Things to do with kids in Niagara Falls

With only a couple of hours drive from Toronto, Niagara Falls has been our go-to destination for years. Realistically, we go there every few months. We take our guests for a day at the Falls or to celebrate New Year’s Eve. We have spend weekends here and taken day trips. This is the best place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This town is packed with tourists no matter what day of the week or time of the year you visit. The Falls are a visual delight during the hot summer days or even the cold winter months. So here are some things to do with kids in Niagara Falls.

Best time to visit Niagara Falls

We have had the chance to visit the magnificent horseshoe Falls in all its glory. My favourite has been the frozen Falls! It’s like water stood still with an occasional bird flying across the Falls. This sight truly makes it a scene out of a postcard. There is a gorgeous light show every day after sundown. You will find fireworks over the Falls every night in the summer months or every weekend in the winter months.

Niagara Falls is one of those places you will love no matter what season you visit. The summer months is definitely more crowded but there are a lot more things to do. The winter months are a bit more limited. A lot of tours stop activities during winter, but it is still such a pretty sight and worth a visit.

Things to do with kids in Niagara Falls

I find Niagara Falls catered to all ages! It is definitely one of the most kid friendly cities in the world. The Falls offers tons of activities for the family. There is an observatory deck at the Skylon tower, there are casinos, and there are tours. You will find the world famous Great Wolfe Lodge here. There are indoor water parks, the Skywheel, a butterfly conservatory here. Enjoy the journey behind the Falls or zip lining right into the Falls. There is never a shortage of activities to do here. The boat ride takes you up close to the Falls. You can wear a raincoat they provide or even get ready to get drenched in all that refreshing mist.

We were in Niagara Falls when Nik Wallenda walked across the roaring Falls on a tightrope crossing 1,800 feet in 2012. This day was truly iconic and the city squealed a sign of victory and celebrated for days after.

Clifton Hill

When you hear Niagara Falls, you probably hear of the world famous Clifton hill! The best way to describe this street is a ‘casino on the street’. Packed with arcades, chocolate factory, haunted houses, ice cream shops, candy store, fast food chains, hotels, rainforest cafe, wax museum, Harley Davidson store, gift shops, skywheel and a mini golf course with dinosaurs surrounding it, you always hear sounds of machines cashing out at the arcade from the streets – hence the casino. This little street is every child’s heaven and adults can be mesmerized by all the things that Clifton Hill has to offer!

Niagara Safari

Another favourite spot for our family is the Niagara Safari and Marineland. Again, these activities are widely catered to kids and our girls absolutely loved the safari. With a wide range of wildlife, farm animals, picnic areas, playground for the kids, they also offer a lake where you can go boating. Marineland offers dolphins, whales, polar bears, land animals, and rides! If your travelling with kids a bit older, they will definitely love the rides at Mainland.

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara on the lake is a town located close to Niagara Falls. This little town is much calmer than the actual Falls area. You get a chance to spend time on the beautiful lake and see the skyline of Toronto all the way from there – I only found this out in 2019 when we went there on our first family getaway since Amarra’s arrival.

This city has hit the spot for us for years and no matter how many times we go, we always discover something new or find something different to do. Once a while we have even crossed the border over to Buffalo, USA to meet some friends or catch a glimpse of the American side of the Falls! I may be biased but the Canadian side is way better with a lot more to offer!

Where to stay

There have been many times when we have stayed overnight at the Falls. If you’re looking for a spectacular view of the Falls, definitely stay at the Embassy suites. You can find more information on Embassy Suites by Clicking Here. When you pay for the room, you are invited for an evening reception with an alcoholic beverage included along with a wide spread of a hot breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffet is served at The Keg Steakhouse and this restaurant comes with huge windows facing the Falls! You can eat breakfast while taking in the splendid views of the Falls as well. This hotel is beautiful and the views stunning so it had to make my list of things to do in Niagara Falls with kids.

Final thoughts

Sometimes the best treasures are found close to home and Niagara Falls is definitely that place for us! We have been there in different phases of our lives and we went again for an overnight as our first family getaway for our 5^th wedding anniversary and when Amarra was only 1.5 months old. We spend our entire time at the Clifton hill during that visit and did not visit the Falls even once – because Niagara Falls has so much more to offer than just the Falls.

If you are planning a trip to Toronto and looking to visit other parts within Ontario, check out the Bruce Peninsula. We moved to the Peninsula a few years ago and this is hands down my favourite part in Ontario. If you are looking into things to do in the Bruce, Click Here to read some blog posts.

Hope you enjoyed reading our blog on things to do in Niagara Falls with kids. If you have been to the Falls, is there something specific you did and still remember it to date? What did you do there and how long did you stay there? Please share your trip highlight in the comments below.