Highlights of our weekend trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario with Niagara Parks and Hornblower Cruises.

Sometimes you just need to get out of town, even if it’s only for a weekend. Last week was most definitely one of those times. So along with Kate, I packed up my bags and headed to the Great White North (aka Canada) to experience some nature and spend some time exploring Niagara Falls. After thoroughly reading a plethora of online discussion boards and reviews, I decided that the Canada side was definitely the best one to visit. Most everyone agreed that both the views and the activities at Niagara Parks were far more worthwhile than the New York side.

The drive from DC to Ontario was a surprisingly short seven hours, and as we drove I was shocked to see the colors changing and the temperature dropping. I felt like we were driving into fall – the most beautiful colors and trees changing and I could finally break out my fuzzy pullover.

Niagara Falls was truly one of the most stunning and rewarding trips we could have chosen for our weekend and I was honestly amazed by the amount of activities at Niagara Parks and hidden gems that Niagara Falls had to offer. Here are a few of our favorite things that we did while there:

1. Hornblower Cruises

When we arrived in Niagara Falls, we started out our morning by climbing aboard a Hornblower Niagara Cruise and venturing right into the heart of Niagara Falls. This is a MUST do if you visit – truly one of the most incredible experiences we have ever done on any of our trips.

Although Hornblower has an interior glass area where you can stand to stay dry, we both stood out on the deck the entire time to get the best views. Did we get soaked? Yes. Was it completely worth it? Yes.

We did the “Voyage to the Falls” tour, but they also have an evening cruised called the “Falls Illumination Cruise” that would be stunning as well.

I would highly recommend a Hornblower Cruise as essential component of your Niagara adventure. Not only does it allow you to fully experience the size and power of the falls, but it also provided some of the best views as well as a gorgeous rainbow on our way back to the dock.

2. White Water Walk

To get some great photos and witness the powerful Class 6 white-water rapids of the Niagara River, definitely be sure to stop by Niagara Park’s White Water Walk. An elevator will take you down into the gorge to a beautiful boardwalk that runs right along the water’s edge to get an up-close view.

We loved all of the viewing areas and photo ops that were available at this attraction – the water is a stunning blue that we could not get enough of!

3. Journey Behind the Falls

If you want to actually stand in the heart of Niagara, you have to try out the Journey Behind the Falls with Niagara Parks. An elevator will take you down 125 feet where you can walk through 130-year-old tunnels in the bedrock.

I didn’t realize that one-fifth of the world’s fresh water actually flows through Niagara, but you can certainly feel it as you’re walking through the tunnels and you hear the roar of the water all around you.

We ended up getting very wet, but again SO worth it for the breathtaking view as the water crashes over the edge.

4. Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory

The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory was such a perfect little respite from all of our wet adventures! This beautiful space is located right in Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and is truly a hidden paradise.

Over 45 different species and 2,000 butterflies fill the stunning glass-enclosed conservatory. We loved getting to walk through all of the paths, see the beautiful flowers and admire the butterflies.

5. Whirlpool Aero Car

This was another one of my absolute favorite things that we did at Niagara Parks. A little piece of history – this aero car has been going across the Niagara Gorge since 1916 and is still going! In fact, when riding it, you actually cross over the Canadian and American borders. We got a perfect view of the spectacular Niagara Gorge and the Niagara Whirpool.

 

I never even knew that there was a whirlpool, but it turns out that the gorge turns abruptly at the end of the rapids, which causes this fascinating natural phenomenon.

6. Elements on the Falls

For a bite to eat, I would definitely recommend stopping into Elements on the Falls located right in Niagara Parks. This locally-sourced restaurant offers a stunning backdrop of the falls as you taste all of their internationally inspired bites. We sat right next to a floor to ceiling window that gave us the most beautiful scenery as we ate.

But beyond the view, the food was absolutely delicious and made with fresh Ontario ingredients. We started off with the chicken bruschetta wontons, a crispy-filled wonton pastry with the perfect complement of a peach apricot chutney.

For my main entrée I tried the Vegetable Stirfry, a medley of vegetables and udon noodles with a soya ginger glaze. Kate tried out the chicken parmesan which she said was incredible as well.

And of course, we saved the best for last with a Niagara Spy Apple Barge. This warm, cinnamon-scented apple desert was topped with freshly churned French vanilla ice cream and chantilly cream.

7. Niagara-On-The-Lake

On the recommendation of the locals, we made the short drive up to Niagara-On-The-Lake – a beautiful little town with a stunning main street and an abundance of restaurants, shops and ice cream parlors.

We spent an entire afternoon wandering around the shops and getting our fill of gelato before heading out to the waterfront to enjoy the view.

On the way back, we drove past so many BEAUTIFUL wineries. This is something I definitely wish we had left time for in our schedule, because they were simply stunning. Apparently Niagara is one of only TWO places in the world (the other being Germany) that creates a Ice Wine, a sweet wine created from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. Definitely something we will add to our agenda next time we go.

There were also some adorable markets and stands alongside the road. We stopped at a place called Walkers Country Market on our way back to the falls and bought a blueberry pie.

Although it was a quick weekend, I still felt as though we had plenty of time to experience the beauty and power of Niagara Falls. Should you ever get the opportunity to venture up north, I would highly recommend Niagara Falls and all of the breathtaking experiences that Niagara Parks has to offer. Until next time!