Testimonials

Debbee and Chuck Kenyon: Dear Lezlie, This is the first chance I had to get back to you, to thank you for such a nice tour and a very pleasant day. My husband and I really enjoyed talking to you and found you so knowledgeable about the wine industry and other things about the Niagara region... Chuck and I now have a little wine cellar for those cold winter days. We will be raking leaves for the next couple of weeks to get ready for our long winter. Actually, we always welcome winter because we can put our outside projects on hold. We enjoy going snow shoeing with our dog. Wishing you the best with your company. And I will recommend you to other people I know. Happy Autumn, Fondly, Debbee and Chuck Kenyon.

Dr. Ron Burgio, Senior Pastor, Love Joy Gospel Church: Our experience on the Underground Railroad tour felt so real as we were sitting in the old, cold barn at Murphy's Orchards, seeing the hole that escaped slaves used in order to get to their hiding place, with the goose squawking in the background. It was such a pleasure to meet our tour host Denise Easterling as "Queenie Rivers" and Carol Murphy the owner of Murphy's Orchards. These women have amazing passion about the Underground Railroad and they communicate that passion very well. Denise Easterling was a pleasure to have as a guide and as a host at lunch. Her information about the underground railroad is well researched and extensive. My staff had a lot of questions which she was able to answer.

Tara B, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada "Great Civil War memorabilia (in your center) and knowledgeable staff, and very friendly, too!" 

Bill & Melody Krantz, Lancaster, PA Dear Peter, Thank you so much for making our day at Niagara Falls memorable. We were thankful we met you and appreciated all the information and directions you gave to us. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed everything you recommended. We even stayed and enjoyed the fireworks over the Falls!

Evelyn Deetz, Evelyn's Excursions, Pioneer, Ohio:

• BEFORE TOUR: I just want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule at such a short notice. I am so excited about bringing a tour to your area in August as up until now, the only time I came through Niagara Falls, NY was to get to Niagara Falls, Ontario. I never knew there was a road along the NY side that was as beautiful as what you showed us yesterday. I have been in the tour business over 16 years now and I have had my own company 7 years and I love to find new attractions to expose my groups to. Especially when it is an area they have been to... but they don't really know what they have missed all these years. Your knowledge and history of the area was absolutely fantastic and I will sell you along with the tour. The mall we ate lunch in was great also and I know they will do a great job feeding my group as we discussed. As far as timing, I am leaving that up to you and whatever we don't get squeezed in this time, I can guarantee you we will be back now that I know what a great area you have. I have been to Niagara Falls probably close to 50-60 times but I never saw it like I saw it yesterday. I will be so anxious to share this with my people. Thank you again and you are one of the best promoters of an area that I have ever met. You can definitely tell you are "sold" on your area and we will make sure the people know what a great trip this is going to be. Keep in touch.
• AFTER TOUR: Thanks so much for all your expertise... You were the talk of the bus enroute home... I am at the fairs for two weeks now and then the real busy season starts... Just got word today that we did get the private White House tour for DC and those are usually hard to get.

Pamela Demos, Teal Sound Food Manager: Thank you so very much for your hospitality. Our kids enjoyed eating at your food court and your ice cream as they toured your beautiful area. Thanks

Dr. Joyce F. Gillie, D.Min, Office of Black Catholic Ministries,Archdiocese of New Orleans On behalf of the Archdiocese of New Orleans' attendees of the National Black Catholic Congress, I want to thank you and your organization for providing exceptional transportation service for our conference. Your organization carried out our last-minute changes, which included an earlier than scheduled bus pickup from the Hotel on Sunday morning. All of the attendees were very appreciative of the transportation provided for them. It was great doing business with you.

Rev. Ernie Spicer, Bellevue, NB Many thanks or your kindness and consideration to our group last week. When you recognized our special need with Brandy's handicap, you responded without a moment's hesitation. You went far beyond what might have been required of your company, what you did came from the heart and your genuine concern for others in need. Without your special consideration, we could not have gotten Brandy to and from the Airport as well as we did. All the best to you and those you love.

