The Bottom Line
Anticipate large crowds, but a great day trip from Toronto. If time permits, visit the quaint wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake on the way.
Overview
Recommended duration: Day trip from Toronto
The Falls
Located between the border of US and Canada, Niagara Falls actually consists of THREE waterfalls - Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and the Bridal Viel Falls. If you're visiting from the Canadian side, you'll be able to see the larger Horseshoe Falls and the smaller American Falls. I have actually never seen the Birdal Viel Falls, maybe I should make a trip and see it from the US side next time. That being said, the thought of waiting in line at the border is a definite deterrent.
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| American Falls |
I love the Falls itself, if you get close to the falls, close your eyes and listen carefully, you'll feel like you're in the scene of Pocahontas when she is canoeing and singing "just around the riverbend" - yes, I'm a Disney fan so I find relations with Disney characters and scenes whenever I can. But recently I have found my experience to be tainted by the over exploitation of the tourism industry. The area is flooded with tourists, and that has somewhat taken away the authenticity of the falls. I suppose you can see it as a juxtaposition or a statement regarding man vs nature, but if I had a choice, I wouldn't have built all these hotels and casinos and man-made structures around the falls.
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| View from Fallsview Casino in the winter |
There is really no "bad" time to visit the falls, you get a different experience whether it's in the summer or during winter. In the summer, you get the opportunity to walk around in the sun, but in the winter, if it's cold enough, you get to see icicles on the falls, which is gorgeous, and on certain evenings the falls are lighted in different colours, and it's beautiful in its own way.
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| The Falls is beautiful in the winter, with icicles surrounding the falls area |
Where to Park
We have always parked at the Casino parking in Fallsview Casino. The casino hotel has a large 10 storey parking complex. Price varies between $5 - $20+ for the day (depending on if there are events occurring on the day of your visit), but I have always found it to be better than parking near the falls, where traffic is congested and parking is limited. Park at the casino, then walk your way down to the Falls (about a 30 mins - 45 mins walk). It is a bit of an incline, and a bit of a workout, so take your time. If you have seniors or infants in your group, ignore this advice and pay the extra cost to park closer to the Falls.
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| Fallsview Casino |
If you're extra lazy, and getting up and close to the Falls isn't on your priority list, you can also see the Falls from the balcony of the Casino, your view will be obstructed partially by trees, so if you've never been to Niagara Falls, I'd say take the trouble and go all the down to the Falls walkway. You can see the walkway from the casino, look closely at the picture below and you'll see the crowds.
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| View from Fallsview Casino in the winter |
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Nice Blog ..Thanks for sharing
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