Niagara Falls: A Wonder Worth Revisiting
I first visited Niagara Falls over two decades ago and came away with memories of a magnificent waterfall surrounded by an industry of tat and tackiness that had grown up around it. So when I went back for Rendezvous Canada — the Canadian tourism trade show, which rotates locations and is due back here in 2028 — my expectations weren’t high.
I needn’t have worried. Ensconced in the Marriott Fallsview Hotel with its sweeping views over the Horseshoe Falls, my defences eroded fast. Waking to a sunrise over the falls is genuinely ethereal, and I wondered whether five days would be enough to get bored of the view. It wasn’t. If anything, the power and the organic chaos of the water grew more hypnotic by the day.
With a free day before the trade show started, my colleague and I went exploring on foot. The city itself has properly transformed into a destination worth more than the fleeting stopover I’d been guilty of recommending to clients in the past. The casino industry has helped turn the ugly duckling into — let’s not get carried away — a genuinely attractive duck.
One spot that won’t make most guidebooks: Pepper Palace, a hot sauce specialist with a sample bar that two spice-loving amigos found genuinely difficult to leave. We worked our way up through the range and eventually signed a disclaimer for a taste of the Flashbang Hot Sauce. It was hot. We survived, and walked out about $60 lighter. It’s still trading at Fallsview Casino Resort if you fancy testing your own resolve.
Most of the area around the falls is parkland, easily covered on foot, with plenty of vantage points for photos of the Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and the smaller Bridal Veil Falls. Be prepared to dodge the odd selfie stick for the best shots.
My Top Five Things to Do
1. Niagara City Cruises — Voyage to the Falls
Formerly Hornblower, now Niagara City Cruises, this is still the headline attraction for a reason. The boat takes you right up to the base of the Horseshoe Falls. You will get wet. You will get cold. You will feel the genuine force of the thing from water level, and it’s worth every soggy minute.
2. Journey Behind the Falls
Once you’ve dried off, head to the tunnels behind the Horseshoe Falls. You emerge at observation decks looking out through the curtain of water from a completely different angle — properly eye-opening, and a good way to grasp the sheer scale of what you’re dealing with.
3. Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens
A calmer counterpoint to the falls themselves. Ninety-nine acres of manicured pathways and varied planting, a world away from the tourist crush, and a decent chance of spotting some local wildlife along the way.
4. Wine Tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake
A short drive delivers you to one of Ontario’s prettiest towns and its wine country. Book a tour or wander independently — ice wine is the local speciality worth seeking out, alongside some increasingly serious reds. Several wineries pair tastings with proper restaurant food, which makes for a good half-day out.
5. Night Illumination of the Falls
Every evening the falls are lit in shifting colour — best viewed from Table Rock Welcome Centre or the Skylon Tower. It’s a romantic way to close out a day, and worth having the camera ready for.
Bonus: Helicopter Ride
For a genuinely different perspective, a helicopter flight over the falls gives you the full aerial picture — the rainbow arc through the mist, the scale of the gorge, the lot. Flights run around 15–20 minutes with a guide pointing out the highlights as you go.
There’s plenty more to fill a family itinerary too — indoor water parks, waxworks, museums, casinos and theatres — but the wineries and the genuinely lovely town of Niagara-on-the-Lake remain, for me, the best use of any extra time.
For more information: niagarafallstourism.com
