Niagara Falls in Winter: Tips and Things to Do (2026)

Thinking of heading to Niagara Falls during the winter months? I think you’re in for a treat. Niagara Falls is a popular place to visit year-round, including winter – but winter is so much less busier than the rest of the year.

The winter is obviously much colder, but you can enjoy the falls a lot more with fewer crowds. Some attractions are closed (such as the zipline) but most of them are still running.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Niagara right after a snowfall, you can get some pretty unique and beautiful photos of the wintery scene. Mostly though, temperatures are milder in the Niagara region so there’s less snowfall there than places in northern Ontario.

Niagara Falls has both indoor and outdoor activities that are available all winter long (on both, the Canadian side and US side and I’ll be providing tips for both.) So, if it is freezing, there are plenty of ways to duck in from the cold.

Whether you’re heading to Niagara Falls with family, as a romantic getaway weekend or with friends, you’ll soon see why I believe Niagara Falls to be one of the best places to visit in Ontario in winter.

So, let’s jump in – Niagara Falls in winter!

Things to Do in Niagara Falls in Winter

Here are the things to do in and around the actual falls that are even more special and unique in Niagara Falls in the cold

1. Stand right at the edge of Horseshoe Falls (Canada)

Every visitor, especially a first-time visitor, regardless of the time of year should make time to do this while they’re in Niagara Falls. Walk directly to where the waters plunge over the cliff at Horseshoe Falls. Stand there, watch and feel the force.

The water is thundering over at approximately 2,800 cubic metres per second and at 65 kms (40 miles) per hour. It is very misty and you will get slightly wet, so be sure to bundle up, especially since its cold enough outside already. If you have a poncho from home, you would want to bring it.

You could be given a poncho for free if you decide to do the journey behind the falls tour, which we’ll get into below.

20. Eat somewhere with a great view of the falls

In winter especially, you want to look for places where you can enjoy the view of the falls without having to be outside freezing your butt off.

There are a few restaurants where you can enjoy a great view of the falls. The nice thing about eating there in winter isn’t just the warmth , but its also a bit easier to get into since its low-season for tourism.

Still, I would recommend making reservations to these places if you plan to eat there:

• Skylon Tower – two dining rooms, one revolving with a birds-eye view of the falls
• Table Rock House Restaurant – located near the tip of Horseshoe Falls; this restaurant is located in a large building with souvenir shops and windows with unbeatable views (pictured above)
• The Sky Fallsview Steakhouse
• The Keg Steakhouse in the Embassy Suites hotel
• Massimo’s Italian Fallsview Restaurant
• The Secret Garden Restaurant (further away, but you can see all three falls, including the American side.)

*There are dozens of restaurants with views of the falls, but I’ve listed the ones that I’ve personally ate at, are open in the winter and have decent reviews (minimum of 4/5 on Google ratings.)

2. Walk through the Winter Festival of Lights (December only)

Unlike most cities that take down their festive winter lights (lets face it, they’re usually just for Christmas) right after the New Years, Niagara Falls keeps theirs up for an extra few days.

Visiting before or during the holiday season always makes for a festive activity, but if you have an extra week after Christmas to enjoy the lit up lights -its definitely worth seeing.

This year, the festival lights in Niagara Falls will be held from mid- November 2025 to January 4, 2026. The lights are on from 5pm to midnight each day in that time frame.

3. See the Falls Lit Up at Night

The earlier dark hours mean that you have more time in winter to see the falls lit up at night. The waterfalls are lit up every night of the year, but in winter, you can see these multicolour lights under the falls much earlier.

Tthere are different fall illumination hours for the lit up falls, depending on which month you’re coming. In the winter, they tend to light up starting from 5-5:30pm, and stay lit until 1 or 2am.

You can see the exact illumination schedule here, for the entire 2026 year.

4. Ride the SkyWheel (Canada)

The SkyWheel was built in Niagara Falls as a replica of the London Eye. Its a 175-feet tall ferris wheel and consists of weather-controlled gondolas – which keeps you somewhat warm in the winter months.

The SkyWheel is open year-round and its a great way to get a view of the surrounding land and stay relatively warm in the process.

