The Rush of the Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of the, if not the most iconic tourist destination in East Coast Canada. Anyone visiting Toronto usually visits the famous falls as well, since it is only about an hour and half drive from the city.

I recall visiting Niagara Falls from the U.S. side in the early 90s. Unfortunately, I lost all travel photos prior to 2001, so my memories of it are very vague.  

From what I remember, we drove to the Niagara Falls State Park in New York State to view the falls from the Observation Tower at Prospect Point that juts out over the Niagara Gorge. There, we saw the three waterfalls that straddle the Canadian border – the Horseshoe Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls, and the American Falls - with a view of the mini-Las Vegas city over on the Canadian side.

I was told that viewing the falls from the Canadian side is better. From the American side, one can only see the falls from the top down or in profile, unless you go on a paid excursion, such as the Maid of the Mist boat ride or the Cave of the Winds tour that we did not do that time. The former allows you to experience the misty torrent of the Horseshoe Falls as you sail upstream, while the latter takes you down an elevator into the gorge area to a metal catwalk that leads you to the base of the Bridal Veil Falls.

But some people still prefer the American side because over there, one can get up close to the Bridal Veil and the American Falls and it is a lot quieter because the property is within a state park, unlike in Canada, where it is surrounded by a very-much commercialized neighbourhood teeming with hotels, casinos, restaurants, and entertainment attractions.

On the Canadian side, one can get gorgeous panoramic view of both the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. And while you can’t get right up to the Bridal Veil and the American Falls, you can access the brink of the Horseshoe Falls, the mightiest of the three, and feel the raw power of the Niagara River from this vantage point.

My first glimpse of the Niagara Falls from the Canadian side was when a friend and I took my late aunt who was visiting from the Philippines that time, on a long drive to Toronto and the Niagara Region for two days.

Upon arrival in Niagara, I already felt the Las Vegas vibe, but we booked a hotel away from the hustle and bustle of the city so we could at least have a quiet night.

Niagara, on the Canadian side, has three popular neighbourhoods – Clifton Hill District, Fallsview Boulevard, and Lundy’s Lane.

Clifton Hill is the city’s very own “Street of Fun” where the streets are lined with amusement centres and family-friendly restaurants. I would say that families with young kids tend to stay here because of all the attractions that are within walking distance - the Niagara Skywheel, the Niagara Speedway, the Movieland Wax Museum, the Wild West Coaster, Ripley’s Museum, mini-putt and adventure golf courses, video arcades, bowling alleys, and theatres. Restaurants in this area are the usual fast-food suspects, and those that offer pizza, steak, nachos, burgers, pancakes, and other kids’ favourites. We just did a quick walk around here, since none of the attractions really appealed to my senior-aged aunt.

Fallsview Boulevard is filled with high-rise hotels that feature breathtaking views of the falls in most of their rooms, as well as luxury spas and fine dining. It also has its own line of entertainment offerings – the IMAX Theatre for the ultimate Niagara Falls 4D show; the Skylon Tower, where you can dine in style with a 360-view of the falls 233 meters above ground; the Fallsview Casino Resort, which is the largest gaming resort in Canada; the Fun Zone, with its arcades and games; the vibrant live entertainment at the hotel ballrooms; and high-end shops. This district is for the older and more sophisticated crowd looking for some adult pampering.

I originally wanted to take my aunt to dinner at the Skylon’s Revolving Dining Room, but she was not into the being-moved-around-while-eating experience, so the next best thing was to take her to a restaurant in one the high-rise hotels that has floor-to-ceiling glass windows facing the falls, where she could enjoy her steak with a steady view.

Lundy’s Lane, a national historic site commemorating a famous battle, is a district with a mix of everything – dining, shopping, culture, and entertainment. There, you will find more laid-back accommodation in the form of motels, inns, and campgrounds, as well as ethnic and international cuisine restaurants, outlet stores, specialty boutiques, indoor water parks, driving ranges, wine cellars, farmers’ markets, and of course, museums. I am guessing this area is popular with those intending to stay in the city for a longer period or those looking for a less-touristy experience.

Since my aunt did not really want to do anything in Niagara except to see the falls, we just walked around the area and spent time at the Table Rock Welcome Centre, where one can get the best view of the falls. At their viewpoint, one can stand close to the brink of Horseshoe Falls, close enough to feel the thundering water and feel the mist on one’s face. Beginning at dusk, the cascading falls are illuminated by hundreds of LED lights in ever-changing colours, giving them a magical appeal. From this vantage point, one can really be immersed in the fantastic light show. On some nights, a magnificent fireworks display provides an unforgettable spectacle, which we were fortunate to witness at the time of our visit.

