From Seattle to the Falls: A Multi-Generational Adventure
Planning a cross-country trip for a multi-generational family, including a toddler and aged parents, requires balancing cost and comfort. Our journey began on a Wednesday night flying out of Seattle. While we opted for Frontier Airways for budget-friendly pricing and flexible add-ons, the red-eye flight schedule and layovers in Las Vegas and Cleveland were exhausting. A direct flight would have been much smoother for this group.
Upon landing in Cleveland, we picked up a spacious six-seater Honda odyssey
Cleveland is an excellent starting point, as the drive to Buffalo is only about three and a half to four hours. Only thing ensure you are well rested before the drive. Our drive toward the falls was highlighted by a wonderful stop at Lake Erie. We highly recommend exploring the Presque Isle State Park loop and visiting the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Climbing to the top of the lighthouse offers an incredible overlook, though it involves a steep staircase.
In the Niagara area, we stayed in a comfortable Airbnb just a few miles from the state park, which made accessing the sights very convenient. For meals, we found fantastic South Indian, Mediterranean, and Mexican options, which kept our vegetarian family members well-fed throughout the trip. On Friday, we experienced both the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Winds. While the Cave of the Winds involves significant walking and stair climbing but if you can do it nothing like it - falls up close drenched is beautiful exp. The Maid of the Mist boat tour is a highly recommended, refreshing experience for everyone. Night time visit to falls seeing Led lights up is spectacular.
On Sunday, we visited the American Museum of Natural History, which offers an expansive, multi-floor experience perfect for families. ypu can spend 2 days here. We then traveled to New Jersey, where we stayed with family. For local Nj transit, we utilized the Via app, an incredibly economical ride-share service.
Monday and Tuesday were spent exploring New York City. We visited Grand Central Terminal, the Harry Potter shop, and the Top of the Rock observation deck, which we highly recommend over the Empire State Building for its flexibility and views. We also spent a beautiful afternoon exploring Central Park, including Bethesda Terrace, and highly recommend a quick rickshaw tour of the park for convenience.Throw in visit to overrated wall st , times square just to complete checklist. But the battery park in manhattan has nice statue of liberty lookout and carousal for kids must visit stop. one of the days we went to wtc memorial highly worth it for half a day and the adjoining hudson eats is must see too. Another highlight is dumbo food court that has roof top views of Brooklyn and manhattan bridges and a nice food court. spares you hot and overrated Brooklynbridge walk.
On Wednesday, we took the boat tour to the Statue of Liberty, followed by a spectacular view of the New York skyline at night from the Exchange Place in New Jersey. On Thursday, we dedicated half a day to the Central Park Zoo, while the grandparents enjoyed the New York Transit Museum. In the evening, we attended a Broadway performance of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," a production that is absolutely worth seeing. Be prepared for plenty of walking and staircases in public transit as some subways dont have elevators or broken down which is disappointing for a big metro
We concluded the trip on Friday, flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport, which proved to be a much more convenient transit hub than JFK given our stay in New Jersey. Booking an afternoon flight rather than a late-night departure is highly recommended to avoid spending an entire day waiting at the airport. overall a fantastic trip
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