This week I visited Niagara Falls for just the second time in my life. The bus ride from Toronto’s Union Station takes about 2 hours and you can get dropped off right beside the falls. After getting off the bus, you can buy food and drinks, souvenirs, and tickets for many of the attractions at the Table Rock Welcome Center. If you want to visit several attractions, it may be cheaper to get a package deal here rather than paying for individual tickets at each attraction. 

So, what can you do in Niagara Falls?

To enjoy the falls themselves, you can do the Journey Behind the Falls (exploring 130-year-old tunnels), take the White Water Walk (a quarter-mile boardwalk with a view of the rapids), or hop on a Niagara City Cruise ship called The Hornblower and get very close to the falls (you’ll definitely get wet!). Of course, if you don’t want to spend money on these attractions, there are plenty of places where you can get a great view of the falls, take some pictures, or sit down for a picnic. 

If you’re up for some excitement, you can take the Whirlpool Aero Car (an antique cable car that soars 3,500 feet across the Niagara Gorge) or try Ziplining to the Falls (I’m not brave enough for this one!). 

If you’d like to learn about how hydroelectric power is generated at Niagara Falls (and get a closer view of the falls), you can take the Niagara Parks Power Station + The Tunnel tour.

If you like enjoying nature indoors, there is a floral showhouse (with turtles!), a butterfly conservatory, and an indoor aviary called Bird Kingdom. 

To get a great view of the whole area, you can visit Skylon Tower and ride the “Yellow Bug” elevators up to the observation deck. On the ground level, there’s also a retro arcade where you can play games. 

If you’re into heritage sites, you can visit old buildings such as the Mackenzie Printery, the Laura Secord Homestead, or Old Fort Erie (where you can learn more about the War of 1812 between Canada and America).  

Finally, you can also visit many stores, outlets, casinos, and other entertainment venues (including the Marineland aquarium) nearby. There are also several wax museums… which are a little bit creepy.

A trip to Niagara Falls can be fun, but it can also be quite expensive. I paid $20 to go up Skylon Tower, $35 to ride the Hornblower boat, $9 for a mango smoothie, and $7 for an iced coffee! I wanted to take a tour of the Power Station, but it was over $30, so I decided to wait until next time. If you want to save a bit of money on food, bring your own snacks or visit Tim Hortons (a very reasonable cafe chain in Canada), and if you’re looking for a cheaper attraction, the floral showhouse only costs $8 to enter. 

One final tip - although hotels are a bit expensive in Niagara Falls, it’s probably worth it to spend at least one night there to enjoy the fireworks and see the falls lit up after dark. Several of the attractions also have nighttime versions with slightly different features or even cheaper prices. 

See you in Niagara Falls!