Disappointing photos show what visiting Niagara Falls in Canada is really like

Aug 12, 2026 12:11 AM - 2 hours ago 1

Crowds connected the vessel astatine Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is simply a celebrated attraction that Business Insider's newsman recovered little glamorous than it appears connected societal media and successful ads. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When I reminisce astir my boat circuit of Niagara Falls, I deliberation of the hot-pink ponchos.

I spotted a rainbow from down a oversea of heads successful these disposable, mist-shielding cloaks, stretching their arms successful an effort to get an unobstructed changeable of the earthy wonder. The image aliases video whitethorn not seizure their honorable position of the roaring achromatic water, but those who spot it connected Instagram will ne'er know.

This was successful August 2022, erstwhile I took my first travel to Niagara Falls, the iconic landmark of monolithic waterfalls connected the separator of the US and Canada.

I expected to return epic hikes and savor breathtaking views and serene moments successful nature, but that's not rather what happened. While I was successful awe of the gigantic and melodramatic falls, I thought the situation felt much for illustration an attraction than a quality getaway.

I trudged done a crowded boardwalk connected the Canadian broadside and saw the falls from viewpoints blocked by solid and different barriers. I spent much clip than I anticipated waiting successful lines and looking astatine the backs of people's heads.

"Niagara Falls draws group because it's different each clip you visit, not contempt the crowds, but because of the power that comes pinch sharing thing this powerful pinch group from each complete the world," Adam Stiles, interim President and CEO of Niagara Falls Tourism, told Business Insider. "Summer brings that power astatine its peak, and yes, that intends lines. But the Falls are conscionable arsenic bonzer successful October."

I visited Niagara Falls connected a Monday and Tuesday successful August.

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls successful August. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

According to The Points Guy, this is 1 of the busiest months to visit. The municipality was afloat of families pinch kids connected summer break.

"For anyone visiting during highest summertime hours, we ever urge early mornings, evenings, and immoderate of the timed introduction wherever disposable to trim the hold times during the highest times of the time and highest times of the year," Stiles said.

I thought the area would beryllium afloat of hiking trails, but location was a lengthy boardwalk instead.

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls

People locomotion toward Horseshoe Falls astatine Niagara Falls. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When I arrived, I expected to position the falls from hiking trails since that's really I've seen different quality destinations. However, I could only position Niagara Falls from a agelong boardwalk lining the Canadian side aliases from an attraction.

During the day, betwixt 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., I went backmost and distant betwixt the boardwalk, my adjacent hotel, the Sheraton Fallsview, and the attractions surrounding the falls.

On the boardwalk, squeezing into a spot on the perimeter facing the falls took patience.

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls

People archive Niagara Falls connected their phones. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I could only get a spot connected the separator by waiting straight down different viewers, for illustration an informal line.

When I sewage a spot on the edge, zipliners obscured my view.

Zipliners supra Niagara Falls

Zipliners thrust supra the falls. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

People connected a zipline, 1 of the section area attractions to spot the falls, dropped into position each 15 minutes aliases so. It was cool the first time, but having my views perpetually obstructed by wires and humans sewage a spot annoying.

By noon, I recovered the boardwalk excessively crowded to enjoy, truthful I decided to effort immoderate of the attractions.

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls during an day successful August. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

In the early afternoon, the boardwalk was arsenic packed arsenic an amusement park connected a weekend.

The first attraction I pursued had a statement truthful agelong that I decided to skip it.

A composite image of lines for attractions astatine Niagara Falls

Lines for the Journey Behind the Falls attraction. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

First, I tried the Journey Behind the Falls, an charismatic Niagara Falls circuit that takes visitors successful an elevator down to a person vantage constituent than the boardwalk. But the statement to participate stretched done the full halfway wherever it was located.

I was worried I wouldn't person clip for much activities if I waited, truthful I skipped it.

I had amended luck astatine the adjacent attraction — a 360-degree study platform towering complete the city.

A composite image of a building and Niagara Falls

Skylon Tower and a position from the top. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Next, I went to Skylon Tower, an study building successful Niagara Falls offering 360-degree views of the falls and the city.

It was astir a 10-minute locomotion from the boardwalk, and I didn't person to hold excessively agelong to get to the apical — only astir 30 minutes.

While slipping my camera done the obstruction sewage maine a bully picture, the existent position from the study platform looks much for illustration this.

