Niagara Falls, A Complete Guide to the Niagara Region.
Niagara Falls, A Complete Guide to the Niagara Region.
Tom Isbister
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Welcome to the Niagara Region, home to Niagara Falls, one of the world's seven natural wonders, visited by over 12 million people annually. As well as the must-see town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, with its tree-lined streets, lush gardens, and boutique shopping.
Just an hour south of Toronto, on the other side of Lake Ontario, the Niagara Region has so much more to offer than just Horseshoe Falls, with world-class stays & attractions, and natural beauty extending far into the region's wine country.
Whether you're going for a day trip or a weekend, you'll know what to expect and have plenty of recommendations for eats and drinks during your stay.
This is especially important as Niagara Falls is known for having lots of tourist traps and poor-quality establishments.
✅ The Basics - Useful travel tips & how to get around.
📍 Must-Do Attractions & Places of Interest.
👣 Recommended Tours.
🏨 Where to Stay.
🍽️ Restaurants & Cafes.
🍷 Wineries & Breweries.
A lot of work went into this guide. I leave my travel knowledge open for all, so if you find this guide useful I do ask that you leave a tip.
Feel free to reach out with any questions!
thomas.abroadandco@gmail.com
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🗺️ Google Maps Version
✅ The Basics
📆 When to travel to Niagara Falls:
The best time to see the Falls is during the summer months when the weather is warm and the days are long.
However, the best off-peak time to visit is during the autumn months in September and October, when the trees start to change colour, creating a gorgeous image of red, orange, and yellow leaves throughout the escarpment and valleys.
During the winter the Falls are extremely quiet, it makes for a great day trip if you dress warm, but otherwise, it's best to visit during the peak months.
🚗 How to get around:
From Toronto, it is about an 1h:30min drive from downtown, this will give you plenty of freedom to travel around the region, and parking will be easy to find.
Without a car, the GoTrain 'Lakeshore Line West' runs multiple times a day each way during the summer, and takes about 2h:20min from Toronto's Union Station into Niagara Falls GO Station.
Niagara Falls Train Station
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📍 Must-Do Attractions and Places of Interest
Horseshoe Falls
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American Falls
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Rainbow International Bridge
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For $5 you can cross over to the American side by foot. Halfway across the bridge features phenomenal views of the falls from a vantage point you won't find anywhere else.
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Table Rock Welcome Centre
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At the heart of the falls, this is where tickets for most of the attractions such as 'Journey Behind the Falls' & 'Niagara's Fury' (which is not worth it) can be bought.
The center hosts lots of shopping, souvenirs, and amenities.
The Table Rock House Restaurant isn't bad either, although you do pay for the view.
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Every night the falls are illuminated in an array of glowing colours, creating a stunning image of the flowing water. To see the schedule based on the time of year, check the link below.
⭐ Journey Behind the Falls
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Without question the best-paid attraction to do at the Falls.
Descend 125 feet and explore 100+ year-old tunnels through the bedrock below the falls. You'll get damp, and feel the thunderous rush of water overhead.
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Clifton Hill
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Talk about tacky! One of the premiere destinations at the Falls. Think dollar-store Las Vegas.
While it is fun to walk, especially at night, be very cautious with people trying to sell you things, or what attractions draw you in.
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Both the Skywheel & Skylon Tower offer unique views of the Falls. The Skywheel is a much more to-the-point attraction, but worthwhile in its own right. The Skylon Tower features a eerily similar experience to the CN Tower in Toronto, totally worth it for the view. Opened in 1964 by then New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, you ascend 470 feet on out-side facing elevators to the observation deck, featuring 360* degree views.
Niagara SkyWheel
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Skylon Tower
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Falls Incline Railway
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More-or-less a mode of transportation, it is useful to get up and down the small hill, and the view from the vehicles is spectacular.
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⭐ Whirlpool Aero Car
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Located a few kilometers north of Niagara Falls, the trip above the white water whirlpools below is especially breathtaking, especially during the autumn months when the trees's change colour.
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White Water Walk
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Take a trip to the bottom of the gorge and experience the power of the white water rapids from the Niagara River.
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⭐ Niagara Parks Power Station
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Recently turned into a museum, discover the fascinating stories hidden upstream at the historic Niagara Parks Power Station.
The museum is well done with lots of immersive exhibits revolving around artifacts and restored equipment.
It sounds boring at first glance, but is without question one of the highlights of the Falls.
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Ripley's Believe It or Not!
