EXPLORED

Weekend Escape: Niagara Falls In The Winter

January 1, 2017

Niagara Falls was the first place we visited when my family moved to Canada. And because of this fact alone, it will always hold a very special place in my heart. I remember being completely awestruck by the magnificent natural wonder as a child. A couple decades later, not much has changed: I still feel an incredible rush and sense of wonderment when I stand before the roaring falls. But it’s only recently that I discovered its beauty during the colder months. And to be honest, winter is now my favourite time of year to visit. Everything is a bit more quiet and peaceful — frozen in time and covered with the whitest of blankets. It truly is a sight to be seen…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Journey Behind The Falls

Niagara Falls in the winter – frozen in time.

Speaking of sights, anyone who’s been to Niagara Falls will tell you that half the fun is experiencing the attractions that dot the strip and surrounding area. Yes, many are cheesy and touristy, but it’s just what you do when you visit — it’s tradition! Which brings me to my most recent trip where I had a chance to partner with Attractions Ontario to revisit some of my fave spots and try a few new ones. Excited to explore, hubby and I decided to spend part of our weekend embracing the cold outdoors and the rest of it thawing in balmy indoor spaces. Our mini escape was a huge success so I thought I’d share our itinerary so you, too, could plan a trip and enjoy Niagara Falls in the winter…

Niagara Falls In The Winter

Where To Stay

While there’s certainly no shortage of places to stay in Niagara Falls, we decided to check out DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton. Located two blocks from Horseshoe Falls and American Falls, the Four Diamond AAA property is walking distance to many attractions like Clifton Hill, Fallsview Casino Resort and Queen Victoria Park. The rooms are very spacious, service is friendly and most rooms offer panoramic views of the Upper Niagara River or American Falls. There’s also parking onsite, free wifi, an indoor saltwater pool and an AVEDA spa. Our stay was so comfortable that we returned for NYE and woke up to the most beautiful sunrise over the falls…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton

What To Eat

Breakfast

BlueLine Diner – My hubby has been raving about this place for a long time so I finally caved and let him pick our breaky spot. Turns out he was onto something. BlueLine is as authentic as diners get: the staff knows everyone (and their orders), the portions are ginormous and the vibe is laid-back. Oh and you may spot one of NHL’s greatest players having coffee with patrons: Marcel Dionne is a regular and his daughter runs the diner. Order the blueberry pancakes and freshly-squeezed orange juice. Be prepared to take home the leftovers.

Niagara Falls In The Winter, BlueLine Diner

Lunch

Elements on the Falls Restaurant – Want Horseshoe Falls as the backdrop of your dining experience? Then this is the resto for you. You literally can’t get any closer than Elements (unless you’re on foot). But perhaps more exciting is their Feast ON certified menu which – in a nutshell – means they support Ontario growers, producers and distilleries. Yeay for fresh ingredients from local farms and amazing VQA wines! I highly recommend ordering the Niagara Burger and the Niagara Spy Apple Barge.

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Elements on the Falls Restaurant

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Elements on the Falls Restaurant

Dinner

Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria – This resto is by far the best Italian food in Niagara Falls. In fact, it’s some of the best Italian I’ve had in the entire province. Fresh, simple ingredients, phenomenal service and high quality dishes. We felt like we were feasting at nonna’s table (our imaginary Italian grandma that is). The pizzeria and restaurant have been around for over 30 years and if they keep putting out stellar dishes like the ones we devoured, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Book yourself a table here – you will not regret it. Oh, and don’t leave without trying the fresh, handmade ravioli…or the pizza, or the cannoli…you see where I’m going with this? Just go!

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria

What To Do

Journey Behind The Falls – Imagine standing behind a massive sheet of water (one-fifth of the world’s freshwater to be exact) and watching it crash into a basin below. It was my first time seeing the falls this close and all I can say is… WOW. Overwhelmed by its incredible energy, I closed my eyes and just listened to the thunderous roar for a few minutes. This is an attraction that’s not to be missed so grab your tickets, hop in the elevator that will take you down 45 metres through bedrock and take some time to admire the falls tumbling down from 13 storeys above. Note: they close the lower observation deck in the winter because of snow and ice buildup, but the upper deck, tunnels and viewing portals are open. This is also a great spot to snap pics for all of you photogs out there!