When you ride the SkyWheeel, you do three full rotations and the ride lasts about 10 minutes. Up to 9 people fit in the gondolas, so more than big enough for the whole family or a bachelor party.

The SkyWheel is open from 10am to midnight each day – so you have the option of a daytime wintery lay of the land, or seeing Niagara Falls all lit up different colours from the night sky.

The SkyWheel is located on Clifton Hill, which is the big touristy shopping district in Niagara Falls. Its about a 15 minute walk from the falls. Tickets for the SkyWheel can be bought at the gate, or in advance to save time.

Grab a SkyWheel Admission Ticket here on Viator ($17 per adult)

5. Do the Journey Behind the Falls experience

The Journey Behind the Falls experience is the closest you can get to the falls, and even provides a chance to walk behind the falls.

During the journey, you descend 125 ft below the ground in an elevator and are taken through a tunnel (built in 1903) where you can see look at the waterfalls from right behind them.

To be honest, the behind the falls part wasn’t as miraculous as I thought it would be (its just a small window) but you can definitely see the thickness of the volume of the falls which is a very unique experience.

My favourite part of the experience was going to the lower observation deck (pictured below) and being practically right beside the force of the falls. The entire Journey Behind the Falls experience takes just under an hour.

Tickets for Journey Behind the Falls can be bought from the Niagara Parks website here. The cost is $24.00 per adult ticket, and includes the tour plus a biodegradable poncho (which you’ll need as it gets very wet at the lower observation deck.)

Good to Know: In the winter, the lower observation deck is sometimes closed because the ground can get so icy from the mist from the falls – it depends on the weather. In the event that it isn’t safe to walk on, you will be given a discount on the Journey Behind the Falls experience.

6. Visit the Niagara Falls Power Station (Canada)

The Niagara Falls Power Station has been in use since 1905, but just opened as a tourist attraction in 2022. There’s a museum on top, followed by an elevator that takes you 180 feet underground.

From there, you walk through a 2,200-foot tunnel that takes you out to get a shoreline view of the falls.

I find that tourists are often trying to choose between Journey Behind the Falls or the Power Station experience, because both are very similar. They both involve an elevator, and a long tunnel, plus an up-close view of the falls.

As someone who loves science, the Power Station is one of my favourite attractions in Niagara Falls. You learn about the history of the falls, as well as some of the experiments that have been done, and how they started channeling them for electricity.

Give yourself at least 2 hours for the whole Power Station experience – the museum, elevator, walk through the tunnel, and some picture taking at the base of the falls.

Now, I must caution you – if you find it cold above the ground, it will be even colder once you get down the elevator. We did the Power Station in October, and even then we brought layers to wear at the underground part of the exhibit.

So, bundle up with hats, mitts and scarves for the underground part of the exhibit, the same as you would outside.

Good to Know: You have the option of either a guided or self-guided tour of the Niagara Falls Power Station. Guided tours for an adult are $37.00, while self-guided is $20.00. We had toddlers with us, so we decided to do a self-guided tour. If you’re a history or science buff however, spending the bit extra for a guided tour might be worth it. Tickets can be bought at the door, or on their website here.

7. Visit Niagara on the Lake

Niagara on the Lake is a 20 minute drive from Niagara Falls, and to be honest, I like it much more than Niagara Falls! It has a cute downtown, heritage buildings, boutique stores and its even cuter in winter after a snowfall. Plus, like Niagara Falls, its a lot less busy in the cold months.

Things to Do in Niagara on the Lake (in winter)

• Try Icewine! The Niagara Peninsula is famous for its wine; there are 50 wineries (see my favourite ones here) in the area, and its one of the largest wine-making regions in Ontario. There’s an ice wine festival in January, but you can try ice wine anytime. You can sample ice wine on-site most of the wineries.
• Shop the main street. The main street of Niagara on the Lake is lined with cute shops, cafés, and great restaurants. Its a great place to find good quality, unique Canada souvenirs.
• Have dinner. The food is so much better here than the Niagara Falls restaurants. See my recommendations for restaurants in Niagara on the Lake here
• Do a wine tour. If you’re vacationing in Niagara Falls, you have the option of driving to the wine region (20-30 minutes by car) or joining a 5-hour tour which brings you to a handful of wineries in a day. Your transportation and tastings at each winery are included.