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Most things on Clifton Hill are gimmicks, however, Ripley's is one of the few that are well done, especially for kids.
Filled with oddities, including shrunken human heads & rare animal skeletons. If you're looking for some odd-ball fun, this is the place to go.
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Both the Bird Kingdom and Butterfly Conservatory are more interesting than meets the eye. Especially for kids, both are fantastic experiences.
Bird Kingdom
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Butterfly Conservatory
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⭐ Fort George National Historic Site
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A reconstructed military outpost from the War of 1812, and located on the Niagara River across from the US boarder. It is genuinely interesting if your spending a few days in the area.
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👣 Recommended Tours
🏨 Where to Stay
Relax in Niagara-on-the-Lake 💆
Pillar and Post Inn & Spa
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Prince of Wales Hotel
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Best on a Budget 💰
Travelodge by Wyndham Niagara Falls at the Falls
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Vittoria Hotel & Suites
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Best for a view 👀
⭐ Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview
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Niagara’s best Fallsview hotel with a spectacular view of the falls and spacious rooms.
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Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel & Suites
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54 floors with many two room suites that offer spectacular views of the Falls. Located right across from Fallsview Casino, with plenty of shops and restaurants nearby.
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The Tower Hotel
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Originally built as a restaurant and tourist attraction, it was converted into a hotel in 2005, and features floor to ceiling windows in every room.
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Fallsview Casino Resort
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Build atop a cliff, overlooking the Falls. It's Canada's largest gaming resort and one of the more popular casino-resorts in the coutnry.
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🍽️ Restaurants and Cafes
Food in Niagara Falls
Where to Eat:
$$$ AG Inspired Cuisine
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⭐ Taco N Tequila
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Flying Saucer Restaurant
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Napoli Ristorante Pizzeria
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East Izakaya
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Micah Bistro
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Paris Crêpes Café
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Cheap Eats:
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Portage Bakery Inc
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Hi-Lite Restaurant
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Sweet Treats:
BeaverTails Niagara Falls
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Fudge Factory
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Italian Ice Cream
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Sweet Jesus Niagara
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Food in Niagara-on-the-Lake
HOB NOB Restaurant
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The Irish Harp Pub
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Gyros on the Lake
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Nina Gelateria & Pastry Shop
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Niagara Home Bakery
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Greaves Jams & Marmalades
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🍷 Wineries and Breweries
The Niagara region is home to some of the world's best wineries. The neighboring escarpment protects the small area, creating a picturesque and unique location to grow wine-producing grapes.
It is also one of the few regions in the world with the conditions to create ice-wine. It is a sweet, dessert-like wine that is a must-try.
With so many options, it can be hard to pick where to stop. The full list can be found at the link below, but here are my top picks, from the famous, the popular, and a few secret gems.
Brewers & Distillers
⭐ Bench Brewing Company
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The Grist - Craft Kitchen & Brewery
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Dillon's Small Batch Distillers
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Wineries
⭐ Fielding Estate Winery
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⭐ Peller Estates Winery And Restaurant
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Inniskillin Wines
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Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate
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📽️ Other Resources
📍 Check Out Our Other Guides
Welcome to my home city! Leave the tourists behind and do Toronto the way a local would with our complete guide!
From this guide, you'll get to know the city and learn what to expect:
✅ The Basics - When to Travel, Currency, Safety, & Useful Apps
✈️ Traveling - To, from and around Toronto
📍 Must-See Attractions
🏡 What to see & expect around Toronto's neighborhoods
🗺️ Complete List: Parks, Cafes, Restaurants & Shopping
🏨 Accommodation Recommendations
🎟️ Recommended Tours
A lot of work went into this guide. I leave my travel knowledge open for all, so if you find this guide useful I do ask that you leave a tip, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
Feel free to reach out with any questions!
thomas.abroadandco@gmail.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Isbister
Available for hire
Born from a passion for exploration, out of Toronto. Travel has taken me all over North America and Europe! I've gotten the opportunity to leave Canada, and live in Finland, Germany, and Poland. At the same time, having traveled to 18 countries!
From those opportunities, I started crafting and sharing my maps which I feel provide a sense of exploration and recommendations that others can use to create their own memorable experiences. Each map is handcrafted, both from personal experience and local recommendations. They're a go-to way to learn what each new place you visit has to offer.
Whether it's to help plan a dream trip abroad or explore more of what your own backyard has to offer, check out my collection of ready-to-go maps or let me create one for yourself.
Feel free to reach out with any questions, additions, or corrections at (thomas.abroadandco@gmail.com).
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