For the Fourth of July, we took a small group tour with a 7am pickup from our hotel to Niagara Falls that I found via Viator. The company, Trip Shepherd, runs a lot of tours in/to Niagara Falls (as well as many other cities in the US and Canada), all with good reviews. We saw several small groups from that company. They are easy to spot as their vans have their logo on the door and all the guides wear Trip Shepherd shirts.
Here is how the tour was described on Viator:
Soak up some of Canada’s most incredible scenery during this seasonal day trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto. Check out spectacular views of Bridal Veil Falls, American Falls, Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara River from the 520-foot (160-meter) observation deck of Skylon Tower. Then feel the waterfalls’ awesome power from below during a dramatic boat ride on the Hornblower Cruise and explore the cave-like tunnels behind the water on the Journey Behind the Falls. This small group trip, limited to 7 guests max, includes round-trip hotel transport and all admission fees.
Niagara Falls Facts
Niagara Falls consists of three falls, the iconic Horseshoe falls on the Canadian side and the smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the American side. Water from four of the Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie – flow through the Niagara River, over the falls, then on into the fifth, Lake Ontario. Approximately one-fifth of Earth’s fresh water is contained in the five Great Lakes.
Horseshoe Falls are approximately 188 feet tall with a crest line over 2200 feet wide. Its plunge pool is approximately 100 feet deep. While far from the tallest or widest waterfall in the world, it has impressive power with over 681,750 gallons per second flowing over it – that’s enough water to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool (660,000 gallons) in less than a second! The International Control Dam (1954) above the falls is governed by a treaty specifying how much water has to flow over in the the daytime tourist season versus at night and winter. We joked about finding the valve to turn the water on/off when we were in the tunnel behind the falls, but the dam really can cut the flow in half!
American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls average 180 feet tall (although due to rock fall at the base it ranges from 70-110 feet, then cascades to the river) with a crest line approximately 850 feet wide. Only 75,750 gallons of water per second flow over these two falls – it would take just under 9 seconds to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool here.
For more fascinating information about the history and geology of the Niagara River and the falls, this Niagara Parks website is a good source.
Before the Falls
As we left Toronto, our group all introduced themselves. We had three couples from Orlando, Atlanta, and Houston (us), plus a Brit! One of the women brought a bunch of sparkly red, white, and blue necklaces and handed them out to everyone – including the Brit and our Canadian driver/tour guide, CJ, who graciously accepted them in honor of American Independence Day. It was a compatible group as we’d all traveled extensively and liked sports – although everyone but Dave and I were big soccer (football) fans. The couple from Orlando had gone to the Orlando vs Toronto MLS game the night before. The Brit and our driver were closely following the Euro 2024 championship as Canada and England were both doing really well.
The drive from Toronto took almost two hours – we were glad for the early start. CJ, probably in his mid-20s, loves history and geography, so he was full of interesting information and a lot of energy! Upon reaching the town of Niagara Falls, CJ drove us upriver before the falls to see the early power stations. As we approached the falls, he pointed out the iron scow which has been lodged in the rapids since 1918 telling us the story of the dramatic rescue of the two men aboard.
Behind the Falls
Our first stop was the Journey Behind the Falls experience.
This unique experience takes you 125 feet down (via elevator) to bedrock tunnels created 130 years ago where there are a couple of viewing platforms adjacent to Horseshoe Falls and portals looking into Horseshoe Falls from behind the tunnels behind it.
Pictures are nice, but only video allows you to feel and hear the roar of the deluge of water plunging 188 feet. The visibility through the torrent is nil. IT’S A LITTLE LOUD HERE! (be sure to turn on your sound!)
I took the next video of Horseshoe Falls from the upper viewing platform. Again, you can feel the thunder and see the mist rising high above the top of the falls.
Along the Falls
We then had time to walk along the river from Horseshoe Falls towards the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls for some more pictures.
We also walked just above the falls – which was a somewhat dizzying experience as the water rushed over the edge!
Above the Falls
Next, we went to Skylon Tower (opened in 1965), the predecessor to Toronto’s CN Tower (opened in 1976) but is only a third of its height at 520 feet compared to CN Tower’s 1815 feet. Still, it has spectacular views from the top.
At Skylon Tower, they take photos of you in front of a green screen and then photoshop them into various scenes. Yes, it is a major tourist gimmick, but we succumbed to the set of 5 photos (a couple were used in the previous slideshow in case you missed them!).
After your photo shoot, you enter the elevator for the ride to the top. On a clear day, you can see the CN Tower from here 67 kilometers or 41.6 miles away as the crow flies. But it was hazy today.
Into the Falls
Finally, it was time for the ultimate falls experience – the Niagara City Cruise Hornblower voyage to the base of Horseshoe Falls. Although they distribute recyclable “mist” ponchos, they don’t keep you very dry! I did manage to keep my shirt dry, but my hair, pants, and shoes were soaked! At least I had the foresight to wear quick-dry hiking pants for this adventure!
