Featured Image: Niagara Falls – Joseph Simpson
Niagara Falls, the honeymoon capital of the world! For those who have been before, you might be very surprised to hear that this is the nickname these gargantuine Bunnings water features have managed to hold. In fairness, many people do still go on their honeymoon here, particularly amongst the many both in Canada and south of the border that are not passport holders.
But go somewhere else for your honeymoon, don’t do it here. There are far more romantic places to enjoy in Ontario and New York than Niagara Falls, let alone the rest of their respective countries. But perhaps it once was the spot to celebrate getting hitched? Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother took his wife here after tying the not, and Aaron Burr’s daughter took her husband here too.
This was back in the 1800s, nowadays this beacon of North American tourism (and capitalism), is more of a bucket list place to visit, somewhere to take the kids, or the family. And there is so much more than just the falls to visit! With over two hundred years of tourism in the region, a few more attractions and shops have cropped up, would you believe it?
Read on to find out more about one of Canada and the United States’ biggest attractions, how to get there, do’s and don’ts, and extra gems of information that might help make that trip to the self-avowed honeymoon capital of the world even better.
Getting to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is located on the border between Canada’s Ontario and the USA’s New York. Nestled along the corridor that separates both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, we will share how to get there from both sides. It’s worth noting that while most of Niagara Falls sits georgraphically within the United States, the best views of the falls are from the Canadian side.
Canada
Reaching Niagara Falls is very simple if you live in Toronto, or are within the Golden Horseshoe region and have access to the GO Trains.
Make your way from wherever in the Greater Toronto Area you reside, to Union Station, or your nearest Lakeshore West line stop, and jump on the Lakeshore West GO Train stopping in Niagara Falls. Make sure that the train does stop at Niagara Falls, as only three trains per day go the full legnth of the line each way. Several Lakeshore West trains terminate in Aldershot, Hamilton, and Oakville. The train takes around 2.5 hours to arrive at the falls and has bathrooms on-board but you’ll need to bring your own snacks or drinks for the ride.
While the train is a bit on the more expensive side, it’s still one of the best ways to reach the falls without a car. If you have time to plan your trip ahead, the best way to see the falls is the GO Weekend Pass which has unlimited travel on any GO busses and trains for the day for only $10.00! The GO Weekend Pass also works for Canadian and Ontario Public Holidays too, bonus!
| Go Transit Fees (1x Return Trip) | |
| Adult (Eticket or Credit/Debit Card) | $42.30 |
| Adult (PRESTO) | $36.18 |
| Student (PRESTO) | $21.78 |
| Senior (Eticket or Credit/Debit Card) | $21.20 |
| Senior (PRESTO) | $19.26 |
| GO Weekend Pass (BEST VALUE) | $10.00 |
After arriving at the Niagara Falls GO station, keep in mind that the falls themselves are not next to the station. You can either pay in cash to take the Niagara Transit busses ($3.50 each way), which will get you to the falls in five-to-ten minutes, taking the 603 or 204 bus and getting off at Victoria Ave, or walking to the falls which takes about 30 minutes. Keep in mind that in addition to this, the walkway to the falls themselves is about fifteen to twenty minutes walk each way, depending on your fitness, and the density of the crowd.
Should you be driving to the falls, the usual soutbound route from Toronto is to take the 403/QEW. Without traffic this usually takes about an hour, to an hour and a half depending on where you are in the GTA. Upon arrival in Niagara Falls, parking is usually paid, and the typical rule-of-thumb is that it’s more expensive the closer to the falls you get, with far away parking lots charging $5 for the day, and closer ones charging between up to $25. Keep in mind these prices fluxuate and may be more expensive on event days.
But I’ve got a secret for you! Some local Ontario knowledge passed onto me is if you don’t mind a ten minute walk, you can get free parking by parking next to the cereal factory, Post Foods Canada. There is several free parking spaces along Lorne Street and Centre Street that mean you’ll only be ten minutes from the action, and you’ll walk right through Clifton Hill (More on Clifton Hill Later)! Should these parking spaces be taken, some of the other residential streets north or westbound often have free parking as well.