Dorothy A. Gupton, Hendersonville, TN I wanted to express how much I enjoyed the tours your company provided during the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC). It was a wonderful experience. The tours were well planned and the tour guides were well prepared. Kevin really knew the history and I learned a lot. To experience the underground railroad, visit the church and sit in the church where Harriett Tubman worshipped when she found freedom in Canada, and visit the Nathaniel Dett Memorial were opportunities that come once in a lifetime. The Niagara Falls Tour really put me in touch with God. The experience let me know that the creation of the falls was a work of God. The Maid of the Mist Boat ride provided me the opportunity to put into perspective my true relationship with God and life. I am very grateful for you providing the Monday Tour to Niagara Falls. Thanks to Spirit of Niagara Tours for the special attention you provided to each tourist. I had a wonderful experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Western New York Resident: The Maid of the Mist Boat ride was a hi light for us – since we had lived in this area for around 50 years and never had been on this boat. Truly the nations of the world travel these sites. I had opportunity to share somewhat with a young lady from another country and I was excited about that. The Lunch at the church was a nice extra and so enjoyed the narrative story about the Underground Railroad. Yes, I can recommend this to any one, because the boat ride was exciting and pleasant. The tour itself was informative as to some of the history of this area.

Ralph G. Tompkins, Raleigh, NC I wanted to put my compliments to you and your tour team in writing. My wife and I had such a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed the Spirit of Niagara Tour. When I travel, I love organization, so that I do not waste a minute of precious vacation/family time. From the time we got on the bus at the Buffalo Airport until the time we were dropped back off at the airport for our departure flight, the trip was expertly organized. Your team did an outstanding job. The employees of Spirit of Niagara Tours were very spirited and great people. You have definitely selected the right people to support you in operating Spirit of Niagara Tours. They were informative, kind, high energy, and spiritual. You seem to all have a vision of how you want to treat people; which is basically how you would want to be treated yourselves if you were on a tour. Your staff was welcoming and made us feel like we had known them all our lives. We could laugh, joke, and pray together and never feel uncomfortable asking a question. Our questions were always answered with enthusiasm and wonderful, accurate information. When we saw first-hand, the empty homes, businesses and streets of Niagara, we felt their pain, their desperation to restore their city from the negativism of the past and present due to the economic decline of the area and the self-pity that followed. Your tour group is on the right track. If you have the drive and the spirit of Christ, you can’t fail. I do see the hope and vision of the people of Niagara and the employees of the Spirit of Niagara – to make that change. The trip to the Falls and Goat Island definitely showed the power and beauty of Mother Nature. You knew you were in a special place – one like nowhere else in the world. You also knew you were in the presence of God and His creation and His power. The people of Niagara have a gem. They just need to recognize it and realize that they have a gift. The Spirit of Niagara is their spiritual approach to their town and their Visitor’s Center at Summit Park Mall. It will be successful with God on the team. One of the favorite parts of the trip for me was visiting the New York Power Authority. Where can you go on a trip and experience a history lesson on power – the awesome power of the Niagara River and Falls? This was a great wrap-up to our trip. Thanks for the great job that you and your team did. I would recommend the Spirit of Niagara Tour to anyone (and I have already done this many times over to my friends and co-workers here in the Raleigh area). Best of luck and I pray that many people will get to experience your awesome tour this summer and in the years ahead.
 

Noreen Tompkins, Raleigh, NC I now know how it feels to be a movie star or famous political figure! You and your team made me and the other members of our group feel just like VIP’s when we traveled and toured with you. You had already gone over everything in advance, had all of the routes and itineraries planned out, meal arrangements made and even had bottled water waiting for us. There was some great planning and organizing going on in your shop and I am most appreciative of that. I don’t get to travel very often, so when I do, I always pray that things will go safely and smoothly so that I can make the most out of every minute and see as much of the area I am visiting as I possibly can. The Spirit of Niagara Tour was an answer to that prayer. From start to finish the tour was well-planned, organized, provided extremely interesting historical and background information and was lots of FUN. The tour guides were wonderful and always happy to entertain questions. Everyone on the staff of Spirit of Niagara tours had just that – lots of spirit and great senses of humor – definitely two strong requirements when working in the tour business. The sights, sounds and experience of all the places we toured were AWESOME – highlights being the Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist. I also especially enjoyed the quiet beauty of Three Sisters Island and the scenic walking trail. I would highly recommend Spirit of Niagara Tours to anyone wanting an up-close and personal view of the Niagara Falls area and one of the most beautiful spots on the face of the earth. Thank you Peter and staff for a great tour and lifelong memories.
 

