Niagara Falls Adventure

Milwaukee Man

Milwaukee Man

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
On July 27-30, I took a small trip to the Niagara Falls area, and boy was it a thrill! While there, I saw one of America's treasured natural wonders, got soaked to the bone, rode raging rapids in a jetboat, and, of course, saw two animal attractions. The two animal attractions I visited were the Aquarium of Niagara, and the Buffalo Zoo. Consider this to be "Part 1" of the reviews.

Review of the Aquarium of Niagara

Aquarium of Niagara

July 28th was a day of excursions based around the Falls. After taking a boat ride that takes you up close to the falls, and going to the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, I headed for the Aquarium. It is an overall average aquarium that takes about two or three hours to see, but I still found it to be enjoyable. I'll describe the exhibits in the order of what I saw them. Here we go!

Harbor Seal Pool - Just before you enter the aquarium, take a right and you'll find an exhibit for 4 harbor seals. The exhibit is about medium-sized with a shade structure covering most of it. While the exhibit did fine with the rockwork, I found the pool too small for 4 seals. Nothing horrible here, but nothing very impressive.

Humboldt Penguins - This is the first exhibit visitors see when they first enter the aquarium. It is all indoors, the exhibit is too small for a colony of even 4 birds, and the pool is the smallest I've seen for the aquatic birds. Not a very good exhibit at all!

Sharks - Two tanks and a cool diorama can be found here. The first tank had a couple of bamboo sharks and a whitetip reef shark. It is a bare tank with a couple of rocks and an old pot in the middle of it. Not that I don't like it, but I just thought it seemed like a nice idea for making the exhibit authentic as if you're on the ocean bottom. Next, there's a tank for leopard sharks and huge nurse sharks. This is the better of the two shark tanks, as it seemed to be a good sized tank with sand at the bottom of it. Finally, my favorite part of this area was the diorama. Many life sized models of the great white, hammerhead, mako, tiger, and blue sharks surround an actual shark cage. Very cool for photos!

Freshwater Tanks - Several tanks around the aquarium have a variety of freshwater animals. Just some species I can name are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, electric eels, turtles, poison dart frogs, and perch. These exhibits are very well designed with logs, weeds, and sandy bottoms. I found it kind of surprising that these aren't the biggest attractions at the aquarium, yet they seem to have the better exhibits. (More on that later)

Saltwater Tanks - The aquarium has some small ocean tanks as well. Species that I know of are pufferfish, angelfish, sea anemone, clownfish, blue tang, hermit crabs, and dogfish. There is also a tiny, rocky pool where you can see crab, starfish, more anemone, and some sea sponges. My opinion of these exhibits is the same as the freshwater exhibits mentioned above - not-so-popular species, but better exhibits.

Sea Lions - In the center of the aquarium is probably the most popular animal in the place - the California Sea Lion. However, the exhibit is not the best. Maybe 85% of the exhibit is water, and the land area is white concrete with the aquarium sign on the wall behind it. Why can't they renovate the exhibit with even a small rocky island in the middle of the pool?

Well, on a more brighter note, this is the location for sea lion demonstrations that go on throughout the day. I managed to catch the 3:30 show, where the sea lion did some jumps, swam with its trainer, and "told" us some information about herself (She communicated with a series of funny barking). There are also some tanks for seahorses, lionfish, and some mysterious deep sea fish (These included fish that have enormous eyes, and fish that can swim against, and sometimes overtake, a strong water current).

Overall: As mentioned before, this is an overall average aquarium. While the aquarium's biggest attractions, the sea lions, penguins, and seals, get the wrong end of the deal (the not-so-great exhibits at the aquarium), the exhibit quality and collection seem to be decent for an aquarium of this size. If you have an animal fan on aboard with you when you go to Niagara Falls, this is a nice place to spend a couple of hours. The last piece of advice that I'll give you is this: get the Discovery Pass at Niagara Falls State Park. With it, you can go on a boat ride close to the falls, the Discovery Center, the aquarium, a boardwalk that takes you inches away from the roaring water, and a special movie for just $33 per adult. I did this and all I can say is: It is worth it.
 
