Ashley Williams is surely often busy making Hallmark movies like “Two Tickets to Paradise” (2022) and “Notes of Autumn” (2023). However, when she has some time off, she’s probably spending it with her family, which includes her husband, film producer Neal Dodson, and sons, Gus and Odie.
That’s just what she did when she took her family on a trip that ended up being a little adventurous and absolutely adorable.
Ashley & Her Family Went to Niagara Falls
Ashley took to Instagram on Saturday, April 25, to share a video and photos of her family’s recent trip to one of the world’s natural landmarks. In the caption, she wrote, “It was a stunning day, so we took the kids to Niagara Falls. 😆😆”
The two photos that Ashley included with the post show her and her husband, as well as what appears to be the back of her sons. All four are wearing yellow ponchos to keep them dry, although in the video, you can see that the star’s face isn’t protected. This could be why she can be heard laughing throughout, which will likely make you smile (and perhaps even giggle) in response.
The post prompted comments from Ashley’s followers, with fellow actress Bonnie Hunt writing, “Wonderful!❤️”
“Bucket list destination,” one fan added.
A third follower wrote, “Been there many times. Hope you enjoyed it!”
“Some of my best childhood memories were there at the Falls,” someone else said.
Another social media user wrote, “Beautiful. Enjoy and safe travels. Say hi to the family! 😊”
“Love it there!!! Looks like you had [an] amazing time. I got soaked when I went even with the ponchos 😂,” yet another fan said in a message.
‘Celebrities Love Niagara Falls Just as Much as You Do’
If Ashley’s post was proof enough, Visit Niagara notes that “[c]elebrities love Niagara Falls just as much as you do,” adding that “the region has hosted everyone from A-list movie stars to teen heartthrobs and even international dignitaries.”
Visit Niagara points out that “[p]erhaps the most iconic and enduring example of this love affair between the Falls and the stars is Marilyn Monroe. The actress was shooting a film, the 1953 noir thriller Niagara, in the area; the Horseshoe Falls feature prominently on the film’s poster and, naturally, play a pivotal role in the film’s dramatic climax. (But no spoilers here!). Monroe spent two weeks in Niagara in June 1952 while filming.”
“Monroe wasn’t the only 20th-century screen star to visit,” per Visit Niagara. “Ginger Rogers touched down in 1974, as well as Superman stars Cristopher Reeve and Margot Kidder in 1979. Elvis played shows in the area in ’74 and ’75.”
Fans of the British royal family may know that Princess Diana “made a stop in Niagara during her 1991 tour of Ontario. William and Harry were in tow; the meet-and-greet at Table Rock became Prince Harry’s first official royal walkabout. The visit was quick — Diana and the boys boarded a helicopter bound for Toronto that same day. But the trio made time for one of Niagara’s must-do attractions: a Niagara Falls boat tour.”
Despite the fact that the trip took place in October, and most of the boats were out of service for the season, Visit Niagara explains that “one had been set aside for this special ride. The photos of Diana, William and Harry aboard the little white boat in their blue plastic ponchos — the same ones donned by hundreds of thousands before and after them — are simply iconic.”
More recently, “John Legend once stayed at the Prince of Wales hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake,” per Visit Niagara. “Ryan Gosling took his wife Eva Mendes on a cheesy-yet-romantic ride on the Niagara Skywheel in bustling Clifton Hill. And teen star Dylan Sprouse was joined by his model girlfriend [now wife] Barbara Palvin in 2021 as the duo goofed around along the Fallsview Trail and capped off their trip by sharing a bottle of Riesling among the vines at Peller Estates Winery.”
