Niagara Wine Escape 2023

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Lets try this again. Can we hope for better conditions this year!!!
Official dates...
Sept. 15-17th. Come early... stay late if you like.
Where...
Riverside Park Motel and Campground
13451 Niagara Parkway,
Niagara Falls Ontario,
L2E 6S6
905-382-2204
Riverside Park Campground and Motel Niagara Falls Ontario Canada
Activities are as follows... subject to Co-Vid rules at rally time,
Friday PM dusk Campfire and Wine& Craft Beer exchange at camp site 52. Bring a bottle/ six pack... Take a bottle/ six pack.
Saturday AM Doors open trailer tours.
Saturday AM Blue tarp swap at Iowa Dave's
Saturday PM U-drive out to tour wineries, see the sites.
Saturday PM around 5 Pot Luck at site 52...rain or shine
Sunday Am around 10:30 Brunch at Betty's Restaurant for those who want to go
separate checks though!!!
http://www.bettysrestaurant.com
Come on down to "The Falls". Sit and relax or do some daring, touristy things.
http://www.tourismniagara.com
We'd love to see you there,
Alf& Mary Anne Stacey

[escape artist]

Hi: All... We're back from the "Sunshine State" and looking forward to another year of camping fun. Love to see ya'll at this years Niagara Wine Escape. Come early and stay late cause there's so much to do. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

It's on my calendar this year, Alf.....:")

[Vermilye]

Just a heads up - the park does not take credit cards (at least US credit cards) so you may need cash.

[Jake930]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Just a heads up - the park does not take credit cards (at least US credit cards) so you may need cash.

So if the campground does not take credit cards. How does one secure a site?

[Vermilye]

I've been going every year for so long that I haven't used a card to reserve, although they may have mine on file from when they accepted them. I just go to the office during the current rally & reserve for the following year. They may use a credit card to hold a reservation, but when I arrive they want cash for the stay. Again, this may be US only...

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Just a heads up - the park does not take credit cards (at least US credit cards) so you may need cash.

Hi: Vermilye... Glad you can make it. This winter we stayed in 2 diff. parks in Florida. One took cards one did not. Seems with the CC charges going up lots of small business' are going card less!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[mcdonner]

Are they taking reservations yet? We haven't gone since pre-Covid.

[Iowa Dave]

Yes she is. We reserved last week. Gotta pay with Canadian money, no credit cards. We are going from Algonac then back to the Mississippi. Those Mississippi reservations come up pretty soon too.
Iowa Dave

[Jake930]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Yes she is. We reserved last week. Gotta pay with Canadian money, no credit cards. We are going from Algonac then back to the Mississippi. Those Mississippi reservations come up pretty soon too.
Iowa Dave

So Dave, explain to me how you reserved a site. We have not been since before Covid also.
They don’t take Credit Cards, and you have to pay in Canadian, so does one send a check? Or pay when we get there? I need to reserve two sites. One for myself and friends from Minnesota. But the no Credit cards is baffling me. Thanks.

[Iowa Dave]

Well here goes
First I used the website to indicate I wanted a site. Got a bounce back that they were not accepting reservations till March 1. Then on March 1, I called the number on the website. Talked to Cecelia. She had reviewed her messages and knew I was coming. Got her email a couple days later. Wrong dates. Half my fault half theirs. Rita took over. I Lost my rookie card for the right to plan camping trips. . Rita got an email from Cecelia a couple days later. Said we had a reservation on the right days. Also included the statement about no credit cards and that we needed to send an etransfer for the amount ahead of time. So we are going to call her back and see if this is the only way we can pay. That’s were we are at right now. A thing we read said we could not do an e transfer to Canada. Sorry I’m not not much help. Doing the best we can. Will let you know what we learn.

https://www.google.com/search?q=rive...ile-gws-wiz-hp
Iowa Dave

[Vermilye]

The last 2 years my friends & I paid with US cash on arrival. Cecelia supplied the exchange rate - no idea if it was favorable, but she gave the amount in US dollars.

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

I just used the website to send an email to request a site for the rally dates. Got an email back saying that I would get an email confirmation in the next 5 days & that I could pay in cash, either US or Canadian, upon arrival. So, seems that this is still the system.

[cpaharley2008]

One would think, after years of hosting Niagara rallies that the cg would make payment easier that what it is now....just saying...

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

One would think, after years of hosting Niagara rallies that the cg would make payment easier that what it is now....just saying...

In the grand scheme of things, between the motel and the campground, the Niagara rally(ies) is a drop in the bucket.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Lorraine Pittsburgh

I just used the website to send an email to request a site for the rally dates. Got an email back saying that I would get an email confirmation in the next 5 days & that I could pay in cash, either US or Canadian, upon arrival. So, seems that this is still the system.

Ceceilia confirmed to us that US cash for rally goers was completely acceptable as it has been in the past. She calculates the exchange rate at the time of payment. I have always found her to be most helpful.

The restrooms and showers have always been clean, the grass mowed, the road maintained, dumpsters with plenty of room for trash, reasonably priced firewood etc. All in all her campground is superior to many we have camped in both in the USA and Canada.

Did I mention that a few rainy years ago they provided a brand new double easy up to keep the rain off of our potluck food?
She might be small potatoes but they are nice spuds with thin skins, good flavor and uniform size. That’s all I need in my spuds, (And some real sweet cream salted butter.

She can get a little irritated if you bust off her gate arm when you come in late and don’t ask another camper to use the code to open the gate. Just saying
Iowa Dave

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

In the grand scheme of things, between the motel and the campground, the Niagara rally(ies) is a drop in the bucket.

Hi: Donna D... Thanks. We love the shoulder seasons for a rally. We're the last group before winter shut down, possibly the cream on an otherwise bottle of whole milk.
The Riverside is a small business and trying to trim costs post pandemic has meant cutting credit card fees. Cash is still acceptable, albeit more difficult to handle. Here in Canada a pocket full of ones and twos is quite heavy!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Iowa Dave]

Alf and Mary Anne, consummate rally hosts are the reason this rally perseveres and to me, one of the highlights of our camping season. Alf is the only host I know who heads out of his camper at about 8 AM to take a ten minute shower and Mary Anne’s parting words are “Lunch is at noon!” What does he do in those other 3 hours and 50 minutes? He makes everyone feel welcome, makes sure they are comfortable, makes sure if they need a hand with somethine that a camper crew is summoned, and has a self deprecating funny story for each site he visits.

1700 miles round trip for us. We stay about 4 nights. To watch a black squirrel run along a split rail fence with our dog at my side and a misty Niagara river as a backdrop about seven o’clock in the morning makes it worthwhile for me. I am a simple person with simple pleasures.
Iowa Dave

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
One would think, after years of hosting Niagara rallies that the cg would make payment easier that what it is now....just saying...

Originally Posted by Donna D.

In the grand scheme of things, between the motel and the campground, the Niagara rally(ies) is a drop in the bucket.

Is the 'drop in the bucket' comment a justification for not making the payment process easier?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
One would think, after years of hosting Niagara rallies that the cg would make payment easier that what it is now....just saying...



Is the 'drop in the bucket' comment a justification for not making the payment process easier?

It certainly isn't enough to warrant the extra expense of credit card fees.


How about if they charged extra for those wanting to use a credit card? I know in Oregon there are fuel stations that do and most convenience stores too. If it's a big concern for you, perhaps you could suggest it to management.