Itineraries for Your Trip to Niagara Falls & Around
3 Days in Niagara Falls for First Timers
A highlight of my time living in the US city of Buffalo was visiting Niagara Falls, a short drive away. With a New Zealand passport and a US visa, I had the privilege of being able to stroll across the US–Canada border that separates the two sides of Niagara Falls hassle-free. But if you can’t or don’t want to border-hop, the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is a fun place to spend three days.
In addition to the natural beauty of the falls themselves, you can enjoy a variety of cultural and food- and wine-related attractions in the surrounding area. Here’s how to make the most of three days in Niagara Falls, ON, if you’re visiting for the first time.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a ride on the Hornblower boat to the foot of Horseshoe Falls.
Niagara Falls is best to visit between May and October, when the weather is mild or warm, but the frozen winter also offers dramatic views.
Spend your first day in Niagara Falls focusing on the natural spectacle of the falls themselves. The site called “Niagara Falls” is actually made up of three separate waterfalls on the Niagara River: Bridal Veil Falls, American Falls, and Horseshoe Falls. The first two are on the US side, and the third is mostly on the Canadian side, so the views from Canada, across the gorge, are especially impressive.
Ride the Hornblower boat to literally feel the falls’ power from the bottom, step behind the wall of water during a “journey behind the falls” experience, and—if you’re looking to splurge—take a scenic helicopter flight for a bird’s-eye view.
Niagara Falls is in the middle of Canada’s largest wine-producing region, Southern Ontario, so on your second day, you can learn more about local viticulture on a wine-focused tour. There are also craft beer and other food experiences to be had in the area, if wine isn’t your thing. Make sure to try some of the local ice wine, a dessert wine that’s made from grapes that have frozen on the vine (a specialty that vintners can produce relatively easily in the region’s sub-sub-zero winters).
In the evening, dine at one of the two restaurants in the Skylon Tower—the Revolving Dining Room or the Summit Suite Buffet—which offers more impressive views over the falls.
Today, head to nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, a historic town on the southern shore of Lake Ontario that’s about a 30-minute drive from Niagara Falls. The colonial-era town retains much of its historic charm with cobblestone streets, traditional homes and buildings, and horse-drawn carriages. It’s a lovely place to shop, stroll, and eat.
If you’re a history buff, make an afternoon visit to the Fort George National Historic Site just west of town. You can tour the buildings and see actors in period costume pretend they’re in the thick of the War of 1812, a conflict between the independent US and Britain/Canada.
