FALLING FOR THE FALLS: Autumn is optimal for escapes to Niagara


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Hands up if you’ve been to Niagara Falls.

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Considering the city welcomes some 14 million visitors from around the world each year, we’re guessing your hand is up.

Keep that hand raised if, during a visit to the Honeymoon Capital of the World, you’ve truly immersed yourself in the splendour of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. As in, you’ve ventured as close as safely possible to the rushing waters, and spent significant time appreciating the 12,500-year-old marvel.

We see a few hands have dropped — including our own.

I actually took my first newspaper job in this border city and called it home for two years. Still, my wife and I concluded during our weekend getaway that, while we’ve both viewed the legendary falls on occasion, neither of us had admired their beauty beyond what we’d seen during a quick stroll along the Niagara Parkway, or from a hotel window. Like many non-international visitors, our previous weekend stays were more geared to a bit of partying and a bit of gambling — other hallmarks of this city.

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That changed on a sunshine-filled first weekend of October. With the support of Niagara Falls Tourism, we enjoyed a brilliant stay-and-play weekend that put the spotlight squarely on the city’s natural wonders, from all vantages.

We were in awe soaring over the mist during a helicopter tour, super-soaked as we witnessed the roar from a tour boat at the base of the falls, and even more drenched downstream as part of a thrilling jet-boat tour that traversed Class 5 rapids near the famous Niagara Whirlpool in the Niagara Gorge.

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With something for everyone — and within close proximity to the GTA — the city has long been the go-to Ontario-based escape for families, and equally ideal for couples and friends.

We propose there is no better time to visit Niagara Falls than the fall season. The lineups were virtually nonexistent during our weekend stay — a symbol of the terrible pandemic wrench thrown at the tourism industry, but also because the summer vacation months have come and gone. The weather could not have been more comfortable. The leaves had not yet changed colours, but that vibrant nature show is around the corner — another reason to visit.

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Plus, you know, there’s this thing called the falls. They’re pretty cool. If you go, you should probably check them out.

Proof of vaccination and mandatory facemasks are required at most attractions. They’re minor precautions to ensure a safe and enjoyable time exploring what is truly one of the world’s most majestic offerings, if at times taken for granted by Ontarians.

An aerial view of the falls is the jackpot moment during a tour with Niagara Helicopters. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
An aerial view of the falls is the jackpot moment during a tour with Niagara Helicopters. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

There is no overview quite as spectacular as the one offered by Niagara Helicopters (niagarahelicopters.com), which has been taking tourists to new heights for more than 50 years. Their fleet of seven-passenger Airbus H130 choppers operates daily year-round, providing an aerial view of the Sir Adam Beck Generating plant, Whirlpool area, American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, among other notable attractions.

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The experience is a short one — we were up and back down in less than 15 minutes — and prices range from $160 for adults, $99 for children ages 3-12, and $308 for couples.

But those views are unmatched. Bring your camera.

Niagara City Cruises guides tourists close to the American and Canadian waterfalls. Prepare to get wet! IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
Niagara City Cruises guides tourists close to the American and Canadian waterfalls. Prepare to get wet! IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

GET MIST-IFIED

If you dislike getting wet, you won’t enjoy Niagara City Cruises (cityexperiences.com), but chances are if you’re on a boat destined for a 57-metre (188-foot) waterfall, you’re OK with the idea of a bit of water.

Spoiler alert: Yes, you’ll get wet, and, no, your red poncho won’t keep you completely dry. But you’ll get nice and close to the American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls on this cruise, which puts you in front of the thunderous roar, with a rainbow likely serving as a beautiful backdrop on a sunny day.

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The 20-minute tour costs $21.25 for children age 3-12, and $31.25 for adults.

The Whirlpool Golf Course is a par-72 Stanley Thompson-designed track that caters to all skill sets. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO
The Whirlpool Golf Course is a par-72 Stanley Thompson-designed track that caters to all skill sets. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO

TEE FOR TWO

A perfect complement to any fall getaway in Ontario is a round of golf — and Niagara Falls has some beautiful, accessible courses. We started our Saturday with nine holes at the Whirlpool Golf Course (niagaraparks.com). The par-72, 7,019-yard Stanley Thompson-designed 18-hole track is one of three public facilities under the Niagara Parks banner, including the Legends on the Niagara, which features two championship courses and a par-3 executive course.

