Niagara Falls is a place you have to see in your lifetime – you just have to witness the power. Made up of three waterfalls on the border of Ontario (Canada) and Buffalo (USA), Niagara Falls is an incredibly humbling place to visit. This is my guide to the Canadian side, and how you can spend 24 hours in Niagara Falls.
Getting to Niagara Falls
You can reach the Canadian side of Niagara Falls easily from Toronto. A relatively easy drive from Toronto via Queen Elizabeth Way, there are lots of places to stop on the way if you have time. St Catharines, Niagara on the Lake, and the wine trails are all places that can stretch your time in the area out to a week or more. I would happily spend a lot longer in this area – especially in the shoulder seasons, when the tourist density isn’t too high, but the temperatures aren’t too cold. We visited in early October and it was still quite pleasant.
Where to stay
If you’re only going to be in Niagara Falls for 24 hours, I recommend splashing out on a falls-view room! We stayed in a King Suite at the Radisson Inn & Suites Fallsview. The spa pool and the panoramic picture window overlooking the falls were perfection! There are a lot of different hotel types in Niagara Falls depending on your needs, but if you can afford a falls-view room, I would recommend it.
Things to do in Niagara Falls
The Promenade
There is nothing like walking the promenade around the falls, discovering new views of this magnificent force of nature. We walked from the tourist car park on Niagara Parkway, all the way round to where the boat tours left from.
Take a boat tour
We took the Hornblower tour, and getting that close to the falls was beyond incredible. We didn’t even mind wearing the pack-a-mac (although my face says otherwise). On the US side of the river, it is the Maid of the Mist Tour that you would take. They both travel up past the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls, and into the mists of the Horseshoe Falls.
The views from below the have the added bonus of almost certain rainbow appearances in the mist – special doesn’t even begin to cover it. But be warned, you will get very wet, so make sure your camera is protected somehow! And do us all a favour, don’t bring a selfie-stick and ruin the view for everyone else on the boat!
Behind the scenes
If you were in awe of seeing the falls from a boat, you can also visit the Journey Behind the Falls attraction, which allows you to see the falls up close. Or how about zip-lining across the falls? That’s way to scary for me, so I’d choose the view from the SkyWheel instead!
Explore the town
If you need to entertain the kids, head to the centre of town where there are souvenir shops, the Bird Kingdom, and lots of tourist-oriented activities. We didn’t spend a lot of time here, but I can totally see the value for people travelling with children.
Fireworks
The 10pm falls illuminations and fireworks display is a magical way to end you day in Niagara Falls. The Horseshoe Falls are multi-coloured, and the fireworks display is visible from anywhere on the promenade. It’s a super romantic thing to do if you are visiting Niagara Falls with a loved one.
Where to eat in Canadian Niagara Falls
A bit like Vegas, Niagara falls can be over the top and flashy. You’ll find wings, BBQ and all the usual big restaurant chains. But if you want something really special I recommend Weinkeller. The menu design is very clever, with flexible options on a number of courses, where you could swap some out for wine from their in-house winery – all for a very reasonable price. The meal was exceptional – especially the espresso-rolled filet mignon with maple bacon, and the cheesecake! In general, I find food in North America often focuses on quantity over quality – but the food at Weinkeller was a delight, and the hosting was top class.
Check out our adventures in the Canadian Maritimes!
24 Hours in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a spectacle in many ways, from the supreme power of the falls themselves, to the vibrant neon town. It is a perfect 24 hour stopover while exploring this area of Ontario. Whether you admire the falls from the promenade or a boat, spending 24 hours in Niagara Falls allows you to see the power and beauty of this most famous of landmarks.
Want to travel but need some travel planning advice? Get in touch via the Contact page above, or let’s chat on Twitter!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel; and an iPhone.
I have been to Niagara twice but would you believe I have not done either the boat tour or the journey behind the falls. I am still scared!
OMG you must do one of them next time you are there! I thought the boat-ride would be scary, but it is actually really smooth and so stunning!
That is a good itinerary for the day at Niagara Falls! Hope to get there and do all of these. The boat ride particularly.
I am so glad you got to visit Niagara Falls on your visit. I agree that it is great to splurge on a room with a view of the Falls. We have never done the boat trip under the fall. The pink raincoats are a great look! Great to see it through your eyes.
I went to Niagara Falls about 15 years ago now, but I would love to go back and spend more time there, we just had a day trip so didn’t get chance to see the falls lit at night – or have a beautiful hotel room with a view of the falls! Sometimes a splurge is definitely worth it 🙂
How amazing that you have rooms with such a fantastic view so close to the falls. That would definitely be my first choice. I can imagine that the sound of the rushing water must be quite noisy, but awesome at the same time.
Niagara Falls is on top of bucket list. That view from the room of the hotel looks awesome, watching the night illumination would be so convenient. We would love to do a boat tour and the Journey Behind the Falls attraction sounds fascinating. Can’t wait to visit and experience these magnificent falls.
My cousin who stays near Toronto was telling me recently how they used to visit Niagara Fa;lls every summer and spend a weekend there. I can see why the place is a favorite spot of so many people from across the world. Will certainly keep your inputs in mind when we visit.
I am a waterfall chaser and I can’t believe I have not been to Niagara Falls yet… or Toronto. Shame on me. I am for sure doing the Hornblower tour, love the looks on your faces!
When we went to Toronto and Quebec City last year, we were originally planning to make a trip to Niagara falls. But we had such a huge list of cities we wanted to see that we finally gave it up. We did get to visit Montmorency Falls which is also beautiful but not nearly as impressive, I guess. I hope I don’t ever regret not going to niagara falls but your blog post makes me wish it had been closer so it wasn’t such a tough decision!
This sounds a lot like our short trip to Niagara. You got the rainbow over the falls though, where it was mostly cloudy for us. I am especially jealous of your meal at Weinkeller, espresso-rolled filet mignon with maple bacon, and the cheesecake is my kind of heaven!
The illuminated falls and fireworks are captivating! I haven’t had the chance to see Niagara Falls, but when I do, I’ll make sure I make it to the Horseshoe Falls. Thanks for inspiring me to head northeast someday soon!
Thanks for stopping by! Niagara Falls is definitely a captivating place to visit!
Thanks Hannah,
Love the food recommendation. I love Maple syrup , Pancakes and Bacon. Mark cannot see why you would even put those things together.
Did you get to that bit that is so close (Horseshoe Falls) that you could feel the power? I was almost 12 and had to walk away! 55 years ago. Can’t wait to go back. If we don’t go now, when will we.
The power of the falls is just so intense, even from the promenade. From below the falls it’s even more! Enjoy your adventure!