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Jay Lloyd's Getaway: Niagara Falls (New York <em>or</em> Ontario)

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By Jay Lloyd

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NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (CBS) -- One of the most visually dramatic and popular getaway destinations is little more than one tankful of gas away from the Delaware Valley.

It's Niagara Falls.  And it's worth the trip.

Jaws drop at the sight of Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side of the scenic gorge that attracts visitors -- and the occasional daredevil -- from around the globe.

For a first-time visitor, it is an unequalled experience.

"I was not expecting them to be so grand, and so wet," one woman told us.

"I couldn't believe how much power and flow was behind it," added a man.

So how do you get the most out of the experience?  Be ready to get wet.  Stay on the New York side, slip into the provided raingear, and take a ride on the Maid of the Mist.

The sightseeing boat cruises into the bight of the eyefilling Horseshoe Falls.

"It's a very spiritual experience," notes one man we spoke with.

niagara falls maid-o-mist _jlloyd
(A Maid of the Mist sightseeing boat. Blue ponchos are provided to passengers. Credit: Jay Lloyd)

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The Maid of the Mist fleet also sails from the Canadian side.  Kids love it there for the amusement rides and boardwalk atmosphere in town.

But be warned: summer crowds under the maple leaf can be challenging, and the border crossing slow.

Either way, it's a getaway not soon forgotten.

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