The free viewing platforms offer excellent close-up views
Boat cruises will take you right up to and into the foaming spray
Credit Shutterstock.com/Ruslan Kalnitsky
Hop into a helicopter for an incredible bird’s eye view…
Credit Shutterstock.com/LMspencer
The viewing platform on the ‘Journey behind the Falls’ experience, Canadian side
Credit Shutterstock.com/Rita Petcu
View out of a tunnel under the falls, ‘Journey behind the Falls’ experience, Canadian side
Observation platform, ‘Cave of the Winds’ experience, US side
Observation platform, US side
Credit Shutterstock.com/Gilberto Mesquita
If you have time, stop by the pretty town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Credit Shutterstock.com/Kiev.Victor
Stop in at vineyards for tours and tastings
Credit Shutterstock.com/JHVEPhoto
Keep an eye out for the world’s smallest church
If you have time, do the ‘White Water Walk’ along the turbulent river, 4km north of the Falls
Credit Shutterstock.com/Artsy Shot Photography
Last updated: 11 November, 2024
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You hear the Falls long before you see them: the roaring cascade of water plummeting down a 50m gorge at a rate of millions of litres per second. The world’s second-largest – but arguably most famous – waterfall is jaw-dropping in its scale and intensity.
They were formed around 12,000 years ago, at the end of the Ice Age, when large torrents of water were suddenly released from the melting ice. The water plunged over the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, draining into the Niagara River. There are three separately identifiable waterfalls, from largest to smallest: the Horseshoe Falls (also known as the Canadian Falls), the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls.
The roadside viewpoints offer prime viewing, but there are several other great ways to experience the Falls. Boat trips take you right up to the torrent, and into the foaming spray. Spectacular short helicopter flights offer a unique panoramic view of the scale and surrounding scenery (nervous flyers should head to the top of the nearby Skylon Tower instead).
You can also descend down via old tunnels to extraordinary viewpoints and caves behind the Falls themselves.
While you're there
If you’ve time after visiting the Falls, drive two miles upriver to the secluded White Water Walk, a quarter-mile boardwalk along the Niagara River, offering a front-row view of the tempestuous Whirlpool Rapids. Many visitors also take in the charming town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, an ideal base for wine tasting at some of Canada’s oldest and most famous vineyards.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Niagara Falls International Airport, on the US side, is a short taxi ride. On the Canadian side, tt’s an hour’s drive from Toronto airport. Alternatively, the daily train service from Toronto’s Union Station takes about 2 hours and deposits you just moments from the Falls.
There’s free parking at the Visitor’s Centre. The Falls are free to view, 24/7, from the public platforms.
The Canadian side of the falls – more powerful than the American – is probably the better side from which to experience them, but both offer a wide range of (fantastic) experiences. Boat tours run all day from around 8.30am-11.30pm, except in winter (at night time, the falls are illuminated with multi-coloured lighting). US-side cruises are run on the ‘Maid of the Mist‘, while Canadian-side cruises are run by Hornblower. Helicopter flights operate from both.
The Canadian side offers a ‘Journey behind the Falls’ experience, a 125-foot descent into 130-year-old tunnels to a special observation deck behind the falls. On the US side, you take an elevator down to the ‘Cave of the Winds’ – for fall-side viewing platforms.
When to do it
The Falls are most powerful after the spring thaw – May to July. Crowds are heaviest during July and August, but the site is so large, there is always plenty of space. Viewing platforms are open daily all year round, but in winter boat tours don’t run.
Who to go with: organised tours
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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Don't let the border stop you from experiencing all of Niagara Falls' glory! On this deluxe 6-hour tour, visit top Niagara Falls attractions on both the Ontario side and the New York side. Take a ride on the famous 'Maid of the Mist' boat, view the falls from atop Skylon Tower, feel the falls’ thunder at the Cave of the Winds and much more. All attraction fees, admission fees, hotel transfers and road tolls are included!
While you're visiting Niagara Falls, take a morning or afternoon tour of the spectacular attractions on the Canadian side of the Falls. Highlights include an exhilarating ride aboard the famous Maid of the Mist boat at the base of the majestic Horseshoe Falls, and a trip up the Skylon Tower for a bird's-eye view of the Niagara region.
Please note: The Maid of the Mist portion of this tour departs from the US side of Niagara Falls. All customers booking this tour must have appropriate documentation to enter the United States and Canada.
Enjoy a day trip from Toronto to Niagara Falls that includes stops at Niagara Falls, the Floral Clock (seasonal), the Niagara Whirlpool, and a viewpoint overlooking the Niagara River. You'll travel aboard a modern coach and have a minimum of three hours in Niagara Falls to explore independently. Tours are conducted by licensed Niagara Parks Commission Tour Guides, so you'll learn interesting information with commentary given throughout the day. On the day of the tour, you have the option to purchase a Niagara Hornblower City cruise up the Niagara River to the base of Niagara Falls. You will also have the option to go up the Skylon Tower giving amazing views overlooking Niagara Falls from above.
Your first stop is Skylon Tower, you’ll head up 520 ft. in a glass elevator to the observation deck where you will be treated to an incredible, birds-eye view of all three Niagara Falls, the Niagara River & surrounding area.
At your next stop you will descend 125 ft to explore cave-like tunnels at Journey Behind the Falls. This experience is a treat for the senses as you’ll be able to not only hear the falls, but feel them as well.
Next jump aboard the Niagara City Cruises Voyage To The Falls Boat Tour (seasonal, operating May-Oct., replaced with Greg Frewin Theatre & Butterfly Conservatory in the winter). You will sail around the Niagara gorge, get as close as possible to the Falls and feel the refreshing mist.
During the final portion of your tour, your guide will take you on a narrated driving tour of the city. Your guide will take you to several points of interest including the Dufferin Islands, the International Control Dam, the Old Scow, Whirlpool Rapids and the Floral Clock
Visit Niagara Falls with a licensed tour guide in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus. Pick-up is available from 12 central hotels and locations in Downtown Toronto and Mississauga. Depart between 7:30 and 8:05 AM to avoid morning traffic and arrive early in Niagara before the big crowds.
Visit Niagara Falls for 3 to 4 hours. See the "top of the waterfalls" at the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Enjoy free time to explore on your own. Add optional attractions like the Hornblower Boat Cruise and/or Journey Behind the Falls. Have lunch at a local restaurant. On the day of your trip, you can also add a helicopter ride or Skylon Tower tickets.
Visit scenic sights along the Niagara River, including the Floral Clock, Niagara Whirlpool, and Hydroelectric Power Stations (some stops are seasonal). Then, enjoy a 30-minute rest stop at Maple Leaf Place, where we will have a maple syrup tour and tasting of three flavours.
Return around 5:15 to 6:15 PM for an evening in the city.
