Niagara Falls (Ontario)

Niagara Falls, Ontario, is the self-proclaimed "Honeymoon Capital of the World". For over a century the grandeur of the waterfalls of the Niagara River have attracted tourists to this destination.

Understand
Niagara Falls was incorporated on June 12, 1903. Its population was 94,000 in 2021.

Mainly a tourist destination, the main attraction has always been Niagara Falls, which brings hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city. Tourism plays a major part in the economy of the region. Increasingly, visitors seeking more natural settings are finding the Niagara River to a great place to hike and visit downstream from the Falls where the majority of visitors go.

Visitor information
Welcome Centres open daily at 9AM, June through August. They offer advice and maps of the area, and sell WEGO day passes and the Adventure Pass. They are located at:

Also available:
 * Niagara Falls Tourism website
 * Niagara Falls Tourism website

Niagara Parks operates parks along the Canadian side of the Niagara River from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake, and promotes attractions on its parkland. It also jointly operates the WEGO Visitor Transportation System (a hop-on/hop-off bus service) in Niagara Falls. Niagara Parks offers visitors the following package deals:
 * The Adventure Pass is available approximately for May to October, and comes in two versions: Classic ($67) and Plus ($90). The Plus pass has all the features of the Classic plus more attractions and transit options. Both passes include Journey Behind the Falls, a Hornblower Niagara Cruise, White Water Walk and a two-day WEGO pass, among other benefits.
 * The Wonder Pass, available approximately for November to April, offers Journey Behind the Falls, Niagara's Fury, Butterfly Conservatory, Floral Showhouse, a two-day pass for WEGO and Falls Incline Railway plus other benefits. The pass could cost as little $25.

Niagara Parks and GO Transit jointly offer a year-round, weekend train travel deal including GO train fare on a weekend between Toronto and Niagara Falls plus a two-day WEGO pass. This offers a small discount over purchasing GO and WEGO tickets separately.

Climate
Spring: Temperatures range from 5° to 19°C (41°-66°F). Nightly temperatures range from -3° to 8° C (26° to 46°F). As temperature changes are sudden outdoor camping before mid-May is not advisable.

Summer: In June, July & August the weather is generally bright and sunny with sporadic rainfall. Storms are caused by Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and are seldom severe.

Fall: In the fall, it is unlikely to snow prior to the end of October. First killing frost and/or snowfall be expected by late October or early November. Mixed weather patterns prevail. Rain and cloudy skies are common.

Winter: The days are generally cold and clear. Snow is moderate. Snow storms are infrequent. Lake effect snowfalls are mainly localized to areas near Buffalo and southward. Lake Erie, during extended cold weather will freeze over completely. Some of the activities associated with the falls (e.g. Maid of the Mist and Marineland) do not run during winter due to the frozen conditions, but most attractions now remain open year-round, dealing with mist-related ice near Niagara Falls.

By plane
The closest airports to the Falls are across the border in the U.S. Buffalo-Niagara International Airport just outside of Buffalo, New York is about a 20-30 minute drive from the Falls and is served by most major American carriers. Niagara Falls International Airport is the closest airport to the Falls, but only a few scheduled flights serve it.

On the Canadian side, Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton is about 70 km (43 mi) from Niagara Falls, and is served by WestJet. Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga is about a 1 1/2 hour drive from the Falls and is served by most major domestic and international carriers. There is also St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake for general aviation.

Buffalo Airport Shuttle, +1 716 685-2550, offers service from the Buffalo-Niagara airport to the Canadian side of the Falls. A family of 4 can expect to pay less than $25 per person and the drivers often have great tips on where to go and what to avoid.

By car
Niagara Falls is about 2 hours from Toronto (assuming ideal traffic conditions), and 30 minutes from Buffalo.