Book your All-Inclusive Wine Tour in Niagara here (4-5 hours long, around $200 per person)

8. Take a walk along Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill is the big ‘tourist trap’ in Niagara Falls, and is similar to a kid’s mini Vegas. However, you have to see it while you’re here and there are a lot of places to duck inside from the wintery cold for some laughs and fun times.

Clifton Hill is well known for its wax museums, haunted houses, speedway (closed in the winter), as well as restaurants, souvenir shops, and candy stores. This is also near where the Skywheel is located, as well as the Rainforest Cafe.

Walking along Clifton Hill gets you outside and moving (as its on an incline) but there’s lots of attractions to duck inside of and get a break from the cold.

9. Watch birds fly freely at Bird Kingdom

Bird Kingdom is the largest aviary in North America. Visiting there is like stepping into the rainforest in Costa Rica. Seeing the lush vegetation, flowers and birds is a nice break from the cold and dreary winters.

There are three different floors at Bird Kingdom with different exhibits. There’s some history about Niagara Falls, bats, reptiles, and many birds flying around freely. If you’re a bird lover (like me) then you’ll enjoy this place .

One of our favourite parts about Bird Kingdom was the parakeet feeding which is done several times throughout the day. We were able to go inside the enclosure and get pictures of ourselves with the parakeets. They didn’t allow us to take our own photos of the parakeets, but we were able to buy the photos that they took of us.

The Bird Kingdom is great for all ages; families and couples. You will need about 2 hours to explore the whole thing.

Good to Know: You can buy your tickets at the door, but we decided to buy ours on their website online to save time. (You also get a slight discount for buying your ticket online.) The ticket you buy online has no expiry date, so you can buy it now and use it any time.

Getting to Bird Kingdom

You could walk to Bird Kingdom in about 10 minutes from the base of Clifton Hill, or in 20-30 minutes from the edge of the falls.  You can drive there as well, there is designated Birds Kingdom parking on site that only costs $3, which is very affordable for Niagara Falls! (We were so surprised by that price that we went in to check and ask them.)

10. See the wintery lay of the land from the Skylon Tower

The Skylon Tower is a 775 foot tower that overlooks Niagara Falls. The elevator to the top takes just under a minute.

The attractions at the top of Skylon Tower are two different restaurants, and an observation deck.

If you choose to dine at the top in one of the restaurants, then your admission to the top of the tower is free (it works the same way as the CN Tower in Toronto.)

However, if you’re going to pass on dinner, then you can grab an admission ticket to the Skylon Tower for pretty affordable.

Get your Advance Tickets for the Skylon Tower here ($23 per adult on Viator)

Here’s what you need to know about the two Skylon Tower Restaurants in winter:

Revolving Dining Room Restaurant

• The pricier option; perfect for upper scale events and celebrations
• Serves lunch, early dinner, and dinner
• Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian and children’s options – see menu here

Summit Suite Buffet

• More casual and affordable than the revolving restaurant – see menu here
• there’s a special menu for New Year’s Eve

11. Walk through the Butterfly conservatory

The Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls is one of the largest butterfly enclosures in North America. Its great for all ages.

If you’ve ever been to a butterfly conservatory, you know that its peaceful to walk around watching the butterflies fly around freely. You need to be careful walking around, because there are some butterflies on the path in front of you, and many of them land on you.

Your visit to the Butterfly Conservatory is a self-guided tour, and it starts off with a short informational video about the butterflies and how to handle them.

Afterwards, you take a leisurely stroll through the conservatory. You probably only need about 60-90 minutes tops for the whole thing.

Pro Tip: The temperature inside the conservatory has a tropical warmth (27 C or 80.6 F) so be sure to wear short sleeves underneath your winter coat so that you aren’t boiling in a hot sweater.

Getting to the Butterfly Conservatory

The Butterfly Conservatory is not accessible by foot from downtown Niagara Falls – you would need to drive, or take an Uber. Its about a 15 minute drive from downtown, and there is nearby parking for $5. You can buy tickets to the Butterfly Conservatory online here.

