10 Best Things to Do at Niagara Falls (Canadian Side)
Let's get one thing straight: the Canadian side is the side. The American side has you looking at the falls from an awkward angle. The Canadian side has you staring directly into the thundering crescent of Horseshoe Falls — 792 metres wide, 57 metres of pure vertical drop, 3,000 tonnes of water crashing every single second. And that's just the view from the railing.
I've been to Niagara three times now. The first time I made every mistake in the book (noon arrival, overpriced Clifton Hill lunch, skipped the wine country). Don't be me. Here's what's actually worth your time.
1. Horseshoe Falls from Queen Victoria Park
Free. Completely free. And honestly, it's the best view you'll get. Walk along the railing in Queen Victoria Park from Table Rock Welcome Centre toward the Dufferin Islands. The mist hits you almost immediately — bring a rain jacket or just accept getting soaked.
The falls are illuminated every night from dusk to midnight with colours that rotate through the seasons. Friday and Sunday nights in summer, there are fireworks at 10PM. The illumination isn't some cheesy light show — it actually makes the falls look otherworldly.
Pro tip: Get there at sunrise. I'm talking 6:15AM in June. You'll share the railing with maybe four other people and a photographer with a tripod. The morning light hitting the mist creates the best rainbow you'll ever see.
2. Hornblower Niagara Cruises
CAD $35 for adults, CAD $23 for kids (ages 5-12). Worth every dollar. The old Maid of the Mist boats operated from the US side — the Hornblower is the Canadian equivalent and it gets you just as drenched.
They give you a thin red poncho. It's useless. You will be soaked from the waist down regardless. Wear shoes you don't mind getting wet (not flip flops — the deck is slippery). Boats leave every 15 minutes from late April through late November. The whole experience takes about 30 minutes including the queue.
Go in the afternoon if you want rainbows. Go in the morning if you want shorter lines. I'd pick morning.
3. Journey Behind the Falls
CAD $23 adults. They take you through tunnels carved behind Horseshoe Falls — you emerge onto a viewing platform right beside the falling curtain of water. The noise is absolutely deafening. Like standing next to a jet engine, except it's water and rock. The tunnels were blasted out in the 1940s and go 46 metres behind the crest line.
The lower observation deck puts you at the base of the falls. Again, you will get wet. They give you a yellow poncho this time. It's equally useless.
4. Whirlpool Aero Car
CAD $17 adults. This antique cable car designed by a Spanish engineer in 1916 carries you 76 metres above the Niagara Whirlpool. The whirlpool itself is class 6 rapids spinning in a massive circle — debris gets trapped there for days. The cable car is perfectly safe despite looking terrifying. It's a short ride but the views of the gorge are exceptional.
Open April through November. Lines are usually short because most tourists cluster around the falls and don't make it downstream.
5. Skylon Tower
CAD $18 adults for the observation deck. At 236 metres, you get a bird's-eye view of all three falls (Horseshoe, American, Bridal Veil) plus the city on both sides of the border. On a clear day, you can see the Toronto skyline 130km away. I'd skip the revolving restaurant (overpriced for what it is) and just do the observation deck.
Best time: sunset. The falls transition from daylight to illumination while you're watching from above.
6. Niagara-on-the-Lake Wine Country
This is the move that 80% of tourists miss. Twenty minutes north of the falls, the Niagara Peninsula is one of Canada's best wine regions. Over 100 wineries. The star is icewine — Canada's frozen-grape speciality that costs CAD $40-80 a bottle. Tastings run CAD $5-15 for a flight of 4-5 wines.
Niagara-on-the-Lake itself is a ridiculously charming colonial town with the Shaw Festival theatre, boutique shops on Queen Street, and some of the best farm-to-table dining in Ontario. Peller Estates and Trius Winery are my picks.
7. White Water Walk
CAD $17 adults. A boardwalk running along the class 6 rapids of the Niagara River gorge. The rapids here are fierce — the water moves at about 48km/h through the narrow gorge. You descend by elevator to the boardwalk level and walk 300 metres along the river's edge. It's intense. And surprisingly uncrowded compared to the falls.
8. Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
CAD $17 adults. Over 2,000 butterflies from 45+ species in a climate-controlled dome. Not something I would've chosen on my own, but my partner dragged me there and I'll admit — watching a blue morpho butterfly land on your arm is pretty cool. Great for families or if you need a break from the mist.
9. Clifton Hill — But Be Selective
Look, Clifton Hill is Niagara's tourist strip. It's loud, neon, and aggressively kitsch. Most of it is a money pit (the haunted houses and wax museums are terrible). But the Niagara SkyWheel (CAD $15, a 53-metre Ferris wheel) gives great nighttime views. For better dining, head to Weinkeller on Victoria Avenue or AG Inspired Cuisine for something genuinely good.
10. Walk the Gorge Trail
Free. The Niagara River Recreation Trail runs 56km from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. You don't need to do the whole thing. The 4km stretch from the falls to the Whirlpool passes through park land, over the Floral Clock, and gives you views of the gorge that most visitors never see because they're still on Clifton Hill.
Pro Tip Section
Skip the helicopter tours unless money is no object. CAD $150+ for 12 minutes.
Parking: The official Niagara Parks lot near Table Rock is CAD $30/day. Park at the Fallsview Casino lot (free with validation) or take the WEGO bus (CAD $9 day pass).
Stay overnight in Niagara-on-the-Lake — the B&Bs are better value and the town is gorgeous. Hotels near the falls charge a premium for the name.
Cross the border? You can walk across the Rainbow Bridge (CAD $1 toll) to see the American side, but you'll need your passport and go through US customs. It's cool to say you did it, but the views are worse.
Off-season: Winter is underrated. The frozen mist creates ice formations on the rocks and the crowds disappear. Just dress warm — wind chill near the falls can be brutal.
If you're planning a broader Toronto trip, Niagara makes a perfect day trip or overnight. And if you're combining it with a Montreal road trip, the QEW to the 401 is one of Canada's great driving routes.
