Niagara Falls is made up of 3 waterfalls that lie between the US (New York) and Canada (Ontario). It’s the second largest waterfall in the world and the most famous with 3,160 tons of water flowing over the falls every second. If you’re planning on heading over to this natural wonder, first you’ll need to decide whether you’ll spend your time on the US side or Canada side (or both). We flew into Buffalo, rented a car, and drove over to the Canada side. We stopped at the NY side again before flying back home. In this guide, I’ll talk a little about the differences between each side. You’ll also find some tips, as well as my favorite (and least favorite)  things to do in Niagara Falls, Canada (since that’s where we spent the majority of our time).

Niagara Falls, US vs. Niagara Falls, CANADA

I’ll start by saying you can experience the most popular attractions on either side. Maid of the Mist on the NY side and Hornblower Cruises on the Canada side both take you on a boat, up close and personal, to the falls. Cave of the Winds on the NY side and Journey Behind the Falls on the Canada side both let you walk down to an observation deck right next to/behind the falls. Cave of the Wind takes you to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls while Journey Behind the Falls takes you behind, and next to, Horseshoe Falls. On both sides, you can get passes (Discovery Pass on the NY side and Adventure Pass on the Canada side) that offer you a discount if you go to every major attraction that’s included with the pass.

Although both sides have the same major attractions, the two sides couldn’t be more different. On the New York side, you’ll find Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the U.S. It covers over 400 acres, with 140 of those acres being under water. The park is all about appreciating nature and is full of hiking trails, footpaths, and picnic areas. There are scenic trolley tours, and plenty of gift shops and eateries, but not much else in terms of “tourist attractions”. Meanwhile, the Canada side of Niagara Falls takes touristy to a whole new level (it’s basically an amusement park with rides, casinos, wax museums, fun houses, indoor waterparks, etc). The Canada side offers better panoramic views of all three Falls, and has many options to view the falls from up high (Skylon Tower Observation Deck, Niagara SkyWheel, and not to mention we had probably one of the best views of the falls right from our hotel room, at the Hilton Fallsview Hotel and Suites).

Know Before You Go (the Canada side):

• If driving to the Canada side from the US, there are 3 bridges you can take: Rainbow Bridge, Lewiston Queenstown Bridge and Peace Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge is closest to the major tourist area and not as busy as the other 2. The Whirlpool Bridge is for NEXUS only.

• Credit cards are widely accepted as are US dollars at many attractions. You’ll want some cash for tipping, which you can get via ATMs, your bank, or exchange at the airport.
• There are Destination Marketing Fees added on at many hotels and attractions. These fees are not mandatory taxes, but they don’t tell you that. Apparently, you can request to have these fees taken off your bill. We didn’t end up requesting that they be removed, so I can’t speak to how well that works, but it’s worth a shot.
• There are plenty of ways to get around. We either walked, got an uber, or used the WEGO bus system. We had a car since we drove over from Buffalo, but parking can be a nightmare, and expensive, so we left it at the hotel when we were just hanging out around town.
• As mentioned earlier, you can get the Adventure Pass on the Canada side. We found it was only really worth it if you did every attraction that it includes and we weren’t sure that we would do all of them (and we didn’t), so we didn’t end up getting it.

Top Things to Do in Niagara Falls (the Canada side)

1. Journey Behind the Falls.

As mentioned earlier, Journey Behind the Falls takes you down through tunnels behind the falls. There’s also an observation deck that is next to the falls. You will get pretty wet, but panchos are included. If you’re lucky, you might get a great view of a rainbow right in front of the falls.

2. Hornblower Cruise.

This is another attraction that is guaranteed to get you soaked. Again, panchos included. This boat ride is the closest you can get to the thundering falls, so it should definitely not be missed. Plus, Jim and Pam’s wedding anyone?!

3. White Water Walk.

This is a quarter-mile boardwalk along the shoreline of the Niagara River and at the base of the Niagara Gorge. There are several viewing platforms that allow you to marvel at the power of the class 6 white water rapids traveling at about 30 miles per hour. This is located about 2.5 miles up the Niagara Parkway from the major tourist area and is worth the visit.

4. Go on a wine tour.

Who knew that Niagara, Ontario was wine country? The entire area has over 50 wineries! We took a guided wine tour at Niagara on the Lake, which was the perfect country escape from the busy city. A short 20 minute drive away takes you to a peaceful, quiet region full of wine and great food.

5. Get a birds eye view of the falls.

This can be done in many ways.  You can take a helicopter tour, go to the top of the Skylon Tower Observation Deck and eat at the revolving dining room, or take a ride on the Niagara SkyWheel in Clifton Hill. We chose to have dinner at the Watermark, an elegant restaurant right in our hotel overlooking the falls. Make reservations on a Friday night around 9 p.m. and you can enjoy the fireworks and the illuminated falls while you dine!

6. Go to Clifton Hill.

This one really depends on your preferences. For some, the touristy vibe at Clifton Hill might be a bit much. There is no denying there’s  a lot to do here. But, if you are coming to Niagara Falls to experience the natural wonder of the falls, or on a romantic getaway, you’ll probably be okay to skip Clifton Hill. On the other hand, if you’re coming here for a family vacation, you’ll want to spend plenty of time here. As I mentioned earlier, this area has rides (including the SkyWheel), museums, haunted houses, casinos, mini golf, and the list goes on.  You’ll also find a lot of good dining options and plenty of shopping. There’s something here for everyone in the family to enjoy.

7. Ride the Mistrider Zipline to the Falls.

This was still being built when we visited, so unfortunately, I haven’t tried this yet. The zipline is across from American Falls and you travel down about 2,200 feet to the base of Horseshoe Falls. No doubt this will be at the top my list when we eventually get back to Niagara Falls.

8. Take a ride on the Whirlpool Jet Boats.

Because I’m 10 years old at heart, this seemed like a much cooler way to experience the whirlpool than the aero car (more on that below). We didn’t have time to try this, but if I could go back in time, I would’ve made time to give this a shot!

Things You Can Skip (the Canada side):

1. Botanical Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory.

We stopped at the Botanical Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory before we left Canada and it was a nice stop. While admission is free and the gardens were beautiful, I wouldn’t say this is a must. If you are short on time, don’t feel bad about skipping this. It’s likely nothing you can’t see closer to home.

2. Take a ride in the Whirlpool Aero Car.

We stopped at the area and stood at one of the overlooks, but didn’t feel the need to pay the ten dollars to get on the Aero Car. To be honest, from the overlook area, the ‘whirlpool’ looked a little underwhelming. I was expecting to see a large, powerful body of swirling water. It really just looked like rapids, which we had already seen on the White Water Walk. If we had gotten the Adventure Pass and it was included, we would’ve done it, but it didn’t seem worth an additional cost in my opinion.

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