Niagara Falls Ontario Canada

Niagara Falls: The Canadian Side Is Better and Here Is Why

The Niagara River carries the combined outflow of four Great Lakes northward and drops 57 metres at the falls. The US-Canada border runs through the middle of the river, and the falls are divided into three sections: the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the US side, and the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side. Horseshoe Falls handles approximately 90 percent of the water flow. The view from the Canadian bank, looking at the full curved sweep of Horseshoe Falls with the American Falls visible beyond, is the view in every photograph you have seen. The view from the American side looks at the edge of the Canadian falls from the side, which is substantially less impressive.

This is not a matter of opinion. If you are approaching from the United States, crossing at the Rainbow Bridge (CAD 4 toll one way for pedestrians, passport required) takes 15 minutes and the difference in viewing position is immediately evident on arrival.

The Canadian Side

Table Rock Centre, immediately adjacent to the Horseshoe Falls brink, is where most visitors stand. The observation terrace is free to access and gives the definitive ground-level perspective of the curtain of water at close range. Journey Behind the Falls – tunnels and viewing platforms at the base of the curtain, operated by Niagara Parks, CAD 24 for adults – requires a separate ticket. The tunnels are worth it: you look through a slot in the rock directly behind the full width of the falls, which produces a different experience from the terrace above.

The Niagara Parks Boat Tour (Niagara City Cruises) departs from the tourism dock and takes you to the base of Horseshoe Falls. Passengers wear red ponchos and everything gets wet. The adult fare is around CAD 35. The 20-minute trip gives you the scale of the falls from water level – the volume of water overhead is not something the observation terrace communicates. Book online in advance in summer.

Queen Victoria Park and the Illumination

The park running along the Niagara Parkway from Table Rock is free and has unobstructed falls views for over a kilometre. The falls are illuminated nightly in season (typically May through October) from around 9pm to 11pm, with fireworks on Fridays and Sundays at 10pm in summer. All free to watch from anywhere along the park.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

20 kilometres north along the Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake was the capital of Upper Canada until 1796. The town is now known for the Shaw Festival theatre season (May through November) and the surrounding wine region. Inniskillin, Trius, and Peller Estates are the most established wineries along the Niagara Wine Route; icewine, for which the region is internationally known, is made from grapes left on the vine until they freeze in December. Fort George (Parks Canada, CAD 12) interprets the War of 1812 period when the town was largely burned to the ground by American forces.

Getting There

Niagara Falls, Ontario is 130 kilometres from Toronto, about 1.5 hours by car or 2 hours by Megabus (CAD 15-25 one way). GO Transit runs weekend trains from Toronto Union Station in summer. From Buffalo, New York, the falls are 40 minutes by car across the Peace Bridge.

Accommodation along the falls strip ranges from large casino hotels at CAD 200-400 per night to budget motels on Ferry Street from CAD 80-120. The strip itself is aggressively commercial – casino hotels, themed restaurants, souvenir shops – but the falls are within walking distance of all of it, which is what matters.