12. Splash around at an Indoor waterpark

Niagara Falls is great for waterparks. While waterparks may not be the first thing you think of in the winter, but its a great way to still be able to swim even though its cold outside.

There are a few different waterparks to choose from, and here’s the low down on each one:

• Great Wolf Lodge – 100,000 square feet water park open ONLY to guests. (If you’re in Niagara Falls as a family, consider staying here.) Read out post about our experience staying at Great Wolf Lodge with a toddler
• Waves, Americana’s Indoor Waterpark  a 25,000 sq. feet of pools and fun. Open to outside visitors daily from 10 am-8 pm. You can buy your pass online in advance here.
• Fallsview Indoor Water Park, 125,000 square feet. Hours to outside visitors change daily based on the day, so check their website for the days you plan on visiting.

13. Niagara Falls Underground Heritage Center (U.S side)

The Niagara Falls Underground Heritage Center is a new attraction that just opened in 2018 on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls. It allows you to learn about first-hand accounts of slaves who fled to Canada for their freedom.

Niagara Falls was the light at the end of the tunnel for slaves who fought to be free. You can learn about their brave stories and see the remnants of the suspension bridge that they used to get across the border to Canada.

If you’re already on the U.S. side, then the Underground Heritage Center is probably only a 10 minute drive out of your way. If you’re on the Canadian side, then it will take about 30 minutes to get over there, not including the time to cross the boarder.

13. Try some comforting Canadian food

If you’re crossing the border into Canada to visit Niagara Falls, there are a few different kinds of Canadian dishes and snacks you should try that you can’t get in the U.S.

Poutine. While it originated in Quebec, it is very popular and commonly found in Ontario too. A poutine is especially nice to have in winter
Nanaimo Bar – a pastry that you can find at Tim Horton’s, or other bakeries
Ketchup Chips – made by a few different brands; Lays and President’s Choice
Maple Syrup – Canada is the largest exporter of maple syrup. You can find small gift bottles of it in souvenir shops, or larger bottles in grocery stores

Canadian chain restaurants to look for in Niagara Falls:
Montana’s – Backyard barbeque style. My American friend loves Montana’s BBQ sauce, and you can buy the jars to take home; makes a good souvenir or gift
The Keg – steakhouse chain with an upper scale vibe
Boston Pizza -Pizzeria and sportsbar.

*You can find all of these chains on Clifton Hill.

Good to Know: For Canadians, there are some American chain restaurants on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls that are hard to come by in the rest of Canada. Olive Garden and Rainforest Café, Applebees

16. Celebrate Christmas, New Years, and Valentines (Canada and U.S.)

Niagara Falls is a festive place to visit for any holidays, especially the winter ones. There are a fewer tourists and

Christmas: Enjoy the Winter Festival of Lights (Canada side). On the U.S side, visit the Jingle Falls Festival which is three day weekend festival in late November with ice sculptures, Santa, bonfires and roasted marshmallows.

New Years: special menus are offered at select restaurants (be sure to reserve in advance). There are fireworks at 8pm and 12am (midnight) on December 31st.

Valentines Day – there are lots of romantic things to do in Niagara Falls for Valentine’s Day; dinner at the Skylon Tower, a wine tour, and the butterfly conservatory to name a few.

17. Explore the casino scene

I’ll be honest, casinos aren’t my thing. But I have tagged along with friends a few times in Niagara Falls. The Canadian side of Niagara Falls is the Mini-Vegas. There are two different casinos on the Canadian side, and one on the American side.

They are:

• The Fallsview Casino (Ontario)
• Casino Niagara (Ontario)
• Seneca Niagara Casino (New York)

Keep in mind that on the Canadian side of the border, you need to be 19 years old to gamble, but on the American side the minimum age is 21.

18. Eat at the Rainforest Café (Canada)

If you enjoy the feeling like you’re eating in the middle of a Costa Rican jungle, then you might love the Rainforest Café on Clifton Hill. The whole environment inside is made to feel like you’re eating in the middle of a rainforest.

I’d particularly recommend it if you’re in Niagara Falls with children, as they will love the animatronic animals, the starry night sky, and the aquarium.

If you’re a group of adults only, then I’d say only go if the idea particularly appeals to you. They do have beers, cocktails and spirits on their menu, so its suitable for kids and adults.