We also enjoyed a nice, quick lunch at the course’s restaurant.

As luck would have it, the Whirlpool course, which was in pristine condition and provided a solid challenge, was witness to my wife’s first official birdie. Next stop, LPGA!

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The Whirlpool Aero Car takes tourists across the famed Niagara Whirlpool — and also crosses the Canada-U.S. border four times. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
The Whirlpool Aero Car takes tourists across the famed Niagara Whirlpool — and also crosses the Canada-U.S. border four times. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

GORGE-OUS VIEW!

The Whirlpool Aero Car (niagaraparks.com) was a last-minute excursion that we hadn’t originally planned on doing, but we loved every second of our first trip to the U.S. in about two years.

This antique cable car crosses the international border between Canada and the U.S. four times due to the way the river below elbows. No passports are required, but you’ll want to bring your camera out as you soar 1,067 metres (3,500 feet) above the vibrant green waters of the Niagara Gorge to take in spectacular views of the Niagara Whirlpool and the river’s Class 6 rapids, where the water from Lake Erie flows down the falls and eventually empties out into Lake Ontario.

At $17 per adult and $11.25 for children ages 6-12, this attraction is perhaps one of the city’s better value-for-dollar offerings.

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The White Water Walk gives visitors an up-close-and-personal perspective of the Class 6 rapids in the Niagara Gorge. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
The White Water Walk gives visitors an up-close-and-personal perspective of the Class 6 rapids in the Niagara Gorge. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

GORGE-OUS WALK

Located along the parkway close to the aero car, the White Water Walk (niagaraparks.com) provides up-close access to the mighty Class 6 rapids by way of an elevator that travels 70 metres to the base of the gorge and includes a boardwalk running along the rapids.

The three- to five-metre standing waves make them the largest in North America. There is an abundance of interesting facts about the rapids presented along the journey.

Tickets cost $17.

Adventure, speed and splashing water is the name of the game at Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, which takes guests on a major thrill ride through Class 5 rapids in the Niagara Gorge. SUPPLIED/WHIRLPOOL JET BOAT TOURS
Adventure, speed and splashing water is the name of the game at Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, which takes guests on a major thrill ride through Class 5 rapids in the Niagara Gorge. SUPPLIED/WHIRLPOOL JET BOAT TOURS

JET VS. WAVES

Three 500-horsepower diesel-power jet engines. Class 5 rapids. That was more than enough information to predict this was going to be an absolute blast.

Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours (whirlpooljet.com) is perhaps one of the most thrilling and unique attractions available to visitors to Niagara Falls. The jet boat speeds along the Lower Niagara River 80 km/h and makes three passes through the Class 5 whitewater of Devil’s Hole, where riders are greeted with massive splashes of water. In case we weren’t soaked enough, our tour group was gifted a bonus run through the famed hole.

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The experience costs $73.95 for adults and $44.95 for children ages 6-12 and departs from nearby Queenston, Ont.

For those who are adventurous but not interested in getting soaked to the core, a covered-boat option is available. The jet-boating season ends Oct. 17.

Zipline to the Falls is right up the alley of adventure-seekers looking for a new view of the falls. Here, Sara Shantz glides down the wire for the first time. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
Zipline to the Falls is right up the alley of adventure-seekers looking for a new view of the falls. Here, Sara Shantz glides down the wire for the first time. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

MORE WAYS TO SEE THE FALLS

When it comes to viewing the mighty falls from elevated points, there is no shortage of options. Consider a trip on the SkyWheel (cliftonhill.com), which will take you 53 metres (175 feet) in the air for a beautiful aerial view of the falls and surrounding area.

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Cost is $14 for adults and $7 for children under 12.

My wife tried the $69.99 Zipline to the Falls (wildplay.com) and it provided a great panorama and safe environment for a zip-line first-timer to give it a whirl.

At $5.31 per round-trip or $6.19 for all-day access, the Falls Incline Railway (niagaraparks.com) is a cost-effective way to enjoy a nice view and also get from A to B quickly, as it connects the Fallsview hotel district to the Table Rock area below.

Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed brings the story of power generation to life through immersive sound and light inside the Niagara Parks Power Station. SARA SHANTZ GIF
Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed brings the story of power generation to life through immersive sound and light inside the Niagara Parks Power Station. SARA SHANTZ GIF

POWER HOUR

Niagara Falls is forever coming up with new attractions and tourists should be won over quickly by the newest one: The Niagara Parks Power Station (niagaraparks.com).