Should you be flying in to view the falls, the best international airports to access the falls from (and can still connect with GO Transit) is Hamilton’s John C. Munro (YHM), or Toronto’s Billy Bishop (YTZ), or Pearson (YYZ)
United States
Prices marked in USD for this section
While most Kiwis reading this will be residing in Canada, some of you may be trying to access the falls from the American side. I strongly reccomment you bring your passport (and your Canadian work permit, if applicable!) to view the falls from the Canadian side. The border crossing is very quick off-peak and is one of the few crossings that is relatively easy to walk accross!
The nearest major U.S city is Buffalo, so we’ll use that as a starting point for this guide. The nearest international airports are in Cleveland and of course, New York City. Both cities mentioned connect with Buffalo via Greyhound, and New Yorkers can go straight to the falls via Flixbus.
Accessing the falls can be done via Buffalo’s public transport network, but it takes two hours, and two busses, to cover a very short distance, and runs infrequently. Still, those interested can purchase bus tickets using cash ($8 return, $2 per bus), or their MetGo smart card/app, which caps at $5 per day.
For a faster ride, albiet sometimes a bit more expensive, travellers can take the Flixbus from Buffalo to Niagara Falls which takes about 30 minutes, or the Empire Amtrak service which takes about 45 minutes.
Driving to Niagara Falls from Buffalo takes roughly 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic.
The Falls
The Niagara Falls are one of the most impressive sights in Canada. While the commercialization of the location has hampered the natural beauty of the region, seeing the falls with your own eyes is now just only one part of the whole experience.
Before diving in, did you know that New Zealand has its own Niagara Falls? Yes, with the same name too (Mānga Piri)! Ironically, these falls, located in the small locality of Niagara to the west of Catlins Forest Park, are possibly the smallest in the region, if not the nation. Visit at your own risk of disappointment!
Viewing the Niagara Falls is best done from the Canadian side, as mentioned, and can be done via walking the Fallsview trail. Starting at Clifton Hill and making your way down to the water’s edge, each way takes about ten minutes, but factoring in stops and lots of other tourists present, it will take you slightly longer. Along the walk there are several small parks that are great spots for a picnic, a stroll, or a rest. Niagara Parks are constantly running free programming in these little areas too! I had the pleasure of watching Canada versus Qatar in this year’s FIFA World Cup from the falls this year. There are also plenty of spots to grab a drink or a bite both toward the middle and end of the trail. While I was surprised to see these weren’t total daylight robbery, expect to pay a bit more than you are used to.
On your walk is also the access to several Niagara Falls activities. The two best known ones would be the Voyage to the falls boat tour (not to be confused with Maid of the Mist, which is the tour operator on the U.S side), and the Zipline to the falls. Both of these bucket-list activities are worth a visit, but keep in mind that they both get very busy, so plan ahead and aim to get there early! Also check their operating times as they vary from season to season.
There are several other brilliant activities that can be done in and around the falls and the best way to experience them is the Niagara Falls Pass. This pass, as with others mentioned in this article, bundle activities together for 22% – 52% in savings. The passes feature either all of, or select attractions of, this list:
- Journey Behind the Fall (Day or Night)
- Niagara Takes Flight
- White Water WalkWhirlpool Aero Car
- Butterfly Conservatory
- Niagara Parks Power Station
- Self-Guided Admission (Day or Night)
- Floral Showhouse
- All 4 Heritage Sites
Other activities that are close to the falls are almost all provided by Niagara Parks. They are the main tourism and conservation authority in the area and for those who are looking for more green spaces, this is the place to look. One of my favourite places you can enjoy is the Niagara Glen, which takes you along a more isolated part of the river (although keep an eye out for the occasional jet boat), and gives spectacular views of the water and the escarpment. They also run several conservation events, from cleanups to tree planting, which is worth a little look into if that’s more your speed!
Niagara Glen & Tree Planting with Niagara Parks – Joseph Simpson
Clifton Hill
Upon arrival at Niagara Falls, particularly if you take the bus in, or opt for free parking, there’s a high chance you will walk down Centre Street onto Clifton Hill, and your jaw will drop.
While I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the falls, I believe the reputation of them softened the blow they had on my feeble New Zealand worldview. I knew it was the biggest waterfall in the world (in terms of volume of water falling, at about 2.8 million litres every second!) and when I saw them, it blew me away, but nothing prepared me for Clifton Hill.