In the summertime, the Rainforest Café has a line up out the door (as they don’t take reservations – its first come, first serve.) But in the winter, you’ll likely be able to walk right in.

19. See aquatic life at the Aquarium of Niagara (U.S side)

The Aquarium of Niagara is a non for profit organization that is committed to the wellbeing and conservation of the aquatic life under their care.

The Aquarium of Niagara has been open since 1965. It was the first aquarium I ever visited as a little girl in the early 90s. At that time, they still had dolphis. (I’m glad that they don’t have them now.)

However, Im in my 30s now and can still remember the aquarium, seeing the polar bears and penguins. I’d recommend visiting here if you’re on the American side of Niagara Falls with kids.

If you want to visit the Aquarium, then you’ll beed to book a time window in advance. If you’re visiting on a weekend, then prepare for a bit of a wait to get in.

14. Take a helicopter ride (Canada)

If you want to take the view of Niagara Falls up a notch, helicopter rides are offered in Niagara Falls during the winter season (weather permitting.)

You’re taken up close and over the falls, getting views that few people get to experience. This tour also includes lunch at the revolving Skylon Tower restaurant that overlooks the falls.

This might be a special idea for an anniversary or special occasion, or just an epic thrill.

Book your Niagara Falls helicopter ride here ($450 per person)

3 Things To Keep in Mind About Niagara Falls in Winter

Besides that its cold (obviously), here are two important things to keep in mind about visiting Niagara Falls during the winter months

1. December is the most popular month

In December, Niagara Falls will be a little more popular than other winter months because of the Winter Festival of Lights, and holiday celebrations for Christmas and New Year’s. The cold months from January through March will be a lot less busy .

2. There is much more to do on the Canadian side (especially in winter)

Two of the main attractions on the U.S. side of the border (Maid of the Mist and Whirlpool Jet Boat) are closed in the winter.

If you are coming from somewhere in the U.S, it might be worth it to cross over to the Canadian side where more of the attractions are open (and you can get a better view of the falls.)

3. The volume of the water fall will be slightly thinner at night

During winter nights, the water flow of the Niagara Falls is cut in half. During the daytime in the summer, the water flows at over 2,800 cubic meters per second, but this is cut down to a minimum flow of 1,400 cubic metres per second on winter nights.

However, you likely won’t be able to tell the difference from looking at it with the naked eye. The falls are lit up during the night which make for great photos!

Average Temperature during Winter in Niagara Falls

Here is the average temperature in Niagara Falls in winter months, from December through March.

Niagara Fall’ is a bit warmer than Toronto during the winter, but it it is still cold and dreary. Here are the average temperatures that you can expect each month:

December	Low: -2°C (29°F) High: 3°C (38°F)
January	Low: -8°C (17.5°F) High: -1°C (30.2°F)
February	Low: -8° 17.5°F) High: 0°C (32°F)
March	Low: -3°C (26.6°F) High: 5°C (41°F)

How to Get to Niagara Falls in Winter

Here’s everything you need to know about getting to Niagara Falls (driving, public transit, tours and parking) during the winter months

1. From Toronto

If you’re trying to get from Toronto to Niagara Falls, and you have a car, then then drive along the Queen Elizabeth Way (called “QEW” by locals). It will take just under an hour (roughly 1 hour, and 44 minutes without traffic) to get to Niagara Falls from Toronto.

Please keep the weather in mind. You’ll need snow tires if you’re driving in the winter. Parking will be much easier to come by in the winter months. Read my post on How to Get to Niagara Falls from Toronto to see all the options.

If you’re coming from Toronto to Niagara Falls, you might want to consider booking a tour where you don’t have to worry about driving or public transit and can sit back and enjoy the ride. Day trips to Niagara Falls from Toronto run all year, even during the winter.

Book your winter day trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto here

2. From anywhere in the U.S.

 The closest airport to Niagara Falls State Park is the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BUF), and its only about 30 minutes away.

There are three different bridges to cross into Canada, but the one that will take you directly into Niagara Falls is the Rainbow Bridge.

If you don’t want to have to worry about driving yourself and marking, consider taking a tour that will take you to the key sights across the border.

