Resort at a Glance: The Biggest Loser Resort Niagara

Since 2004, tens of millions of viewers have tuned into the hit reality show The Biggest Loser to watch contestants shed pounds and revamp their eating habits during an intense weight-loss competition. The show’s focus on strict exercise and nutrition regimens is also at the core of The Biggest Loser Resort Niagara, one of the brand’s award-winning weight-loss resorts. There, staff incorporates exercise, healthy meals, and lifestyle seminars into an action-packed daily schedule. The year-round facility features a fitness village as well as an indoor aquatic center.

• Jump-start your day with a hike through the resort’s 300-acre property with your personal trainer every morning.
• Demo kitchen: In the Lakeside Pavilion, you can work alongside the executive kitchen staff to create healthy meals with local, organic ingredients in a professional-quality kitchen.
• Daily exercise: water aerobics, circuit training, cycling classes, weight training, and seasonal activities
• A supportive team environment sets the Biggest Loser program apart from other training programs.
• Educate yourself between workouts with group lectures on weight training and nutrition, including food-label reading and body-workout recovery.
• Get pampered at Spa Alexis (named one of the top three spas in the country by Spas of America in 2014), which combines holistic medicine with rejuvenating treatments such as custom facials and massages (additional fees apply).

Niagara Falls, New York: Spectacular Waterfalls at United States–Canada Border

Just 54 miles north of The Biggest Loser Resort Niagara lies beautiful Niagara Falls, where every second, hundreds of thousands of gallons of water cascade down in a spectacular display. You can watch the water spill over jagged cliffs from pedestrian bridges and observation decks. The best view, though, might be from the Hurricane Deck, a wooden platform located 20 feet from Bridal Veil Falls. From spring to fall, you can access the platform by taking the Cave of the Winds tour, during which professional guides lead poncho-clad visitors to Bridal Veil Falls via wooden pathways. For an up-close encounter with the falls, you can book a ride aboard the Maid of the Mist; the tour boat shuttled sightseeing guests to the base of the thundering Horseshoe Falls for more than 100 years and continues to operate on the American side of the falls.

Millions of tourists have flocked to Niagara Falls since the early 1800s. Around that time, Napoleon Bonaparte’s younger brother honeymooned in the area with his American bride; scores of newlyweds followed in their footsteps, earning Niagara Falls the nickname of “Honeymoon Capital of the World.” Throughout the 19th century, massive crowds also came here to watch daredevils perform high-wire stunts above the rapids.

In the late 1800s, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted led a group that lobbied politicians to create a park that would protect the falls from further development. Today, the 400-acre Niagara Falls State Park, the first of its kind in the country, sits directly on the border between Canada and the United States. Miles of hiking trails wend through the scenic park; along the way, you can learn about the area’s history at the visitors’ center. There’s also plenty to do indoors around Niagara Falls. The area has remained a family-friendly destination, with indoor water parks, an aquarium, arcades, and casinos for the 21-and-older crowd.

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.