Nichole
- Jul 1

Family Adventures in Niagara Falls Canada

Discover unforgettable family adventures in Niagara Falls, Canada! Join our adventure-loving crew as we dive into thrilling activities and explore the majestic falls.

What is Niagara Falls?

When I first started researching for our family adventure, I had heard of a “Canadian side” and a “US side”. Once I dove in (pun intended), I was surprised to learn that Niagara Falls is actually a group of three waterfalls! The bigger and more majestic Horseshoe Falls (aka the Canadian Falls) is the iconic falls you see in all the postcards. Horseshoe Falls straddles the international border of Canada and the United States.

The other two falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls lie within the United States. Bridal Veil Falls looks like a small side waterfall from the larger American Falls. The Bridal Veil Falls is separated from Horseshoe Falls by Goat Island and American Falls by Luna Island.

Our Family Adventures Through Niagara Falls Canada

We decided to stay on the Canadian side of the Falls since they offered many more opportunities for adventures and exploration. Our complete itinerary for our family adventures in Niagara Falls Canada is outlined below.

Day 1 – Travel & Niagara Parks Power Station

To begin our Canadian Niagara Falls vacation, we flew into Buffalo, New York and hired Buffalo Airport Shuttle to take us from the airport, across the Rainbow Bridge into Canada, and to our hotel by the Falls. They were very easy to work with. We booked online, prepaid (including tip) and received immediate confirmation. A minivan was waiting for us in the limo lot outside of arrivals at the airport. The transfer took about 1.5 hours. Luckily, a room was ready for us at Hilton Niagara Fallsview, and we were able to drop our luggage off in our 43rd floor room. The room provided amazing views of both the American and Canadian Falls! The hotel is huge and very full of people. On the plus side, it offered everything, including an amazing location, great views, restaurants, pools, shopping. On the negative side, we had to factor in elevator waiting / travel time to account for all the people and floors.

After checking in, we walked to the Table Rock Center to pick up our Niagara Parks Adventure Passes. We pre-purchased the Adventure Plus passes, which included almost all of the activities we had planned, bus passes, the Niagara-on-the-Lake shuttle, and passes on the Falls Inclined Railway. My plan was to start at one end of the parkway and move our way to the other (and beyond) as our trip progressed. We walked further down Niagara Parkway to the Niagara Parks Power Station (included in our Adventure Plus passes). Construction of the power station began in 1901 and it opened in July 1905 with 5 turbines and generators based on a design by Nikola Tesla. Water from the Niagara River would enter and drop 180 feet before being expelled into a 2,000 foot tunnel that emptied into the lower Niagara River at the base of the Horseshoe Falls. The power station was closed in 2006, but re-opened in 2021 as a tourist site.

We explored the exhibits in the museum and witnessed an electrifying Tesla Coil demonstration before descending in a glass-paneled elevator to the tunnel. With our light blue ponchos on, we stepped out to experience the sheer power and majesty of the awe-inspiring Horseshoe Falls. From the observation deck, we were treated to breathtaking views right at the base of the Falls! What an unforgettable experience!

We finished our evening with a spectacular dinner at the renowned Table Rock House Restaurant, boasting breathtaking views overlooking the majestic Horseshoe Falls, followed by an adventure up the Falls Inclined Railway (included in our Adventure Plus passes).

Day 2 – Niagara’s Fury, Journey Behind the Falls & Voyage to the Falls Cruise

I had planned today to be a day of getting wet! Our first couple of adventures were at the Table Rock House Center. We started at Niagara’s Fury, a 4D movie experience (included in our Adventure Plus passes). We were handed our dark blue ponchos and watched a short introduction movie on a small screen above the doors before heading into the theater. The experience transports you back in time to witness the magnificent creation of the Falls, with water splashing, waves moving, and even snowfall adding to the magic! Buttercup found a place right next to the water pool, getting a little extra wet, while the rest of us managed to stay relatively dry.

After our 4D experience, we went downstairs to the Journey Behind the Falls (included in our Adventure Plus passes). After grabbing a new yellow poncho, the elevator takes you down 125 feet to a bedrock tunnel, providing two viewing portals down one side. These give you a glimpse of the sheer power of the Horseshoe Falls as a massive sheet of water rushes over the portal.

