The Ultimate Guide to Niagara Falls (the Canada Side)

Niagara Falls is Canada’s most popular tourist destination, and its also visited by many more tourists from the United States and further abroad each year. The Falls straddle the border of Canada and the US, and are known for having the highest flow of water over any waterfall in the world. There’s countless things to do on both sides of the border, but most will agree that to get the most out of a trip to Niagara Falls, the Canadian side is where you want to be. Niagara Falls is an easy day trip from Toronto or Upstate New York, however I recommend staying a night. I spent the last night of my Canadian adventure at Niagara Falls, Ontario and it was the perfect way to cap off my Canadian travels. Read along to find out some of the ways you can enjoy a trip to Niagara Falls as well.

• If you’re planning a trip to nearby Toronto and want some ideas, check out my itinerary post HERE.

About Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a site of natural beauty that is approximately 12,000 years old. As mentioned, the Falls span the width of the Niagara River which divides the Canadian province of Ontario from upper New York State. At nearly 800 metres in width, over 3,160 tons of water rush over the Falls every second, giving Niagara the distinction of being the waterfall that has the most water gushing over it in the entire world. Its also often regarded as the 8th Wonder of the Natural World.

The Falls were formed by the melting of the Wisconsin Glacier, which in turn created the Great Lakes of America. As water rushed from Lake Erie down into Lake Ontario, this natural phenomenon came into being. The wider Great Lakes system is now the source of one fifth of the world’s fresh water supply.

Niagara Falls is actually comprised of three separate waterfalls. The best known (and most impressive) are the Canadian Horseshoe Falls which plunge some 57 metres and are without doubt the widest. The Horseshoe Falls are capable of generating some four million kilowatts of hydroelectric energy per second. The American Falls are comparatively smaller, though still vast at 290 metres in width. Finally, the Bridal Veil Falls round out the trio, sitting between the two others, with Goat and Luna Islands separating its waters from them.

How to Get to Niagara Falls

Getting to Niagara Falls from Toronto is easy. If you’re renting a car, all you need to do is follow the Queen Elizabeth Way out of the city and you’ll reach the Falls in about 90 minutes. Its a very easy drive. If you’re not driving though, there’s no need to worry. I took a MegaBus coach from Union Station in downtown Toronto, which dropped me off right by the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre just under two hours later. The coach cost about $20.00 CAD to book, and I’d highly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. From there, it was an easy walk to check into my hotel.

You can also get to Niagara Falls from New York state. While there’s an airport in the town of Niagara Falls, New York just across the border, flights seem to be more limited and expensive. You’re best bet is to fly into Buffalo Niagara Airport in the city of Buffalo. From there you can drive or take the Amtrak train to the Falls, which only takes about 45 minutes. If you’re coming to the Canadian side from the States, you’ll need to cross at the Rainbow Bridge (bring your passport and check entry requirements of course!).

While there’s numerous organised day trips from both sides of the border to the Falls, with it being so easy to get here, I’d make the trip on your own so that you can get the most from your time and spend it the way you want to.

Staying at Niagara Falls

As mentioned, I highly recommend staying overnight at Niagara. You probably don’t need to stay any longer than that, but with the chance to spend the evening at the Falls and wake up to them in the morning, you’ll be able to fully enjoy everything that the site has to offer. Besides, waking up to a view like this is pretty great.

The town of Niagara Falls, Ontario is unashamedly a tourist trap. Its built right along the edge of the Canadian side of the river and is filled with tacky stores, attractions and countless hotels. With that said, it is known to book out, so you should secure your accommodation in advance. I stayed at The Oakes Hotel Overlooking the Falls. Being upgraded to a Falls View room was amazing, and though the hotel seemed a bit dated in its design (it could definitely have used a few more electrical sockets in the room), it was comfortable and did the job.

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay the following prices per night for a hotel room in the area:

• Budget: less than $100.00 CAD
• Mid-Range: between $100.00 CAD and $250.00 CAD
• Luxury: over $250.00 CAD.

