Travel Niagara falls: how to travel from Toronto to Niagara falls

Niagara Falls is one of those places that movies and television have become a legend. They are located in a meander of the Niagara River – a river. In fact, since it does not flow into the sea, but rather connects lakes Erie and Ontario – which marks the border between Canada and the United States. We can see them, therefore, from the American side or from the Canadian side and we can also cross the border on foot if we want.

These are some brief tips to prepare for your Travel Niagara falls. Although Niagara Falls are located in the state of New York, they are located about 9 hours by car from this city. So, it is best to go by plane, which takes about an hour. The closest airports to Niagara Falls are Niagara Falls, which is a bit small, or Buffalo, somewhat larger but located about 20 km from Niagara Falls.

Best time to Travel Niagara falls

The best time of the year to go to Niagara Falls is from May to October, but it is also the most crowded season.

If you are going to stay in Niagara, I recommend that you choose one of the hotels in Canada with a view of the falls. It is possible that during the weekends you have to book well in advance. Because it is very typical fill with weddings and banquets. To book the hotel, I usually use Booking, Hotels or Expedia, that usually give me the best-guaranteed prices.

In most hotels, we will offer the possibility to choose between a room with King Size bed (bed of almost 2 meters) or with two Queen Size beds (two beds of 1.35 – 1.50 meters approximately). In this last type of room, we will be able to accommodate up to four people. If you are five people and do not mind sharing a room, most of the hotels offer you the Family Suite, which are two Queen Size beds and an extra one, also generally Queen Size (usually the sofa bed in the room, and they only let you sleep to a person in this extra bed).

If when you go to Niagara Falls the boat works, do not hesitate to get some tickets for the Maid of the Myst, a boat that makes a walk through the three waterfalls.

For those who are in New York and want to forget all the problems, they always have the possibility of hiring a tour like the one offered by WePlann, which they take you and bring in the day to Niagara by plane and includes the visit to the part American and Canadian cataracts and the boat ride through them.

If the ship does not work, some good substitutes are Journey Behind The Falls on the Canadian side and Cave of the Winds on the American side, which are open all year.

To pass from one side of Niagara to another, you have to cross the border between Canada and the United States, so have your passport prepared to do so.

How to travel from Toronto to Niagara Falls

Actually, we have to talk about two great waterfalls in the area, separated by a small island: the most spectacular Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. The Horseshoe Falls is the larger of the two. It receives that name for its horseshoe shape. It is 670 meters wide and the water falls from a height of 53 meters. Given the border division, most of them are located in Canadian territory, although it looks good from the US side. On the other hand, the American Falls are somewhat smaller and are located entirely on the American side, which paradoxically makes them better seen from Canada.

Niagara Falls is a huge tourist attraction. Above all, on the Canadian side, which allows a better view than the American. Around the Canadian shore, a complex of hotels, casinos, and family entertainment places has been created focused on the tourist public; while on the American shore there is a park area and some tourist shops. If we have the necessary documentation, we can go from one bank to another on foot crossing the bridge and customs. If we cross from the Canadian side to the American side there is a small toll of about 50 cents, while if we do it the other way around there is not.

One of the most interesting attractions in the area is the Maid of the Mist boat that sails in the summer season and that allows you to get as close as possible to the falls. It costs about 20 dollars and it is a worthwhile experience. We also have other tourist-specific attractions, such as the Journey Behind the Falls, which allows us to see the Falls from the inside, or the Skylon Tower, from which we can have a nice elevated view of the whole area.

Other ways

To get to Niagara Falls from Toronto we have several options. One of them is with the numerous organized excursions that depart from the city and that offer us a complete tour not only through the Falls but throughout the Niagara area. Keep in mind if prices include access to the Maid of the Mist or not (in the event that we travel to the area in the months it is operational).

If we prefer to go on our own, from the Toronto bus station we have Greyhound and Megabus buses with frequent departures to the bus station in the town of Niagara Falls, which is located three or four kilometers from the falls. From there we can go on foot or take one of the public buses of the town. The town itself has a decadent air that is nice for a little walk.

Niagara Falls are seen in a short time – one hour is enough. Something else if we want to take the Maid of The Mist or cross to the other side of the border- and by bus, we have little more than an hour and a half of travel from Toronto, which means that the excursion does not require more than a day. Anyway, if we want to stay in the area to sleep – and see the light shows in the waterfalls that are organized once a week – there are a lot of hotels and motels in the area.