Great Natural Wonders of the World
Niagara Falls is a popular tourist site for over a century, and it is the second largest falls on the globe next to Victoria Falls in southern Africa. Niagara Falls attracts some 12 Million tourists to her majestic awesome beauty each year. It is a place for being thrilled or soaked amid natural splendour. In the evenings, intense spotlights bathe the falls with different shades of color. High wire tightrope acts used to be performed across the river. The Falls make a tremendous sound as the water goes over and lands at the bottom. More than 6 million cubic feet of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow.
Niagara not only attracts curious spectators and adventurous honeymooners, also its one of the favourite family destination. You can Ride a roller coaster, feel the mist on your face, get scared, get happy, laugh out loud. There's no place like Niagara for a learning vacation, as you have plenty of places to explore, discover and experience…
Location
Niagara Falls is located on the border between Canada and the United States. Two cities, both called Niagara Falls, are located in Ontario on the Canada side and in New York State on the US side.
Niagara Falls comprises three sections: Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side, while Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls are on the US side. Between Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls is Goat Island while between Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls is Luna Island. Of the three, Horseshoe Falls is the biggest while Bridal Veil Falls the smallest. Niagara Falls is located in the Niagara Falls State Park
Best time to visit: mid May - mid September.
Quick facts
- The Canadian Falls (Horseshoe Falls) are 167 feet high.
- The Canadian Falls are 2,500 feet long.
- 90% of the water flows over the Canadian Falls.
- The American Falls are 176 feet high.
- The American Falls are 1,100 feet long.
- 10% of the water flows over the American Falls.
- In extremely cold winter, water and mist can ice upto fifty feet to form “ice bridge”
- A 63 yr old female school teacher was the first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive.
Route Map:
View Larger Map
How to reach
By Air - The nearest airports are Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga, New York. Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario.
Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport in Mount Hope, Ontario.
By Rail - Amtrak Station - Toronto and New York City
By Road - Bus facilities are available from Greyhound Canada to Toronto and Buffalo and also from Coach Canada to Toronto and Buffalo. There are taxis available from Buffalo, New York to Niagara Falls, Ontario and Toronto.
Top Nearby Attractions:
The Falls
You can start your sightseeing from the Falls. Just wonder around the brink and the magnificient parklands, gardens and viewing platforms that surround the Falls. There's magic in the mist that will lure and relax you. You'll be inspired by the overwhelming enormity of the falls, the power and energy of the water flow as it cascades downward, and you'll be entranced by the sheer beauty of nature.
The Maid of the Mist
This is one of the World famous ferry service and tourist attractions. This boat tour takes tourists past the American Falls and Bridal Veil and stops at the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Prepare to get wet as tourists will be sprayed with light mist and at times, fiercely pelted with water. It’s all very safe and exciting.
It is a 2.5 million square foot complex that includes more than 3,000 slot machines and 150 gaming tables, a 368-room five-star hotel, fine-dining restaurants, 50,000 square feet of meeting/conference space, a health spa, a retail facility, and a 1,500-seat theatre
If it's thrills and chills you're after, then Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls is where you want to go. Action and excitement are the order of the day. Scary Haunted Houses or the 53 metre high Niagara Skywheel, all located on Clifton Hill are geared for family fun.
This Park is one of the family favorite place, features amusement rides, dolphin, walrus and sea lion shows; splash and jump sessions showcasing killer whales. You can touch and feed a beluga whale here. There are also land animals such as deer, buffaloes and bears.
It offers a spectacular view 775 feet (236 meters) above Niagara Falls from its Observation Deck.
Journey Behind NiagaraFalls
In this unguided tour, tourists descend over 120 feet to the base of the Niagara Falls and then make their way through over 40 feet of underground tunnels to various observation platforms. From these observation areas, the sight of the falls and the thunderous crashing of the waters is awe-inspiring. This attraction is open year-round.
The Welland Canal is one of Niagara's most fascinating sites. Your family can actually watch the ships climb the locks from Lock 3 Observation Platform.
A huge expanse of natural beauty, this oldest state park in the U.S. offers biking, fishing and cross-country skiing, and contains plenty of hiking and walking trails, including the Niagara Gorge Trail System, which affords great views of both the falls and the gorge.
Tourists can see the majestic falls from the air in this helicopter tour that has been in operation since 1961. Niagara Helicopters has won Attraction of the Year six times and is open year-round. It’s also conveniently located minutes from the falls and offers free parking, which is a rarity in the city’s prime tourist area.
This is part of the Niagara Parks Botanical gardens, a few minutes drive from Niagara Falls. This is an indoor attraction that allows visitors to wander amongst recreated tropical conditions in which more than 2,000 butterflies fly freely. Wear bright colored clothing and be prepared for the butterflies to land right on you.
Learn about the daredevils who tried to conquer the falls at this fascinating museum, where their experiences are recounted through videos, photos and artifacts, including the barrel used by the first male and female pair to plunge over the falls in 1995.
Experience 50,000 sq feet of tropical rainforest with over 400 free flying birds at the world's largest indoor aviary.
Get a great view and a rush of adrenalin by traveling above the Niagara Whirlpool and its rapids in an antique cable car.
The Canadian Side of Niagara Falls
On the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is the Queen Victoria Park. The platforms here offer spectacular views of the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. There are also underground walkways that take you down to observation rooms where you get the feeling of being under the falling waters. Skylon Towers and Minolta Towers offer aerial views of the falls.
Hold on to your seats! Experience the thunderous power of Niagara Falls from a heart-thumping perspective. This features a more than six-stories high screen and 12,000 watts of floor shaking digital surround sound that will make feel like you're right in the heart of the action.
White Water Walk
Tourists will take an elevator down 70 metres and then walk through a 70 metre-long underground tunnel in order to reach the river’s edge. The boardwalk itself runs across 305 metres of the Niagara River. This attraction is only open from April to November.
Where to Eat:
Dining options are endless here…Some of the best restaurants are
Where to Stay:
- The Giacomo
- Crowne Plaza Hotel Niagara Falls
- Hampton Inn Niagara Falls
- Butler House Bed and Breakfast
- Hostelling International- Niagara Falls
- Hostelling International- Niagara Falls
- Driftwood Suites Motel
- Seneca Niagara Hotel
- Hampton Inn Niagara Falls
- Days Inn Niagara Falls Buffalo
- Falls Motel
- Comfort Inn The Pointe
- Crowne Plaza Hotel Niagara Falls
- Rodeway Inn Niagara Falls
Travel tips
Bring appropriate clothing, Summer's for shorts and t-shirts. During Spring & Fall the weather can go from sunny and warm to cold and wet in a very short time. A light parka is handy. Be sure to bring your walking shoes!
Make a memorable Niagara Falls getaway that you and your family will not forget…!
Thank you & enjoy your visit to Niagara Falls !
