One of Canada’s most iconic landmarks, Niagara Falls isn’t in Toronto. It is, however, a fun day trip away. The waterfalls are an amazing tourist destination!
Niagara Falls is located south of Toronto on the other side of the western end of Lake Erie. It’s about a 90-minute drive by car in good traffic from downtown Toronto. It’s also just a 30-minute drive from Buffalo, New York, in the United States.
Niagara Falls and its Tourist Attractions
The most prominent and famous stretch of the Niagara River, Niagara Falls is made up of three separate waterfalls. The biggest and most famous is Horseshoe Falls which is right on the border of Canada and the United States. The other two (Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls) are smaller and located entirely on the American side of the border.
Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall on the continent when measured by the amount of water that goes over it each day. It’s also one of the most famous and most photographed waterfalls in the world.
Millions of people visit Horseshoe Falls each year making it one of the top attractions in Canada. A popular way to view the falls is with a boat tour, but you can also admire them from land. The boats go up the river and stop just short of the falls. Visitors are also able to take alternate paths to end up behind the water or view it from more of a distance.
The area surrounding the falls has plenty of other things to explore as well. There are numerous hiking and cycling trails, ziplines, white-water activities, a butterfly conservatory and more at Niagara Parks.
How to Get to Niagara Falls
The distance from Toronto to Niagara Falls is around 130 kilometres. While this doesn’t constitute a massive road trip, it’s still a sizeable distance to travel. There are a few ways to get to the falls, the first of which is to simply drive there. There are some parking lots near the falls that are free, but most are paid. The free ones also usually require you to be taking part in a specific attraction if you park there.
It’s possible to take the GO Train from Toronto to the falls most of the time. A round trip GO ticket costs around $25, but sometimes a little more depending on where you start. The ticket also comes with free access to the Niagara Parks WEGO hop-on hop-off bus service.
There are also bus tours that begin in Toronto and go to Niagara Falls. Companies like Niagara Tours and Niagara Falls Bus Tours provide various packages that can include guided tours, boat cruises and other amenities. Finally, while it’s not available yet, there is a chance that in the future you might be able to take a ferry from Toronto to the falls. The company Lake Ontario EXPRESS hopes to open a ferry service between Toronto and Niagara by 2024 which, remarkably, would likely be faster than the bus or train.
Observation Deck at Niagara Falls
Experiencing the Falls
For those who want to get up close to the falls, there is the option to take a boat cruise on the river. The Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour is around 20 minutes long and it takes you close enough to the falls that you’re given a poncho to shield yourself from the spray! The dock for this cruise is connected to the Niagara City Cruises Main Ticket Plaza at 5920 Niagara Parkway.
The Voyage to the Falls Boat Tours launch every 15 minutes during the peak season. In the fall, they usually launch around every 30 minutes or so. As of February, 2024, they are available daily from 9:30 am until 6:30 pm or 8:30 pm depending on the day. Ticket prices are a little over $30 for adults (ages 13 and over) and slightly more than $20 for children ages 3 to 12.
The boats might not run late at night, but visiting the falls when it’s darker out is still fun. That’s because of the Falls Illumination, a nightly light show experience. Beginning at sundown and continuing until after midnight, a series of lights in various locations shine in different areas of the falls and the Niagara Gorge. There’s also a daily fireworks display at 10:00 pm that lasts for about five minutes.
Niagara Falls at Night
Journey Behind the Falls
This is a good option for those who want to get close to the water while remaining on solid ground. Participants take an elevator down to a tunnel that connects to two observation decks behind Horseshoe Falls. Like with the boat tours, you receive a poncho to protect yourself from the mist coming off the falls. The entire path from behind the water to the base of the falls contains educational information about the site.
During the warmer months the price to experience Niagara Falls from this vantage point is around $25. During the winter the price is slightly cheaper as one of the decks closes due to ice buildup.
Niagara Parks
The falls are not the only attraction in the area, although they are for sure the biggest and most popular. The entire Niagara Parks region is full of nature to explore and activities to take part in. The area has a number of hiking and cycling trails, including the over 50-kilometre long Niagara River Recreation Trail. The Niagara Gorge also provides ample opportunity for bouldering.
For those who love birdwatching, the Niagara Corridor was the first site to be named a Globally Significant Important Bird Area in North America. There is also a large butterfly conservatory which contains thousands of butterflies. The enclosed area has a beautiful tropical garden to explore as well.
In addition to the nature, there are some activities to enjoy. These include ziplines over Horseshoe Falls, the WildPlay Whirlpool Adventure Course and the Whirlpool Aero car which is a cable-car that takes passengers on a ride thousands of feet up over Niagara Gorge.
Indoor Activities at Niagara Falls
For those who want to experience the falls in an entirely different way there is Niagara’s Fury. This is a simulation experience in a 4D motion theatre. It takes you through the natural history of the area from the Ice Age up until the present day. The “4D” effect comes from the fact that the theatre itself is part of the experience, with the floor shaking, temperatures changing and more.
Finally, there is the Niagara Parks Power Station. During the day this building is open for tours of how it works and information about the history of the Niagara power plant. During the evenings, like the falls themselves, it’s transformed into a new experience. Currents is a light and sound show that turns the station into almost its own living thing. Currents takes place every day, with the first show at 6:30 pm and another one or two shows after it, depending on the day. Admission to this experience costs around $30 for adults and $20 for children.
Other Information
For more information about the waterfalls themselves visit the Niagara Falls Canada website. To learn more about the surrounding area click Niagara Parks.
In addition to the waterfalls, other attractions at Niagara Falls include the following:
- Bird Kingdom – an indoor aviary featuring hundreds of exotic birds.
- Butterfly Conservatory – an attraction featuring over 2,000 butterflies in an indoor garden.
- Fallsview Indoor Waterpark – an aquatic centre with a wave pool, hot tubs and play structures.
- Niagara Falls History Museum – a museum about the history of the waterfalls and surrounding area.
- Niagara’s Fury – a 4D theatre.
- Niagara Skywheel – a Ferris wheel with views of the waterfalls.
- Ripley’s Believe It Or Not – a museum full of weird and wonderful facts and displays.
- Skylon Tower – an observation tower overlooking the waterfalls.
- WildPlay Ziplines and Whirlpool Adventure Course – adventure facilities with ropes courses and ziplines. The same company also has venues in Metro Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo in British Columbia.
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(Note: Photos in this article are courtesy of Niagara Falls Tourism.)