For so many of us, Niagara Falls is an iconic Bucket List visit. With hopes of Mother Nature’s exquisite power, it is just too much to resist. However, there’s a big drawback to Niagara; with its infamy has come the building of hotels and amusement parks that are not in keeping with the waterfall’s beauty. In this blog we address the elephant in the room and explore how to appreciate Niagara Falls without the its commercial horror.

Introduction to Niagara Falls

This iconic destination almost needs no introduction, although the basis of this post is to convince you, that despite the commercial horror of the ‘resort’, it is worth the visit. So let’s start with a bit of a preamble to the beauty of the Falls and why it is such an allure to so many, us included.

With glacial activity dating back to the end of the last Ice Age, the melting ice from the Wisconsin Glacier carved lakes and released voluminous amounts of water that began their journey in creating Niagara Falls and its downstream gorge. Thanks to that ice evolution we have the formation of Lake Erie to the north and Lake Ontario to the south with the Niagara River linking the two with drama and grace. The waterfalls themselves are constantly changing art forms, which if you go back to the 1600s looked very different to what we see today. Erosion from thousands of years of plummeting waters, has sculpted the falls, retreating backwards to its current shape. It is estimated that the Falls are eroding at a rate of 12 inches per year and at that rate, in 50,000 years, Niagara will cease to exist. So you better come soon!

Today the Horseshoe Falls is 187ft tall and 2,592ft wide, making it the largest waterfall in North America. At its peak, the water flow over the Niagara escarpment is measured at 225,000 cu ft per second. This flow is halved at night and during the winter season, controlled by the Hydroelectric Station up stream.

The natural history is fabulous by itself, although add to this the human history and you have an interesting tale emerging. Thousands of years ago Indigenous folk inhabited these shores and they had such strong beliefs and spiritual values about the water. From the womb to its nourishment and power, water for the locals was revered and honoured. A dichotomy when you see how commercialism has raged as furiously as the waterfall itself. There seems little of that reverence for the water left in tact today.

With all these fabulous, natural characteristics that the Falls present so eloquently, it increases my frustration about how the region has evolved. Even checking out one of the local websites here you have to hunt for any information about the roots behind the Falls. The website is a mass of attractions, hotels and entertainment. This is so indicative of what has happened to the waterfalls’ commercial evolution.

The Falls in all their glory

Let’s keep our focus honed in on the reason we come to Niagara. The magnificent cascades on both the American and Canadian side.

There is no doubting that when you arrive into Niagara Falls, whether by bus, taxi or bicycle, the visual impact of the plume of spray rising to the skies, will capture your attention. And then it is the sound. The thunderous orchestra vibrates right through your heart, giving you a whole body experience. And when you stand at the top edge of the Falls, there’s a bizarre sensation that coursed through my mind… a compelling urge to float over the escarpment and be at one with the water. I wonder if you would survive. Of course I knew I never would jump, although there’s something so alluring to these ice-blue waters that you just feel the need to be in it, with it. It is an odd experience.

There are so many different ways to be part of the Falls and to witness them at different angles.

1. Walk along side them
   If you can bear the crowds to walk along the river leading up to the Horseshoe waterfall is an experience by itself. If you do this early morning then you get the added advantage of few people and then it becomes quite magical. The magic that we hope for from this bucket list destination.

2. Watch them before they cascade

Taking the walk past Table Rock, you get a chance to move past the crowds who generally won’t want to move any further than this point. And yet it rewards you with a stunning view of the river and its white waters that seem somehow oblivious to the massive fall ahead of them. Each droplet of water just focused on its journey to the next lake. There’s something so divinely serene and innocent about this section of the Niagara River. There is also a story about an abandoned scow (barge) that on 6 August 1918, came adrift from its lines and started heading for a fateful end. It was only thanks to the ingenuity of the two crew that they survived. Opening up their storage doors releasing their load and slowing their passage enough for them to steer it towards a rocky outcrop. And it was here that they remained for a number of hours, whilst a rescue attempt was made. By morning of the next day, the rescue was successful and the two men were brought to safety. Sadly attempting to salvage the barge was thought to be too dangerous and so it has laid to rest in the same place, ever since. The boat has decayed significantly over the century although you can just make it out in the middle of the river.