Getting Around the Canadian Side of the Falls

Its really easy to get between the attractions on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. While you’ll quickly find out that Uber and other Rideshare apps don’t operate in the area, you don’t really need them. Most of the attractions are within walking distance, and with views like those along the Niagara River, you’d be crazy not to just take it all in. Some attractions are a little further out however, so another option is to use the great shuttle bus system. You can buy a day pass for the WE GO Visitor Transportation for $10.00 CAD a day (upgrade to a 48 hour pass for a total of $15.00). The bus network has three different routes (though I only ended up using the main one) which can get you pretty much anywhere you could want to go in the area.

The Falls Incline Railway also connects the main viewing area by the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre to the area above a steep hill where most of the hotels are located. Buying a day pass for this is also advisable if you’ll be coming and going a fair bit. A day pass costs just over $6.00 CAD and can be purchased at the funicular entracnce.

Things to Do at Niagara Falls

When you first arrive at Niagara Falls, you’ll want to head over to the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre. This is the tourism hub where you can purchase attraction tickets, do some souvenir shopping, eat, and of course, admire the beauty of the Falls. Some of the best views of the Horseshoe Falls are from right outside the Visitor’s Centre, so its definitely a great place to start. Afterwards, there’s an assortment of attractions you can check out to fill in your day at Niagara. I’ll be focusing on the ones I actually did, as I really enjoyed all of these.

Voyage to the Falls Cruise

• Where: Cruises depart from the Niagara City Cruises Terminal at 5920 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario
• When: Cruises depart regularly through the day every 15 minutes. In the summer months, boats depart from roughly 9.30am to 7.30pm (and later for the special fireworks cruise). During the winter, operating hours are scaled back.
• Admission: Tickets for adults are $32.00 CAD.
• Website: https://www.cityexperiences.com/niagara-ca/city-cruises/niagara/

Getting on a boat and sailing out to the Falls was the best part of my trip to Niagara. If you only have time to do one thing at Niagara Falls, you should definitely make this it. The Voyage to the Falls is a 20 minute cruise getting close to both the American and Horseshoe Falls. There’s no better way to appreciate the force of the water that pounds over the Falls than getting this close to the spray. You’ll be given a free poncho as you step aboard – that should be an indicator that you will get absolutely SOAKED from the mist and water coming off the gigantic waterfalls.

While you can book your cruise on the day, I recommend booking in advance, especially in peak season, so as to ensure you don’t miss out. Lines to buy tickets in person are quite lengthy. When your time slot arrives, show up at the cruise terminal and you’ll take an elevator down to the river below for boarding. After getting back from the cruise, you’ll disembark in the same area, where you can hang around at a cafe and bar while enjoying some live musical entertainment.

Journey Behind the Falls

• Where: Table Rock Centre, 6650 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario
• When: 10.00am – 6.00pm daily (until 8.00pm on Saturdays). Reduced hours outside of the summer season.
• Admission: $23.50 CAD per adult.
• Website: https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/journey-behind-the-falls/

The Journey Behind the Falls is a self guided tour that takes you exactly where it says – behind the powerful waters of the Horseshoe Falls! You start this tour at the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre. While booking online will save you from lining up in the big queue, the fairly outdated system means you still have to line up at a separate ticket booth to swap your receipt for a real ticket before you can go in. Once you’re poncho-ed up (I’m sensing a theme here, though this one won’t get you AS wet), you’ll board an elevator and ride nearly 40 metres deep into the bedrock before emerging in a series of tunnels built into the cliff face.

The tunnel leads to two separate viewing portals that emerge right behind the waterfall (yes, at the backside of water, Jungle Cruise fans!). You couldn’t get closer to the waters of Niagara Falls without going over the edge – which I definitely would not advocate! One thing I did notice was that there will be a large queue of people waiting to get a glimpse from the second portal. Pro-tip: the view is basically the same as the first one, so don’t bother getting in line after stopping at the first.

While getting behind the Falls is cool, I think the best part of this experience is getting access to the outdoor viewpoint right at the bottom of Horseshoe Falls. Aside from being out on the water, this is probably the best spot to get your Niagara Falls photos. Take your time admiring it in all its wonder.

