Laura’s Niagara Falls Adventure

Day 1 – Toronto to Niagara Falls 

Getting to Niagara Falls from Toronto was simple. Our coach transfer from Toronto airport was booked through My Canada Trips and took us straight to our hotel overlooking the Falls, arriving in the late afternoon. We wasted no time heading out, and by the end of the evening we had flown over Niagara, gone behind the Falls and watched fireworks from our balcony. 

Sheraton Fallview 

If you’re wondering where to stay in Niagara Falls, I can’t recommend our base highly enough. Our home for two nights was a Fallsview room at the Sheraton Fallsview, a 4-star hotel right in the heart of Niagara Falls, looking across to both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. We knew we would have a clear view of the Falls, but what surprised me, and what I loved, was opening our window and being able to hear them too. The Sheraton Fallsview is one of the hotels we regularly book for our clients, and having stayed here myself, I can tell you exactly which rooms to ask for. 

The hotel ticks every box for solo travellers, couples and families alike. My daughter and I loved our buffet breakfasts, and watching the Falls while we ate was the cherry on top. Edna made the best fresh omelettes and was so friendly and engaging with my daughter, Georgia, that she became one of our favourite parts of the morning. There’s also a Starbucks just off the lobby for a coffee and pastry fix, the Fallsview Grande Buffet for a proper feast, and Sweet Jesus ice cream, where we spent forever trying to decide on our toppings. Fallsview Indoor Waterpark keeps the kids happy and Casino Niagara is there for the grown-ups, both reached by an indoor walkway. Whatever you do, don’t miss the rooftop pool: it’s perfect for unwinding after a busy day at the attractions, so grab a drink from the poolside bar and watch the fireworks light up the sky. 

Why I’d happily stay at the Sheraton Fallsview again: 

• Ask for a Fallsview room. Seeing the Falls from your own room, and hearing them when you open the window, is a big part of the magic. 
• The location is hard to beat, with Clifton Hill on the doorstep and the Falls a short walk away. 
• Fallsview Indoor Waterpark and Casino Niagara are connected to the hotel by an indoor walkway, so there’s something for every age without stepping outside. 
• The rooftop pool and poolside bar make a lovely spot to watch the fireworks on summer evenings. 

 

Table Rock Centre and Niagara Takes Flight 

Nothing quite prepares you for your first proper look at the Falls. We walked from the hotel along the river towards the Horseshoe Falls, with the mist rising ahead of us, and on to Table Rock Centre, which sits right at the brink of the Falls. This is home to Niagara Takes Flight, and it turned out to be one of our favourite experiences of the whole trip. It is not to be missed. 

Niagara Takes Flight is Ontario’s first flying theatre. You sit in suspended seats in front of a vast domed screen, and drone footage makes you feel as though you are swooping over the Falls, along the Niagara Gorge and across the wider region through all four seasons. Wind, mist and even scent are added as you fly, so it feels far more like a ride than a film. Seeing the Falls from the air first gave us a real sense of their scale before we got up close. 

What I loved about Niagara Takes Flight: 

• A 180-degree domed screen that wraps around you, so the Falls fill your whole field of view. 
• Sensory effects, including wind, mist and scent, that add to the feeling of flying. 
• A pre-show that tells the story of the Niagara region, narrated by film director James Cameron. 
• Its location at Table Rock Centre, which makes it easy to pair with Journey Behind the Falls in one visit. 

 

Journey Behind the Falls 

Journey Behind the Falls came next, also at Table Rock Centre, and the views were terrific. A lift takes you down through the rock to a network of tunnels, where portals open onto the back of the Horseshoe Falls and the water thunders past just in front of you. The tunnels lead to an observation deck near the base of the Falls, where you feel the power of the water as much as you hear it. The ponchos kept us dry, which was just as well. My daughter loved it, and as it turned out, there wasn’t a single attraction in Niagara that she didn’t enjoy. 

That night, we watched the fireworks over the Falls from our balcony, a magical start to our stay. Sitting there with my daughter, watching the sky light up above all that rushing water, is a memory I’ll hold on to. Through the summer and into early autumn, fireworks light up the sky above the Falls every night, weather permitting, and the Falls themselves are illuminated in colour every evening from dusk. If your room faces the Falls, you have a front-row seat without leaving the hotel. 

My tips for Journey Behind the Falls: 

• Ponchos are provided, and you will be glad of yours on the observation deck. 
• The visit is self-guided, so you can spend as long as you like at each viewpoint. 
• It is open all year, although the lower observation deck usually closes in winter because of ice. 

 

Day 2 – Niagara Falls 

Our second day took in some of the best-known Niagara Falls attractions, starting on the water at the foot of the Falls and carrying on along the Niagara Gorge by WEGO bus. After an afternoon of shopping, we finished with a lively evening on Clifton Hill. 

