Discover five thrilling ways to see Niagara Falls Canada, and experience its breathtaking beauty from unique perspectives.
Niagara Falls is one of the most mesmerizing and powerful scenes we’ve encountered in our travels worldwide. Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls comprise Niagara Falls. This dynamic trio creates a forceful show of nature that draws millions of visitors annually. You can view the falls from the USA and Canada, but the view of the Niagara Falls from Canada offers the most robust perspective. And we were about to find out on our first visit to this natural wonder.
As we rounded the corner, we could hear the mighty roar of the water. When we first saw the thundering waters, we were astonished at the grandeur and magnitude of the falls. We parked our car and stepped onto the promenade alongside the falls when a sense of awe and exhilaration hit us like a powerful wave. We felt a cool mist in the air, a welcome relief to us on that warm September day. The mist lends a magical, almost ethereal quality to the scene. The atmosphere is lively alongside the falls, and visitors are excited to be there.
View of Horseshoe Falls from the Promenade. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
A wide promenade runs alongside the Niagara River, offering breathtaking, uninterrupted views of this natural wonder, making this a great starting point for first-time visitors. Sightseers can get close to the water, take Instagram-worthy photos, and linger for hours. There’s plenty of parking alongside the promenade, and it’s also easily walkable from nearby hotels. And best of all, it’s free.
Promenade overlooking Niagara Falls. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
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Five More Ways to See Niagara Falls Canada
While the promenade provides an excellent vantage point to see the falls, there are five more exciting ways to get up close to these thundering giants: A wander through the tunnels that are below and behind the falls, a thrilling helicopter tour over the falls, a visit to the Niagara Parks Power Station and its tunnel that leads into the falls, an exhilarating (and wet!) ride into the falls aboard the Niagara City Cruise ship, and for the adventurous, zip lining along the falls.
Journey Behind the Falls
While the promenade provides magnificent views, the Journey Behind the Falls attraction took us below and behind the falls, providing a wetter, behind-the-scenes experience. We entered the Table Rock Center, grabbed our sky-blue rain slickers, took the elevator down 125 feet through bedrock, and explored 130-year-old tunnels while feeling the mighty falls’ thunderous vibration.
Upper observation deck in Journey Behind the Falls. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
The tunnels were initially drilled in 1889 by the Niagara Parks Commission from the Table Rock House building above. The tunnels created a viewing portal behind the falls, which visitors can access through a narrow, horizontal passageway right to the falling water. In 1944, the Commission replaced the original tunnels. Then, in 1951, it built an outdoor observation platform accessible by a narrow passageway.
Tunnel in Journey Behind the Falls. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
The horizontal tunnels led us through a dimly lit, cavernous corridor to a 6-foot viewing portal drilled out in the bedrock, where we saw millions of gallons of water crashing down from above. It’s a rear view of the falls up close that you can’t see from the top side. One of the tunnels, lit with eerie blue light, led to an observation deck outside. We stood next to the edge of Horseshoe Falls, where the water cascaded down with breathtaking force and majestic white beauty from the top of the falls 13 stories above.
Tunnel to the observation deck in Journey Behind the Falls. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
More than six million cubic feet of water go over the falls every minute during peak daytime hours in the summer. From the observation deck, we also saw the large, double-deck tour boats, full of excited passengers wearing rain slickers, disappearing into the mist at the base of the falls.
View of Niagara Falls from the Journey Behind the Falls observation deck. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
Journey Behind the Falls is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Tickets cost $25.00 CAD for adults, $16.50 CAD for children, and children two and under are free.
Take a Helicopter Tour Over the Falls
A helicopter ride is always exciting and one of our favorite ways to see more of a destination. The Niagara Helicopters tour offers a thrilling experience with an unparalleled aerial view of the falls. As we approached the chopper, we could feel the whirring of the blades overhead and climbed into the cabin. Once we strapped in with headsets on, the helicopter gently lifted off the ground, and our exhilarating adventure began. We felt the rush of adrenaline as the expanse of the Niagara region came into view.
