Niagara Falls is a Bucket List Must

Despite our hooded rain ponchos, we are soaking wet. My husband and I try to communicate with each other, but we can’t hear a thing over the constant thunderous roar of water falling at a volume of about 680,000 gallons per second with 2,500 tons of force, so we give up and focus on experiencing the magic and grandeur of moment. After all, this is the moment we’ve been imagining since adding this item to our bucket list.

We are standing on the deck of a boat at the base of Horseshoe Falls, one of three falls that make up the collective Niagara Falls. It feels as if we are caught in the eye of a storm as the “mist” (which is really a powerful spray) drenches us from every side and water churns around the boat. Visibility is limited, but we can still see each other’s ear-to-ear grins.

Just five minutes prior, which suddenly feels like a lifetime ago, we were wiping sweat from our brow and seeking shade from the summer sun and 90-degree heat, our cellophane-thin rain ponchos clinging to our clammy skin. Ten minutes before that, we boarded the boat from a dock located in front of our hotel on the Canadian side of the falls.

Soon, we are returned to the dock to disembark where the tour started, passing the long line of (very dry) tourists eager for their moment in the mist. During the summer hours, the boat tours begin at 9 a.m. and run every 30 minutes through the evening when the falls are illuminated. We chose one of the earliest tours to avoid the crowds.

The boats are operated by Hornblower Niagara Cruises on the Canadian side and Maid of the Mist on the New York side. You can tell which boat is which when they are on the water by the color of the rain ponchos: red for Hornblower and blue for Maid of the Mist. Regardless of the starting point, all boats have a clockwise circular route that passes by American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, and finishes at the base of Horseshoe Falls, the most dramatic of all. The first two falls are in New York and the latter in Canada. (The border between the two countries runs through the middle of the falls and Niagara River.)

View from our hotel room at Sheraton Fallsview

When doing my research for this trip, hands down the recommendation was to stay on the Canadian side because from there you can stay along the river and see all three falls from wherever you are. If you visit from the New York side, you can only view the falls from observation decks located on the side of the falls and near the base of the American Falls. Full views of the falls are only visible by boat (and then only briefly). In addition, many of the tourist attractions are located on the Canadian side.

If you choose to stay on the New York side, you can cross the border via the Rainbow Bridge, but you’ll need a passport and patience since you most likely will be waiting in a long line. In the wake of the pandemic, there might be other restrictions as well. Each side offers different views and experiences. Depending on the length of your stay, it’s ideal to do both. But be prepared to spend money because everything has a ticket price/entry fee.

Freedom Bridge to New York/USA Border

I had a business conference in Toronto to attend, so my husband and I flew from Los Angeles to Toronto a few days prior, rented a car and made the 45-minute drive to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. We stayed at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel (a Marriott Bonvoy property) and splurged for a Fallsview Deluxe Guest Room with a balcony. These rooms are located on a high floor and have full views of all three falls. Not only can you hear the powerful roar of the falls from the room, but you also have a spectacular view of the illuminated falls after dark. The room’s balcony is also the perfect spot to watch the nightly 10 p.m. fireworks show (in the summer).

Fireworks viewed from the balcony of our room

In addition to the views, the main advantage of staying at this property is its location. The hotel is adjacent to the Visitor’s Center (to get maps and purchase tickets), plus the Hornblower dock and WEGO tram stop are located directly in front of the hotel. Although we had a rental car, we rode the tram everywhere. It was inexpensive and easy. If you’re in shape and/or ambitious, you can also walk to many of the attractions.

One of the attractions we were told not to miss is the Journey Behind the Falls, and it was as spectacular as promised. For this, you take an elevator down to near the base of the Horseshoe Falls and look through open portals at the back of the falls. The most thrilling part for us, though, was the observation area, which provided a breathtaking sideview of the falls. For this, you will get wet (like we did on the boat at the base), but you also have a clear view of the water – both the Niagara River and all three falls. It’s hard to describe the power and sound of the water. The only thing I can come up with is what an ant must feel like next to a fire hydrant.

After our “journey,” we had lunch at a restaurant above the attraction with another view of the falls, and then hopped on the tram to check out the other sights. The one we were most interested in was the Whirlpool Areo Car. This was our alternative to ziplining since we are both afraid of heights. I was all in until we were waiting in line. The longer we stood there and watched the “cars” depart from a cliff, swaying side to side, and the route it took over the water on what looked like a very thin cable, I bailed. (In my defense, I also thought it went along the river a ways and over trees, but it just goes across the river and back.) I am sure it is safe, but we’ve stepped out of our comfort zones before only to regret the inevitable anxiety, so we were content to stand on the sidelines and look at the views before hopping on the tram for our next stop.

