Niagara Falls: The More the Merrier
Some trips are about the destination. Others are about who you experience the destination with. Our trip to Niagara Falls was definitely the latter.
This wasn’t just another adventure for the two of us. We flew into Detroit, met up with Kayla’s parents and brother, and decided to take the whole family across the border for a couple of days of exploring the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Because when it comes to adventures, the more the merrier!
Our plan was simple: drive from Detroit to Niagara Falls, spend two packed days experiencing as many attractions as possible, and somehow survive all the water, walking, and family adventures along the way.
Spoiler alert: we got absolutely soaked, saw Niagara Falls from just about every angle imaginable, and had an unforgettable time doing it. And while this trip took place back in 2016, it remains one of those family adventures we still love looking back on.
From Detroit to Niagara Falls
Starting nice and early, we loaded up the car, crossed the Ambassador Bridge, and officially entered Canada as we began our drive toward Niagara Falls.
The drive from Detroit to Niagara Falls took us approximately 4½ hours, but with family in the car, the road trip became part of the adventure.
There is something fun about traveling with a group. More people means more conversations, more opinions about where to stop, more snacks, and—of course—more people to blame when you take a wrong turn. But that’s what made this trip special. We weren’t just going to Niagara Falls. We were going together.
Arriving in Niagara Falls
After several hours on the road, we finally arrived on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. We checked into our hotel, dropped off our bags, and wasted no time getting out to explore. Our first stop was the Niagara Falls Visitor Centre, where we picked up our Niagara Falls Adventure Pass.
Travel Tip
If wanting to experience Niagara Falls from every angle at a discount, the adventure pass is the way to go. In 2016 when we visited, the adventure pass included:
- Journey Behind the Falls
- Hornblower Niagara Cruises
- Niagara’s Fury 4D experience
- White Water Walk
- Whirlpool Aero Car
- Floral Showhouse
- Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
- Falls Incline Railway
- WEGO bus transportation
Having the pass made it much easier for us to experience a lot of attractions without purchasing individual tickets for each one.
Important: These were the inclusions of the pass when we visited in 2016. Attractions, passes, pricing, and transportation options have changed since then, so use this as part of our travel story rather than a current attraction guide.
Niagara's Fury & Our First Look at the Falls
Our first attraction was Niagara’s Fury, a 4D experience designed to tell the story of how Niagara Falls was formed. It was a fun way to start our visit because it gave us some background on the falls before we went out to experience them firsthand. But nothing really prepares you for seeing Niagara Falls in person.
After the movie, we headed outside—and there they were. The falls were enormous. And just when we thought the view couldn’t get any better, we looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow stretching across the falls. Of course, the cameras came out immediately. There was no way we were going to let that moment pass without taking approximately a million photographs.
A Rainbow Over Niagara Falls
There are some travel moments that feel almost too perfect. A massive waterfall. A rainbow. Your family standing beside you. That was our first real glimpse of Niagara Falls, and it immediately set the tone for the rest of the trip.
The power of the water was incredible, but seeing the rainbow hovering above the falls made the scene feel almost unreal. And we hadn’t even gotten wet yet. That was about to change.
Getting Soaked on the Whirlpool Boat Adventure
Next up was our Whirlpool boat tour, where we got much closer to the Niagara River and its powerful rapids. We knew there was a good chance we’d get wet. We just didn’t realize how wet.
The boat took us into the turbulent waters near the Niagara Whirlpool, and between the spray, waves, and excitement, staying dry quickly became impossible. We laughed. We screamed. We got soaked. And we absolutely loved every minute of it.
Having the whole family with us made the experience even better. There is something about getting drenched together that turns into a story you’ll tell for years. By the time we finished, we looked like we’d just jumped into the river. Which meant it was time to head back to the hotel to dry off and change.
Dry Clothes, Dinner & Behind the Falls
We returned to the hotel, changed into dry clothes, and took a much-needed break before heading back out. Eventually, everyone was hungry, so we grabbed dinner at TGI Fridays. Refueled and ready for round two, we headed back toward the falls for one of the experiences we had been looking forward to most: Journey Behind the Falls.
Journey Behind the Falls takes you beneath and behind Horseshoe Falls, giving you a completely different perspective of Niagara.
The falls themselves tumble down from roughly 13 stories above, and standing beneath that enormous wall of water gives you a completely different appreciation for its power. You can hear the roar before you fully see the water. And once you’re standing there, you realize just how massive Niagara Falls really is. We spent some time taking in the views, listening to the thunderous water, and trying to capture the experience with our cameras. After such a wet afternoon, getting a little more water on us seemed almost inevitable.
