Things to do in Niagara Falls
Make sure you cross the border into Canada to see the best view of both falls.
Two falls? I thought there was only one
It’s a day to take your passport if you are approaching Niagara from the USA. A quick hop across the border and then you can stand literally three feet away from one of the most powerful torrents of water there is.
The Horseshoe Falls – The Main Event
The Journey behind the falls
Without doubt, if you are on a time limit, there are two attractions to head for.
The Maid of the Mist and the Journey Behind the Falls.
As you can see from the picture, the Journey Behind the Falls is where you get up close and personal with the “Horseshoe Falls” themselves. You can see the plumes of spray rising like spectral images from all those who have contributed to the history of this iconic natural monument. It is hard to stand so close and not be swept over the edge in your imagination. The noise and volume of the beautiful aqua water seems so innocent and is yet so deadly. The journey itself takes you down an elevator (around 150ft) to a boardwalk and observation deck. The attraction provides ponchos (free in spring and summer) as without them you will get very wet!
The best times to see the falls are first thing in the morning and last thing at night (before sunset) as the rest of the day (even lunchtime) it is very busy with tourists all looking to take the best picture.
There are four places to take the best pictures of the falls.
1) Journey Behind the Falls attraction
2) A few hundred feet from a Journey Behind the falls heading toward the bridge that spans the Niagara river. This will get you the rainbow shot of the falls on a sunny day.
3) Any of the hotel restaurants (or rooms) overlooking the falls or the Skylon Tower
4) From the Maid of the Mist boat trip
The Maid of the Mist
is an absolute must boat trip when you visit Niagara. You are provided with ponchos to protect you from the spray (and you will need them) as you launch from a pontoon on the Canadian side. The boat takes you across the river (back into the US) to see the smaller (but still impressive) American Falls before the main course: the Horseshoe Falls.
As the boat inches closer and closer to the tons of water cascading over the edge, you can see some of the people looking over the edge from above. In the boat there will be people taking videos of the event.
Travels over Tribulations Top Tip
Be Warned: If you use anything but a waterproof camera (like a GoPro) it is very likely to get wet. I would not use a smartphone or iPad as they are likely to get damaged. The water may look far away but the boat continues to edge as close as it can with the residue of the crashing waterfall finding it’s way into the boat and onto your person.
Niagara at Night – The American Falls
During the evening, light beams from the Canadian side illuminate the falls and this is where the American Falls have their moment. Take a walk just below the Niagara Parkway to one of the many view points, set your camera to the correct setting and attempt to capture the curtains of water plummeting over the edge.
