Niagra Falls is more than just another tourist trap, and definitely more than just another waterfall. The natural and enormous ‘strength’ of Niagra Falls can blow you away. No, for real, if you choose an experience like the boat, the power of the falls is revealed in the wind! Beyond the falls there are cute shops and fun roadside attractions. Below are a few budget-friendly activities that made this part of our vacation a blast.
Niagra Falls from the Promenade
Walk the promenade, to hear the roaring waters and catch views of Niagra Falls, both the American side and the Canadian side.
During most of this walk, you will most likely not need any ‘rain’ gear. Only toward the very end of the path was their drops from the falls and a wet sidewalk.
From here you can also catch a glimpse of the boats going between the falls giving their close-up tours.
I recommend making sure you see the Falls at all times of day if possible. Sunrise and sunset are beautiful. The falls are lit up at night and have a spectacular light show. Of course, you can see their full power during the day!
Traveler Notes
This area is tourist-friendly. Just a small hop away from the border most places, including parking accepted both Canadian and American currency. We also had no issues using our travel card, an American Express in this area. I do, however, always suggest having Canadian Money just for in-case purposes!
Although this area, had a lot of walkability, it was a great stop for a road trip, and without a vehicle, we may have missed some of the off-the-road attractions. With that said, I enjoyed how easy it was for us to walk downtown and to the Falls itself from our hotel, The Double Tree. As parking did seem to get a bit busy in the area, and throughout our Canadian experience we noticed most parking isn’t free and comes with a bit of a cost. Most spots seemed to be $2.50 CAD per hour.
Niagra City Cruise
Knowing that we wanted to see the falls up close and personal, we ended up on a boat, with the Niagra City Cruises. For about $37 CAD we took one of their last tours of the night, the firework tour.
The ‘included in the cost’ souvenir and protector rain poncho did its thing, as we felt the mist of the falls on the tour, especially as the boat neared the American Falls. We were lucky to get the second row of spots, a standing-room-only boat, as the gust of winds was extremely strong! You could hear it and the people in the front row were battling their poncho hats against the wind.
At the end of the tour, we stayed on the ship, which was close to the docking zone at that point for the fireworks. Don’t get me wrong, the fireworks were cool, but the boat didn’t seem to have a great view of them.
Overall, I would recommend the boat tour, I just wouldn’t feel the need to get the fireworks tour, as it felt as if it didn’t give us an extra bonus or value.
If you are there on a fireworks night, a top view of the show from the promenade is probably the place to be.
A Hotel Room With a View
Niagra Falls has been on our travel list for a while now, so we decided to go all in and splurge on a nice hotel. We even decided to upgrade to a room with a view of the falls and a fancy bathroom.
Ultimately, we lucked out and ended up on the 19th floor which gave us a great view of the American Falls. When we woke up we were able to see the sunrise from the kingsize bed.
The bathroom not only had a spacious walk-in shower but the upgrade gave us a 2-person tub!
From the hotel, we were also within walking distance from the falls and downtown giving us the opportunity to keep our vehicle parked.
How-to-Splurge
Past the amazing amenities which were worth it, we did have a few tricks up our sleeves to make this splurge a bit more affordable. First off, we booked a Sunday night which happened to be one of their cheaper stays. We were lucky enough to have flexible travel plans and stayed an extra night in the Toronto area so we could avoid the top-tier night, on Saturday!
Throughout this vacation, we also tried out the Hilton Credit Card/membership. This meant we were able to get points on this stay. As part of our membership tier, we also were given dining dollars for breakfast at their in-hotel restaurant. Which ‘saved’ us some money on food purchases. As a budget traveler, I generally like staying at hotels with a free or discounted breakfast!
Lastly, we really liked how upfront this hotel was with all its costs. We were able to find out how much parking was on the website and really get a feel for what the total cost of the stay would be.
Plus, at check-in, they took the time to go over our predicted receipt. And since it’s a Double Tree, we got our delicious warm welcome cookie!
Tourist Row
Niagra Falls is, yes indeed a tourist trap. But in the best way possible! The loud competing places added energy to the street!
It honestly reminded me of Los Vegas only a bit more kid friendly. There was King Kong, Frankenstein, and pirates on top of or sneaking out of the buildings. The loudspeaker beckoned you to come in adding noise to an already bustling area.
It was quite lively with crowded sidewalks on a Sunday evening! Plus, there were plenty of souvenir shops with fun unique gifts. This road also happens to lead you right down to the falls!
Niagra-ON-The-Lake
With sweet traditional downtown vibes, and only a 30-minute drive from the falls, Niagra-On-The-Lake featured unique shops and dining. The whole area was nicely manicured with beautiful flower gardens and arrangements.
It’s always the holidays at Just Christmas. A sweet shop with lots of ornaments to choose from and delightful decor.
Cool as a Moose offered wearable souvenirs along with the coolest patch!
Lastly, Cow’s featured delicious ice cream like the Carmel Moocchiato, fun gifts, and souvenirs.
Road Stops in the Area
- Niagra Parks/Queenston: A quick photo area with a garden Niagra Parks clock.
- Niagra Falls (Top portion) side of the road pull-offs
- Souvenir shop and quirky photo opportunities.