Marilyn Rhodes, Raleigh, NC I recently had the pleasure of going on a tour of Niagara Falls with SON Tours and can honestly say it was an experience I will never forget. From the time we left the Welcome Center at the Summit, until we left for our flight home on Saturday, we were led on a tour that completely immersed us in the Niagara Falls region and the Spirit of the area. I am sure I am not alone when I say that there was definitely a feeling that we were in the presence of a higher power, especially as we got closer to the Falls, Three Sisters Islands and the Rapids. When we got to the Hurricane Deck, however, it was clear that we were being ushered in to the throne room of the Almighty God Himself.  At the Horseshoe Falls, the rushing, noisy torrents of water successfully drowned out any thoughts of how important our lives are to us. While walking around the viewing area, all races and spoken languages were evident. There was even a spectacular rainbow to show us proof of God’s promises to us. Truly He gave us a glimpse of what Heaven will be like! The drive through the city of Niagara Falls was breathtaking, not only to see the devastation, but to see the historic buildings and hear about the history of the area. It was easy to see that the city had once been a booming, thriving economy. There was also a sense of expectancy, as if the city and the buildings were just waiting to be awakened again. I did not feel like the situation was hopeless at all. I only felt like the city was on the verge of something great. Our stop at the Niagara Charter School was remarkable. The students, the teachers and the administrators were so impressive and all seemed to love where they were learning and working. Then we heard the story of the struggle behind the building of the school and how persistence and prayer had been its building blocks. What an encouragement! A living, visible sign of life in the depressed area and a sign of hope for things to come. The pace of the tour was great; non-stop activities, but at a schedule that was easy to keep up with. There was always a supply of water if needed, and the tour guides and drivers really cared about each and every person that was on the tour. They never made us feel rushed or like we were taking up too much of their time. Two weeks after the tour, and back in my office in Raleigh, all I have to do is see a slide show of pictures from our trip to Niagara Falls to be instantly transported there again in my mind. The people from Anthony & Co. who went on the tour are still talking about it and about how much fun it was. It was as if we each brought a piece of the Falls back with us in our hearts. We have all told everyone we know about the SON tours, and how everyone who has the chance should go and experience it. I know for me, I am just counting the days until hopefully I can go back to the Niagara Falls area again, and take another tour, to learn more about the history and to stand in awe again at the edge of the Falls.
 

Lynn Heller, Raleigh, NC My husband Richard and I were recently on Spirit of Niagara Tours with Jim Anthony and others from Raleigh, North Caroline. We were both impressed by the quality of the facilities at Summit Mall where we were all gathered to begin the tour and also with the quality of the tour bus, driver and of course, our gracious tour host. In each facet of our tour, we were made very comfortable and highly recommend the unique Spirit of Niagara Tours to anyone visiting in the Niagara Falls area. The facilities at the Summit Mall were just the beginning to a pleasant start of our informative and wonderful tour that included some riding and a self guided walking tour of the Niagara Falls park area as well as other highlights to the region. As part of our remarkable tour, we both were certainly struck by the not so inspiring condition of the City of Niagara Falls in contrast with our Canadian neighbors as well as the inspiring visit to the charter school and awesome Niagara Falls. At every level, the tour company did a wonderful job of planning food, pacing the tour, and arranging for activities inside and outside of the Niagara Falls park area. Our collective experience was fabulous and we both wanted you to know that our two day tour of the area with Spirit of Niagara Tours was most exceptional, extraordinarily relaxing and very enjoyable. Thank you for your hospitality and we wish you much success.

Gina Louise, Knightdale NC My husband and I recently took a Spirit of Niagara tour. It was fantastic!!! We had a wonderful time; we were able to see many attractions in a short period of time (we were only in the area for two days). The busses were clean and comfortable and the tour guides were very knowledgeable of the Fall’s history. We never felt rushed or over scheduled, although we did pack a lot into two days!! We did not have to wait for an attraction as the Spirit of Niagara took care of all the planning ahead of time. There was food included in our package and it too was wonderful!! I felt that this package was an excellent value. I do not believe that we could have accomplished so much in a short period of time on our own. One of our food stops was at The Summit (a mall in the area) so we even had time to do a little shopping!! I would recommend Spirit of Niagara Tours to anyone planning to visit the area!! We are planning a family vacation next spring we will definitely book our tours early!! Thanks again we had a phenomenal stay!!