Visiting Niagara Falls with kids: tips and best things to do
All you need to know to visit the Canadian side of Niagara Falls with kids: tips, tours and kid-friendly attractions in Niagara Falls, Canada.
The Niagara Falls are the first mighty natural attractions we have visited with the kids.
They are wonderfully powerful and even more awe-inspiring than photos and videos can ever suggest and they are a safe place for kids and very easy to enjoy at any age.
We visited Niagara Falls with kids during a summer in Canada that also led us to visit Montreal, Mont Tremblant National Park and Toronto.
The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is easy to visit from Toronto and you can choose to drive there and visit independently or get a bus tour from the city, however you can also visit the American side, which is perfect if you are coming from Buffalo and New York State.
Whichever side you choose, I am sure you will love Niagara Falls and if you have children, they will love them too!
This is all you need to know to plan a trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls with kids!
By the end of this post, we are sure you’ll agree this is one of the best places to visit in Canada with kids.
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How long do you need at Niagara Falls with kids?
A visit to the Niagara Falls can last a few hours to a couple of days.
If you are coming to Niagara Falls on a day trip from Toronto, you will be able to see the falls from above (viewing platforms), take a cruise, see some of the exhibitions closest to the falls and relax in the large green areas with falls views.
If you are staying the night, you can also enjoy the kid-friendly attractions in Niagara Falls and the selection of hotels and restaurants in the area.
Both options work well and which one to choose depends on the experience you are looking for.
The town of Niagara Falls is modern and full of hotels, restaurants and kids attractions: this makes it perfect if you are looking for structured playtime and hotel relaxation but it is not suited for families who want an outdoorsy experience.
If you just want to see the falls, I feel a day here is sufficient.
How to get to Niagara Falls with kids
You can reach Niagara Falls by car or you can join one of the many bus tours available from Toronto, Niagara on the Lake and.
The bus tours bring you right to the falls and also include additional stops that might be fun for the kids and you.
The one we took stopped at a winery that taught us about ice wine (the kids got juice and loved the large garden), and it also led us to Niagara on the Lake, which was a kids’ highlight thanks to its picture-perfect center and delightful ice cream parlors!
You can find price and specs of bus tours from Toronto here and here.
Top things to do in Niagara Falls with kids: kid-friendly activities and tours
Due to current circumstances, opening hours and availability of the attractions listed in this post may vary at short notice.
Check admissions rules of each on official websites to avoid disappointment.
See the falls from above
The area around the Niagara Falls is built to allow a perfect viewing experience.
A long panoramic promenade allows you to see the falls from above in complete safety and you can enjoy the view of the falls themselves and the might of the river and the mass of water crashing down from the highest falls moves down the valley.
The promenade is easy to enjoy with kids. The viewing points and terraces are safe and there is a large green area for picnics and relaxation where they can run around safely, with falls view.
This is likely to be the first place you see as you arrive to Niagara Falls and a highlights for toddlers especially.
Good to know! The Niagara Falls promenade is stroller friendly.
Get on a falls cruise
Niagara Falls is full of activities and attractions for kids but none matches the obvious star of the show: a close encounter with the Falls themselves by means of a cruise!
The best way to experience them is to take a cruise on the Hornblower.
We did this last time and I would most definitely do it again.
It was the highlight of the day and one of the most beautiful travel experiences I have ever had. Despite the many tourists, once you are close to the fall, you forget about anything else!
There is something truly special about getting so close to the Falls.
I remember getting on the boat in a terrible mood and leaving it energized and positively giddy with excitement.
The horseshoe fall is so powerful, so tall and so overwhelming I remember feeling exhilarated by it – there is no way I would miss out on that feeling again!
The best way to get on the cruise is to get tickets in advance.
As you board, you are given a waterproof cover but you will get some water on your face – nothing scary or excessive, you will not get soaked but small kids may react well or not quite as well!
Little Ms E got upset by the spraying water at the time, but she is a little older now and I am sure this time she would feel the excitement of the whole experience. My older son and the other kids on the boat thought it was hilarious.
