It’s never a bad time to take a weekend getaway to Niagara Falls, Canada. The city has great restaurants, plenty of activities for all ages, and the Niagara Falls. Growing up in the Western New York area, Niagara Falls was always a go to spot for a day trip or an after dance party photo spot.
The great debate of the American side of the Canadian side is always quickly settled with an unanimous vote to visit the Canadian side. From the breathtaking views of the falls both at night and during the day to the beautiful gardens in the various places to grab a quick drink Niagara Falls is quick to be a top destination spot for a weekend. After 48 hours you'll have a taste of what the Niagara Falls region has to offer.
HOW TO GET THERE
The easiest way to go from the United States directly into Niagara Falls is by crossing the Rainbow Bridge. You can both drive and walk across the boarder. There are 2 checkpoints when entering/exiting: security and tolls. Credit card and cash are accepted at the tolls, but an E-ZPass is the fastest route. There are NEXUS lanes as well for those who do have the pass in advance. (Note: If you are interested in NEXUS consider applying well in advance as it takes months to complete/receive.)
WHERE TO STAY
For anyone spending a vacation in Niagara Falls, I'd recommend staying close to the falls on Fallsview Boulevard. There are a few popular hotels that you cannot go wrong with - the Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa, Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel & Suites, and Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview are a few of our recommendations. There's little AirBnB or VRBOs located in the heart of downtown, for this reason I'd pass on those types of stays.
TIPS FOR VISITING
Spend time wandering Clifton Hill and along the Fallsview Trail.
Enjoy the views of Niagara Falls in both the daytime and nighttime.
Consider exploring the nature trails around the area.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Niagara Falls City Explorations
Walk up and down Clifton Hill
Stop for a bite at the Hershey's Chocolate World and the Hard Rock Cafe
Ride up the Skylon Tower for dinner
Test your luck at the Fallsview Casino Resort and the Casino Niagara.
Spend most of the first day wandering the gardens and exploring the restaurants. Some of the most notable attractions are along Clifton Hill . Clifton Hill is home to hotels, restaurants, and even small carnival-like rides and attractions. It’s a family friendly strip for all ages where you can spend the day popping in and out of shops and playing around.
As you walk down the strip and get closer to the water you’ll run into the Hershey's Chocolate World and the Hard Rock Cafe. Spend some time wondering through both of those that eventually continue toward the water and you’ll reach the gardens. During your first day you’ll want to wander up and down getting great views of the horseshoe falls in American falls. At night you can even come back to me American Falls for the night show That both beautiful colors another falls and in the summertime there’s even a firework show that happens every weekend.
For dinner, take a ride up to the top of the Skylon Tower. It is a revolving dining room restaurant 775feet in the air that offers views of Niagara Falls. At night make your way to the Niagara casinos and try your luck at the various slot machines and card tables. The Niagara casinos are super popular and you can walk from one to the next quite easily. The two major casinos there are the Fallsview Casino Resort and the Casino Niagara.
Day 2: Niagara Falls Nature Exploration
Take a Hornblower cruise to get up close to the falls
Be a thrill seeker with the Niagara Falls Zip Line and Whirl Pool Aero Car
Walk along the Niagara River Trail for views of the upper and lower whirlpools
For day two hopefully you’re waking up a couple dollars richer and feeling nice and refreshed from a night at the casinos. Today we tackle getting up close to Niagara Falls with a cruise on the Hornblower cruises from the Canadian side. Most visitors know the Maid of the Mist, but that leaves from the American side. You will get soaked but they will give you a poncho it’s strongly recommended that you consider your clothing and what you are able to get wet prior to going on the cruise.
For thrill seekers, looking for great views, we would recommend either doing the WildPlay Niagara Falls Zip Line or the Whirl Pool Aero Car. The wild play Niagara Falls Zip Line will take you directly over the Niagara River and
will give you panoramic views of the falls they offer rides both at night and can be found on this website. The Whirl Pool Aero Car is a cable car that will take you over the Niagara River and provide great views of the Niagara Whirlpool streams. The blue green waters luscious trees and amazing views are some of the most hidden gems of Niagara Falls that you cannot mess.
For those looking for more simple day, the region offers great hiking trails where you can hike right down to the world pool jets and get a riverside view. Whatever you do be sure to not go in the water as the currents are very rough and it is a very dangerous situation to end up in.
Photo taking from the hiking trails on the U.S. side - you can see the Aerocar overhead.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
For all the above there are third-party tours and guides that you can, however you are able to register directly online through the companies' websites. I would advise buying your tickets in advance for the main attractions. Everything within Niagara Falls is drivable, but it is not necessarily walkable. Lastly, if you have more time check out the wineries and local shops throughout the Niagara-on-the-Lake Region as well.
Notable spots that I would not recommend are the Butterfly Conservatory and Bird Kingdom.
Notable spots that I would also recommend are Happy Jack’s Chinese Food and the walk behind the falls.
Be safe and have fun exploring the Niagara Falls region!
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