Niagara City Cruises 

The next morning, we took the Niagara City Cruises boat right up to the Falls, and it was a true bucket-list moment. I’ll be honest: with places this iconic, I often find it’s all talk, and after hearing so much about them they don’t quite live up to expectations. Not this one. As the boat pushed into the mist at the base of the Horseshoe Falls, I was blown away, and my daughter turned to me and said, “Wow, it’s incredible, I love it.” She refused to keep her poncho hood up, got absolutely soaked and loved every second of it. I genuinely think everyone should experience this at least once. 

Niagara City Cruises’ Voyage to the Falls is the classic Niagara Falls boat tour. It leaves from the lower landing in the Niagara Gorge, at the foot of Clifton Hill, and sails past the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls before heading into the swirling spray of the Horseshoe Falls, where the roar is all around you. My best piece of advice is to go first thing in the morning, before the coach crowds arrive. We walked straight on. 

What I’d want you to know before your Niagara City Cruises boat tour: 

• The boats run seasonally, from spring to late autumn, depending on ice and weather conditions. 
• Queues to reach the lower landing and board can build in summer, so an early start makes a real difference. 
• Ponchos are handed out before you board. You will get wet, especially if, like my daughter, you won’t keep your hood up, so keep cameras and phones protected. 
• You can walk down to the boarding area or take the funicular from the bottom of Clifton Hill. 

 

Whirlpool Aero Car and White Water Walk 

From there, we hopped on the WEGO bus to the Whirlpool Aero Car, where gliding above the rapids in a cable car felt surreal. Far below us, the river makes an abrupt turn and swirls back on itself to form the Niagara Whirlpool, its teal-coloured water churning in a way that is mesmerising to watch. 

Afterwards, we strolled the White Water Walk, a little further upstream. A lift takes you down to a boardwalk at the water’s edge, right beside some of the most powerful rapids in North America. Having just floated high above the river in the Aero Car, it was thrilling to then stand at water level and feel its sheer force so close. 

A few things make the Whirlpool Aero Car stand out: 

• Although it starts and ends on the Canadian shore, the route briefly passes over US waters. 
• The ride is a round trip of around 10 minutes, and you stay on board throughout. 
• The WEGO bus stops right outside, so you can explore Niagara Falls without a car, hopping between the attractions along the gorge. 

 

Outlet Collection at Niagara and Clifton Hill 

And yes, of course we went shopping! After a couple of hours of retail therapy at the Outlet Collection at Niagara, we headed back for dinner. The outlet centre is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, about 22 kilometres from the Falls, and is one of Canada’s largest open-air outlet malls, with more than 100 stores. It’s a fun way to spend a relaxed afternoon after a morning of big sights. 

We finished with a lively evening on Clifton Hill, with its arcades, haunted house tours, the Niagara SkyWheel and plenty of tourist shops. It’s bright, bustling and full of fun, a complete contrast to the natural spectacle of the Falls at the bottom of the hill. Like everything else in Niagara, my daughter loved it, and it was a great way to round off the trip. 

Highlights of Clifton Hill include: 

• The Niagara SkyWheel, which gives you views over the Falls from above. 
• Arcades and haunted house attractions that keep families entertained. 
• Plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops for an evening stroll. 
• Its location, just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Sheraton Fallsview. 

 

Final Thoughts: Who Will Love This Niagara Falls Itinerary? 

Two days in Niagara Falls gave my daughter and me some truly unforgettable moments together, from the air, from behind the water and from the deck of a boat. What surprised me most was how much my daughter loved every attraction; there wasn’t anything at Niagara she didn’t enjoy, which makes it one of the easiest family short breaks I can recommend. If you’re wondering whether two days is enough, my answer is yes, as long as you start early and stay somewhere close to the Falls. 

Who I think will love this trip: 

• Families with young children: my daughter was nine, and from the boat into the mist to the waterpark and Clifton Hill, there are plenty of things to do in Niagara Falls with kids. 
• Couples: this itinerary works just as well for two, with a Fallsview room, fireworks from the balcony and a drink on the rooftop. 
• Solo travellers who want a walkable, easy base where the main attractions are close together. 
• First-time visitors to Canada who want to tick off a true bucket-list sight alongside a city stay. 

 

Everything my daughter and I experienced on this trip can be booked through Stewart Travel, and every Niagara Falls holiday we create is tailor-made, so we can build in a Fallsview room and the attractions you most want to see, then pair the Falls with Toronto or beyond. To plan a trip like ours, explore our Niagara Falls holidays or combine the Falls with two great cities on our Toronto, Niagara Falls and New York Getaway.