Very nice review Milwaukee Man. I'll have to check this out if I ever make it up to Niagra. Sounds like kind of a hit and miss attraction. Was it on the US, or Canada side?
 
Its on the US side and despite being very small we found the Niagara Aquarium to have excellent signage,very informative.

@Milwaukee Man thank you for the nice review

Team Tapir
 
All right, here is "Part 2" of the reviews on my Niagara Falls Adventure.

Review of the Buffalo Zoo

Welcome To The Buffalo Zoo

July 29th was the second, and sadly last, day of activities on the trip. In the morning, I went to the Buffalo Zoo, and in the afternoon, I took a Whirlpool Jetboat tour, in which you take a boat through some whitewater rapids that some daredevil boaters took on long ago. Both of those were a lot of fun!

Buffalo Zoo is the 3rd oldest zoo in the United States. While that definitely shows in some areas, other areas are more modern and very well done. In fact, old or new, I found this zoo to be quite enjoyable. The zoo is in the middle of a master plan that will transform most of the facility, with a new entrance, an Arctic themed exhibit, an African savannah, and some improvements to the main building. There is also an Asian River exhibit hanging in the balance. Let's hope that doesn't get cancelled. Anyway, on to the review!

Asian Elephants - 2 female elephants are the first animals to be seen when you first enter the zoo. The exhibit is dusty with a pool, and a few trees surrounded by wooden fencing, so the elephants don't destroy them. I would rank about the same as the elephant exhibit in my hometown Milwaukee. Nothing fantastic, but not an elephant nightmare; about below-average. Asian River should take care of that. (Hopefully!)

Otter Creek - Wow! This is one good otter exhibit! There are up close viewing windows, bushes, grass, a stream flowing through, and a pool for the cute little fellows to swim in. Too bad I found the pair of otters sleeping in the corner of the exhibit though.

Bear Exhibits - 5 concrete pits are the home to spectacled bears, polar bears, and a trio of grizzly bear cubs. However, I only found two exhibits occupied. One exhibit had a wandering grizzly, and the large central exhibit had a pair of polar bears. I couldn't agree more that the exhibits are pretty bad, but I will point out that I've never seen such an active polar bear! He was frolicking and playing in his pool like there's no tomorrow!

Central Animal Pavilion - In the center of the zoo, chain link fence enclosures house African crested porcupines, vultures, and Eurasian lynx. They may seem like hideous cages, but, actually, are pretty darn lush and decent exhibits. An above-average artificial mountain for bighorn sheep is found here as well, as is an enclosure for reindeer.

Rainforest Falls - Without a doubt, this is Buffalo's best exhibit! :D After looking at a bunch of neat facts about the rainforest in the lobby, you step foot into the South American rainforest. First up, is a nice ocelot exhibit, filled with branches to climb, and lush vegetation for hiding. Sadly, I didn't see any ocelots; maybe the exhibit is too good? :rolleyes: Next was the highlight of the day: a close up encounter with a giant anteater! This was a real treat for me because the only time I ever saw an anteater was at Brookfield Zoo. It was in the far back of the exhibit, and only visible for maybe 5 seconds before it ran behind a rock and stayed there. Anyway, in the center of the jungle, there's a riverbank exhibit for capybara, caiman, and a variety of birds (though most of them are allowed to fly freely around the building). Then, it's time to leave the beauty of the rainforest behind as you enter a cave located behind a waterfall. It is here that piranhas, an anaconda, and vampire bats lurk in their neat cavern exhibits. Reentering the rainforest, and on the other side of the waterfall, you come across a nice exhibit for capuchin and squirrel monkeys. And finally, last but not least, there's a similar exhibit for saki monkeys, howler monkeys, an armadillo, and a tamandua (which I didn't see.) In a log display, dart frogs and a tarantula can be seen, too. Before leaving, though, I recommend going up the stairs to get a panoramic view of the jungle. An exciting ending to an exciting exhibit! :D

Rhinos - Two Indian rhinos live in two different exhibits. One rhino was found lounging in an exhibit with a pool, an enormous dirt hill, and a tree. The other rhino was found in the better exhibit. This had a couple of trees, a pool, and a grassy hill and meadow to roam. Apparently, axis deer are supposed to be found here too, but, I didn't see any.