We found the Butterfly Conservatory more our speed! Located just 4 miles from the city of Niagara Falls, this climate-controlled glass-domed home to more than 45 butterfly species, is worth a visit. Whether you are meandering along the pathway in the rainforest-like setting or sitting on a bench, hoping one of the colorfully winged creatures lands on you, more than 2,000 butterflies flit and flutter about freely.

Feeding trays located through the conservatory provide visitors with a close-up view of the fascinating insects. The Emergence Window shows the various stages and complete metamorphosis, from pupae (cocoon) to rebirth. If you’re lucky, you might see a new butterfly emerge and take flight! If you can tear yourself away from watching the butterflies, you can also appreciate the beautiful gardens designed to provide a tropical paradise for the flying beauties. Be sure to check out the gift shop on your way out.

Back in town, we grabbed a hot fudge sundae from the Hershey store and walked along the main street. It’s definitely touristy, with lots of attractions (like water parks and arcades) for kids and casinos for the adults. If you can stand the heat and don’t mind the crowds, Niagara Falls offers an array of delights for people of all ages.

Our main goal was to see and experience the falls. Having accomplished that the first day, we headed out for a drive on the second day to explore the nearby vineyards and wineries on the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake (where Niagara River meets Lake Ontario) where we had lunch and did some shopping). Originally, we planned to drive to Buffalo, New York, but the border crossing line was so backed up we didn’t want to waste precious hours sitting in the car just to get across the border.

On Day 3, we packed up and headed to Toronto for my conference. We arrived in Niagara Falls on a Sunday and left on a Wednesday. Three nights was the perfect amount of time for us, but if you are traveling with kids or want to visit more attractions and/or explore the beautiful natural surroundings, allow five days (or more) to fit it all in.

Visiting Niagara Falls is a once-of-a-lifetime experience that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list. It’s a place you really need to see in person to fully grasp the grandeur and experience the force with which the water falls over the rocky cliffs and hits the river below – hearing the deafening, relentless roar, being doused with its mist, and feeling the wind generated from the constant movement.

This magnificent force of nature will dazzle every single one of your senses.

Niagara Falls Tips

• Plan the timing of your trip. The boat cruises and outdoor attractions, many of which are seasonal, are usually open mid-April until mid-October. The summer months of July and August are the most crowded (and hottest). However, you can view the falls year-round. (I’m tempted to return someday in the winter to see the falls surrounded by snow.)

• Book your hotel well in advance and splurge for a room with a view. We liked the central location of the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel, but there are plenty of other options to fit a variety of budgets and travel needs.

• Fly into the Toronto International Airport in Canada or the Buffalo Niagara Airport in New York. These are the two main airports closest to the falls. There is also a small regional airport in Niagara Falls.

• Stay on the Canadian side for the best view of the Falls. Bonus: the Canadian dollar goes farther than many currencies, especially the US dollar.

• Visit attractions early in the day. The lines lengthen and the crowds thicken as the day wears on. Evenings in the summer are just as busy.

Pros and Cons of Sheraton Fallsview Hotel

The Good

• The location. It’s at the center of all the activity and close to restaurants, the tram, and the boats.

• The Fallsview guest room and balcony. It allowed us to enjoy the sights and sounds of the falls from the privacy of our room.

• The penthouse spa. It’s a small boutique facility that doesn’t have the amenities of larger spas, but you can’t beat the views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. We schedule massages for the day we arrived after taking a red-eye flight.

• The store located adjacent to the lobby is convenient. Guests may purchase drinks, snacks and deli-style items for a light meal, as well as purchase gifts, local products, sundries, and souvenirs without leaving the hotel.

The Bad

• The lobby was mobbed most the time, so there is very little space to sit and/or gather (unless you are part of a tour group meeting in the lobby, which is almost constant). This also made for crowded and delayed elevators.

• The pool was disappointing. If you needed to use the bathroom, you had to go back inside and down a hall. If you wanted food, you had to go back inside and find a hotel courtesy phone to order your food and/or cocktail. There was a small table set up where guests could buy chips, soft drinks and beer. This was beforeCovid, so there was no excuse for guests having to jump through so many hoops at a high-end Sheraton property. Another downside to the pool is that to access the water there are no entry steps. Instead, you must use ladders.

• The overpriced zoo-y buffet was a challenge. Hotel guests can choose from two onsite restaurants located on the top floor. One is located in a small area just off the elevators with a limited selection of expensive Italian food (reservations required), and the other is an all-you-can-eat buffet. By the time you wait through all the lines and return to your table, your hot food will be cold. Also, whichever option you choose, make sure to build in 15-20 minutes to get an elevator to the top floor.

Note: We stayed at the hotel in August 2019. The hotel’s current website (as of April 2022) boasts of a newly completed $50-million renovation, including the addition of an indoor pool, and now brands itself as a “luxury” hotel. The prices for the deluxe falls view room, like the one we stayed in, ranges from 350-450 Canadian dollars (which is a range of $275 to $354 in US dollars, and very reasonable for a deluxe room with a view).