Want to enjoy the best of Niagara Falls USA and Canada? In this post I share our 2 day itinerary for Niagara Falls from what to do to where to stay and includes some of the best things to do when visiting Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls is a unique destination in that it is two countries connected by remarkable water falls. Both are so different from each other and planning a weekend getaway is a great mix of taking in the natural beauty of the falls combined with the hustle and bustle of Clifton Hill.

There is so much to do and choose from but for this post I want to share my “perfect” 2 day itinerary for Niagara Falls and at the end I will share a bonus list of fun things to add if you have time or an extra day.

Logistics of Your Trip

If you are planning a visit to Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls Canada you need to plan for a few things.

First you will be driving across the Rainbow bridge between the United States and Canada. You will go through customs and will need a passport (check required documents) You may also need a note signed by a caregiver if you are traveling with children.

The language in Niagara Falls Canada is English with many people also speaking French. There is not a language barrier when visiting Niagara Falls Canada for Americans.

If you are making purchases you may want to get money before you leave the states. We haven’t done a money exchange is years because you don’t really need to anymore.

Credit cards are typically the preferred payment and most credit cards work fine. Check with yours if you are concerned about using it in Canada.

What is Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a city in New York and Ontario, Canada. It is also home of Niagara Falls, the waterfalls. There are two. The American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls.

A few things to know when visiting. The best panorama view of Niagara Falls is from the Canadian side. There you can have a front row view to see both falls.

If you want to get close to the falls the American side offers the closest perspective. When visiting Niagara Falls State Park in New York you can also see the rapids leading up to the falls.

Where to Stay in Niagara Falls

I suggest staying on the Canadian side because there are many dining and attractions within walking distance including walking to see the falls at nights.

There are so many places to stay in Niagara Falls, Canada. We stayed at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel that has an indoor water park. I suggest staying within walking distance of Clifton Hill to make it easy to get around and do all the attractions.

Our 2 Day Itinerary to Niagara Falls

This itinerary for Niagara Falls starts in our hometown of Rochester, New York but you can do this from anywhere.

We started our day early and drove to Paula’s Donuts to get some breakfast. Go to the Tonawanda location which is a little over an hour from Rochester. This is on the way to Niagara Falls. They have online ordering if you want to get it to go.

After breakfast you want to drive to Niagara Falls State Park which is located in Niagara Falls, New York. There is no entrance fee to the park but may be a parking fee depending on where you park.

Niagara Falls State Park has hiking trails, Goat Island, and attractions that are incorporated into the park but not necessarily at the park.

It is a bit confusing and if you are unsure what to do you can start at the Welcome Center at the Falls. For our visit we were keeping it budget friendly and stuck to the free attractions.

We arrived and parked near the welcome center and immediately walked to Prospect Point (8 on map below). This gives you incredible views of the American Falls. It is stunning and really does take your breath away being so close.

This may just be my own worries but I have to mention to keep your kids close. My kids are older now but when they were small I kept them very close.

This is not a place for little ones run off energy. It is slippery and the barrier is not kid proof. I visited many times with toddlers and small kids but just make sure they are holding your hand near the falls.

After we visited this area we got back in our car and drove to Goat Island where we walked to Three Sisters Island (Number 1 in map below). This is a really close view of the Canadian Rapids that lead to the falls.

Again don’t go over the fence or walk where you should not. On our visit we saw people climbing over barriers to get a photo on the islands and it was so unsafe.

From here I want to add a few things I suggest considering for your itinerary before you leave for Canada. Two amazing attractions are Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist. Both give you an incredible up close experience with the water falls. Reservations are highly recommended before you arrive.

Maid of the Mist is a boat ride that goes really close to the falls. You will get wet on this and ponchos are provided. Cave of the Winds is a walking tour that involves climbing stairs and walking down to the bottom of the falls. Ponchos are also provided.

If you want to experience them all I recommend this tour. It includes Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, and a Trolley Ride around the park.

For lunch I suggest stopping at the Cave of the Winds Cafe. They offer wraps and sandwiches. You can also pack a lunch if you want to save money.

After you finish exploring the attractions at Niagara Falls State Park begin your trip across the border. This is very close but due to customs it may take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Be sure to have your passports ready to make everything move smoothly.

