A video of Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls taken from the Journey Behind the Falls Activity

How to spend a full-day in Niagara Falls using Go Transit.

Getting There:

🚉Take the 9AM Train from Union Station
*its the earliest, fastest and ONLY direct route in the morning on a weekday*

🕐: 2.5hrs in duration

💳: $17 - $25 CAD (varies depending on train/bus route & transfers and use of PRESTO/credit card)

📍: Arrival at Niagara Falls Go Station - there you can buy a 24hr WEGO Pass ($13 CAD) to travel around Niagara Region for the day

⛴️ First Stop: Niagara City Cruises - $35CAD

If you only have time to do one thing in Niagara Falls, do this.

Before you board the boat, you will be given a pink poncho but don’t expect to stay completely dry (and that’s the best part!). As you pass the base of the American Falls on your way to the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls, this is where we recommend taking all the photos/videos possible. Upon approaching the Horseshoe Falls, the thundering of the water intensifies, the air gets cooler and you will be completely surrounded by rushing water. It’s impossible to fully capture on camera so it's best just to experience the Falls by embracing its powerful mist! The entire experience is about 20 mins.

🛍️ Second Stop: Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill is the mini-Vegas of Niagara so expect flashing lights, souvenir shops and attractions everywhere you turn. We stopped for a quick bite at Wendy’s (to maximize our walking/exploration time) but there are also plenty of sit down restaurants (see itinerary for recommendations).If you are not in a super touristy mood, you can swap Clifton Hill with more nature focused activities like The Niagara Falls Zip Line ($100CAD), a picnic in Oaks Gardens or take a 15-min stroll to Table Rock which intersects at the start of the Horseshoe Falls and allows you to marvel in its overall height.

🎡Third Stop: Niagara Skywheel - $16CAD

The Niagara Skywheel offers a completely different vantage point of the Falls & Clifton Hill. This is a more peaceful and quiet activity that allows you to sit in an enclosed gondola for 15 minutes and take in the sights from a bird's eye-view. You can even get a sneak-peak of the American side of the Falls.

What We Would Do Differently 🤷🏾‍♀️

❗Try not to miss the train at Union Station:
Unfortunately we did (whomp whomp) and the next available option included multiple transfers (bus & trains) which can be confusing to navigate and adds on additional travel/walking time

❗Check closing times for activities. We wanted to go to Whirlpool Aero Car ($20 CAD) but it closed around 5PM. Had we known, we could have prioritized and done that first and completed all other activities afterward (since they stayed open later).

❗Since we were relying on Go Transit, our time in Niagara Falls was confined to the train schedule. While that might have worked for us, if we had been staying overnight or at least later than 8PM (when the last train was), we could have seen Niagara-on-the-Lake or the illumination of the Fall which happens every night at 8PM.

Going to Niagara Falls via public transport is a budget-friendly and spontaneous day trip away from the city without having to pay for parking or navigate tourist traffic which gives you more time to enjoy the views. As someone who consistently goes to Niagara Falls for work, it was amazing to go for fun and what better way to do so then with my best friend!

Overall Experience Rating: 4/5

Our Car-Free Day Trip to Niagara Falls

TORONTO N Back!