Niagara Helicopters. Photo by Niagara Falls Tourism
The helicopter tour follows the Niagara River from the Whirlpool area, where we witnessed the Whirlpool Aero Car crossing the scenic Gorge. Next, we flew over Queen Victoria Park and headed into the Fallsview area, where the sweeping turns offered dramatic views. The helicopter followed the curve of Canada’s Horseshoe Falls, when rainbows appeared from all directions in the crashing water and spraying mist.
Aerial view of Niagara Falls from within a helicopter. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
While viewing the falls from the promenade or in the tunnels behind the falls is dramatic, the aerial views provide an opportunity to capture stunning shots from a bird’s-eye view. Seeing the falls from above gave us a different perspective of this incredible force of nature.
Flights depart daily from 9:00 AM year-round. The flight duration was 12 minutes, but it felt like an hour. Tickets cost $185 CAD per adult (12 years +) and $113 CAD per child (2 to 11 years).
Niagara City Cruises – Voyage to the Falls
We sought more Niagara wet thrills by getting “in the mist” aboard the Voyage to the Falls boat tour. This tour provides up-close and very wet views while sailing alongside the falls. We arrived at the ticket plaza, donned our cruise-issued red rain slickers, and boarded a huge double-deck catamaran that sailed from the Canadian side directly into the frothy mist at the base of Horseshoe Falls.
This 20-minute boat ride got us as close as possible to the falls by disappearing briefly into the whitewater mist at the end of the sail. The day was warm, and the cool temperature of the mist washing over us felt delightful.
Niagara City Cruise ship sailing into Horseshoe Falls. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
Along the way to Horseshoe Falls, we cruised through the Niagara Gorge, past the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, enjoying up-close encounters with each. At Horseshoe Falls, we took stunning videos while the water’s mist poured over us until our cameras could no longer capture the immense power of this natural wonder. Better than white water rafting, it was one of the most thrilling wet experiences we’ve had!
Sailing past American Falls aboard the Niagara City Cruise ship. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
The tour operates daily from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, depending on the season. Tickets cost $35.50 CAD for adults and $23.50 CAD for children.
Niagara Parks Power Station
While visiting a power plant museum might not seem like a logical way to get up close to the Falls, it offers a moving and immersive experience in two ways. First, its historical exhibits bring the hydroelectric power of Niagara Falls to life, and second, the museum offers unique access to the falls via a tunnel located beneath the power station’s halls.
Niagara Parks Power Station, the first major power plant on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, is now a fascinating museum. This 115-year-old engineering marvel comes to life with interactive storytelling exhibits and repurposed artifacts. While wandering through the museum, we learned about the history of this pioneering power plant and the dedicated workers who kept it running for 100 years.
Inside Niagara Parks Power Station. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
Local experts demonstrated the power of electricity through the Tesla coil, which generates mini lightning strikes from a coil overhead in the ceiling while familiar tunes play along with the show. We ran our hands over a glass sphere, where electrical currents moved in response to the motion of our hands. At night, this now dormant station came to life with a colorful light show that simulated scenes of Niagara Falls tumbling down the brick walls within the building.
Descend 180 Feet Below the Power Plant
Next, we descended 180 feet below the museum floor via a glass-walled elevator to a 2,200-foot-long tunnel that led directly to the Falls. While the tunnel is dry and walkable, it was initially built to release water into the Niagara River. As we approached the platform at the end of the tunnel, we heard the thundering water and felt the cool mist of the falls descend upon us.
Standing outside the tunnel, the white foam of the falls lapped up against the rocks alongside the platform. Directly across the water, the spray from Horseshoe Falls shot up into the sky. Mesmerized by nature’s force, watching the thunderous water for hours is easy. But it was time to move on to our exciting zipline adventure.
Tunnel to Niagara River underneath Niagara Power Station. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
The museum is open daily, except on Wednesdays, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Nighttime shows are open Thursday through Monday; hours vary. Admission is $32 CAD for adults, $21 for children, and children under two are free.
Ziplining to the Falls
As if we needed an extra adrenaline boost, we opted for one more Niagara thrill—Wildplay’s Zipline Niagara Falls. Ziplining was a breathtaking “ride” into and along the Niagara Gorge, towards the base of the Canadian side of Horseshoe Falls. We started this experience with a thorough briefing from some friendly and encouraging staff. They also provided us with a very sturdy safety helmet. They strapped us into a comfort harness with a pouch for our personal effects and led us toward the launch deck at the edge of the Niagara River Gorge. Guests can opt to purchase a video of their experience.
