We have absolutely loved bringing our community together on a whole new level for the last two years. We call these trips our Homeschool Enrichment Adventure Road Trips ♥ (HEART) ♥ and today, we are announcing our next Homeschool Enrichment Adventure Road Trip to Niagara Falls!
Why Travel with Us?
- Relax. We take care of all the details! All you have to do is arrive on site! Everything from hotels, to meals, to excursions have already been handled, right down to the gratuities! Vacations are meant as an escape from the daily grind, right? So let us coordinate it all and take care of the details.
- Have Fun. With less time spent on planning itineraries, meals, accommodations, and activities, you have more time to have fun and really dig into the educational element beforehand! You can relax, unwind, explore, and discover!
- Make Friends. Traveling with other homeschoolers is a great way to have fun and make friends! We homeschooling families understand each other, have similar goals, and love sharing our educational experiences and good times together! For many of our families, this is the best part of traveling with us – there’s always someone to do things with, laugh with, share stories with, and make memories with. Need someone to take your picture in front of a monument? We are there for you! On our very first trip we had over 100 homeschoolers travel with us to Fort Caswell, NC, and over 150 homeschoolers traveled with us to Space Camp. There is a small group that has been to all of our events, so there is also a reunion feel. We have been blessed with great children of all ages on our previous trips! Thus far, all of them have felt like they met a dear friend (or several friends!) that they want to keep in touch with! Building life-long friendships is something we all want for our children. And since most of the time they are from other parts of the country, they often become pen pals too.
- Enjoy Smaller Crowds. We purposefully travel off-season so we can visit venues when they are quieter and less congested. Traveling off-season also allows us to take advantage of discounts that we pass along to you and your family.
When: September 16-19, 2018
Where: Niagara Falls, NY – United States Side
Total Amount Due: August 10, 2018 (You may be able to join us after that date, but that will be based on room availability.)
Accommodations
This will be our first HEART trip that features us staying in an upscale hotel. We are thrilled to announce that our families will be staying in the Doubletree by Hilton in NY. The hotel is located in downtown Niagara Falls along the Niagara River. We will be within walking distance of Niagara Falls! (For those activities that require driving, all parking fees are covered in your package.) Amenities include a heated indoor pool and fitness center.
Excursions
All fees associated with these excursions are included in your package. When you arrive, we will have a bag for you with all of your tickets and passes.
Niagara Falls State Park.
We will be experiencing every aspect of the Niagara Falls State Park! This 400-acre state park is the oldest state park in the United States! And we will get closer than you ever thought possible to the grandeur of the Falls.
Observation Tower.
The Tower’s Observation deck extends out over the Niagara Gorge and is the only place in the Park to view both the American and Horseshoe Falls at the same time!
Maid of the Mist.
We board the Maid of the Mist, the one and only tour boat fleet whose captains have safely navigated the mighty waters of the Niagara Gorge for over 100 years. This iconic boat ride carries up to 600 passengers and operates on the U.S. side of the Falls. Hear the crashing waves. See the breathtaking views. Soak up every drop of powerful spray aboard the Maid of the Mist. We will journey along the Niagara River to the base of the American and Horseshoe Falls into the heart of one of North America’s most powerful waterfalls and witness the thundering roar of 600,000 gallons of water. We will plan this as one of our last adventures of the day because we will get wet!
Cave of the Winds.
Before we descend into the Niagara Gorge, we will learn how Nikola Tesla harnessed the power of the Falls to create alternating current. We will get to experience what Niagara Falls looked like before it was a park and witness why people from around the globe have been drawn to the edge of the Falls for hundreds of years as we travel through The World Changed Here Pavilion. You will be outfitted in souvenir sandals and ponchos that will do their best to keep you dry before descending 175 feet into the awe-inspiring Niagara Gorge. After we exit the cave, we will navigate a series of wooden walkways that will bring us to the “Hurricane Deck.” There we will be within feet of the crashing Bridal Veil Falls and will be surrounded by tropical-storm-like conditions–even on the calmest of days.
Aquarium of Niagara.
The Aquarium of Niagara boasts over 30 exhibits, 200 aquatic animal species, sea lion shows, seal presentations, and penguin, shark, and tidal pool feedings that you can see and experience. Their mission is to broaden the public’s awareness of aquatic ecosystems through innovative and stimulating exhibits, displays, and educational and recreational programs that promote conservation and support research. What is so different about this aquarium is that they open their doors to rescued animals with all conditions.
Niagara Adventure Theater.
Discover the story behind the thunder (presented in large format film)! Large Format Films are designed to educate and enlighten as much as they are to entertain. They offer us a powerful teaching tool that is easily integrated into existing curriculum. This spectacular film takes you back to the days when First Nation peoples worshipped the thunder spirits and when the first European encountered this wild wonder of nature. Meet the daredevils who challenged the fury of the Falls, from the Great Blondin, who completed a death-defying tightrope walk over the river in 1860, to Annie Taylor, a 63-year-old school teacher who became the first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and live to tell the tale.
Niagara Power Vista.
Here we will experience a seat-gripping virtual reality ride, hands-on experiments, and the power of nature. We will discover the energy of New York, the geology of Niagara, and the argument between two electricity titans. And we will have the chance to design a dam, operate a power grid during a storm, and walk through a turbine. And a high-tech virtual ride will take us plummeting from the sky and into the Niagara River, shooting through the penstocks and swirling around a spinning turbine, and then zipping at high speeds along high-tension power lines across the landscapes of New York State! This is definitely something you don’t want to miss!
Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center.
The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center is brand new. It is an experiential museum that reveals the authentic stories of underground railroad freedom seekers and abolitionists.
Lockport Locks Cruise.
We will experience “Life in the Past Lane.” We will cruise a portion of a 363-mile waterway between the Hudson River with Niagara River and the Great Lakes and an important part of American history. Our fun and informative cruise will take us past five of the original 1800’s locks. Three million gallons of water will fill Locks 34 & 35, the only double set on the Erie Canal, and raise our boat 50 feet. You’ll pass under Lockport’s “Upside Down Bridge,” Lockport’s “Big Bridge” (the widest bridge in the U.S. at 299 feet wide), through the “deep rock cut” and under lift bridges. The lively narration by the Coast Guard Licensed Captains is also accompanied by crowd-pleasing canal music which was popular during the 1800’s.
Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride.
Lockport is an integral part of the industrial history and the making of the western interior. Learn about Lockport as an industrial and business center and experience a very unique underground trek through the history and geology of the Niagara area.
Old Fort Niagara Day Trip.
This fort offers us a chance to step back in time to an era when great empires struggled for control of North America. We’ll visit original 18th century buildings, enjoy incredible views, and take part in an exciting living history program. The Fort’s Visitor Center offers introductory exhibits filled with original artifacts and an award-winning 16-minute orientation film. Don’t miss the Fort’s original War of 1812 Flag. Inside the Fort, we’ll tour original buildings where Native American, French, British, and American soldiers lived and worked from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
(Optional) Add-On Excursions Available
Erie Canal Zip-Line.
For those who are adrenaline junkies (like Wendy), you can zip-line over the Erie Canal at speeds up to 40 mph on the Niagara Zipper. You’ll soar over the Erie Canal basin gorge 85 feet above, crossing over the historic waters of the Erie Canal and back! This add-on is only available September 16th, so be sure to arrive early if you register for this event.
Ages 14+ = $27.50
Children up to 13 = $22
Old Fort Niagara Overnight Experience.
Experience the life of a soldier by spending a night at Fort Niagara. This overnight experience offers the ability to get a taste of living at the fort. You will take part in a musket demonstration in which you will learn the skills practiced every day by the soldiers living at Fort Niagara. You will play the games that kept people entertained on this frontier post and learn the other non-combat duties that made up a soldier’s day. Before bed, there is a “weird tales walk” where you will learn some of the stories and folklore surrounding Old Fort Niagara. You will receive breakfast the next morning as well as a guided tour of the fort. Children must be at least seven years of age, and we must have three adult chaperones on this trip at all times. This program includes breakfast (oatmeal with toppings) and a pre-bed snack (apples and hot chocolate). Food can be modified based on dietary needs. Max of 30. This will be the last night of our trip (September 18, 2018).
Price for overnight experience per person = $55
Community
Each night after dinner, we will have a group event in the banquet hall. One night we know we will have a huge game night. Be sure to bring your favorite games and we will have a table set up for it! Something else we are seriously contemplating is a talent show (probably for families not just for the children)! We will make the final decision about what activities we will be doing after dinner with those families who are traveling with us. Just know this is what makes our trips different… we always put an emphasis on bringing families together!
Prices
The all-inclusive price per person is $775 with a minimum of two per family. The price includes the registration fee, one hotel room per night (September 16 -19, 2018, meals (Sunday, Monday & Tuesday dinner, Monday & Tuesday breakfast AND Monday & Tuesday offsite lunch), all group activities. and all parking.
Children under age 5 are free.
Check-in is after 3 p.m.; check out is before 11 a.m.
Meals
Full meals will be provided Sunday, Monday & Tuesday dinner, Monday & Tuesday breakfast AND Monday & Tuesday offsite lunch. If you have any food allergies or restrictions, please be sure to note those on your online registration form.
Payments, Cancellations, and Refund Policies
Your deposit of $250 is due by May 15th. We will offer a payment plan (divided up by the number of months left) with the total balance being due on August 10th. Deposits are non-refundable. We cannot make any changes or offer any refunds after June 15, 2018.
Note: We require a minimum of 20 families. Therefore, until we meet this minimum number, this trip will not be considered “confirmed.” Should we not reach our minimum number required, we will issue a full refund of all payments. Also, we have a maximum of 100 families, so first come first served. By your deposit payment, you acknowledge your understanding and agreement of the cancellation and refund policy.
Ready to Register?
First, you will need to complete this form. https://hiphomeschoolmoms.com/niagra-form/
Next you will need to go here to pay the deposit. https://hiphomeschoolmoms.com/product/2018-niagara-falls-deposit/
Once you have registered and paid your deposit, join our private Homeschool Road Trips HEART Niagara Falls (https://www.facebook.com/groups/HEARTNiagaraFalls/)and let’s start getting to know each other before the trip! We expect many life-long friendships will start right here at Niagara Falls! And that is the mission of these HEART road trips… to build community for families living the home education lifestyle! We can’t wait to meet you!! ♥ ♥ ♥
If you have any questions, please email us, and we will be glad to help!! Be sure to put “Niagara Falls Questions” in your subject line.
What: Family Niagara Falls Homeschool Enrichment Adventure Road Trip
When: September 16 – 19, 2018
Where: Niagara Falls, NY
Deposit Amount: $250 per family (non-refundable)
Deposit Due: May 15, 2018
Total Due: Remaining balance due August 10, 2018
Hip Homeschool Moms / Homeschool Road Trips Niagara Falls Road Trip for 4!
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