After customs we went to check-in to our hotel. Our plan for the evening was to walk around Clifton Hill, eat dinner, view the falls at night.

The view from our room at the Sheraton Fallsview was so nice. I really enjoyed our stay and it was nice to wake up and enjoy the sunrise over the falls.

The best thing about visiting Clifton Hill is you don’t really have to have a plan. It is a busy touristy area with arcades, wax museums, restaurants, and gift shops. You can do what you want. Honestly most of the time we visit we just take it all in. There are enough things to just look at you don’t have to do the attractions.

If you want to do attractions you should consider the bundle ticket to save money. The Clifton Hill bundle includes the SkyWheel, Zombie Attack, Movieland Wax Museum, Dinosaur Adventure Golf or Wizards Golf, Ghostblaster’s Dark Ride, and Toy Store 4D Ride or Carnival Chaos.

These attractions can add up on their own and the bundle is a good option if you plan on doing them. For dinner you have options. From Boston Pizza, Kelsey’s, and Rainforest Cafe, as well as other places.

We did Rainforest Cafe for the ambiance and fun. The food is fine but you go for the entertainment of eating at the Rainforest.

My kids liked doing The Great Canadian Midway (Arcade), walking through the Hershey Store, seeing Niagara Falls at night, and taking it all in.

Since our last visit there is a roller coaster on top of the Burger King, Frank ‘n’ Coaster, that is on our list. I am hoping to get there in the next few months so I can add it to our itinerary and share more. It is 100% tourist trap but we love theme parks so it is something we want to try.

The falls at night is a great way to end your night. During certain times of the year there are fireworks as well as special events.

Day 2 starts out with Tim Hortons for breakfast, located on Clifton Hill, then we checked out of our hotel. We had to head back home to Rochester but this is what I would do if I had extra time.

After breakfast go to Niagara Parks Power Station & The Tunnel. This is a museum of how Niagara Falls Power works. Guests can also walk through The Tunnel to an outdoor observation deck at the end.

An all new experience Niagara Takes Flight is opening August 29, 2025. This will include an immersive “Soarin” type attraction that takes guests on an adventure like they have never experienced. I am so excited for this, as I mentioned we love theme parks, and I hope to share more once it opens.

From there I would make a stop at the Niagara Botanical Gardens, it is a gorgeous spot to take some time in nature after spending the evening at Clifton Hill. (Its all about balance!)

After the Gardens make your way back to the USA. Customs may take a bit of time, but depending on how much time you have left I would stop at the Niagara Power Vista.

This doesn’t look like it is open to the public but it is and it is free! We discovered it and had a great time learning more about how Niagara Falls impacts the entire state of New York.

After a 2nd full day exploring Niagara Falls USA and Canada we headed back to Rochester. I can’t believe how much we got done in the two days and I look forward to visiting again.

Itinerary Recap

• Day 1:
  • Paula’s Doughnuts
  • Niagara Falls State Park: Explore many attractions there
  • Lunch at Cave of the Winds Cafe
  • Cross the border into Canada
  • Check-In to Hotel
  • Clifton Hill
  • Dinner at Rainforest Cafe
  • Walk Down to Falls at Night
• Day 2
  • Breakfast at Tim Hortons
  • Niagara Falls Power Plant & Tunnel
  • Niagara Takes Flight
  • Lunch: Boston Pizza
  • Back to USA
  • Niagara Power Vista

A tip about parking: It is expensive. Leave you car at the hotel as long as possible. If you need to park check here for information.

Bonus Things to See & Do

We’ve been to Niagara Falls countless times and they are always adding new things. When I see something I would like to do, but maybe haven’t yet, I added here. I’m hoping to plan a visit back soon to try them but in the meantime I thought you may want to check them out.

• Schoellkopf Power Station Ruins Site (Niagara Falls, New York): restored and open to the public
• Aquarium of Niagara (Niagara Falls, New York): small size aquarium
• Journey Behind the Falls (Niagara Falls, Ontario): Walk-through behind the Falls
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
• Hologram Zoo Niagara (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
• Niagara Go-Karts (Niagara Falls, Ontario)

Final Thoughts

After writing this my final thoughts are I need to plan another visit. Niagara Falls is always adding new and exciting attractions and spending 2 days exploring both Niagara Falls (USA & Canada) left us wanting to explore more.

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