Admire the largest of the three waterfalls that make up the world famous Niagara Falls and take a boat ride to the fall’s basin.
Horseshoe Falls is the largest of Niagara Falls’ three waterfalls and a highlight of this internationally famed tourist attraction. It stretches between Table Rock in Ontario and Goat Island in the state of New York. The Horseshoe Falls, also known as the Canadian Falls, is around 188 feet (57 metres) tall, approximately 2,600 feet (790 metres) wide and one of the world’s highest-volume waterfalls.
Get up early to arrive before the crowds and start your visit at Table Rock in Canada where you can feel the mist generated from the rushing water. When the sun is shining, watch for rainbows. Pay the fee to step out onto a viewing platform at the foot of the falls and then travel deep into the falls’ bedrock to tunnels that will take you behind a huge sheet of rushing water.
Stroll north along Niagara Parkway to Rainbow Bridge to enjoy different perspectives of the waterfall and good photo opportunities. Paying a nominal fee allows you to cross the bridge to the U.S. side of Niagara Falls. Walk to Goat Island and then continue to Terrapin Point to be so close to the falls you can almost touch them. Remember to bring your passport if you plan to cross the bridge.
A fun way to view Horseshoe Falls is to board one of the boat tours that travel into the curve of the falls and beneath the spray of mist. Tours depart from the dock located just south of Rainbow Bridge. They operate from May to October. Visit the falls’ official website for further details.
Horseshoe Falls is easily accessible via public transportation. Public buses and a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus stop at various points along Niagara Parkway. Take the cable car railway that connects Table Rock with the city centre.
The peak tourist season at the falls is from June through August, which is also when the water flow is highest. Be sure to check out the falls at night when the illumination of colored lights creates a magical effect.
