Whether or not you believe forty is the new thirty, birthdays are a time of mixed joy or angst. One of the best ways women celebrate a milestone is to abandon all issues and indulge in a girls' getaway. Grab a suitcase. Leave the kids, the spouse and the office behind. Pack a hotel room or two with a few of your closest friends and explore Niagara Falls - the new Niagara Falls. Enjoy a weekend of martinis, poolside chats, a spa service or two and even a round of golf.

 

Rest

 

First, select the right hotel. There are many within easy access to the Horseshoe Falls and several Niagara Parks’ attractions such as Journey Behind the Falls and Niagara’s Fury so you can throw a little inner child-like fun into the weekend. Journey Behind the Falls gets you up close and personal with the actual Falls as you watch, from a viewing tunnel behind the water, the water plummet. Niagara’s Fury is a ‘4-D’ adventure that surrounds you in the sights, sounds and temperatures that created the geographical phenomenon many millennia ago. Both are at Table Rock Centre within walking distance of hotels in the Fallsview Casino area.

 

Relaxation

 

In the Fallsview neighbourhood, the Best Western Fallsview, Howard Johnson Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Fallsview Hotel, Ramada Niagara Falls Hotel, Embassy Suites and Oakes Hotel all have heated indoor pools (most with whirlpools) for leisure catch-up chats on the deck. If summer sun is what you seek, the Howard Johnson, Best Western and Embassy Suites have outdoor pools with sundecks and lounge chairs. Just remember the sun screen, especially in August.

 

If you’re heading to Niagara Falls during a less than sunny season (highly recommended – great bargains!) and plan to play a little roulette, blackjack, poker or slots, the Four Points by Sheraton Fallsview Hotel is connected by a glass walkway to the Fallsview Casino, one of two gaming facilities in the city. This way you don’t have to bring your coat, even in January, to gamble at the casino or catch a performance at the 1500-seat Avalon theatre that hosts different acts throughout the year. Many visitors plan their Niagara Falls trip around who’s in town that week. Acts to hit the stage have included Reba McEntire, Jay Leno, Martin Short, Jon Stewart, LeAnn Rimes and Donna Summer.

 

Revive

 

Next, select the right fun. There’s no shortage of casual dining options in Niagara Falls and more and more recognizable names are setting up shop in the most concentrated areas of the city, including some celebrity chefs. There’s great clubbing in Niagara Falls too, all in areas within an easy taxi ride to most hotels.

Brand name bar and restaurant franchises have their place, but if you’re looking for something uniquely Niagara, the Niagara Parks’ list is the best place to start. For instance, you’ll only find Edgewaters Tap & Grill along the Niagara Parkway, and in no other city. It has an outdoor covered terrace that gives you a great view of both the American and Horseshoe Falls. The menu is traditional burgers, salads, chicken and fries but what you can pair those with makes this patio a place to park.

 

Edgewaters offers three “Flights of Niagara” – smaller sized samples of three regional beers or wines priced for value. You can sample three signature martinis: a blue Niagara Mist; a red Raspberry Chocolate; and Green Apple. Stand behind the colours, and in front of the Falls, for some great memory capturing photos. 

 

In the evening, Elements on the Falls, on the upper floor of Table Rock Centre, has the closest indoor view of the Horseshoe Falls during the day and the illuminated coloured light show at night. After sunset, the Falls is blanketed by a rainbow of flood lights until midnight, an idea that originated in 1860.  

 

The Elements menu is an array of local produce and pasta, along with steak and seafood grilled over an open-flame. The inspired cocktail menu, however, is longer than the list of dinner options and equally creative. Turn heads holding a Rainbow Ice Martini – ice wine, vanilla vodka, pear liquor and a rainbow sugar straw. The Niagara Sangria is also made with the region’s famous ice wine. Round the evening out with a delicious coffee cocktail.

 

Recreate

 

Finally, every indulgence needs a little balance, so if physical activity is next on the list of things to do this weekend, make the boys at home envious by hitting the links. Legends on the Niagara along the Niagara Parkway offers the choice of two 18-hole and one nine-hole championship courses. The clubhouse restaurant beside the Battlefield course features Niagara cuisine and VQA wines to enjoy in the lounge or on the expansive patio.

 

 

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