 * From New York, Boston, and the East Coast: Take I-90 west towards Buffalo to the 290 west.  Exit onto the 190 north towards Grand Island and Niagara Falls.  Follow the highway through Grand Island, then take the exit immediately after the North Grand Island Bridge (as you're leaving the island) for the Niagara Scenic Parkway. Continue until in downtown Niagara Falls, New York.  Proceed on Rainbow Boulevard, to the Rainbow Bridge, across to Niagara Falls, Ontario.
 * From Chicago and the Midwest: Cross the international border at Detroit/Windsor, then take Ontario Highway 401 east to the 403 east. Divert around Hamilton via Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway and Red Hill Valley Parkway, which will lead you to the Niagara-bound QEW. Continue to Highway 420 (signs for The Falls and Niagara Falls, USA), which becomes Roberts Street. Stay straight to go onto Falls Avenue.


 * If you're coming from points east of Detroit, you can instead take I-90 east through Ohio and Pennsylvania, then at Buffalo exit at I-190 north. Pass through Grand Island, then take the exit immediately after the North Grand Island Bridge (as you're leaving the island) for the Niagara Scenic Parkway. Follow the signs for the Rainbow Bridge; downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario is at the far end of the bridge.


 * From Buffalo-Niagara International Airport: Take NY 33 west from the airport, the first exit off of which is I-90 eastbound (signs for Niagara Falls and Albany). Exit onto I-90, then get off at Exit 50 (I-290 west), which you'll follow to the end of the highway. From there, take I-190 north (over both Grand Island Bridges, $1 toll) to the Niagara Scenic Parkway. Follow the signs for the Rainbow Bridge; downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario is at the far end of the bridge.
 * From Toronto Pearson International Airport: Take Highway 427 south to the QEW towards Hamilton. Drive for about 100 km (62 mi) and then keep left to take Highway 420 east, which becomes Roberts Street. Stay straight to go onto Falls Avenue.

By bus

 * GO Transit, +1 416-869-3200, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area's regional/commuter rail and bus system operates commuter/regional bus service to/from the Burlington train station, connecting with commuter/regional trains to/from Toronto. Most buses make stops en route in Stoney Creek, as well in Grimsby and St. Catharines. The bus ride to/from Burlington station is between 80-90 minutes. The train ride from there to downtown Toronto is another 60 minutes. However, during the summer, on Fridays (or Thursday if Friday is a holiday) evenings and weekends/holidays there are express bus services that run directly to/from Burlington station. These buses take around 65 minutes to reach Niagara Falls from Burlington. A one-way standard ticket is $21.15 to/from Toronto (as of 2019). The buses have coach style seating but seating is not reserved and there are no washrooms, wi-fi services, or any on-board amenities. Buses run every 60 minutes on weekends/holidays and 60-90 minutes on weekdays.
 * GO Transit, +1 416-869-3200, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area's regional/commuter rail and bus system operates commuter/regional bus service to/from the Burlington train station, connecting with commuter/regional trains to/from Toronto. Most buses make stops en route in Stoney Creek, as well in Grimsby and St. Catharines. The bus ride to/from Burlington station is between 80-90 minutes. The train ride from there to downtown Toronto is another 60 minutes. However, during the summer, on Fridays (or Thursday if Friday is a holiday) evenings and weekends/holidays there are express bus services that run directly to/from Burlington station. These buses take around 65 minutes to reach Niagara Falls from Burlington. A one-way standard ticket is $21.15 to/from Toronto (as of 2019). The buses have coach style seating but seating is not reserved and there are no washrooms, wi-fi services, or any on-board amenities. Buses run every 60 minutes on weekends/holidays and 60-90 minutes on weekdays.
 * GO Transit, +1 416-869-3200, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area's regional/commuter rail and bus system operates commuter/regional bus service to/from the Burlington train station, connecting with commuter/regional trains to/from Toronto. Most buses make stops en route in Stoney Creek, as well in Grimsby and St. Catharines. The bus ride to/from Burlington station is between 80-90 minutes. The train ride from there to downtown Toronto is another 60 minutes. However, during the summer, on Fridays (or Thursday if Friday is a holiday) evenings and weekends/holidays there are express bus services that run directly to/from Burlington station. These buses take around 65 minutes to reach Niagara Falls from Burlington. A one-way standard ticket is $21.15 to/from Toronto (as of 2019). The buses have coach style seating but seating is not reserved and there are no washrooms, wi-fi services, or any on-board amenities. Buses run every 60 minutes on weekends/holidays and 60-90 minutes on weekdays.

