Another bucket list item has been marked off of my list and I am here to tell you everything you need to know about how to spend a weekend in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. My cousin and I spent three days exploring the Canadian side and it was plenty of time to see and do all of the highlights.
GETTING THERE BY PLANE & GROUND TRANSPORTATION
We used Viator to book transportation to and from Buffalo/Niagara Airport in Buffalo, NY. You could fly into Toronto but since Buffalo was closer, we chose that airport. The ground transportation was flawless. They were on time, friendly, knowledgeable about the area and the vehicle was clean. Going through border patrol was much easier, as the driver prepared us to have documents ready and gave us an idea of what questions they would ask. Once again, Viator did not let me down.
THE FALLS
Let me start by saying that the The Falls are magnificent! When you're up close to them, you can feel their power! You can see the Falls in many ways. You can gaze at them from the heights of the Skylon Tower. You can get up close and wet on a Niagara City cruise. You can hear the thunderous roar of the water from behind the falls. You can take a walk on the Fallsview Trail. We did it all and was not disappointed.
I highly recommend booking with See Sight Tours. We used Viator to book our tour. We did the "Best of Niagara Falls Canada, Small Group with Boat & Behind the Falls" and it was well worth every penny. Our tour guide was fabulous. She was a native to the area, very knowledgable and proud of where she is from. Her energy was contagious and we enjoyed her stories. She picked us up at our hotel and gave us a mini tour of the area along the way to the Skylon Tower. She even dropped us off at a restaurant after the tour, instead of taking us back to our hotel.
The boat ride was fantastic. If you don't do any other tour, do the boat tour! It passes by the American Falls and Bridal Falls and takes you to the swirling water of the plunge pool of Horseshoe Falls, where you can feel the vibration and power of the cascading water. You WILL get wet. You could get soaked if you wanted to. There's a reason they hand out ponchos on the boat ride.
The Journey Behind the Falls took us to an interesting view of the Falls. It was loud with the water gushing right in front of you. We couldn't see a thing through the water. It was amazing to think how they cut through the rock and ground under the Falls to give you this unique experience.
CLIFTON HILL/NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO
I was not expecting the amusement park environment in the town of Niagara Falls. Clifton Hill is the main entertainment area.
There was a small rollercoaster, go carts, miniature golf, bowling, house of mirrors, a couple of wax museums, a haunted amusement ride, a Ripley's Believe or Not Museum, arcade games and more. I'll be honest, I'm not much of an amusement park kind of girl, so I was a little disappointed in the carnival type of atmosphere in the area around the falls, but that's just me. By the filled streets, there are plenty of people who enjoy that. If I was traveling with my kids, this would definitely be a place they would want to go.
NIAGARA SKY WHEEL
There was one ride on Clifton Hill that I did go on, and that was the Niagara Sky Wheel. It gave us yet another view of the falls and the city surrounding it. The climate controlled gondola was comfortable and spacious for my cousin and I. Every party was able to have their own gondola so there was no akward tension in the 10 minute ride.
Did I mention the view?
WHERE WE STAYED
We stayed at the Sheraton Fallsviews Hotel, which is on Clifton Hill, near the American Falls and Rainbow Bridge. (There is another Sheraton that is closer to Horseshoe Falls.) The first floor was always hustling and bustling. It had a Starbucks for my morning coffee fix. There was also a large gift shop and an ice cream shop attached to it. The gift shop was fantastic and had a nice options of clothing, trinkets and a great selection of Niagara wines. There was a spot out front where tours would pick up guests. You could sit for hours just watching all of the people going in and out.
There was a lovely garden in front of our hotel. One morning we watched a bridal dress company photo shoot in the garden. It also had great views of the Skylon Tower.
The main reason we chose the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel was because of the location. We did not rent a car so we wanted to be within walking distance of the falls, public transportation and restaurants. This hotel was a great choice for those reasons alone; however the best reason was for the view. Stunning.
TRANSPORTATION
As I said before, we did not rent a car. You had to pay for parking practically everywhere you went, so on top of the car rental, I figured we could use the public transportation or Uber for anything outside of walking distance. The public transportation is called WEGO and it was a fantastic option for us. With four different color coded bus lines (red, blue, green and orange), it could take us to all of the main attractions. We received a two day complimentary pass with our hotel room, but you can purchase a 24 hour ($12/adult & $8/child 12 and under) or 48 hour pass ($16/adult & 12/child 12 and under). For more information on WEGO and updates on prices, click on the link: https://wegoniagarafalls.com .
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
We used a combination of the green and orange line to venture up to Niagara-on-the-Lake for one day. This is a quaint little town that features shops, wineries, restaurants, pubs and several bed-n-breakfast accommodations. If I knew then what I know now, I would have stayed here instead of Niagara Falls. It gives a whole different vibe which is more relaxed and intimate. Don't get me wrong, Niagara Falls is a great place if you have children and are looking for constant entertainment. For me, Niagara-on-the-Lake is just more my speed. And it has wine! Lots and lots of wine! From small family run wineries to the big corporate wineries and everything in between, Niagara-on-the-Lake has them all. There are a lot of tours to choose from that include biking tours and chauffeured tours. Unfortunately, I was distracted by the flowers and gardens and pubs in town, and we ran out of time. If I get the opportunity to go back, this will be number one on my list of things to do.