The Table Rock Welcome Centre is home to two famous attractions – Niagara’s Fury and Journey Behind the Falls. The Niagara’s Fury adventure starts with an eight-minute animated pre-show starring some adorable woodland creatures narrating how the Ice Age formed the Niagara Falls. Then, in a specially designed 360-degree theatre, one can experience a six-minute multi-sensory extravaganza that involves water bubbling and spraying while snow falls all around. Standing in the mist on a massive platform that would tremble, one could feel the full wrath of Mother Nature. I did not think my aunt would enjoy this. We did something like this in Vancouver, and she got a little bit dizzy from and overwhelmed by the fast-moving images and all the 4D special effects, so we skipped this.

The Journey Behind the Falls, on the other hand, takes visitors down 125 feet through bedrock via elevator and then through a short tunnel that leads to two outdoor observation decks and two portals located directly behind the falls. This allows one to see the falls from below and behind and to experience 2,800 cubic meters of water crashing down to the basin below at 6.5 kilometers per hour. I did not take her there either, as I was sure she would not want to be soaked. The free souvenir ponchos that came with the ride were a dead give-away.

She did enjoy the rides on the Niagara Falls Incline Railway, which took us from the Fallsview tourist area to Table Rock. The short railway ride, which was more like a funicular, was tolerable for her and provided a much-needed shortcut between the hotel district above the falls and the attractions below. Otherwise, we would have to take our car and pay for parking or go on an exhausting walk up and down the hill. She also enjoyed the short walk over the Bridge of Flowers pedestrian crossing from the railway to the welcome centre. It goes over the falls and as the name suggests, it teems with flowers. My aunt simply loved the colourful summer blooms in Canada.

Inside the centre, we just browsed the gift shops. There was a food court, a café, and a restaurant with good food and a great view of the falls, but my aunt told me it was not necessary to dine there because she already had a nice dinner by the falls the previous night. Unlike me, she was not a foodie. She also ate in small portions and found the food servings in North America terribly large, so she was not so keen on eating out all the time.

I asked if she wanted to do the Voyage to the Falls boat cruise aboard the Hornblower. This is the Canadian counterpart of the Maid of the Mist over on the U.S. side. Both boats take the same route on the 20-minute cruise, and both go close to all three waterfalls. The only difference would be the price, which is cheaper on the US side.

However, the Canadian ticket also includes a ride to the Niagara Funicular, which would be an extra $3 if you bought it separately. The Hornblower also offers night cruises that enables visitors to see the falls lit at night, and fireworks cruises on the nights when there are scheduled fireworks (usually in the summer or on special holidays, such as Canada Day or Thanksgiving Day). Otherwise, the boat rides are very similar. It will just depend on the side from which you are getting it.

I had to tell my aunt that the boat ride is a guarantee to get soaked and both cruise companies do give free plastic ponchos to passengers (blue on the US side, and red on the Canadian side). My aunt did not want to get wet, so, of course, we did not do this.

I pointed out the Rainbow Bridge to her and told her that if we’d cross it, we’d be on the US side. Unfortunately, she did not have a U.S. visa. My uncle back home advised her to get one before she left Manila, in case my Vancouver uncle and aunt decide to go for a drive to Washington State with her, but she told him she wasn’t really interested in going to the U.S. or getting her passport stamped. She thought about the wait time and the potential hassles at the borders.

Upon seeing how easy it was to cross the Rainbow Bridge, however, she had a pang of regret, especially when I mentioned that you could even do it on foot on the pedestrian walkway, and that on non-busy days, it could only take five to ten minutes. “Really? Awww…” was all she could say.

We drove along Niagara Parkway that meanders along the Niagara River on our way to the iconic Floral Clock and onwards to Niagara-On-The-Lake. As she gazed out her window, I told her that what she was seeing across the river a few meters from where we were is the United States. “I had no idea we could be this close,” she said. And I replied, “Only in Niagara!”

(Updates: I visited my aunt in Manila a year after this trip. Sadly, she passed away two years after. I am glad that I was able to spend time with her in Vancouver and on the East Coast. I got the chance to show her my home in Ottawa, brought her to Niagara, and took her on a pilgrimage in Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Beaupré, and Québec City…my last fond memories of her. In the summer of 2022, as we were easing out of the pandemic shutdown, my husband and I took our son to Niagara and Niagara-on-the-Lake for a weeklong trip, with a few layover days in Kingston, and Gananoque.)