Down the other tunnel lies the entrance to the observation deck, which offers a breathtaking new perspective of the Falls! It is higher than the Power Plant viewpoint at the base of the Falls, but much lower than the viewpoints from the top of the falls. Those ponchos came in handy protecting us from the constant mist raining down on us from the Falls.

From the Table Rock House Center, we walked down Niagara Parkway, taking in the beautiful sights as we made our way to the Niagara City Cruises.

Since we were on the Canadian side, we were taking the Voyage to the Falls (aka Hornblower) cruise to the base of the falls. A similar experience is offered on the US side through the Maid of the Mist. While I have not been on the Maid of the Mist, my research and observations lead me to believe that there is very little difference between the two (other than the color of the poncho). I pre-ordered our tickets, but we would have been fine walking up to purchase tickets the day of. The weather was cloudy, so there were hardly any lines. We were given our iconic red ponchos and were ushered onto the next boat. The tour takes you close to the base of all three falls, spending the bulk of your time at the Horseshoe Falls. From the deck of the boat, you can feel the tremendous power of the Falls and while getting soaked by the mist.

After getting soaked, we made our way back to the hotel to shower and rest before dinner at the Skylon Tower. Dinner was good, but the cost seemed to align more with the breathtaking views than slightly worn building and dirty arcade area we passed through while queuing for the elevators.

Day 3 – Kid’s Day at Clifton Hill

We designated day 3 as a kid’s day with activities at Clifton Hill. We pre-purchased the Fun Pass, which included the SkyWheel, Movieland Wax Museum, Ghost Blasters Dark Ride, Zombie Attack Ride, either Carnival Chaos or Toy Store 4D ride, and either Wizards’ or Dinosaur Adventure Golf. The attractions each open at different times, but nothing was open prior to 10:30 am -- a pretty late start for our early-rising crew. We kicked off our day with the SkyWheel and explored the area, enjoying a fantastic lunch at Kelseys Roadhouse. The 3D/4D shooting-style rides were a thrilling experience, although some were a bit rough on the back. To make the most of our day, we also took a spin around the Speedway, spent time in the arcade, and wrapped up with some much-needed retail therapy.

We wrapped up the evening with some a relaxing swim in the hotel pool before pizza and a movie in the hotel room. Snuggled up in our PJs, we were treated to a spectacular view of the evening light show over the falls and the dazzling 10 pm fireworks before drifting off to sleep. A perfect way to end the day!

Day 4 - Bird Kingdom, White Water Walk, Whirlpool Aero Car & the Butterfly Conservatory

We ventured further down Niagara Parkway today, starting at Bird Kingdom. Buttercup, our resident bird enthusiast, had been buzzing with excitement (and a touch of impatience) ever since catching sight of the colossal sign as we crossed into Canada. Bird Kingdom proudly boasts itself as the “World’s Largest Free-Flying Indoor Aviary.” I must confess, I had no clue what we were getting ourselves into. As we ventured through the first rooms, we found ourselves meandering through a peculiar mix of exhibits, including a mini museum about the Falls and some seemingly random displays of aquatic creatures. I'll admit, my initial reaction was one of impending doom - "Oh no, Buttercup is going to be so disappointed!" But lo and behold, as we ventured further we found a room filled with the melodic chirps and squawks of our feathered friends. Breathing a sigh of relief, we explored the various aviaries until we reached the "Base Camp" where four beautiful parrots awaited us. The girls gleefully interacted with the colorful chatterboxes and engaged in lively conversations with the caretaker. Armed with our bird encounter tickets, each girl selected a parrot to perch upon their arm. It was a truly unforgettable experience, complete with heartwarming moments captured in some truly adorable photos!

Then we made our way to the main aviary, which may live up to its claim to be the world’s largest. It was huge, but well maintained. The girls spent a great deal of time wandering through the path and interacting with the different birds. At the back of the aviary is a caged area for the Lorikeet feeding. Each of us was given a tiny metal cup to hold. The bird immediately knew food was coming and made their way over to us. A small amount of food is poured into each cup and the birds swarm it. The entire process is over in less than 5 minutes, so you needed to be pretty quick to grab any photos. Some birds hung around afterwards, but most left as soon as the food was gone. We had done similar feedings at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida and at various zoos, but this one was probably the quickest and least intimate of all of them.

