Eight years after moving to Southeast Michigan, I finally made the four-hour drive to Niagara Falls, Ontario last June. During our five days there, my brother and I saw the falls from virtually every vantage point available on the Canadian side.
We started off on our first morning there by walking down Clifton Hill to the overlook facing the American side of Niagara Falls.
Our next view was from the prow of a Niagara City Cruises tour boat, which brought us up to the base of Horseshoe Falls—though there was actually a limit to how much I could see there, as the spray from the falls was so intense I found it difficult to keep my eyes open. The boat provides plastic ponchos, but they only keep you from getting completely drenched; anyone on the deck of the boat is going to get at least somewhat wet.
We bought Niagara Falls “Wonder Passes,” which gave us entry to all the main attractions run by Niagara Parks. After the boat tour, our next stop was Journey Behind the Falls to get an up-close view of all that water cascading over Horseshoe Falls.
That evening, my brother and I went to the Power Station museum and waited for darkness to fall. We walked down a 2,200-foot tunnel and emerged onto a viewing platform next to the falls, which were illuminated for the evening light show.
As it grew fully dark, we left the Power Station and walked across the street to Table Rock Centre, where we found benches next to the top of Horseshoe Falls and watched the evening’s fireworks show.
Clifton Hill is filled with restaurants, wax museums, and amusement-park attractions—like a giant Ferris Wheel that shows off the falls at a distance.
On our final day, my brother and I agreed that the Niagara City Cruises tour had been so much fun that we wanted to do it again.
To wrap up our trip with one last perspective on the falls, we took the elevator to the top of Skylon Tower and saw the entire Niagara Falls region spread out beneath us and extending into the distance.
So, if we saw Niagara Falls from “almost” every angle, what are we missing? There were two things I refused to do—zipline to the falls and walk across the Rainbow Bridge—because I can mostly get over my fear of heights, but not entirely.
Maybe next time.
Featured photo: Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara region, seen from the Skylon Tower observation deck, June 20, 2024.
Maura Elizabeth Cunningham 
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