Niagara Falls After Dark
We weren’t quite ready to call it a night. Instead, we wandered around the area and watched as the falls became illuminated after dark. The daytime view had been impressive. The nighttime view was completely different. The illuminated falls created an entirely different atmosphere, and we found ourselves stopping repeatedly to admire them. After a long first day filled with movies, rainbows, boats, waterfalls, and more water than we could have imagined, we finally called it a night. And somehow, we still had an entire day of adventures ahead of us.
Day 2: Seeing Niagara From Every Angle
Our second day was all about exploring the attractions around Niagara Falls. We had a long list to get through, so we started early.
First up was the Falls Incline Railway. This gave us an easy way to travel around the falls area while also providing another perspective of the surrounding landscape. The Falls Incline Railway is more than just a convenient ride to Niagara Falls—it is a quick, scenic descent along the gorge with sweeping views of the mighty Horseshoe Falls. Connecting the Fallsview area with Table Rock Centre, this glass-enclosed railway makes reaching the brink of the Falls effortless while offering a memorable perspective along the way.
Then it was time to get back to the water.
White Water Walk
The White Water Walk was one of the most fascinating stops of the entire trip. Here, we followed a boardwalk along the edge of the Niagara River’s powerful rapids, getting an up-close look at the incredible force of the water. The rapids here are classified as Class 6, with the Niagara River rushing through the gorge at tremendous speeds. Standing beside the water and watching it churn, twist, and crash around the rocks gave us a whole new appreciation for the power of the Niagara River. It wasn’t just a waterfall anymore. We were seeing the river that creates it.
Whirlpool Aero Car
The Whirlpool Aero Car is an aerial cable car that travels above the Niagara River between two points along the Canadian shore. From above, the river looked completely different. Instead of standing beside the rushing water, we were looking down into the swirling Niagara Whirlpool. It was another reminder that Niagara Falls isn’t just one attraction. The entire surrounding landscape is part of the experience.
Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
After spending so much time around rushing water, it was nice to slow things down for a while. Our next stop was the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory.
Walking into the conservatory felt like stepping into a completely different world. Colorful butterflies filled the tropical environment, flying around us as we walked through the paths. It was a quieter and more relaxing stop after the excitement of the rapids and waterfall attractions. And, naturally, we took plenty of photographs.
Trying to photograph butterflies is a completely different challenge than photographing mountains or waterfalls. They don’t exactly cooperate with your composition. But when one finally lands in the perfect spot, it’s worth the patience.
Hornblower Niagara Cruises
And then came the attraction we had been waiting for: Hornblower Niagara Cruises.
If you want to understand just how powerful Niagara Falls is, getting close to it on the water is hard to beat. The boat carried us toward the falls, getting closer and closer until the enormous Horseshoe Falls filled our view. And yes…We got wet again. At this point, we had basically accepted that staying dry was not part of our Niagara Falls itinerary. But being surrounded by the roar, mist, and sheer power of the falls was an experience none of us wanted to miss. Standing there with Kayla’s family, watching the falls from the water, was one of those moments that made the entire trip worth it.
Travel Tip
Plan for Water!
If you’re doing the boat cruise, Whirlpool adventure, or Journey Behind the Falls, assume you’re going to get wet.
Bring:
- Waterproof phone protection
- A waterproof camera or camera cover
- Extra clothes
- Comfortable shoes
- A lightweight rain jacket
- A plastic bag for wet clothing
We learned this lesson the fun way.
A Quick Stop at the Floral Showhouse
By this point, we had already packed an incredible amount into the day. But we had one more stop on our Adventure Pass: the Floral Showhouse. The colorful displays were a nice change of pace after spending most of the day around the river and waterfalls.
We wandered through the exhibits, enjoyed the flowers, and took a few more photographs before finally admitting that we were exhausted. It had been a very long day. And it was time to head back to Michigan.
From Niagara Falls Back to Michigan
After two packed days of exploring Niagara Falls, we loaded up the car and began the drive back across the border toward Michigan. Looking back, we probably tried to fit an unreasonable number of attractions into two days. But we wouldn’t change it. Because this wasn’t just a trip to Niagara Falls…It was a family adventure.
We traveled together, laughed together, got soaked together, explored together, and created memories that wouldn’t have been quite the same if it had only been the two of us.
Sometimes the best travel memories aren’t about checking another destination off your list. They’re about who was standing next to you when you experienced it. And for this trip, having Kayla’s parents and brother along made Niagara Falls that much more special.
The more the merrier. 