We hitched a ride on the WEGO (the local bus, which was included in our Adventure Plus passes) to the entrance of the White Water Walk. My expectations were low for this stop, but hey, it was included in our Adventure Plus passes, so why not? I imagined just a simple walk above the river, nothing new. However, the boardwalk area blew me away! You start by taking an elevator down through the bedrock to a viewing platform. From the platform, you follow the wooden boardwalk a quarter mile down and back. There are several informational signs and smaller viewing platforms along the path. Along the boardwalk, you get amazing views of the Class 6 rapids – i.e., Class 6 is the highest ranking for crazy, “you can’t take a boat on this” type rapids.

From the White Water Walk, we rode the WEGO to the Botanical Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory (included in our Adventure Plus passes). The girls are huge butterfly enthusiasts, so the gardens didn't capture their full attention. The attraction boasts a vast indoor area where more than 2,000 butterflies fluttering amidst lush greenery. Having previously visited a comparable site in Colorado – The Butterfly Pavilion, we weren't as awestruck as we could have been. Similar to the Bird Kingdom aviary, the Butterfly Conservatory features winding paths through the foliage. The girls enjoyed observing and patiently waiting for butterflies to land on them.

Our last stop of the day was the Whirlpool Aero Car. This was also included in Adventure Plus passes, but you need to make a timed reservation to participate. We stopped and made a reservation before heading to the Butterfly Conservatory. The Whirlpool Aero Car is a giant red metal cable car suspended 200 feet above the crazy Class 6 rapids were viewed earlier in the day. We were surprised to learn that the system has been in use since 1916! The views were amazing and it was a pretty cool experience. But, there is only one cable car and it only holds 35 people at a time. So even with timed reservations, we still ended up waiting in line for over an hour.

For dinner, we stayed in the hotel and tried Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse. It was a beautiful atmosphere and filled the expectations of a typical Brazilian steakhouse – pricey, but everyone left very full.

Day 5 – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Whirlpool Jet Boat & Zipline Niagara Falls

We planned to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake for a morning adventure and lunch. Little did I know, embarking on this journey by bus would turn into a drawn out odyssey of public transportation! We took the WEGO to the last stop on the Niagara line (the Floral Clock), and then waited for the elusive special shuttle that shows up just once an hour. Time seemed to stretch into eternity! Finally, we boarded the shuttle, made it to the last stop, and strolled to the historic Queen Street District. The architecture was stunning, the flowers were blooming, and the Memorial Clock Tower was like a scene from a blockbuster movie. But hey, the kids weren't feeling the charm of the town or the sudden influx of senior citizens taking over the place as the morning wore on. Personally, I was eyeing those shops and dreaming of exploring the wineries, but alas, that'll have to wait for my "must return" list.

After an unappealing lunch, we took a Lyft to the dock for our scheduled Whirlpool Jet Boat tour. I pre-booked a combined ticket that included the boat and a zip lining adventure with Zipline to the Falls. Only the boat came with a scheduled departure time. The zip line voucher could be used at any time. We were advised to bring a complete change of clothing for after the boat ride – I can see why! You get completely soaked, but it is so worth it! Because of the size of the girls, we were seated in the middle row of the boat. The crazy people in the front got drenched with every maneuver.

The jet boats are custom made with a flat bottom and special engines to navigate through Class 5 rapids. They run multiple boat rides every day (with a similar option being offered from the US side), so the entire operation runs very well – from the narration, the maneuvers, the showmanship, and the safety precautions. This experience was my favorite of the trip!

After the exhilarating jet boat ride, we decided to take a Lyft back to the hotel. Dropping off our bags, we quickly made our way to the zip line for our final, thrilling adventure of the trip! Thanks to completing our waivers online, we breezed through the check-in process with minimal wait time. After getting our vouchers checked and being weighed, we were geared up with helmets and ready to go! The excitement was palpable, especially from the girls. I couldn't help but wonder how Spider Monkey would handle the height once we started. With Spider Monkey sandwiched between Dustin and I, we were off! Once they set us free, we were zooming above the falls. With her small size, Spider Monkey trailed behind. To my surprise, she had an absolute blast! Now, she can't stop asking when we can go zip lining again. What a thrilling experience!

The Family Verdict

Niagara Falls was the perfect combination of crazy adventure and beautiful surroundings! The commercial area surrounding the falls was very clean and well maintained. That changed once you head over towards the Clifton Hill area, but I never felt unsafe. The Canadian side has a lot to offer, and received a big thumbs up from our crew!