APOTHECARY
At Niagara-On-The-Lake, you will find a unique museum. The Niagara Apothecary is a restored pharmacy that operated in town from 1820-1964. It is the only building that survived from that time period and it has been described as a time warp. The late Queen Elizabeth of England and the late Queen Mother have both visited the Apothecary after its restoration.
FLORAL CLOCK
On our way back to Niagara Falls, we had to stop to switch WEGO bus lines. This gave us just enough time to go see the Floral Clock. The face of the clock is 40 feet in diameter and filled in with approximately 16,000 carpet plants, that are changed twice a season. It's one of the largest floral clocks in the world.
BOTANICAL GARDEN/BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY
We looked for another option to take us off of Clifton Hill and found ourselves on the WEGO bus headed to the Butterfly Conservatory. Once dropped off at the bus stop, we walked on the nicely groomed paths of the Botanical Garden to get to the large conservatory. Inside this tropical habitat, we discovered hundreds of butterflies flying freely about this space. We strolled along the path, at our own pace.
AERO CAR
My cousin and I always like a little adventure on our trips, so we decided to ride on the Whirlpool Aero Car. This cable car ride was built in 1915. We thought the 100+ year old ride, gliding 3500 feet, on a cable, across the Niagara whirlpool, would satisfy our sense of adventure. It actually wasn't as scary as it sounds. It was quite a smooth ride that took us over the international border between the United Sates and Canada. Passports are NOT required!
WHERE WE ATE
Beavertails, Niagara Falls
Beavertails is a Canadian pastry shop that serves delicious fried, flattened dough that has several sweet toppings to choose from. They reminded me of elephant ears, a favorite bakery item in the United States, although the Canadian Beavertail has more of a donut-like texture, while the elephant ears are flaky and crispy. I tried the "Mehple" and the "Brwownie" and they both were amazing!
Antica Pizzaria & Ristorante, Niagara Falls
Antica Pizzeria & Ristorante is a family run restaurant that serves wood-oven pizza and other traditional Italian dishes. When a family-owned restaurant has been in business for over 40 years, you know it has to be good. My personal favorites were the Deluxe Pizza and the Gnocchi Gorgonzola. They also served a great sangria!
Remingtons of Niagara, Niagara Falls
Remingtons of Niagara is an award-winning steak and seafood restaurant. While the food was very satisfying, the unique singing servers added to the dining experience. They were quite talented as singers, but also friendly and efficient as servers. I highly recommend the Garlic Bread Cluster appetizer!
Sweet Jesus Niagara, Niagara Falls
Sweet Jesus Niagara is a place to get the most rich and decadent ice cream and desserts. It took me three days to eat my "Brownie Bites Hot Mess." It was absolutely divine!
11th Post on Queen Restaurant, Niagara-on-the-Lake
11th Post on Queen Restaurant is an extension of Two Sisters Vineyards. Lunch on the patio was a treat. The French Beef Dip was flavorful and enormous. Even the French fries were outstanding!
WHERE WE DRANK
The Olde Angel Inn, Niagara-on-the-Lake
The Olde Angel Inn is an authentic British Pub with accommodations on the property, as well. While they do serve food (and what we saw looked very good), we went for the drinks and the history. The Olde Angel Inn was established in 1789 as The Harmonious Coach House where British soldiers and townsfolk gathered. It had significant damage when it was burned during the War of 1812-1814. John Ross rebuilt it in 1815 and named it the Angel Inn. It had a few name changes and a few owners over the years, but eventually it was renamed, once again, the Angel Inn. There is also an interesting ghost story about Captain Colin Swayze, a Canadian militia officer who was killed at the Inn in May of 1813, during the American invasion. A person may have better luck for a ghostly encounter if you book a cottage or room at the Inn.
The Irish Harp Pub, Niagara-on-the-Lake
If you are looking for an authentic Irish pub, the Irish Harp Pub is the place to go. Trevor Smyth, the founder of the Pub, shipped the entire contents of the restaurant and pub from Ireland. You can't get more authentic than that! There are even rooms you can rent, above the pub. You can eat, sleep and drink, like an Irishman!
FIREWORKS
During the summer, every night at 10:00pm, there is fireworks above the falls. It is such a beautiful sight! This was the view from our hotel room.
EXTENDED WEEKEND AT NIAGARA FALLS & NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and the surrounding area is a great place to spend an extended weekend. You could easily spend a couple extra days to dig deep into what this area offers; but while I love to travel, I don't always have the time. This weekend was a great way to check off an item on my bucket list and enjoy a long weekend in a beautiful area. Click the drop down to see a basic itinerary for a full weekend of fun!
4 DAY ITINERARY
Day 1
Travel 1/2 Day
Day 2
Best of Niagara Falls Canada, Small Group with Boat & Behind the Falls
Fireworks
Snack/Treat - Beavertails
Clifton Hill Restaurant recommendations: Antica Pizzaria & Ristorante, Remingtons of Niagara
Day 3
Niagara-on-the-Lake
1-3 Wineries
Floral Clock
Clifton Hill - Skywheel
Fireworks
Niagara-on-the-Lake Restaurant recommendations: 11th Post on Queen Restaurant
Niagara-on-the-Lake Pub recommendations: The Irish Harp Pub, The Olde Angel Inn
Day 4
Butterfly Conservatory
Whirlpool Aero Car
Clifton Hill - Amusements, Sky Wheel
Fireworks
Ice Cream recommendations: Sweet Jesus Niagara
Travel 1/2 Day
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