Clifton Hill – Joseph Simpson
If you’ve ever been to Canada’s Wonderland, or the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), picture one of these places, only it’s a street, a permanent street within a few minutes walk of the falls view trail. Clifton Hill is what late-stage capitalism dreams of. I felt like a kid straight out of a movie. The mix of vibrant and saturated colours, combined with a backdrop of North American brutalist architecture, makes for a spectacle that certainly won’t be replicated anywhere else in the world, or at least not outside of the continent.
Clifton hill is an entertainment district that features several different wortwhile things to see. From great places to eat, including both local diners and chain restaurants, to awesome attractions and shopping opportunities. Highlights for me are the Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hard Rock Cafe, and Coca Cola store, all located on Falls Ave. On Clifton Hill itself are several great souvineir stores, Rainforest Cafe, the Fudge Factory, and several brilliant souvineir stores.
In terms of the attractions, there are so many fun things to do along Clifton hill, from wax museums to mini golf. The prices of these attractions however is very steep if you buy individual passes to each event, so I recommend either finding one of the ticket booths, or heading online to purchase a FUN PASS, or at least one of the other pass options, as they save you around 30% to 50% per attraction!
Niagara-On-The-Lake
Niagara-On-The-Lake is another place that is well-known amongst southern Ontario locals, wine lovers and select international tourists, but criminally under appreciated by everyone else.
This historic township is just a short drive away from the falls (or about an hour and a half by bus), is such a gorgeous and quaint town, you don’t need a long time to see it all, but just like an intersting museum, you can spend hours and only cover a short distance, entering each store or pub or restauarant. There are several historic sights in the region, including several old buildings and fortifications from the War of 1812, most of which are free to visit thanks to the Canada Strong Pass that has run over the past two summers.
Speaking of summer, both the falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake are beautiful any time of year! Summer, autumn, spring or winter, the changing of the seasons is far more noticeable in Canada than New Zealand, largely due to the snow, and the far higher quantity of deciduous trees versus evergreens. The Christmas decorations here make it worth visiting during the winter wonderland!
Vineyards near, and around the falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake are some of the best in Canada and North America. I went to research them, but there are over forty in the area alone, so if this is something you are interested in experiencing check out this link!
Lastly, shopping. The Niagara Outlets are a good spot to find brand labels for great prices, and are close to both Niagara-On-The-Lake and the falls. There’s also a brilliant Bass Pro Shop next to the outlets too! If you’re over the U.S side, there are also outlet shops nearby that are highly rated.
Buffalo (USA)
It’s only fair we throw our friends south of the border a bone and mention some of the fun things to do in Buffalo too. It is right there, after all! While the USA’s side of the falls has essentially the same amenities as the Canadian side, without the spectacular view, Buffalo is certainly the most intersting city within a short distance of the falls (sorry St. Catharines!).
Buffalo, despite being on the smaller size of a U.S city, is home to two sports teams in the US Major Leagues, namely the Buffalo Bills in the NFL and the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL.
As Canada do not (currently) have a team in the NFL, The Buffalo Bills market themselves as Canada’s team, and have played several matches on the better side of the falls. If you are familliar with Ontario, you’ll know that on certain Sundays when Buffalo is playing home games the border crossing can take slightly longer as Canadian fans jump over to get their football fix! Earlier in the year the Bills moved to a brand new and improved stadium with the same name as their old one, Highmark Stadium, so the photo you can see in this article is unfortunately not true to the current viewing experience, but
Should you be visiting the falls in the Autumn or Winter, and there be no NFL action on, you can catch a Buffalo Sabres game. You might be wondering why bother? Toronto already has a team, the Maple Leafs! Well… if you’ve had a go at buying Leafs tickets in recent history, you’ll know the cheap seats make an All Blacks game back home look like a freebie! The best part about the Buffalo Sabres? They consistently have the cheapest ticket prices in the entire league, and by a large margin too! You can expect to pay half, or sometimes a third, of Maple Leaf’s prices!
Some other significant attractions in Buffalo are:
– Buffalo AKG Art Museum
– Shea’s Buffalo Theatre
– Buffalo Naval Park
– Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
So that’s a kiwis guide, for kiwis, to Niagara Falls. A superb destination no matter what time of year you’re there. What makes it special? Well, the falls are spectacular, but I’d argue it’s all the things to see and do in a little nook separated by two of the worlds largest countries. Plan your visit today!
Article by Joseph Simpson, 9th August 2026
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