Niagara Falls, often known as the “8th Wonder of the World,” tops many people’s bucket lists. Consisting of three separate waterfalls (Horseshoe, American, and Bridal Veil), Niagara Falls stretches across the US and Canadian border. 

Although I had seen the falls as a child, I wanted to return as an adult. Although not the tallest set of waterfalls in North America (that designation belongs to Yosemite Falls), Niagara Falls is the largest by volume, pushing almost 6 million cubic feet of water over the top every minute.

Canadian vs. US Side

Is Niagara Falls in the United States of Canada? It’s both! However, most people stay on the Canadian side since the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario (population 90,000) boasts numerous brand-name hotels. Ranging from 20 to 52 stories, these hotels offer many rooms with your own personal view of the falls.

With two casinos, the Skylon Tower (with an observation deck and revolving restaurant), Niagara Ferris Wheel, Marine Land, a Midway, and an indoor water park, the city often resembles a mini-Las Vegas – especially when lit up at night. The United States side seems less crowded but offers fewer accommodations.

As far as the falls go, both the American and the adjacent Bridal Veil waterfalls lie within the United States. The largest, Horseshoe Falls, resides mostly in Canada and is sometimes called Canadian Falls. Traveling between the two countries is easy via the Rainbow Bridge with a separate pedestrian walkway. Visitors do need to bring a valid passport and wait times may increase during peak times.

Niagara Falls Itinerary

Similar to the Grand Canyon, you don’t need that many days to explore Niagara Falls. One full day and evening is plenty.

Niagara Falls at Night

Even if you fly into the area late in the day, you can still catch breathtaking views of the falls. DH (Dear Hubby) and I flew into Buffalo, NY around 6pm. After settling into our hotel and eating dinner at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, we decided to drive thirty minutes south to see Niagara Falls.

The falls illuminate at night and have been since 1925. During the summertime, visitors can also catch a nightly fireworks display. Unfortunately, we missed the fireworks but arrived to glimpse the falls on the Canadian side.

Besides the large promenade along the cliffs, Skylon Tower also provides excellent views. Built in 1964, the 520-foot tower includes a revolving restaurant at the top, indoor and outdoor observation decks, and an arcade area. We found reasonably-priced parking at Skylon Tower but didn’t ride to the top.

Instead, we walked along the promenade area with lots of other sightseers. Thanks to a $4 million upgrade in 2016, both the American and Horseshoe Falls display a wide range of colors. The sound of the falls plunging into the Niagara River gave us an appreciation of its power. The combined falls provide almost 5 kilowatts of electricity per day, which is enough to power close to 4 million homes!

Niagara Falls during the Day

By far, the top two daytime experiences include Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds. Both spots play a prominent backdrop for the 1953 film noir, Niagara, starring Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton.

Maid of the Mist

Since we’d seen the falls from the Canadian side the previous evening, we wanted to experience Niagara Falls on the US side on this day. We parked at Niagara Falls State Park (the country’s first state park) for $10. With three parking lots, places abound and it’s the closest parking for Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds.

Maid of the Mist doesn’t offer reserved tickets so arrive early. Because boats run every 15 minutes and hold over 200 passengers, the line moves fairly quickly. After a 30-minute wait, we purchased our tickets, descended 200 feet in an elevator, received a blue poncho, and stepped on the upper deck of the boat. Maid of the Mist has operated since 1846 and runs like a well-oiled machine.

The fully electric boats get right up to the base of all three falls so it doesn’t matter if you start on the US or Canadian side. The mist from the falls felt so good on the hot day, and at times, we could barely see through it. After the boat tour, our tickets included an observation deck at Prospect Point.

Cave of the Winds

We opted not to do Cave of the Winds since we wanted to eat lunch and enjoy Niagara-on-the-Lake. However, we could see tourists clad in yellow raincoats on the staircase at the base of Bridal Veil Falls. The experience allows tourists to get within 20 feet of the powerful falls.

Journey of the Falls, on the Canadian side, offers a similar experience but guests walk inside tunnels near the base of Horseshoe Falls. Both walking tours descend an elevator, offer complimentary rain ponchos and sandals, and last under 90 minutes.

Observation Deck and Goat Island

Before we left Niagara Falls State Park, we walked over the pedestrian bridge to Goat Island (where Cave of the Winds departs). The small island offers plenty of paved walking trails and viewpoints, including Terrapin Point.

From Goat Island, we walked to Luna Island which separates the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. By this point, hunger settled in and we decided to get lunch. The wait at Top of the Falls Restaurant, also on Goat Island, was well over an hour so we headed back to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In Conclusion

Niagara Falls is worth a visit no matter the time of year. Depending on your preferences, you could spend as little as a few hours or a few days here. For more information, visit Niagara Falls Tourism Canada here or Niagara Falls State Park here.