Ziplining along Niagara Falls. Photo by Niagara Falls Tourism
At the launch pad, as our hearts raced, the panoramic views from this elevated station were already incredible. The hands-free, suspended glide down the 2,200 feet of cable over the thunderous waterfall was sensational. We felt the force of nature radiating from the American Falls as we soared past them before landing safely on the observation deck high above the Gorge. We grabbed our phones and shot a few more pictures to capture this “once-in-a-lifetime” experience above the falls.
Tickets start at $49.99 CAD per person and include transportation back to the starting point on the Niagara River Parkway. Open daily at 11:00 AM.
Travel Tips for Visiting Niagara Falls
Summer is the most popular time to visit Niagara Falls in Canada. Temperatures in June, July, and August range from 75° to 81° F, and days are warm and sunny. However, visiting in the off-season means fewer crowds and better prices.
Plan to spend at least two days seeing the top attractions. Visitors can save money on tickets by bundling them with the Niagara Falls Adventure Pass. Choose from the Adventure Pass Classic, Adventure Pass Plus, or Niagara Falls Pass. It includes admission to Journey Behind the Falls, Niagara Power Station Museum, Whirlpool Aero Car, Whitewater Walk, and more, depending on which pass you purchase. Plus, it includes hop-on, hop-off bus transportation to the attractions.
Every evening at dusk, the falls light up with a stunning array of colors, sometimes customized to denote specific dates or charitable causes. The Niagara Falls Illumination Board (Bi-National) manages this spectacular display and will consider requests from charities and special causes. A firework display occurs at 10:00 PM from late May to early October.
Niagara Falls illuminated at night. Photo by Niagara Falls Tourism
For those arriving by air, most people fly into Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), which is about a 45-minute drive to Niagara Falls, Canada. Approximately 100 nonstop flights arrive there daily. Visitors will need a valid passport to cross the border from Buffalo on the US side into Canada. Another option with more direct flights would be Toronto Pearson International Airport.
How to See Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls Tourism offers information about planning a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada, plus a wide range of activities and itinerary ideas on its website. While there are 1-day tours from Canada and New York to Niagara Falls, we recommend spending two to three days in the region. In addition to the attractions we’ve mentioned, the city of Niagara Falls features an expansive botanical garden, butterfly conservatory, and parkway maintained by Niagara State Park. And the town center is packed with top-notch restaurants.
Monarch Butterfly in the butterfly conservatory. Photo by Pam and Gary Baker
Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel and Suites provides an ideal location for staying in the area. Not only is it within walking distance of the promenade, but it also overlooks the American and Canadian sides of the falls.
Explore More Than Just the Falls’ Edge
Niagara Falls is an incredible destination. However, there is much more to explore than just the falls’ edge. With several stunning vantage points to view this natural wonder, visitors can enjoy a variety of thrilling attractions and adventures, such as ziplining to the falls, cruising on the iconic double-deck tour boats that bring you into the mist at the base of the falls, or venturing behind the falls for an unforgettable underground experience.
Take a helicopter flight or explore the electric power station museum for a more dynamic perspective and a fascinating historical experience. And when you visit, we recommend exploring the falls in multiple ways. The options we encountered were truly more powerful and exhilarating than we expected, and we can’t wait to go back.
Rainbows over Niagara Falls. Photo by Niagara Falls Tourism
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A Parting Thought
In the end, Niagara Falls Canada is far more than a single viewpoint—it’s a full-spectrum experience of nature’s power, beauty, and wonder. Whether you’re admiring the cascading waters from the promenade, feeling the thunder below in hidden tunnels, soaring high above in a helicopter, or getting soaked on a misty boat ride, each vantage point reveals something unique. Add in the thrill of ziplining, the rich history of the power station, and the vibrant energy of the surrounding city, and you have a destination that’s as immersive as it is iconic. Our journey left us awestruck, inspired, and already dreaming of our return to this unforgettable force of nature.
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