Niagara Falls Canada
 

We are planning a trip to "Niagara on the Lake" in August. We want to visit the falls but only to see it from an observations deck. We don't plan on doing any of the activities as we are not the adventurous kind. It looks so overwhelming in the brochures. Is there a simple way to see the falls from a good lookout point and where do we go to do this. Don't mind paying to see the falls.

I just found a site for Skylon Tower. Is this the place we should go?

We usually just park and walk in past both sets of Falls. A leisurely stroll, through manicured gardens. The Tower has been there forever. guess I went up once when it was new.

The well-kept gardens along the Canadian side of the gorge are an early example of preserving and designing public property to be more-or-less free of commercial clutter, or at least keep the attractions under control. They are a monument in their own right and offer splendid views of the torrent for free. In summer they are the right place to enjoy the evening illumination of the falls. Plenty of kitsch retail a few blocks away, not to mention a very large casino.
The Niagara Parks commission, a provincial agency, covers the length of the gorge from the falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake with powers rivalled only by the hydro-electric generating commission, also a pioneer here.
http://www.niagaraparks.com/

There is no benefit to climbing any tower at the Falls... simply park on the Canadian side and look across the river... the falls starts at ground level and falls 200 feet down... so the higher you climb the further away you get...

that's a common mistake visitors make when booking rooms at the Falls... they ask for a higher floor at the hotel and end up looking at a tinier Falls....

There is NO danger in the Maid of the Mist...reconsider

If you are coming from the US, it pays to have a look on the American side as well. You can get very close to the falls and walk along the rapids.

Then you can cross over to the Canadian side and view the falls from the promenade along the riverfront.

I would consider doing at least one of the attractions. My favorite is the Cave of the Winds, under the Bridal Veil Falls on the US side, followed by the Maid of the Mist.

They are exhilarating fun and not dangerous at all.

We spent about an hour in October last year strolling the path beside the Falls, occasionally stopping to look down to the bottom. We got some really great photos from there. Chose not to do extras.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a really pretty place. Would like to stay there if we return to Canada.

How about the trip from Buffalo, NY to Niagara on the Lake. Someone told me there are two highways and one is very congested. Does anyone have any suggestions?

There is a conservatory with butterflies (Canadian side) that is lovely. As others have mentioned, just strolling through the park adjacent to the river will give wonderful views of the falls.

There are three bridges. The peace bridge is right in Buffalo and handles commuter and truck traffic... Depending on the time of day it can back up from 15 minutes to an hour... Once over the bridge there are two routes you can take. The first route would be the QEW or queen Elizabeth highway which will take you in a businesslike manner to Niagara Falls. The more scenic route is along the water through the village of Fort Erie...if you have the time it's a much prettier route along the water and along the river. The drive is 35 to 40 minutes to the falls.

They negative part of that drive is that you will miss several of the sites on the US side leading to Canada.

The second bridge is the Rainbow Bridge...that's the preferred tourist route to Niagara Falls and offers the most scenic route to the Falls... Before crossing the rainbow bridge you can spend up to several hours exploring the US side of the falls, including Maid of the mist, Cave of the Winds, and the attractions in the US State Park... Then you can just jump on the bridge go through Canadian customs and see the scenic view of the falls. Delays can range from none at all to up to an hour depending on time of day and day of the week.

The third bridge is the Lewiston Queenston Bridge which is the main glut of traffic into Canada it's used primarily for those going to Toronto and often causes delays of 1 to 2 hours on summer days. There also has been substantial rebuilding and construction which further delays traffic into Canada. That bridge is also 15 to 20 minutes past the falls making it necessary to double back to see the scenic cascade.

I usually recommend the rainbow bridge as the best bridge to cross over for tourists and you can get updates online by checking the border websites for delay times.

thank you for all the info. is it the same info if we are going straight to niagara on the Lake?

Yes

Look for the floral clock just outside of the falls on the road to Niagara on the Lake. Enjoy! I love that area.

Thank you all for such great advice. We had a wonderful time! I love Canada.

Glad you enjoyed yourself, Marilyn. If this is is your only experience of Canada, you have only seen an itsy bitsy teeny tiny bit of a country that sprawls across a continent and 6 time zones. So do come back a see some more!