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Journey Behind The Falls

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Journey Behind The Falls

Butterfly Conservatory – To thaw from our outdoor adventure at the falls, we drove 10 mins north to a tropical and balmy conservatory. Located on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, there are approximately 180 metres of pathways winding through the lush space (which also happens to be North America’s largest glass-enclosed butterfly exhibit). Even more impressive is the diversity and number of butterflies flying around: there are over 2,000 butterflies and 45 different species!

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Butterfly Conservatory

Niagara Helicopters Ltd. – Up up and away! I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: helicopter rides are my favourite way of exploring a region. There’s just something about hovering over a landscape that sends chills up my spine. The perspective is humbling and inspiring…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Niagara Helicopter Ride

I’ve always wanted to fly over Niagara Falls and was fortunate enough to make my dream a reality on New Year’s Day. I hopped onboard Niagara Helicopters with hubby and had a fab experience. These guys have been around since 1961 and are pros when it comes to aerial tours. It’s only a 12 minute ride, but one that is bucket-list worthy!

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Niagara Helicopter RideNiagara Falls In The Winter, Niagara Helicopter Ride

Bird Kingdom – Did you know that Niagara Falls is home to the world’s largest free flying indoor aviary? I had no idea. We loved exploring the multi-level rainforest at this attraction — the path starts at the top and winds behind a 40 ft waterfall down to the “jungle” floor. It’s filled with colourful, exotic birds that will brighten up any gloomy day. Note: birds fly around freely so if the idea freaks you out, this is NOT the attraction for you!

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Bird Kingdom

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Bird Kingdom

Winter Festival of Lights (free, runs Nov 19-Jan 31st 2017) – Founded in 1983, the annual Winter Festival of Lights is Canada’s largest illumination festival. The 8 km route travels along the Niagara Parkway and into Dufferin Islands and features over 2 million lights. You’ll want to spend a good few hours exploring the different areas by foot and by car. There’s just so much to see — from building illuminations and light shows to three-dimensional wildlife displays and intricate, hand-painted lantern displays…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Winter Festival of Lights

These beauties hail from the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival in South Korea

My personal favourite was the sound and light show at the Toronto Power Generating Station. Just pull up across the street from the building, tune your car radio to 100.5 FM and watch the mesmerizing show unfold…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Winter Festival of Lights

Fallsview Casino Resort – With over 3,000 slot machines, 130 table games, a luxury hotel, award-winning restaurants and shopping, this is the largest gaming resort facility in Canada. I’m not much of a gambler myself, but hubby spent some time at the tables and won! We used the cash to book our return NYE trip to Niagara so that made me a happy gal.

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Fallsview Casino and Resort

Niagara Whirlpool (free) – While you won’t be able to actually hop on the antique Whirlpool Aero Car in the winter (bookmark this attraction for the warmer months), the area is quite beautiful when it’s blanketed with snow. Perched above the Niagara River you can watch the water swirl rapidly, change direction and create the Niagara Whirlpool as a result…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Whirlpool Aero Car

Niagara Falls (free) – Lastly, but surely the highlight of any trip to Niagara, is a visit to the falls. We are unbelievably lucky to have the natural wonder in our province and even more fortunate to have Niagara Parks entrusted to preserve the land surrounding Niagara Falls and the Niagara River (yup, they’ve been the self-financed agency protecting area since 1885). So make sure you squeeze in plenty of time during the day AND at night to take in the remarkable sight…

Niagara Falls In The Winter

As if it wasn’t already magical, we saw a rainbow during our visit too — swoon!

Hope this weekend itinerary inspires you guys to visit Niagara Falls in the winter. I know we’ll be going back a few more times this season to marvel at the winter wonderland before the white stuff melts away…

Niagara Falls In The Winter, Butterfly Conservatory

Our accommodations, meals and activities were complimentary as part of a press trip to the region. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own. A huge thanks to Attractions Ontario for partnering with us. Make sure to visit their website to plan your trip and snag some awesome coupons