BEYOND THE FALLS

Three unique ways to experience Niagara Parks like you never have before

When it comes to picturesque vacation destinations, Niagara Falls is iconic – but if you’re looking to experience this natural wonder from every angle, you’ll want to dive a little deeper than simply walking to the brink for a photo.

Niagara Parks allows you to experience the Falls from all perspectives. Through the incredible attractions available, you can get up close to nature, enriched in history, then indulge in the plentiful shopping and dining just around the corner.

Now entering the splash zone

It’s not enough to see the rushing water at a distance; you want to get up close and personal with this natural wonder. There’s no better place to start than with Journey Behind the Falls. "You cannot get any closer to the Falls,” Niagara Parks CEO David Adames says of the experience.

Here, after entering the newly renovated Table Rock Centre, you’ll descend 125 feet below street level to explore 130-year-old tunnels carved in the bedrock before making your way to the viewing platform located just metres from the base of the Horseshoe Falls.

Along the way, take in new exhibits that explain the history of the Falls, from the Ice Age through to modern day. You’ll see how much they’ve changed over the centuries due to erosion, and learn about the origins of tourism and Indigenous connections to Niagara Falls.

As you move closer to the outdoor platform, you’ll hear and feel the roar of the Falls before you see them. “You can feel the power of the water’s flow in your body,” Adames says of this incredible vantage point. And then you’ll feel it, quite literally, when you step out onto the platform. “You do get wet,” Adames warns, explaining that everyone gets a poncho before entering the tunnels. “But people love it because it’s part of the experience.” The ponchos can be kept as a souvenir or returned so that Niagara Parks can recycle them.

Walk in the footsteps of history

For more than 100 years, the hydroelectric power generating station at the top of the Falls harnessed the mighty Niagara River to power homes and businesses in the region, operating until 2006. Shortly after, ownership of the historic property was transferred to Niagara Parks – and it’s now a beautifully preserved landmark and newly opened visitor attraction, the Niagara Parks Power Station.

Here, you’ll see the incredible machinery that harnessed the water’s power as well as learn the fascinating details of how it all worked. Newly opened in 2022, the latest addition to the attraction is the Tunnel experience, which takes guests through the secret world under the Power Station. “It's remarkable. It really completes the whole story of how the Power Station worked,” says Adames.

It all starts with a ride 180 feet beneath the floor in a glass-panelled elevator. Then you’ll walk through a cavernous 670-metre-long (2,200foot) tunnel to the bottom of the Falls following what would have been the water’s journey. Along the way, you’ll take in fascinating exhibits that detail the history of the tunnel, including how it was excavated with only shovels, pickaxes and some dynamite, the workers’ paths lit by lanterns. The reward after the walk: Arriving at the bottom of the Falls. “It's a never-before-seen view of the lower Niagara Gorge, the river, the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls,” says Adames.

In addition to the daytime tours, nightly, there’s an award-winning immersive sound and light show called Currents that brings the plant to life with 3D projection mapping and tells the story of the station, the river and hydroelectricity.

One destination, all the action

The hub for all things Niagara Parks is at Table Rock Centre. This historic building was recently renovated to create more space for visitors to dine, shop and explore, as well as provide one central place to get everything you need for an unforgettable Niagara getaway.

The building’s main area is the home base for Journey Behind the Falls, as well as Niagara’s Fury, a 4D multi-sensory simulation of the last Ice Age (where you feel mist on your face and the floor tremble beneath your feet). You’ll find souvenirs from Canadian brands like Herschel and Roots at the Table Rock Shop, get a fantastic vantage point of the Falls while soaking in the sun and having a meal at the Table Rock Patio or indulge in one of the region’s best locally sourced meals at the newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant.

Want to do it all?

The easiest way to access every destination, plus plenty of other incredible experiences offered by Niagara Parks, is to get an Adventure Pass Plus – which provides entry to all of the attractions with just one ticket. It even includes a two-day pass for WEGO, the bus network that connects all of the destinations, for a seamless weekend trip from start to finish.