Book your day tour of Niagara Falls (both sides of the border) from the U.S. here

What to Bring to Niagara Falls in the Cold

You’ll want to bring very warm clothing and layers to Niagara Falls in winter.

• A winter coat
• Hat, mitts and scarf
• Neck-warmers like these ones that help shield your face from the cold winds and mist
• Warm gloves
• Waterproof footwear. Hiking boots, if they’re waterproof are suitable, even if you’re not doing hiking perse; the ground can still be icy and wet and the extra traction is worth it. I’d recommend this pair for men, or this one for women
• Long-sleeved shirts, or a hoodie
• A swimsuit (if you are visiting any of the indoor waterparks)

Niagara Falls in Winter: By Month

Here’s what you need to know about each month in winter in Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls in December

December is the most popular of all the winter months to visit Niagara Falls, because of the holiday-themed attractions.

If you’re hoping to see Niagara Falls looking like a winter wonderland, then this will likely not happen in December. Temperatures in December (and southern Ontario in general) are usually too mild to create the icy/snow atmosphere. But you might get lucky and see a bit of snow.

Niagara Falls in January

January is the least popular month to visit Niagara Falls, which means getting into the tourist attractions is a breeze compared to the summer months. January is one of the lowest temperatures of the year, so if you hope to see snow, your chances are higher in January than in December.

The Ice Wine Festival in Niagara on the Lake is held in mid-January (the 2024 dates will be January 12th – 28th, 2024.)

Niagara Falls in February

February is mostly very quiet in terms of tourists in Niagara Falls. Valentines Day will likely draw a lot of couples who are looking for special occasions, such as dinner at the revolving restaurant at the Skylon Tower, casinos, wineries, and things like that.

Be sure to make reservations in advance if you plan to be in Niagara for Valentine’s Day or the closest weekends to do; other than that, it will be pretty quiet (and still cold!)

Niagara Falls in March

March is starting to warm up in Niagara Falls, but it will still be cold and damp some days. St. Patricks Day (March 16th) is a very popular holiday in both U.S. and Canada, and will draw a lot of people to the restaurants, bars and casinos to celebrate.

Also, March Break or Spring Break happen during mid-March, and there are a lot of families that visit Niagara Falls at that time. The waterparks and family-friendly activities will be absolutely packed! Be sure to make whatever reservations you want in advance.

Interesting Facts about Niagara Falls in Winter

• The volume of the falls is slightly thinner during the winter nights because the current is used for hydroelectric energy
• When it gets really cold, the mist and spray from the falls can form a crust of ice over top of the rushing water. So, it looks like the water has stopped, but it hasn’t!
• Niagara Falls don’t ever really ‘freeze over’ in winter, there is always water flowing

Where to Stay in Niagara Falls in Winter

• Luxury: Hilton Niagara Falls – First class view of the falls, restaurants on-site, kid’s swimming pool
• Mid-Range: Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview Great view of the falls and indoor swimming pool
• Budget: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson –Comfortable affordable hotel close to everything, free breakfast included

Niagara Falls in Winter FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about visiting Niagara Falls in the wintertime.

Is it worth going to Niagara Falls in winter?

Niagara Falls is definitely worth a visit in winter. There are less crowds, and its much easier to get in to certain attractions. Some attractions are closed during the winter months, but many of the good ones are still open.

What are winters like in Niagara Falls?

Winters in Niagara Falls are cold. It is also less busy.There are a lot of fun, indoor and outdoor activities to do to keep warm.

Can you walk behind Niagara Falls in winter?

Yes, you can walk behind Niagara Falls in winter. The Journey Behind the Falls experience is the only excursion which takes visitors behind the waterfalls, and its open year-round.

Final Thoughts on Niagara Falls in Winter

Winter is a great time to experience Niagara Falls. The tourist crowds are much thinner and you can get into the attractions much easier and faster than during the summer months.

If you’re lucky enough to be there on a cold enough day, you might be able to experience what the falls look like surrounded by ice and a layer of fresh snow.

If you love waterfalls, then Niagara Falls is a must. I hope that this guide has been helpful in giving you ideas for your trip to Niagara Falls in winter!