African Exhibits - A medium sized and average quality exhibit for spotted hyena is next to a roomy addax and roan antelope exhibit. Only a somewhat hidden moat separates predator and prey. Nearby is a giraffe area. The outdoor exhibit is just a bare grassy yard, and the interior is nothing but bars and blue walls. Yikes! Identical, and mostly bare, exhibits for gemsbok and zebra are found near the hyenas as well.

Gorilla Habitat - A troop of four gorillas (including a cute 8 month old baby) live in an all indoor exhibit, with no outdoor access, and rocky walls for their surroundings. Not really what we want for a modern day gorilla exhibit. At least the nearby meerkat exhibit is good.

Vanishing Animals - This is an array of animal exhibits that opened almost a decade ago. Nice exhibits for Japanese macaques and sulawesi crested macaques are the first to be found. Two okay enclosures for American bison are across the path, but many find the crazy antics of the monkeys more entertaining. There is a break from the Vanishing Animals when you come across the Ecostation. (getting there) Once you leave the Ecostation, a mid-sized snow leopard exhibit is found here, followed by a rotational exhibit for mandrill or serval (the mandrills were out on my visit), and another rotational exhibit for spectacled bear or maned wolf. (in this case, the bear was out - too bad for somebody like me, who's never seen a maned wolf before :() Vanishing Animals is overall a well done exhibit in my opinion.

Ecostation - Two biomes are represented in three exhibits. The desert biome is represented by an Australian habitat, complete with wallabies and birds, and an American habitat, containing rabbits and a lizard species. The rainforest biome has one large South American habitat for sloths, golden lion tamarins, and agoutis. Nice exhibit.

Big Cats - In front of the main building, Amur tigers and lions reside in two lush exhibits. The only negative is that the exhibits are surrounded by big ugly walls that sometimes take the quality of the exhibit away. It is here that another zoo highlight took place. A male lion was playing in the bush right by the viewing window. I never saw a lion do anything like this, for they are a sleep-loving animal.

Reptile Building - Average quality exhibits for an average collection. The new Hellbender Lab isn't very interesting, and the coolest animals in here are American alligators, king cobra, and a gigantic reticulated python.

Sea Lion Cove - Honestly, for being a built a few years ago, I found this habitat to be a little disappointing. I saw only one huge sea lion swimming around the rocks and under the pedestrian bridge. (neat idea - why can't other zoos do this?) I also unexpectedly caught a sea lion feed again.

Overall: I actually found the Buffalo Zoo to be quite enjoyable! Some exhibits like Rainforest Falls, Otter Creek, and Vanishing Animals are very well done and worth seeing. However, some exhibits like the bear, gorilla, elephant, and giraffe exhibits need work. The rest of the zoo then falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. Fortunately, the zoo seems to have a bright future. I rank it at #7 of the 12 zoos I visited and ranked. That's in between the Phoenix Zoo (#6) and The Wilds (#8). If you're in the Buffalo area and looking for a 3-4 hour activity, then come to the Buffalo Zoo!

Oh, and one more highlight. The Buffalo Zoo has some of the most active animals I saw at any zoo. Along with the polar bear and lion mentioned above, I also witnessed a giant anteater playing in the pool, an Indian rhino roaming the grassy exhibit, two macaques constantly trying to grab leaves from a tree through the mesh fence, and two tigers chasing each other nearly the whole time I watched them! What a list

That's it, everyone. After two days of fun in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, I headed home on July 30th. A very fun 3 day vacation that I would love to do again in the future.
 
I love this whole thread! The Niagara Aquarium is a bit of a disappointment, compared to the many fabulous ones around the country. But it was the first one I ever went to, so it will always have a place in my heart. I also like that they have saved seals. I believe most of them were shot at one point in their life, which saddens me.

I'm glad you found the animals active at the Buffalo Zoo. For people who may wondered why I fell in love with an average zoo, it was because of the animals and their personalities! Was the polar bear swimming the smaller one? That would be the female one, Anana. She's a very active polar bear, while Nanuq, the male usually just paces during the summer. The best time to see the pair is in winter during their mating season. The interaction between the two is adorable.