Niagara Falls Hornblower – In line to get on the boat! American Falls in the background 
Niagara Falls Hornblower – Skylon Tower and Niagara Falls hotels, old power station below 
Niagara Falls Hornblower – Horseshoe Falls 
Niagara Falls Hornblower – Horseshoe Falls 
Niagara Falls Hornblower – American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls
I just thought the falls were loud from the tunnels behind them – at the base, we should have been wearing ear plugs! It was truly an incredibly thrilling experience.
The Hornblower cruises use all red ponchos since they originate on the Canadian side. On the American side is the Maid of the Mist cruise and they looked very patriotic on July 4th in a mix of red, white, and blue ponchos as we passed each other.
American and Bridal Veil Falls aren’t nearly as loud, but still impressive. You can see the American side observation tower and the poncho-clad visitors on the American side along with all the rocks piled at the base of this set of falls. Those rocks are the reason the daredevils don’t attempt going over these falls, choosing Horseshoe Falls with its deep plunge pool instead.
Lunch Break
We were given free time following the cruise to shop or get lunch on our own as there were many restaurants and shops in the vicinity. We went with the couple from Orlando to the nearby Niagara Brewing Company which had outdoor seating (a good place to dry out!) and a variety of food selections. We had fun visiting with them and talking about where we all have traveled and places we want to travel to in the future. It’s always fun to meet new people and get new travel ideas and information.
When we returned to the meeting point, CJ had texted that he’d be a few minutes late as he had been requested to transport another local tour group between the tower and cruise points. I think he said their tour leader had gotten sick, but not exactly sure, so he had been dropping us off at the various experiences, then going to pick them up and drop them off, then back to get us, etc. At least, they were in local hotels and didn’t also have to get back to Toronto. Our group was all very understanding about the situation.
Below the Falls
Our penultimate stop was at the Niagara Whirlpool created where the Niagara River makes a 90-degree turn. There are class 6 rapids (totally unnavigable, many people have died trying) leading into the whirlpool area. The Niagara Parks website I linked earlier explains how the whirlpool formed.
As you can see from the adjacent image, the border between the US and Canada is the middle of the river and creates a unique angle, such that the aerial tram from the Canadian side crosses the border twice to end up back in Canada on the opposite side – no passports required!
Beyond the Falls
Our final stop was at an overlook for the current power stations on both the US and Canadian side. The Lewiston Pump-Generating Plant and Dam supporting the Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station (opened in 1961) is on the US side. Various power plants have been located here since the 1850s. On the Canadian side are the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Stations, commissioned in 1922 and 1954. The Robert Moses plant is the 3rd largest hydroelectric plant in the USA with a 2675 MW capacity. The Sir Adam Beck I & II plants combine to be the 9th largest hydroelectric plant in Canada with a 2000 MW capacity.
Just beyond the power stations is the Lewiston (NY)-Queenston (Ontario) Bridge, one of four bridges crossing the Niagara River between the US and Canada. If you look just beyond the bridge, on the right side you can see the drop in the elevation of the landscape which marks where the falls originated on the Niagara Escarpment over 12,000 years ago. It has eroded approximately 7 miles from there to its current location. The power lines on the left side of the picture are from the Sir Adam Beck Power Plant.
After leaving the overlook, we did a quick drive by the 40-foot diameter Floral Clock, planted twice a year with a different theme since 1950. It was the largest working floral clock in the world for decades.
Like Toronto, Niagara Falls, the town, has changed considerably since I visited 44 years ago! The large hotels overlooking the falls, the entertainment district, casino, etc. give it a totally different look. The only familiar thing to me from my prior visit was the Skylon Tower and of course the falls themselves! I’m glad we came and Dave got to see the falls for the first time in-person.
It was nap time for everyone on the drive back to Toronto!
Back in Toronto
The Astros and Blue Jays were wrapping up a 4-game series with an afternoon game, which of course, ended about the time we got back. All the streets around the stadium, and thus our hotel, were blocked to incoming traffic, so we had CJ get us as close as he could and let us out to walk the remaining 2-3 blocks to our hotel.
Dave and I agreed Italian sounded good for dinner, so researched and found a place with great reviews a few blocks away. It was obviously a popular pick as we walked into the crowded restaurant, Scaddabush on Front Street. They said it would be about a 45-minute wait or there were seats at the bar, so we chose to sit at the bar to eat! After perusing the menu, we looked around the bar area and waving at us from the other side was the couple from Orlando who we’d eaten lunch with! LOL! Their hotel was also nearby. We ended up all leaving at the same time and walking back part of the way with them until they reached the turn to their hotel. There are a lot of restaurants in the area and that we ended up at the same one for dinner at the same time was such a coincidence. Oh, I guess I should mention that the food was good, too!
We closed out the day watching the wrap-around coverage of July 4th Fireworks and concerts across the US on television, including shots from Niagara Falls with the falls all lit up red, white, and blue. If we’d been there, it would have looked something like this!
And so ended another great day in Ontario!
Notes By Nancy 
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