NIAGARA FALLS
There are some tourist attractions that fail to live up to expectations and are just simply underwhelming. This is not the case for Niagara Falls. Located on the border of Ontario, Canada and New York State, USA, the unofficial 8th natural wonder of the world is a place that should be visited at least once, especially when staying in Toronto.
How To Get There
1. Car: It’s only a 90 minute drive to reach Niagara Falls from Toronto and vice versa.
2. Train: It takes about 2 hours to reach Niagara Falls from Union Station (the main station in Toronto). While the train is usually my preferred transport method, I would avoid taking the VIA Rail option since it’s expensive ($39 CAD which is about $44 AUD) and has a limited schedule.
3. Bus: There are a number of companies that offer bus services between Niagara Falls and Toronto (I recommend using the BusBud app) where the prices vary between $18 – 31 CAD ($20 – 35 AUD). Buses run every 1 - 2 hours and takes about 2 - 2.5 hours to reach the falls.
4. GO Transit (Train + Bus): The final option is to use the regional public service GO Transit where you can take a train from Toronto to Burlington GO before transferring to a bus to Niagara Falls. The total time including transfer is about the same as the bus. The best thing about this option is that it’s the most frequent service where the average waiting time is only 30 - 40 minutes. I used this option for my return trip and found it extremely convenient; I was tired and desperate to head back to Toronto but the next bus wasn’t scheduled for another 90 mins. In that time there were 3 Go Transit options.
Things To Do
1. White Water Walk
2. Voyage To The Falls
3. Journey Behind The Falls
1. White Water Walk
Only a 10 minute walk from the Niagara Falls station, the White Water Walk is an opportunity to see the raging rapids up close. Taking an elevator 70 metres down to the base of the Niagara gorge, you will be able to walk alongside the river where throughout the 305m boardwalk are various viewing platforms that offer some stunning views. I enjoyed this experience and thought it offered a great insight into the sheer power of Niagara Falls and the white water rapids.
The experience costs $20 CAD ($23 AUD).
2. Voyage To The Falls
A 5 minute drive south (or a 40 minute walk if you’re feeling active) from the White Water Walk is the experience most tourists opt for when visiting: Voyage To The Falls cruise. Ran by Niagara City Cruises, this experience takes people into the horseshoe for an intimate viewing of the falls.
Although I enjoyed this experience and thought being in and surrounded by the falls was an unforgettable moment, I don’t necessarily think it’s an essential activity, especially if the budget is tight. Voyage To The Falls costs almost as much as the other two experiences combined and I feel you can get an equally intimate falls experience with Journey Behind The Falls. Also, the cruise time felt shorter than the 20 minute advertised time.
The experience costs $43 CAD ($49 AUD).
3. Journey Behind The Falls
About a 10 minute walk from The Voyage is my personal favourite Niagara experience: Journey Behind The Falls. This experience has two components to it: the lower observation deck and the storied tunnels. The observation deck is adjacent to the horseshoe. It is here where you can get a clear insight of the sheer size of the falls as well as see the water falling down on side view angle. The storied tunnels lead behind the falls itself and you can witness the full power of Niagara Falls from an open air portal.
The experience costs $29 CAD ($33 AUD).