Crowds astatine Niagara Falls

People look astatine Niagara Falls from the apical of Skylon Tower. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Most of the Skylon Tower platform was filled pinch people, truthful I had to hold for others to time off to get a front-row spot.

Back down below, I thought the municipality of Niagara Falls felt much for illustration a carnival than a emblematic city. There was moreover a Ferris wheel, which I paid $15 for and waited an hr to ride.

A composite image of crowds astatine Niagara Falls

A statement for the Ferris instrumentality and crowds connected the carnival-like street Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The metropolis was afloat of arcades, chimney barroom stands, and crowds of people.

I thought the Ferris instrumentality would connection a expansive position of the falls. But erstwhile I sewage to the beforehand of the line, I realized the carts were wholly enclosed.

A position of Niagara Falls from the Ferris Wheel

A position of Niagara Falls from the Ferris wheel. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although the position was cool, I yet didn't deliberation it was worthy the value and hourlong hold to spot the falls done a window.

For a spot much of a thrill, I paid $30 for a vessel circuit pinch Niagara City Cruises.

A vessel approaches Horseshoe Falls astatine Niagara Falls connected a cloudy day

A vessel approaches Horseshoe Falls astatine Niagara Falls. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

This attraction gets group the closest to the falls, and it's truthful celebrated that it was featured connected "The Bachelor" successful 2022.

I booked a 6 p.m. clip slot, but I still had to hold successful statement for almost an hour, while the vessel thrust was only 20 minutes.

People hold to committee the boat

People hold to committee the boat. Joey Hadden/Insider

"We're ever moving to amended the Niagara Falls experience," a typical of Niagara Falls Cruises said successful a connection to Business Insider.

When everyone piled connected the boat, it was truthful crowded that it felt for illustration nary 1 other could fit.

Crowds connected the vessel astatine Niagara Falls

Crowds capable the apical deck. Joey Hadden/Insider

On committee the boat, I had entree to 2 decks. I went to the apical platform for a higher vantage point.

Being wrong feet of the falls and emotion the mist connected my look was epic, but it was reliable to afloat bask it pinch truthful galore different group connected board.

Crowds connected the vessel astatine Niagara Falls

Passengers position and archive the falls. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

At the aforesaid time, I thought the vessel had a awesome vibe because everyone was truthful excited to beryllium there. It felt for illustration a large statement and was worthy the price.

When the thrust was over, I waited successful different agelong statement for my move successful the elevator.

Lines for elevators astatine Niagara Falls

People hold successful statement for the elevator. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

While I utilized a elemental ramp to committee the boat, passengers had to return an elevator to return to the boardwalk aft the ride.

Regardless of the crowds and agelong lines, I thought seeing Niagara Falls up adjacent was astonishing and entrancing.

The American falls and a rainbow astatine Niagara Falls

The American Falls down a rainbow. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I deliberation everyone should spot them astatine slightest once.

It felt for illustration I was witnessing a powerful unit of quality commanding people's attention.

A position of Niagara Falls from a boat

Niagara Falls seen from a boat. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

According to The Points Guy, Niagara Falls tends to beryllium little engaged successful early outpouring and precocious fall. I would emotion to spell backmost to Niagara Falls erstwhile it's little crowded and person a much serene experience.

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Joey Hadden is simply a recreation newsman and photojournalist astatine Business Insider based successful NYC. She covers proscription modes, replacement lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are ocular features that springiness readers a front-row spot to her individual experiences astatine location and astir the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University successful May 2019 pinch a BA successful Photocommunications. Since joining BI successful 2019, Joey has traveled by train successful 7 different countries, from day trips to overnight rides arsenic agelong arsenic 30 hours. She's ridden connected galore different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept successful countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique mini homes, and backstage train cabins, to sanction a few.When walking successful North America, Joey takes readers wrong the continent's wealthiest enclaves wherever billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free clip singing and playing drums for the indie-rock set Blanket Approval. You tin travel Joey connected Instagram or nonstop her an email at [email protected].Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to person a room to myself connected a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the champion acquisition I've had connected an overnight train successful the US.I booked basal system flights pinch Delta and United. They felt for illustration 2 wholly different classes.I went connected an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things amazed meI spent 2 nights successful a 2-story, 100-square-foot mini location successful Germany that was smaller than immoderate I've seen successful the USStep wrong the richest metropolis successful Arizona, wherever able Californians are flocking for backstage mountainside estates

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