A Guide to Niagara Falls

1.  Deals

There are some great deals on Living Social and Groupon for 2 night stays in Niagara Falls.  We found a great deal on Groupon for the Embassy Suites (Canadian side) that included multiple meal vouchers for lunch and dinner, free breakfast, casino vouchers, wine tour and family fun center passes.

2. Stay on the Canadian side

The Canadian side has the best views and more hotels/activities than the U.S. side.  The majority of hotels on the Canadian side overlook the Falls so it's hard to have a bad view.  The Canadian side seems more developed allowing for beautiful views of the Falls and the U.S. in the background.

View from the Embassy Suites

3.  Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small town and a 20 minute drive from Niagara Falls.  The town is right where Lake Ontario and the Niagara River meet and it was my FAVORITE part of the trip. 

Wine Tours

Most of the wineries are located here so if you do a wine tour this is where you will end up.  If you haven't tried Icewine this is a great place to try it!  Peller Estates was a favorite on the tour.
*If you plan on buying wine/ice wine you can save a lot of money by buying it at Duty Free.

Shopping

Great boutiques and historic hotels can be found on Queen St.

Queen Street

Food

The landmark Prince of Wales Hotel is not only beautiful to visit but you can get great food and drinks in the Churchill Lounge.  The Hotel also offers Traditional Afternoon Tea in the Drawing Room. Prince Wales Hotel

Parks

Queens Royal Park offers great views of Lake Ontario and the U.S.

Queens Royal Park

4.  Visiting the Falls

The path along the falls offers great spots to take pictures and is pet friendly.  There are some parking lots but if you are staying close it's easier to walk.  Visit the Welcome Center for tickets to different viewpoints, attractions, and learn more about the Falls.

5.  Casinos

Fallsview Casino and Casino Niagara are both located on the Canadian side.

6. Family Friendly

I was surprised to find Niagara very family friendly.  There are indoor waterparks, arcades, mini golf and wax museum.  I would pass on Marineland after reading horrible reviews online.  www.niagarafallstourism.com