Taxi service to the Falls and main tourist area from the bus depot will run $10-15, If you fancy a walk the route is simple and easy, although nearly 5 km (3 mi), and has the advantage of seeing the Falls come slowly into view.



By train

 * Amtrak operates the Maple Leaf train service daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and New York City include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario), Niagara Falls (New York), Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers. Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage. Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States. The trains can accommodate bicycles. Trains depart Toronto at 08:20AM every day and arrive at Niagara Falls, ON at 10:20AM. From New York City, the train departs daily at 07:15AM, crossing the border and reaching Niagara Falls, ON at 4:46PM. For trains headed to New York City, this is the final stop before passengers reach border control for entry into the United States.
 * GO Transit, the regional rail and bus service in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area offers two train services between Toronto and Niagara Falls. The most useful service for visitors is the Niagara Weekend GO Train Service which runs year-round on weekends and most statutory holidays, more often in summer, less so during off season. Less useful for visitors is the GO Transit workday commuter service running one train to Toronto in the early morning, returning in the evening to Niagara Falls. Schedules change frequently, so it is important to check. As of January 2023, on weekends a train departs Toronto for Niagara at 10:07AM and 5:07PM and returns at 1:10PM and 8:10PM. The fares, as of January 2023, are $21.15 cash, about half the price of the Maple Leaf. GO Transit also operates bus service, as detailed above. Seats on the train are not reserved and more of the public transit variety. GO weekday train is the only option that provides service to Hamilton. Maple Leaf, GO weekend Niagara Train, and GO Bus services bypass the city. The train can accommodate bicycles.
 * GO Transit, the regional rail and bus service in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area offers two train services between Toronto and Niagara Falls. The most useful service for visitors is the Niagara Weekend GO Train Service which runs year-round on weekends and most statutory holidays, more often in summer, less so during off season. Less useful for visitors is the GO Transit workday commuter service running one train to Toronto in the early morning, returning in the evening to Niagara Falls. Schedules change frequently, so it is important to check. As of January 2023, on weekends a train departs Toronto for Niagara at 10:07AM and 5:07PM and returns at 1:10PM and 8:10PM. The fares, as of January 2023, are $21.15 cash, about half the price of the Maple Leaf. GO Transit also operates bus service, as detailed above. Seats on the train are not reserved and more of the public transit variety. GO weekday train is the only option that provides service to Hamilton. Maple Leaf, GO weekend Niagara Train, and GO Bus services bypass the city. The train can accommodate bicycles.

On foot
Many of the main attractions are within walking distance depending on where you walk from, and the rest are easily accessible by transit. Some roads are steep so it may be preferable to drop elderly family members off near the Falls before parking.

During the busiest tourist season (May - October), the Niagara Parkway and Queen Victoria Park along the Canadian side of the Falls, can become very crowded and finding a "picture perfect" view of the Falls is difficult. Walking to the attractions can be slow during peak tourist season with thousands of people bustling by.

If you want to park your car and walk around the city, consider parking at the Niagara Casino (near the Hilton Hotel). It is a flat $5 every time you leave the garage; there is no limit on how long you can leave your car inside the garage.

By public transit
The estimated arrival times for all WEGO, Niagara Falls Transit and Niagara Region Transit buses are available in graphic or text format.

