Niagara Falls — RachiePie

While Alex and I were in Toronto two weekends ago, we decided to drive to Niagara Falls for the day. Niagara Falls has been on my New York bucket list for awhile and despite living in New York on and off for almost 8 years, we had never visited. When we realized the falls were only an hour-and-a-half from Toronto, we decided to rent a car and head out there.

We arrived at Niagara Falls shortly after 9:30am on a Sunday and it was already PACKED with tourists and tour buses. I could not believe how busy it was! We stayed on the Canadian side of the falls which I read on multiple sites is nicer as it has better views of the falls. Although we didn’t go to the New York side, I could see how this could be true. From the Canadian side, you get a full view of the Horseshoe Falls which is pretty darn spectacular.

The falls are located in a strait between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and are said to be over 12,000 years old. Alex and I spent over an hour walking along the pathways and admiring the view of the falls. Hearing the power of the rushing water was pretty amazing.

One of the highlights of Niagara Falls was taking the Hornblower Niagara Cruise. The boat tour only lasts about 30 minutes, but it gives you a great view of both the American Falls and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Each person gets a poncho upon boarding and the poncho is NECESSARY otherwise you would get soaked from the spray of the waterfall. Our shoes and jeans were completely wet by the time we got off!

After spending the morning at Niagara Falls, we drove 20 minutes to the adorable town of Niagara on the Lake where we got lunch at Tide & Vine Sandwich Shop. Alex and I shared a half-dozen oysters and two sandwiches. It was delicious! We spent some time walking around the town as there are numerous souvenir shops, pretty Victorian buildings and homemade treats.

After our day in Niagara Falls, we started the drive back to Toronto. Before heading into the city, we continued on for about 30 minutes north of Toronto to the Scarborough Bluffs. The Scarborough Bluffs are located along Lake Ontario and is home to 11 different parks. Despite being after 5:00pm at this point, the park was packed with people picnicking, walking around, and playing at the water’s edge. We were pretty hungry, so we only stayed for a little while, but enjoyed the view of the bluffs.

I’m so glad we were able to take this day trip to Niagara Falls. Even though it is still early in the season, it was super touristy, so I’m glad we didn’t make a separate visit to Niagara Falls at a later time - neither Alex and I are a big fan of large crowds! I liked being able to drive down for the day and then head back to Toronto with its more laid-back vibe. Overall, I’m so glad we were able to explore the falls and surrounding area. It really is a beautiful place.