Niagara Falls and the Niagara Whirlpool

I've been a loyal Choice Hotels member since 2003. When we vacation I generally book nights within their chain of hotels and usually earn enough points for a free night while still on the road. Our last night on the way home was free at Comfort Inns and Suites in Urbana, IL. This is the suite we stayed in:

 Before we ever left home I looked online for a room in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada, I had my 'choice' of qualifying hotels. I picked the one that said "walking distance to the Falls in the Clifton Hills tourist area. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and I found out I had booked us into a hotel across the street from this:

The Niagara SkyWheel. It was like having a room in the middle of the state fair midway. We even had a balcony overlooking the action. I thought there was no way we would even get any sleep. In reality it turned out to be a lot of fun.

It took awhile, but I finally got a shot of the volcano exploding. Also right across from our room.

We walked down to view the falls where Bud got this night shot of both the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls.

Clouds obscured our hopes of seeing the entire supermoon eclipse.

However, later, back on our balcony, we did get a few photos of it in its final stages.

An early morning view from our balcony in a different direction. I've always liked the sunburst locusts. This hotel was an older, once quite grand property. I just learned that it closed permanently a few days ago. I won't be surprised to find out that it will be torn down with a new high rise hotel taking its place, though I don't know that yet.

Morning view of the falls. It was cloudy and rainy so I took this one from the car as we drove along Niagara Parkway.

On our way to the Niagara Whirlpool. I liked this area even better than the falls. But you would never find me crossing it on this aero car. No way.

Rapids where the water from the falls enters the whirlpool area.

Part of the vast basin where the water swirls around before exiting down the Niagara River and on into Lake Ontario.

Another view of the whirlpool. The color of the water was incredible. Until seeing this area in person I always thought the water came from Canada, flowed over the falls and into the US side. It is just the opposite - from Lake Erie, over the falls and into Canada - south to north.

After crossing back over into New York we took a scenic route along Lake Ontario. Another walk on a beach netted me three more small pieces of beach glass. On to Little Falls for the night.