Weekend in Niagara Falls, Canada by a Local Guide
Arrive the Night Before
I highly recommend arriving in Niagara Falls the day before you start exploring. It gives you time to settle in, a night to rest, and start your Niagara Falls journey fresh!
Plus, following this itinerary doesn't leave you with much extra time.
My Recommended Places to Stay
Day 1: Falls From All Angles
Advice for Getting Around
Getting around Niagara Falls can be tricky. You can walk, bus, or drive, but will probably need a combo of those.
🚶🏻♀️Day 1 is entirely walkable for healthy adults starting at Journey Behind the Falls.
➡️ If you are staying at any of the hotels near Fallsview Casino, walk to the road between the Casino and the Embassy Hotel and you'll find the incline railway which will get you up and down the hill directly to the Falls for $3.50 or $6 round-trip. It will save you a lot of walking.
🚌 If you're able walk a decent amount, I strongly recommend leaving your car where you've parked it and get a WEGO bus pass. They cost about $15 for 1 adult for a day or $17 for 2 days. This bus system runs to all the attractions in this itinerary.
🅿️ If you want to drive your own car, it's doable but every single parking lot charges a fee, just so you know. There are no parking lots close to Niagara City Cruises and Clifton Hill, so you will have to walk or bus to this area anyway.
♿ You can drop off anyone with mobility issues in front of the Grand View Marketplace on the Parkway, but DO NOT STOP in the bus stop. They will honk at you a lot.
Breakfast
If you love a hearty, American/Canadian breakfast, I suggest getting out of the tourist area and going to Phyl’s! You can take your car just 10 minutes down the road or take the WEGO bus system.
If you just want a coffee, tea, or pastry for a light breakfast, I suggest heading straight to the first attraction where there is a café.
Journey Behind the Falls
Let's start your Niagara Falls experience with a bucket-list attraction!
Journey Behind the Falls is located in the Table Rock Centre, which also includes the best gift shop in Niagara Falls, a café with pastries and light bites, and clean public toilet facilities.
I always recommend going here first, especially in the summer, as the lines will get ridiculously long in the late-morning and afternoon.
You can buy tickets on-site but I recommend booking your time-slot ticket ahead of time.
Niagara Parks Power Station
When you're done at the Table Rock Centre, head to the Niagara Parks Power Station by crossing the Parkway and heading to the left.
Walk along the Parkway
After getting some great pictures at the crest of the Horseshoe Falls in front of the Table Rock Centre, start walking downriver along the Parkway towards the next attraction.
Enjoy a leisurely walk through the lush park, with flowers everywhere and benches to rest on. This promenade gives you spectacular views of the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls.
🇺🇸🇨🇦 The boarder goes right down the middle of the river but at the Falls, the boarder is where the Horseshoe Falls touches Goat Island.
The bridge you can see from here is called the Rainbow Bridge because you will always find rainbows at the falls on sunny days due to the constant mist created by the falls.
Niagara City Boat Cruise
Your walk along the Parkway will lead you right to the Grand View Marketplace, home of the Niagara City Cruises, the Zipline, and various gift and food shops.
This iconic boat ride has been known as The Maid of the Mist (which is what the American boats are still called), and the Hornblower. Now the Niagara City Cruises, this boat ride takes you past the American Falls and into the centre of the Horseshoe Falls and into the heart of the mist that it creates!
This is one of the oldest attractions in Niagara Falls, having started in 1885! This affordable, bucket-list attraction is one I highly recommend!
Lunch
From the boat ride, you can walk up Clifton Hill to find some decent chain restaurants, or head out of the tourism centre for some great local spots.
On Clifton Hill, I recommend:
Local favourite I recommend:
2-2:30pm: See the Niagara Whirlpool
After lunch, take your car or the WEGO bus to the Whirlpool Aero Car or the WildPlay Adventure Course which both have free observation desks overlooking the Niagara Whirlpool.
Soak up the views of the only counter-clockwise whirlpool in North America and remember that the currents here are just as dangerous as Niagara Falls, if not more.
3-4pm: Butterfly Conservatory
It's time to head to the Butterfly Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Carry on down the Parkway to the Botanical Gardens which has over 100 acres of curated gardens and trees for you to roam and admire for free.
Located in the heart of the Botanical Gardens is the Butterfly Conservatory. Rain or shine, this attraction showcases the delicate beauty of fluttering butterflies in a tropical paradise. For details, check out my article linked in the pin below.
4-5pm: Visit the Floral Clock
Driving or bussing a little further down the Parkway on the way to the Floral Clock, you will pass/go over the two active hydroelectric power generating stations: the Adam Beck Stations and across the river on the USA side, the Robert Moses Power Plant.
**The allotted time for this activity includes driving to the Floral clock, stopping to see the Power Stations and driving back to Niagara Falls.
You can stop and park to look at the power plants, but the view as you drive along is pretty good too.
Just after you pass the Adam Beck building, turn left into the second driveway (its a ONE-WAY driveway) and park by the Floral Clock.
The design on the clock is made of hundreds of plants and flowers that get changed out twice a year.
Bonus: Queenston Heights Park
If you have any extra time to kill, enjoy a stunning walk in Queenston Heights Park. The site of a historical battle from the War of 1812, the park has two memorials, lots of picnic and BBQ facilities, and a fantastic view from the top of the escarpment overlooking Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Dinner
My top recommendation for dinner in Niagara Falls is as close to the Falls as you can get: Table Rock House Restaurant.
You'll be heading back to where you started the day, but this time head up the escalators to the restaurant.
Here you will have the absolute best view of the Falls paired with superb food and drink with an emphasis placed on sourcing locally. This restaurant guarantees 50% of its food and 90% of its drinks are sourced from Ontario.
⚠️ I highly recommend making a reservation.
Have fun! I'm here if you need anything else...
Book a Consultation Call with Me!
If you liked this itinerary but want more details about parking or getting around, please book a consultation call! I'll be so happy to answer all of your questions - I love being a guide!
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I hope you enjoy this epic day in Niagara Falls!
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