Opened on Labour Day weekend, visitors can tour the first major power plant on the Canadian side of the falls, which opened in 1905 and remained operational until 2006. Aside from learning about its incredible architectural features via interactive storytelling, exhibits and restored artifacts, visitors can fully immerse themselves in a nightly 3D projection show, Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed, which brings the story of power generation to life through immersive sound and light.

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Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed features excellent production value. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO
Currents: Niagara’s Power Transformed features excellent production value. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO

The production value is excellent — almost Disney-like — making the admission cost of $30 for adults and $19.50 for children tourism dollars well-spent. Even the gift shop stands apart from others.

Watch for a new attraction called the Tailrace Experience to open inside the Niagara Parks Power Station next year. It will explore the path the rushing water took before entering the Niagara River at the base of the falls. Guests will travel down 55 metres (180 feet) through a penstock in a glass-walled elevator.

The lobster pancakes are part of the Summerfest menu at the Flour Mill Scratch Kitchen at the Old Stone Mill. The restaurant will soon be launching its Winterfest menu. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN
The lobster pancakes are part of the Summerfest menu at the Flour Mill Scratch Kitchen at the Old Stone Mill. The restaurant will soon be launching its Winterfest menu. IAN SHANTZ/TORONTO SUN

WINE AND DINE

With literally hundreds of options to choose from, the food scene in Niagara Falls can be both exciting and overwhelming, but we experienced several standouts that we wouldn’t hesitate to return to on our next visit.

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We thoroughly enjoyed our “Blunch” at Flour Mill Scratch Kitchen (oldstoneinnhotel.com), located inside the beautiful Old Stone Inn, with origins dating to 1904. The restaurant is a hidden gem with a menu that rotates according to season. I enjoyed the lobster pancakes while my wife had steak and eggs along with our respective gin and bourbon cocktails.

The Watermark Restaurant (watermarkrestaurant.com) is the signature restaurant of the Hilton and, located on the 33rd floor with stunning views of the falls, is considered one of the city’s most romantic fine-dining options. Guests can choose from a variety of starters, mains and desserts at a cost of $89 per person.

A scallop ceviche salad with beets, couscous and carrot dust from AG Inspired Cuisine, a farm-to-table dining experience in the heart of Niagara Falls. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO
A scallop ceviche salad with beets, couscous and carrot dust from AG Inspired Cuisine, a farm-to-table dining experience in the heart of Niagara Falls. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO

Our favourite dining experience of the weekend was at AG Inspired Cuisine (agcuisine.com). Located just off the main drag on Clifton Hill, AG is a farm-to-table experience featuring seasonal offerings grown at a farm near Lundy’s Lane, as well as locally sourced meat. The homegrown approach is especially refreshing considering the abundance of chain restaurants in the city.

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“I see what everyone else is doing and I do the opposite. I shoot from the hip,” said executive chef Cory Linkson. There’s a focus on wine pairings at AG and we especially enjoyed the ice wine and autumn apple tart dessert combination.

Ice wine gelato comes in strawberry, peach and raspberry flavours at the Table Rock Restaurant, which is perched at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO
Ice wine gelato comes in strawberry, peach and raspberry flavours at the Table Rock Restaurant, which is perched at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO

We closed out our weekend with lunch at the Table Rock Restaurant (niagaraparks.com), which is literally perched on the brink of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, offering an unmatched restaurant view. The ice wine gelato just might be the tastiest dessert on the planet.

The sunset view from our room on the 31st floor of the Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel and Suites. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO
The sunset view from our room on the 31st floor of the Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel and Suites. SARA SHANTZ PHOTO

ROOM WITH A VIEW

We stayed at the Hilton Niagara Falls/Fallsview Hotel and Suites (hilton.com), which is located directly across from the Fallsview Casino Resort in the heart of all the action. Our king studio room featured incredible views of the American and Canadian falls from high atop the 31st floor, as well as a whirlpool tub. This hotel probably can’t be topped from a location perspective, as it’s within close proximity to all the nightlife and amenities. Off-site outdoor parking one block away costs guests $35 per night. On-site parking, which was full upon our arrival, costs $50 per night.

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