Travel Diaries: A Day in Canada
Hey friends! I absolutely love putting these posts together, reliving our summer travels! Towards the end of July, my family and I went on a camping trip up to the Niagara Falls area here in New York. We have all gotten our passports over the past year or two, and it had been about 25 years since the last time we’d gone across the border to sightsee. So, we planned to spend a day in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls, Canada.
Since it was our first time going over in so long, we didn’t make a ton of concrete plans. We just kind of let the day take us where it would. Thus, you will see a lot of photos in this post; as we proceed, I’ll include some highlights and tips for a day trip across, and at the end I’ll include some things to do that we didn’t get to this time. We definitely want to go again! I’d love to also visit in the fall; I’m sure it’s lovely.
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Crossing the border was smooth and easy; it took probably about 25 minutes from start to finish. We crossed at the Lewiston Bridge, and there were some delays once we got to the Canadian side, but nothing too crazy. You can use an Enhanced License or passport to cross; we chose to use our passports. Have them at the ready to help streamline the process.
Once we were across, we took the Niagara Parkway up to Niagara-on-the-Lake. This is a scenic route, taking you past historic sites, beautiful rural vineyards, and through the prettiest towns. We passed Queenston Heights and Brock’s monument; we didn’t stop this time, but it looked like an interesting place. You can climb up to the top of Brock’s Monument, which would be an incredible view!
As you arrive at Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’ll pass by Fort George. We have visited Old Fort Niagara previously on the American side, so skipped this attraction. But if you love history, either fort would make a great visit! Reenactors make history come alive; and I highly recommend doing something like this for a homeschool field trip at least once.
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint, beautiful town! The main road through the town is Queen Street, and it is lined with boutiques, restaurants, and shops. It maintains a unique feel of being upscale and unhurried, even with plenty of tourists around. It did not feel overly touristy, which was nice.
Dealing with the exchange rate was interesting. While some stores did take cash, many preferred to deal with credit card, and the exchange rate is slightly lower with that option (it ended up being comparable to a 20% discount). Honestly, it’s probably easier to mostly purchase with credit/debit card versus cash, especially as you may receive change in Canadian dollars. Just remember to let your bank know first if you plan to visit another country!
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I absolutely loved how beautiful Queen Street was! It is lined with the brightest, most gorgeous blooms. I just couldn’t get enough of the beautiful florals everywhere! Hanging flower baskets swing from the lampposts, helping to fill the sidewalks with color. I feel like it’s worth the walk up and down the street just for the flowers!
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This is the historic courthouse. There is a history museum inside that you can visit if you like. A reenactor impersonating the town crier came out and made an announcement around noon.
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Like I said before, this is not a cheap tourist town. The boutiques are extremely expensive; I figured out pretty quickly that a lot of things were out of my price range lol. But it was still fun to browse! A few shops that are definitely worth a stop: Greaves Jams, Just Christmas (this store sells everything Christmas. Ornaments galore, decorations—it was a weird juxtaposition with the summer weather outside but such a fun visit!), Victoria Gallery and Teas, Neob Lavender Boutique (they sell lavender products from a local lavender farm), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and, if you are a sucker for more reasonably priced, traditional souvenirs, visit Horizons.
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This is the historical Prince of Wales Hotel. From pictures I’ve seen of the inside, it’s a step back into the Victorian era. Even just the outside is so picturesque. And Queen’s Royal Park, a delightful little park, is right across from it (with restrooms) if you need a break.
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After we had shopped up and down Queen Street, we went in search of somewhere to eat our picnic lunch. We drove up towards the Fort Mississauga National Historic Site (significant during the War of 1812), located on the grounds of a golf course. There’s park space up there as well, but it was extremely crowded, so we drove back a little way towards the marina, circled down to the riverside, and found a quiet little spot by the water. We could see Old Fort Niagara across the way, where the river meets Lake Ontario. It was so relaxing to watch the sailboats go by as we enjoyed our picnic.
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After lunch, we got back on the parkway and headed away from Niagara-on-the-Lake towards Niagara Falls. We had heard about a floral clock that we wanted to check out. It was unique, but not as pretty as I expected. Maybe it would be prettier in the spring.
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Finally, we made our way down to Niagara Falls! As we drove past, we could feel the mist on our faces. It was difficult to find a parking spot; we ended up going all the way down to a public parking area by Horseshoe Falls. It cost $40 CD to park there, but it was about our only option.
One of the things that I enjoyed was hearing the many different languages and accents, and observing the various cultural backgrounds of the other tourists. I found it absolutely fascinating, and loved feeling like I was truly in a foreign country lol. However, I will say—Niagara Falls was insanely crowded. The views are incredible compared to the American side, but experience-wise the U.S. is much more chill! Be prepared to take turns at some of the viewing locations and if you really can’t deal with crowds, consider yourself warned.
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This was the first time I actually realized how immense Niagara Falls is! The view is so good from the Canadian side, and I loved just taking in the majesty of the river and falls. There’s a nice Visitor’s Center by Horseshoe Falls, and you can go upstairs and get the views from there as well.
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The rainbow! This view is truly unmatched. That’s the Rainbow Bridge you see in the distance.
We didn’t really do any extra activities, but seeing the Falls was more than enough! My siblings planned to do the zipline down to the river, but found out that the wait time would be three hours. Since it was already 5 pm, that was a quick pass! Some of us would possibly consider doing the Ferris Wheel or going up the Skyline Tower if we return in the future.
After we’d taken in all the views, it was time to head back over the border into the U.S.A. We crossed at the Rainbow Bridge, and it was super quick and easy, with no delays. Then we stopped at one of our favorite picnic locations, Whirlpool State Park, to cook some hot dogs before heading back to crash at our campsite for a while.
To top off the night, we went back to the falls to take in the fireworks show and see the falls lit up. I highly recommend doing this if you ever have a chance to visit! It’s really beautiful to see the falls lit against the backdrop of the sparkling city lights on the Canadian side. And it was so refreshing to feel the fresh breeze and the mist!
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Just in case you are interested in spending a day across the border, I’ll include some attractions below that we didn’t get to visit this time, but sound like fun options for another day.
NOTL Museum ($5/adult). Looks like such a cool place to learn about the local history. The history of the Niagara area (both US and Canadian) is incredibly fascinating!
Fort Mississauga National Historic Site (free self-guided tour). You can see the old blockhouse that’s still standing.
Fort George National Historic Site. Living history through reenactment.
Neob Lavender Farm. Need I say more?! This sounds absolutely delightful!
Mackenzie Heritage Printery. Located in Queenston, “the museum offers visitors an authentic glimpse into the evolution of printing technology within the atmosphere of a traditional nineteenth-century print shop.” It houses the oldest printing press in Canada.
Queenston Heights and Brock’s Monument. You can take a self-guided tour up the 235 steps to a viewing platform at the top.
The Butterfly Conservatory. Replicating the natural environment of various butterfly species, this museum boasts pathways through a tropical paradise, a chance to see butterflies at different stages of development, and a “pollinator playground.” See the link for hours and prices.
Skylon Tower. Boasting a revolving dining restaurant and a viewing platform, you can travel 775 feet up to the top of this landmark in the famous Yellow Bug elevators. As of now, the cost of the ride and viewing platforms is $18/adult and $9/child.
I hope you enjoyed coming along for my day across the border. I would love to hear in the comments if you have ever visited Niagara Falls (on either side), and if so, what was your favorite part of your visit!