Take the Journey behind the falls
Another fun activities in Niagara Falls for kids is taking the Journey Behind the Falls tour.
This is a child friendly attraction that gets you onto an elevator that travels down into the rock-face and leads you to see the Falls from behind, before heading to the White Water Walk tour.
The activity is exciting for kids and adults as it leads you to a boardwalk along the river rapids, which is a great vantage point and a great complement to the views from above and from the boat.
You can read all about this experience and get tickets in advance here.
Have a splash in Fallsview indoor water park
If you are staying more than a few hours and want to treat the kids to time in a waterpark, then you can head to Fallsview indoor water park which is water park heaven for children!
The park is minutes from the falls, it has 16 waterslides, a wave pool, hot springs and an outdoor sundeck with a pool. It is also a family friendly hotel, perfect for a child centred getaway at Niagara Falls.
Play crazy golf at Dinosaur Min Golf adventure
Another fantastic kid-friendly attractions in Niagara Falls Ontatio is the crazy golf course at Clifton Hill.
This is a fun mini-putt course with a dinosaur theme and it is one of the biggest parks of its kind in Canada! You can find info and tickets here
Relax in Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens
Another child friendly attraction in Niagara Falls is the Botanical Gardens. They are large and beautiful and absolutely perfect fora quiet afternoon with the kids.
The gardens stretch over 99 acres and they have stunning plants, walkaways, greenhouse and they offer family friendly actives such as horse carriage tours that are fun and relaxing.
As you step into the gardens, you may wonder if you stepped back in time too: the gardens are so different from the Uber-modern city, they are a real oasis!
You can find all the info here
See butterflies in the butterfly conservatory
If you follow this blog, you may know I have an almighty fear of butterflies so you won’t see me at the Niagara Falls butterfly conservatory, however, I am told it is a great one and great for children.
You can find all the info here.
See birds in Bird Kingdom
More up my alley is another child friendly attraction in Niagara Falls: Bird Kingdom.
Bird Kingdom is the World’s Largest Free-Flying Indoor Aviary and it is a fantastic place to visit with kids and see colorful exotic birds they simply may not be otherwise able to see in real life.
The aviary is only a few minutes walk from the falls and it is open all year round. You can find info and prices here.
Stay the evening for the Niagara Falls light show
At night, the Falls light up with a colourful light show that is just incredible for kids! The light display begins at 7:30 each evening, with additional shows at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30 pm.
You can find all the info here. If you are in Niagara Galls with kids, we think this will stay as a pretty special memory!
Climb to the top of Skylon Tower
At the start of this article, I said you can see Niagara Falls from above from the viewing terrace but if you really want to see Niagara Falls from high up, then you need to go to the top of the Skylon terrace!
The view from the Skylon Observation Desk is stunning, the viewing platform is child-friendly and, if you really want to make it special, you can even stay for lunch at the revolving restaurant at the top of the tower! You can find info and buy tickers here.
Family-friendly Niagara Falls tours and tickets
To help you plan your trip to Niagara Falls with kids, we have selected some tours we think you may enjoy. We have includes tours on the Canadian and US side of the falls to give a good overview of what is available.
Family friendly Niagara Falls, USA: Half-Day Small Group Sightseeing Tour – 4 tp 5 hours day tour including falls cruise on the Maid of the Mist
Niagara Falls, USA: Canadian and American Deluxe Day Tour – with boat cruise on the Maid of the Mist
Niagara Falls, USA: Day & Night Small Group Tour with Dinner – perfect to see the light show!
Niagara Falls Tour and Cruise from Toronto – including a stop at Niagara on the Lake and winery to sample the local ice wine.
Where to stay in Niagara Falls with kids
In Niagara Falls you have a plethora of family-friendly hotels. Some you may enjoy are:
Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark resort: perfect if you want a family hotel with tons of entertainment for the kids including mini golf and water slides.
Courtyard by Marriot at Niagara Falls, one block from the falls themselves!
Vittoria Hotel and Suites, a nice family friendly address in Clifton Hill, just beside the falls
I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of the best things to do in Niagara Falls with kids and it helped you plan your stay. Safe travel planning!