I'm sorry you missed the Manned Wolves. They're usually out between 3-5 PM. But most of the time their door is open so they continue to go in our out. And one likes to sit and hide in the little corner by the window. Was the Andean bear small and balding or plump? I'm hoping they have kept Diana in this exhibit, as it's much nicer than the grottoes and at her old age, she deserves to feel grass under her feet. I'm sorry you missed the tamandua, Alejandro. Being summer, I'm sure the foliage is high and his hiding spots are well covered. He's a real hoot to watch though when he decides to be active. He's climb all over that exhibit, unless the sloth gets in his way.

With you mentioning two rhinos I'm figuring that Clover hasn't gone to African Lion Safari yet. Pretty soon Tashi will be the only Asian rhino the zoo has. I always found it strange if you put their two exhibits together, it's nicer and bigger than the Asian elephant exhibit. The Axis deer aren't usually out a lot. I see them more in the winter when they're let out to roam the yards while the rhinos stay indoor.

I'm planning to make a trip back to Buffalo in September and I can't wait to visit the zoo again!
 
Another note one viewing the Giant Anteaters. I can relate to be awed when seeing them. I remember when the exhibit and it was my first time in there. I immediately saw them and freaked out. Visiting smaller zoos during my life, I never really saw exotic creatures like that. It was amazing to me to finally see them in person. Then I discovered the tamandua and I became an anteater fan!

Also, it's hard to catch the ocelot in their exhibit. Pedro usually comes out later in the day and is seen roaming the lower half. But his door to his bedroom is open so he'll always go back and forth. I thought Annowre left for the San Diego Zoo, but someone posted a photo of her online recently. If she's still around, she's usually on display in the morning and has many good hiding spots way up high! She beautiful and I could always tells her a part from Pedro because she had white coloration above her eyes that looked like eye shadow to me. And Pedro is just plain adorable.
 
No, blospz, it was the big male, Nanuq, swimming around. As for the spectacled bear, I couldn't tell. But, by the way the bear moved around (slowly and in a painful way) it could've been Diana.
 
Is the Niagara aquarium worth visiting? I might be in the area in the winter and I've already been to the Buffalo zoo. It seems like they have a decent collection with below average exhibits.
 
arcticwolf said:
Is the Niagara aquarium worth visiting? I might be in the area in the winter and I've already been to the Buffalo zoo. It seems like they have a decent collection with below average exhibits.
Click to expand...

Your last sentence pretty much describes this aquarium. Don't get me wrong - for it's size, the collection is not bad, and a few exhibits are all right. But, some exhibits kind of reminded me of tanks found in a pet store. Plus, the penguin and sea lion exhibits were the worst I've ever seen for those species. If you're in the Falls area, it is a nice little place to check out.
 
Milwaukee Man said:
Your last sentence pretty much describes this aquarium. Don't get me wrong - for it's size, the collection is not bad, and a few exhibits are all right. But, some exhibits kind of reminded me of tanks found in a pet store. Plus, the penguin and sea lion exhibits were the worst I've ever seen for those species. If you're in the Falls area, it is a nice little place to check out.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I think I might check it out if I have time. Your review really helped, since their website was useless in terms of animals and exhibits.
 
I agree with Milwaukee Man's analysis. I visited the aquarium last summer; it is nice, but small and dated. It reminded me a LOT of a much smaller version of the old Cleveland Aquarium in Gordon Park that closed back in the mid-'80s (when it literally fell apart, the city couldn't afford the repairs and the collection was tranferred to the Cleveland Zoo). In fact, one of Niagara's original founders had ties to the old Cleveland Aquarium (the late William Kelley, Jr., the inventor of Instant Ocean), but I digress.

I have a few pics from my trip - there is no gallery for the facility on this website. I would be happy to post some if one was created - hint, hint...
 
It is quite small. I remember going to another aquarium for the first time and thinking how big it was compared to this one. I would not go unless you have a zoo membership and can get in for free/50% off. If anything, you can walk by the aquarium and visit the seals since their exhibit is outside by the entrance.
 
In response to some of the aquarium discussion above, I have posted about a dozen facility photographs in the NEW Aquarium of Niagara gallery. Sharing...
 
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