3. In it and behind it

The mystery of any waterfall from around the world is to get to learn about its true personality. And to get up close and personal. Feeling its full force from one angle or another is important to truly appreciate its power. For a 20 minute ride, you can board one of the regular boats that glide right up to the wall of cascading water, giving you a free shower. For $42.95 @September 2025 you get yourself a kagool to ward off your imminent soaking and the opportunity to squash in with a sardine crowd of other thrill seekers to reach the water spray. Your other option is to take the Journey Behind the Falls where you descend 125ft in a lift to reach an observation deck that allows you the privilege of seeing the Falls from the behind the scenes angle. From $29 for around 45 minutes you can take this alternative journey and even take your own poncho home with you.

4. A bird’s eye view

Getting a panoramic view of the falls might not leave quite the same kinaesthetic impression on you, although what getting above the falls does is enable you to appreciate the bigger picture. Seeing how the river diverts into either the Canadian Horseshoe Falls or the US Bridal Veil Falls, you suddenly get a sense of the enormity of the artistry of past centuries of erosion. It is quite impressive.

Of course there are a number of ways of achieving the aerial view. You can take one of the many helicopters that buzz across the top of the gorge for a princely sum of around $200 each for a 9 minute ride over 27km.

The second option, which is marginally cheaper is to go up the Skylon Tower. For just $23 pp you can take the 53 second lift up 775ft above the Falls. The panoramic view is breathtaking and the additional advantage is that you can leave behind the crowds that look like ants beneath you. I loved this perspective as the whole enormity of Niagara comes into your view.

Niagara – the commercial horror

So now I’ve hopefully sold you on the natural beauty of the Falls, I need to temper your enthusiasm with the darker side of Niagara. And it isn’t as if you can ignore it either. Niagara is no longer majoring on the magnificent waterfalls. It is about casinos, towering hotels, crazy golf, children’s entertainment, ticky tacky shops and fast food. As our Flixbus drove around the corner, capturing our first glimpse of the white curtain of water, the very next image was the ugly skyline. And as if that was not enough, the people lining the streets alongside the river looked like a collection of fans waiting for their favourite band to play. There was no room to move, no room to breathe and no room to be alone with your thoughts of Mother Nature.

For completeness we decided to have the whole Niagara experience. Despite the people and the grotesque Vegas style streets, we felt we needed to tread the boards if only to be able to report on it authentically. After all, perhaps we would have found a quiet little corner. Alas we did not.

The casino style sound drowned out anything that the waterfall could muster. The smell of candifloss overpowered that mossy smell that waterfalls carry. The pressure of trying to make your way through the throng of people more intense than the waterfall could ever muster. For us, it was horrible. For us, not what Niagara is all about. The beauty of the falls is somehow at risk from this diverting noise of modern society’s commercial trap. Unless like us, you seek out the truth that the region offers. The rawness, the power and the natural architecture that has been unaffected by man’s hand, to a large degree.

We hoped that the nighttime vision might give us a more peaceful spectacle with many day-trippers heading home. Again, alas not. These gigantic hotels are not there for show after all. It was the night that sealed for us the circus that Niagara has become. With strobes emanating from the towering casinos and red, white and blue lights turning the water into patriotic flags, we got the measure of this whole dancing bear routine. Everything that we loathe about the world we are evolving into to accommodate the tourist mob.

What is the future for Niagara Falls? That would be a hotly debated topic for us to discuss over a beer. I have a fancy that over-tourism is only going to get worse and not better. As long as those of us with responsible travel hats on take heed of the shift and don’t feed that greedy wolf, then perhaps there is some hope. Although I have a fancy that there are so few of us that this would not be a movement to gain any traction. I have listed below some tips for making the most of the Falls and not be dragged into the commercial horror, unless of course that is what you enjoy and appreciate. Which is ok too. Everything is ok.

