eat the fruit and cheese you receive on check-in.

Applebee's, Denny's, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, Wolfgang Puck's: If it's a chain, the Canadian side's got it. But if you're after local tastes, you may find yourself out of luck. The small and unpretentious After Hours Bistro on Victoria Avenue isn't a bad choice, despite a boring slate of mostly Italian entrees. Instead of the usual sludge, the carbonara sauce is a nice, light mix of bacon, white wine, green peppercorns, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Also worth a try is Carpaccio Restaurant & Wine Bar on Lundy's Lane, which offers "contemporary Italian sophistication with just a hint of Californian flair." Just a hint, mind you. The Carpaccio di Manzo Classico with organic greens, mushrooms, shaved Parmesan and lemon is pretty good.

On the U.S. side, the restaurant at the Red Coach Inn has three AAA diamonds for its menu of steaks and seafood -- though hopefully nothing from the still-industrial Niagara River. An eatery with a chic, bright interior and a view of Horseshoe Falls from every seat, Top of the Falls Restaurant at Terrapin Point on Goat Island is a real treat. Among other creative dishes are cedar-plank-roasted steelhead with lemon chive oil, and Oneida corn chowder that's jazzed up with wild rice and venison.

Maybe best of all, Niagara Falls, N.Y., is the kind of town that has good, charbroiled hot dogs and traditional soft ice cream. It's also got pizza -- the New York kind, with a thin floppy crust and a bubbly, sometimes cratered top. Go to La Hacienda Restaurant on Pine Avenue for the pizza. La Hacienda? No one can explain the Spanish name, nor the Mexican gaucho paintings and design. But locals swear by its fully Italian pizza and pasta. For ice cream (and hot dogs at its sister stand next door) try Twist o' the Mist on Niagara Street. Even if it's extremely misty, you will find it. Look for the twisty vanilla roof and cherry on top.