White Water Walk

• Where: 4330 River Road, Niagara Falls, Ontario
• When: During the summer season, the Walk is open from 10.00am – 8.00pm. Reduced hours apply during the rest of the year.
• Admission: $17.00 CAD per adult.
• Website: https://www.niagaraparks.com/visit/attractions/white-water-walk/

The White Water Walk is a fair distance away from the main attractions by the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre. You can either walk along the main road downstream for about 50 minutes to get to the entrance, or you can otherwise get on the main (green) WE GO Bus route and get off at the station by the gift shop. Located about 4 kilometres from the site of the Falls, this is one of the roughest sections of the Niagara River. After taking the elevator down to the boardwalk, the trail takes you past a wild stretch of whitewater rapids created by the power of the Falls.

The Whirlpool Rapids that rush through the gorge consist of numerous three to five metre waves, making it the largest series of rapids in North America. Unlike many rapids caused by rocks and other obstructions, the rapids here are solely due to the sheer force of water channelled through the gorge. It really has to be seen to be done justice.

The rapids terminate in the Eddy Basin Whirlpool, and while the trail doesn’t go that far, you’ll get a lot out of taking this self-guided experience. You’ll learn a lot about the Niagara River, the Great Lakes, local plants and animals, and even the escapades of dare devils who have careened over the edge of the Falls, starting with teacher Annie Taylor who barely survived the drop in a barrel with her pet cat on her 63rd birthday in 1901!

Dinner by the Falls

I definitely splurged on dinner during my time at Niagara Falls, dining at the Table Rock Restaurant. Overlooking the Canadian Falls, this world class restaurant is pricey, but with a view like no other. The food is also excellent, with both local and international dishes. Depending on what you order, expect to pay around $40 CAD for an entree (I had the Stuffed Ontario Chicken Breast and it was delicious if you’re curious). With an excellent range of beverages on tap, it was a great final meal in Canada.

If you’re planning on dining at the Table Rock Restaurant, definitely reserve a table in advance. If you miss out, don’t worry, there’s plenty of places to eat along the Niagara Parkway and heading up into nearby Clifton Hill.

Enjoy the Fireworks

Every night at around at 10.00pm you can catch fireworks near the American Falls. Grab a spot by the river (if you’re struggling to get a view, head further up back to the Visitor’s Centre). While many will camp out for a good view, I arrived only around 5 minutes beforehand and was able to see the whole thing. After the fireworks, the Horseshoe Falls are lit up by a series of coloured lights, an amazing visual (which I watched for a good hour back at the hotel as well before they were turned off for the night).

Other Things to Do

There’s a lot more things to do in Niagara Falls that appeal to tourists. One of the more popular ones that I didn’t get time to do was the Niagara’s Fury attraction. This is a high tech 4D simulated experience that takes you through the story of how Niagara Falls was formed many thousands of years ago. The film is accompanied by water splashes and rapid temperature changes. You can find it at the Table Rock Visitor’s Centre and its especially popular with children.

If you don’t have a Falls View hotel room (how elitist of me, I know!), you can head to the Skylon Tower. Standing at 150 metres tall, this mini-CN Tower provides visitors with a birds eye view of the Falls. It also houses a rotating fine dining restaurant.

If you’ve got money to spend, you can even take a helicopter ride over the Falls!

For tacky attractions, Clifton Hill has you covered. Here you’ll find wax museums, haunted houses, mini-roller coasters and the Niagara Skywheel. While I wouldn’t recommend wasting too much time here, its good for a quick stroll. I also visited the Bird Kingdom aviary, but it wasn’t that great (hence why I haven’t recommended it in this post).

While there’s tons more to do on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, this guide will hopefully give you a run down on some of the best ways to spend a short trip. Niagara is the very definition of a tourist destination and you’ll never run out of things to do. I haven’t even mentioned the US side in this post, but there’s more to do over the other side of the river as well. If you’ve been to Niagara Falls, let me know what you enjoyed doing the most on your visit!