16 Best Sights in Side Trips from Toronto, Ontario

Operating since 1846, when they were wooden-hulled, coal-fired steamboats, the misty tour boats are now run by Hornblower. Double-deck steel vessels tow fun-loving passengers on 20-minute journeys to the foot of the falls, where the spray is so heavy that ponchos must be distributed. From the observation areas along the falls, you can see those boarding the boats in their blue slickers. The very similar Maid of the Mist boat tours operate from the American side. Unless you cower in the center of the boat, your shoes and pants will get wet: wear quick-drying items or bring spares.

One of North America's most impressive natural wonders, the falls are actually three cataracts: the American and Bridal Veil Falls in New York State, and the Horseshoe Falls in Ontario. In terms of sheer volume of water—more than 700,000 gallons per second in summer—Niagara is unsurpassed compared to other bodies of water on the continent.

On the Canadian side, you can get a far better view of the American Falls and a close-up of the Horseshoe Falls. You can also park your car for the day in any of several lots and hop onto one of the WEGO buses, which run continuously to all the sights along the river. If you want to get close to the foot of the falls, the Maid of the Mist boats take you near enough to get soaked in the spray.

After experiencing the falls from the Canadian side, you can walk or drive across Rainbow Bridge to the U.S. side. On the American side you can park in the lot on Goat Island near the American Falls and walk along the path beside the Niagara River, which becomes more and more turbulent as it approaches the big drop-off of just over 200 feet.

The amusement parks and tacky souvenir shops that surround the falls attest to the area's history as a major tourist attraction. Most of the gaudiness is contained on Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls' Times Square. Despite these garish efforts to attract visitors, the landscaped grounds immediately bordering the falls are lovely and the beauty of the falls remains untouched.

One reason to spend the night here is to admire the falls illumination, which takes place every night of the year, from dusk until at least 10 pm (as late as 1 am during the summer). Even the most contemptuous observer will be mesmerized as the falls change from red to purple to blue to green to white, and finally all the colors of the rainbow in harmony.

The region's only surviving example of a 19th-century tavern, this clapboard building originally opened to serve early visitors to the battleground of the War of 1812. There are displays of the lives of settlers during the war, native artifacts, and military attire.

A tropical respite from the crowds and Las Vegas–style attractions, Bird Kingdom is the world's largest indoor aviary, with more than 400 free-flying birds and more than 80 bird species from around the world in the 50,000-square-foot complex. For creepy-crawly lovers, there are also spiders, lizards, and snakes—including a 100-pound python that you can hold. Parking is an additional C$3 per half hour, but there's a public lot on nearby Hiram Street that is C$10 per day.

Smaller and more low-key than Fallsview, Casino Niagara has slot machines, video-poker machines, and gambling tables for blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. There are also several lounges, a sports bar, and an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant.

This is undeniably the most crassly commercial district of Niagara Falls, with haunted houses, wax museums, and fast-food chains galore (admittedly, the Burger King here is unique for its gigantic Frankenstein statue). Attractions are typically open as late as 2 am in summer or 11 pm the rest of the year, with admission ranging from about C$10 to C$16. One of the most popular attractions is the 175-foot SkyWheel (C$15) with enclosed, climate-controlled compartments. Next door, Dinosaur Adventure Golf (C$11.99) combines minigolf, ferocious mechanical dinosaurs, and an erupting mini-volcano. The Great Canadian Midway is a 70,000-square-foot entertainment complex with arcade games, a bowling alley, air hockey, and food. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum is creepily fascinating, while Movieland Wax Museum has such lifelike characters as Harry Potter and Barack and Michelle Obama. Hershey's Chocolate World is 7,000 square feet of truffles, fudge, and the trademark Kisses, marked by a six-story chocolate bar.

Canada's largest gaming and resort facility crowns the city's skyline, overlooking the Niagara Parks with picture-perfect views of the falls. Within the 30-story complex are Canada's first casino wedding chapel, a glitzy theater, spa, shops, and plenty of restaurants. Gaming enthusiasts will find more than 100 gaming tables and 3,000 slot machines on one of the world's largest casino gaming floors. The Las Vegas–style Avalon Ballroom showcases a wide array of talents, from Al Pacino to Jon Stewart.

Beautifully landscaped with willows, manicured hedges, and flower-bordered infield lakes, the Fort Erie Race Track has dirt and turf horse racing, with the year's highlight being the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown of Racing.

This 30- to 45-minute tour starts with an elevator ride down to an observation deck that provides an eye-level view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara River. From there a walk through tunnels cut into the rock takes you behind thunderous waterfalls, and you can glimpse the back side of the crashing water through two portals cut in the rock face.

A theme park with a marine show, wildlife displays, and rides—as well as a beluga whale habitat with underwater viewing areas—Marineland is 1½ km (1 mile) south of the falls. The daily marine shows include performing killer whales, dolphins, harbor seals, and sea lions. Children can pet and feed deer at the Deer Park. Among the many rides are Dragon Mountain, the world's largest nonstop roller coaster, and tamer fare like Ocean Odyssey for the kids.

These 100 acres of immaculately maintained gardens are among the most captivating attractions around Niagara Falls. Here you'll find the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory, housing one of North America's largest collections of free-flying butterflies—at least 2,000 butterflies from 50 species around the world are protected in a climate-controlled, rain forest–like conservatory. Between May and mid-October, for C$25 per person, you can tour the gardens in a horse and carriage.

You can spend hours exploring North America's first green energy projects. Wander through turn-of-the-20th-century machinery, explore exhibits, get to know the history of AC and DC current through the eyes of inventor Nikola Tesla, and even take a glass-paneled elevator trip to the mouth of the dam. The station comes to life at night for Currents: Niagara's Power Transformed, an immersive, 40-minute interactive show of sound, light, and state-of-the-art 3-D projection mapping technology.

Learn how Niagara Falls formed over thousands of years on this 20-minute simulation ride. Standing on a mesh platform surrounded by an uninterrupted 360-degree viewing screen, you feel snow falling, winds blowing, the floor rumbling, and waves crashing as you watch glaciers form, collide, and melt, creating the falls as we know them today. In certain spots you will get wet; ponchos are provided.

Rising 775 feet above the falls, this is the best view of the great Niagara Gorge and the entire city. The indoor-outdoor observation deck has visibility up to 130 km (80 miles) on a clear day. Other reasons to visit include amusements for children, a buffet restaurant, a revolving dining room, and a 3-D theater that lets you experience the falls up close. Admission is free if you're enjoying a meal in the dining room.

In operation since 1916, this antique cable car crosses the Whirlpool Basin in the Niagara Gorge. This trip is not for the fainthearted, but there's no better way to get an aerial view of the gorge, the whirlpool, the rapids, and the hydroelectric plants.

A self-guided route involves taking an elevator to the bottom of the Niagara Gorge, the narrow valley created by the Niagara Falls and River, where you can walk along a 1,000-foot boardwalk beside the Class VI rapids of the Niagara River. The gorge is rimmed by sheer cliffs as it enters the giant whirlpool.