See

 * Most visitors' first view of the Falls, from the Canadian side of the river, is at along the Niagara Falls Parkway. This grand, royal garden provides the perfect vantage point for experiencing the nightly illumination of the Falls and the summer fireworks displays. The Falls are illuminated every evening until approximately midnight (see website for exact times) and there are Falls Fireworks shows every night in the summer months (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only in the late spring and early fall).



Amusement and entertainment
Niagara Falls is awesome! The list is never ending: world class casinos, rides, wax museums, haunted houses, a huge midway with more skeeball and games than you can shake a stick at, restaurants, clubs, bars, and so on. Go to Niagara Falls, get a hotel near the falls and then walk down towards Clifton Hill. The air is buzzing and there are people from all over the world there.



Miscellaneous

 * Get married: A wide selection of destination wedding venues (ranging from free-standing chapels to parkland to facilities within individual hotels) awaits on both sides of the Falls upon advance reservation. You'll need an officiant and two witnesses; a marriage licence must be obtained in advance from any city or town clerk's office in the province.
 * Niagara Parks has information about weddings, receptions, and wedding photography near the Falls.
 * Niagara Falls Tourism also has a wedding information page. The page describes how eligible couples can obtain a free Niagara Falls Honeymoon Certificate or Niagara Falls Anniversary Certificate.
 * Niagara Falls Tourism also has a wedding information page. The page describes how eligible couples can obtain a free Niagara Falls Honeymoon Certificate or Niagara Falls Anniversary Certificate.

Buy
Individual merchants will usually accept US dollars at a (lower) posted rate than you'd get at a bank.

There are a great many souvenir shops in Niagara Falls, especially in the Clifton Hill area. The biggest might be the Grand View Marketplace at the foot of Clifton Hill just above the Hornblower Cruises docks. You'll find everything from the usual t-shirts and calendars to vials of Niagara Falls water.

There may be additional surcharges on hotels and other attractions.

Eat
As a major tourist destination, many restaurant chains are represented in Niagara Falls. In particular, there's a Hard Rock Cafe between Casino Niagara and the Sheraton on the Falls.

Note: Restaurants may add a tourism-related fee to the bill but such fees should be clearly indicated on the menu when you order. Some restaurants will list these fees in the taxes section of the bill, despite the fact that they are not taxes.

Drink
The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19.

Winery tours
Niagara Peninsula is Ontario's best-known wine producing region. Its famous ice wines are processed in freezing temperatures in very early morning hours and only with "approved" grapes, producing a thick and sweet wine much like the muscats and ports, but without the afterbite.



Sleep
Prices posted are for high season (May–October).

Numerous hotels offer a room with a view of the Falls; check with the hotel when booking and specify that you want a full fallsview room when you book, or you may be given a room with only a partial view. If getting the 'perfect' room is important to you, book through the hotel directly as opposed to on-line or via their world-wide reservations number.

In addition to sales tax, a $2 per night Municipal Accommodation Tax is included to the hotel bill. Operators may also levy a "Mandatory Charge" or "Resort Fee" which varies from property to property (and can be disputed) but should be clearly disclosed when you book.

Go next

 * Niagara-on-the-Lake is a pretty, historic town located about 20 minutes north of Niagara Falls. Each summer it hosts the Shaw Festival, featuring the works of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. There are also a number of wineries in the area that you can visit. WEGO Transit runs a shuttle service to Niagara-on-the-Lake from the Floral Clock seasonally (approximately May to October). Worth a day trip, if only for the stroll and quaint shops.
 * A short trip over the Niagara River via the Rainbow Bridge, Niagara Falls, New York is a more low-key affair. The centrepiece of the American side is Niagara Falls State Park, a quiet patch of well-manicured greenery where you'll find the Cave of the Winds, which takes you behind the falls down a series of wooden staircases. There are also hiking trails and an observation deck.
 * Hamilton (Ontario)
 * Toronto
 * Waterloo Region