By air
Toronto Pearson (YYZ), ~1.5 h by road
North America · Canada
Niagara Falls, Canada
The thundering falls on the border
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to September — the boats run
Don't miss
Horseshoe Falls
The American Falls
Table Rock
The Whirlpool Aero Car
Things to do
A boat into the Horseshoe Falls' mist
The tunnels behind the falls
The evening illuminations
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Ujjwal Kumar · Public domain
What to pack
A rain poncho (often given on the boats)
A quieter corner
Niagara-on-the-Lake's wineries
Questions travellers ask
When do the boats run at Niagara Falls?
June to September, which is also the best time to visit.
How far is Niagara Falls from Toronto's airport?
About 1.5 h by road from Toronto Pearson (YYZ).
What should I do at Niagara Falls?
Take a boat into the Horseshoe Falls' mist, walk the tunnels behind the falls and stay for the evening illuminations. Table Rock, the American Falls and the Whirlpool Aero Car complete the list.
Do I need a rain poncho at Niagara Falls?
Bring one, though ponchos are often given on the boats. Afterwards, visit Niagara-on-the-Lake's wineries and try ice wine from the Niagara region.
About Niagara Falls
- Riverside
Where it is
Niagara Falls is on the Niagara River, which forms the border between Ontario, Canada, and New York State in the United States, between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The Canadian city of Niagara Falls faces the Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the three falls.
History
The falls formed at the end of the last ice age, when water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path over the Niagara Escarpment. Their name probably comes from an Iroquoian word, and in the 19th century they became a sensation, drawing honeymooners, the tightrope walker Blondin in 1859 and, in 1901, Annie Edson Taylor, the first person to go over them in a barrel and survive.
People
The city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, lives largely from tourism, with the attractions of Clifton Hill and its casinos, while fruit farms and wineries spread across the Niagara Peninsula. English is the main language, and nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake keeps its 19th-century streets and hosts the Shaw Festival of theatre.
Known for
- The Horseshoe Falls
- Boat trips into the falls' mist
- Tunnels behind the falls
- Evening illuminations and fireworks
- Niagara wineries and icewine
Did you know?
Under a 1950 treaty between Canada and the United States, much of the Niagara River is diverted to hydroelectric plants, and at night and outside the tourist season the minimum flow over the falls is halved.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.