Days 3 & 4 - Niagara Falls and Palmyra, NY

Days 3 & 4 - Kirtland to Boston July/August 2024
July 26th & 27th, 2024 - Niagara Falls and Palmyra, NY

Friday, July 26, 2024 - Day 03

We got up early, or at least what seemed early to us because of the time change. We ate breakfast at the hotel, then drove 2 ½ hours to Niagara Falls.

We must have arrived just as it opened as we were able to get on one of the first boats to the Falls via the Maid of the Mist. 

We then walked to a few scenic points and walked across the river on a bridge to the Cave of the Winds but our shoes were not the best and we were tired so we decided not to do this one. 

We crossed the river just before the falls to explore more of the scenic views. 

We walked back to the car, across the bridge, and changed our shoes and grabbed snacks and took a free shuttle up to the Schoellkopf Power Station. We took an elevator down and explored. 

On our way drving out of the park, the line was backed up to get into the parking lot. We were glad we had arrived when it opened. We then headed for Palmyra. It was a 2 hour drive. On the way, we found a Costco and bought pizza, chicken bakes, cookies, snack bars, and chocolate for the trip.

We arrived in Palmyra and went to the Sacred Grove and toured the Smith family log cabin and house, then we went into the Sacred Grove. 

Smith family log cabin

Loft where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph

Alvin Smith's home

Path from Alvin's home to the Sacred Grove

After visiting the Sacred Grove, we changed our clothes and drove to the Palmyra temple, where we went and performed baptisms. It was very small and the dressing rooms were tiny. We looked out the window that had been added so visitors could look out the window to see the Sacred Grove.

We headed back to the hotel and finished our pizza and snacks for dinner and watched tv. We were tired. We stayed at the Best Western Palmyra Inn & Suites.

Saturday July 27, 2024 - Day 4

We ate breakfast at the hotel and then drove over to see Martin Harris farm and Alvin Smith grave. 

We then drove to the Erie Canal Aqueduct Park and saw some old bridges and canal locks. 

We did this all before the Hill Cumorah visitors center opened at 10 am. We arrived at the visitors center just as it opened and watched a film and walked through the visitors' center, then hiked up to the top of Hill Cumorah via a wooded path. After taking pictures, we walked down an alternate way through a reforestation trail. It was very neat and we enjoyed exploring. We found a GPS cache box that people had put odd and ends in. We imagined where Joseph might have found the plates.

We then drove to Peter Whitmer farm, about 45 minutes away. We watched a film and toured the farm.

 After visiting the Whitmer Farm, we drove to Sauder’s Amish store and had ice cream for lunch. Then we drove to a canal lock that was raising a boat, so we stayed and watched the process and were able to see a boat being raised by the water to pass through the canal. Across the street was a civil war memorial, American Civil War Memorial, located in Waterloo, New York.

We drove back to Palmyra and went to the Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was first published. We took the tour and then walked up and down the old street. We saw a building that was used in the underground raliroad as well as the 4 churches on the 4 corners that were quite old. The boys found a Skylanders Wii toy at a thrift store they chose as a souvenir.

For dinner, we drove to Palmyra Chill and Grill and had hamburgers, fries, and ice cream. We were exhausted after that and drove back to the hotel and watched tv. We spent 2 nights at the Best Western Palmyra Inn and Suites.