Where there’s hope…

So if this last chapter has given you a sense or horror and totally put you off a visit altogether, then let us offer you a light at the end of the tunnel. Just 15 minutes down the road you will find a haven called Niagara on the Lake. This gorgeous and quintessential retreat gives you what you hoped the Falls might have offered you. Brightly coloured, timber-framed houses, manicured gardens and tree-lined avenues. This graceful and classical looking town creates the space for you to breathe. With horse and carriages trotting along the streets for tourists who want to tour the historic town, and local shops buzzing with crafty enticements, Niagara on the Lake is absolutely delightful. With history dating back to 1781 and in particular the War against Britain and France against the US, there is plenty to learn about the past. The fortresses give you a sense of the tousle for power across the Niagara River as it flows into Lake Ontario.

The stroll along the lake edge will, on a good day, give you a gorgeous view across to the iconic landscape of Toronto. It seems crazy to think that almost in touching distance, the city is a two hour drive away. With the golf course on your right, you flirt with the lapping edges of the waterfall fed lake until you reach one of the two fortresses in Niagara on the Lake. Mississauga is a box shaped fortress and part of the defensive battlement constructed during 1814-1816 to counter the fortress built by the Americans on the other side of the river. It is the only remaining one of its kind in Canada. The star-shaped garrison played a role in the two World Wars and by 1960 was designated as a Historic Site and Monument Board of Canada.

The second fortress is Fort George which is a larger site of a reconstructed landmark from the War of 1812. You can enter for a fee and doing a tour of this living history museum.

And if all this charm is just too much to bare, then there is of course a superb opportunity to grab yourself a Niagara Vineyard tour. The area is famed for its far reaching fields of vines, which has very unique viticulture conditions, Niagara is definitely a good place to sip the delicate flavours of their regional wines. We chose Peller Estates which was just a twenty minutes walk from the main hub of the town. With its archetypal long avenue down to the main estate house, there is a feeling of grandeur as our tired feet stumbled towards our tour refreshment. For the two of us it cost £25 each and that included a 45 minute tour, four different wines to taste and access to the very unique IceRoom where they create a special variety of desert wine using grapes that are frozen through their harsh winters. What a treat that was and gave us a completely different perspective of the Niagara environment.

Top Tips for Niagara Falls

So as we bring our blog to a close, we wanted to be sure that we make your experience here a positive one, rather than the shock of our bucket list disaster. This final section is a set of recommendations that will give you some food for thought as you plan your trip to Canada’s east coast.

1. Spring or Fall is a great time to come. If you can time it during the fall colours, then you will get an even more magnificent vista to your images. Definitely avoid summer if you can.
2. Avoid a weekend visit as local visitors and families will come here for the day or perhaps a weekend treat away. So you will be fighting with people night and day. Week days will be much quieter, as will out of the school holidays of course.
3. If you decide to stay in Niagara Falls themselves, then make sure you visit the Falls early morning, as the sun rises so that you can be alone with the true power of the cascade.
4. Do visit the Skylon Tower for some of the best aerial views, although ensure you go up in the afternoon when the sun is south to get the best lighting for photography.
5. If you can we would strongly recommend staying in Niagara on the Lake. There are some lovely B&B’s down there and even some of the vineyards have accommodation. Then you can get the WeGo bus or get an UBER up to the falls rather than be within the midst of the craziness.
6. Again if you decide you want to be up close and personal to the Falls for the night show and fireworks, then do allow at least a day to visit Niagara on the Lakes. You’ll not be disappointed.
7. Visit a vineyard whilst you’re there and do a wine tasting tour of some sort. If you are a connoisseur of the grape juice, then you will love this element of your Niagara visit.
   
   

We really hope that our reflections have been helpful and that we manage your expectations, enabling you to really get the full beauty of the waterfalls. Of course if you have any questions do email us or drop a comment below. Perhaps even share your experiences. For more blogs coming on our Canada experiences, check out our blog here.