Niagara Falls in winter looks like a frozen wonderland. It is a stark contrast from summer when the city is teeming with tourists from all over the world.
The city of Niagara Falls, Canada, has many special attractions and festivals in the winter. Many tourists visit Niagara Falls, Canada, in the winter to attend the special events.
Toronto to Niagara Falls Winter Tour – Day Tour
There are daily bus tours to Niagara Falls from Toronto even in winter. Dress warmly and bring along your camera to capture the beauty of a frozen Niagara landscape.
A daytime bus tour is roughly 9.5-10 hours in duration. Pickup and dropoff is offered from most downtown Toronto hotels and also from some towns in the Greater Toronto Area.
Your day tour will begin with a stop to view Niagara Falls from Niagara Parkway, which is absolutely free. Walk along the pathway to see trees, lamp posts and everything else covered in snow. Icicles and snow near the edge of the Falls form natural ice sculptures, making the whole place look magical.
Niagara Falls Winter Tours by day include attractions like Journey behind the Falls or Skylon Tower, Whirlpool Rapids, Clifton Hill, Niagara-on-the-Lake and a winery tour.
Day and Evening Niagara Falls Winter Tours
See the awesome Niagara Falls flowing even as the whole area is covered in snow. In extreme winter, the Falls is almost completely frozen.
The day-evening tour starts from Toronto in the afternoon and gives you a chance to see the majestic Falls in daylight and again in the evening when brightly coloured lights shine on the Falls.
Whirlpool Rapids, Journey behind the Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and a winery are some of the stops on most day and evening tours of Niagara Falls from Toronto.
Private Niagara Falls Winter Tours – See Niagara Your Way
Book a private tour if you want to see places of your choice. You can also spend as much time as you want at each stop with a private tour. Make your private Niagara Falls Winter Tour a half day (6 hours) or full day (9.5 hours) tour.
You can visit a casino, Botanical Gardens, winery and chocolate factory in Niagara-on-the-Lake, etc. If you plan your tour right, you can admire the Winter Festival of Lights, have dinner at Skylon Tower or Sheraton on the Falls, and watch the Falls illumination and Falls Fireworks.
Things to See on a Niagara Falls Winter Tour
The best thing about visiting Niagara Falls in winter is few tourists. With fewer visitors, there are shorter queues at attractions. You do not have to jostle to get a good view of the Falls.
Take advantage of the discounts offered by hotels and many attractions in the winter. The Hornblower Niagara Cruise remains closed in the winter; however, there are many attractions in Niagara Falls that you can only see in winter.
Journey behind the Falls: This attraction is at Table Rock Centre. Take an elevator and then a tunnel in the bedrock behind Horseshoe Falls for a view of the freezing Falls through portals. The lower observation deck may be closed but you can view the snow-covered Niagara Gorge and Niagara River as well as the Horseshoe Falls from the upper observation deck.
Floral Showhouse: This greenhouse close to Niagara Falls has a winter display showcasing poinsettias, azaleas and other winter flowering plants. The warm climate in the greenhouse is a welcome escape from the cold outside.
Winter Festival of Lights: From November to January, places along Niagara Parkway are illuminated in colourful light displays. See three-dimensional light displays across Dufferin Islands, Oakes Garden Theatre, and Queen Victoria Park.
The illuminated Zimmerman Fountain, the Fallsview Sound & Light Show on the façade of the Oakes Hotel on Fallsview Boulevard are some of the things to do on a winter evening in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Fireworks over the Falls: Enjoy a fireworks display on select nights during the Winter Festival of Lights.
Butterfly Conservatory: Watch thousands of butterflies fly freely in the climate-controlled conservatory. The tropical setting with lush vegetation is a welcome change from the cold weather outside. You can also spend time in the Botanical Gardens (Butterfly Conservatory is located in Botanical Gardens).
IMAX Theatre and Daredevil Exhibit: See a film about the formation of Niagara Falls at the IMAX Theatre. Later, see the Daredevil Exhibit – a display of the original barrels, spheres and other contraptions used by adventurers to go over the Falls. It is hard to believe that people actually attempted to actually go over the Falls. Learn more about these daredevils and their daring acts.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations: If you visit Niagara Falls on New Year’s Eve, you can join thousands of people who gather near the Falls for a free outdoor New Year’s Eve event with live entertainment. You can also watch the fireworks display!
Niagara Icewine Festival: Sip premium Niagara wines and icewines at various wineries during the Niagara Icewine Festival. You could also visit an experience the Niagara Icewine Gala, showcasing the best of Niagara wine & culinary at Fallsview Casino Resort
Niagara SkyWheel and other Clifton Hill attractions: Take a ride on Niagara SkyWheel, the 175-foot tall Ferris wheel in Clifton Hill. This attraction is open year round from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. The temperature-controlled gondolas keep you warm. Enjoy great views of Niagara Falls and the city. There are many museums, game arcades, and other attractions in Clifton Hill.
Fallsview Casino Resort: You can gamble at the casino or have a meal in its restaurants. There are many music, theatre and live entertainment shows throughout the day at the Fallsview Casino Resort.
Plan a Winter Trip to Niagara Falls
If you are in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area in winter, you can plan a side trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario. Just 130 km (80.7 miles) from Toronto, Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
You can drive, rent a car, take a bus or train to Niagara Falls. A tour bus is another way of getting to Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Niagara Falls is just as beautiful in the winter. Some attractions remain closed in the winter, but there are many other attractions that you can see.
Stay for more than a day in Niagara Falls to see historic sites, museums and other attractions.