NIAGARA FALLS VISITORS GUIDE

All about Niagara Falls and the Niagara Region

About Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

For those who don't know, Niagara Falls is:

  • The worlds' Honeymoon Capital;
  • Probably Canada's most famous tourist destination;
  • A golfing mecca with over 40 public and semi-private golf courses in the Niagara Region (10 within the City of Niagara Falls)
  • A great place for biking and hiking. For cyclists, there are over 150 kilometers (100 miles) of paved bicycle paths and countless mountain bike trails throughout the Niagara Region. For hikers, the southern terminus of the Bruce Trail is at nearby Queenston;
  • An anglers paradise. In the Niagara River you will find steelhead, king salmon, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, lake trout, perch, bass and almost every other species of fresh water fish.
  • An important gateway to Niagara's wine country with over 20 award winning estate wineries within a 20 kilometer (13 mile) radius of "the falls".
  • A Canadian history buffs dream, Old Fort Erie and Fort George are both located in the Niagara Region as well as the home of Laura Secord and William Lyon Mackenzie's Printery.
  • The home of two world-class Casinos. Three if you include the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, New York.
  • A tourism "hot spot" with the facilities and amenities to serve 15 million visitors a year, most of whom arrive in the summer season. That means countless hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, campgrounds and trailer parks as well as restaurants, night clubs, theaters, tourist attractions, tourist traps and almost anything else a visitor might want.

 

To most people Niagara Falls "the falls" is the point along the Niagara River where, every minute, 168,000 cubic meters (6,000,000 cubic feet) of water drops 53 meters (176 feet) from the upper river to the lower river. In point of fact there are three different falls: the American Falls; Bridal Veil Falls; and the Horseshoe Falls. There are also two cities of Niagara Falls: one on the Canadian side of the Niagara River and one on the USA side. Individually or collectively they are all called Niagara Falls.

The Niagara River is a 58 kilometer (36 mile) long flow of water running between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. From a tourism perspective its main purpose is to provide the water that goes over "the falls". It does however serve other purposes which includes: a major source of Hydroelectric power to both Canada and the U.S.A.; as well as forming part of the border between Canada and the U.S.A

The City of Niagara Falls Ontario is the Canadian city that hosts most of the 15 million visitors that come to see "the falls". The city is on the west (Canadian) side of the Niagara River (see map). There is another City of Niagara Falls (New York) on the east (U.S.A.) side of the river which also hosts visitors.

The difference between the two cities.

City of Niagara Falls Ontario Canada

City of Niagara Falls New York USA

Over the years the city of Niagara Falls Canada has evolved as a major tourism centre with considerable support from the Ontario Provincial Government through its agency, The Niagara Parks Commission which manages all of the parkland along the Niagara River. Most of the area's major tourist attractions are on the Canadian side.

Niagara Falls U.S.A., on the other hand, was built on industry, largely the chemical industry, as a result their visitor amenities fall short of those available on the Canadian side. However, the price of accommodations and entertainment can be as much as 50% less.

Bottom line, the Canadian side is aesthetically more appealing. This is where you should spend your days. The U.S. side gives you more bang-for-your-buck. This is where you should spend your nights.

The Niagara Falls Visitors Guide is an unbiased look at popular tourist attractions and visitor amenities in Niagara Falls Ontario Canada. The author is a life-long Niagara resident with first hand knowledge of the area.

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