Gift cards and attractions passes provided by Destination Niagara USA. As always, opinions are my own.
Things To Do In Niagara Falls
With Kids
I didn’t travel that much as as a kid; my parents were fearful flyers. But, we did go on a lot of road trips and one of my absolute favorites was when we visited the Niagara Falls.
Once I had children of my own I knew I’d want to take them to Niagara Falls as soon as they were old enough to remember the trip. When my boys reached the ages of 10 and 8 I decided we were ready to scratch Niagara Falls off our Family Travel Bucket List.
In September 2017 we embarked on an epic road trip to Niagara Falls with our friends from Life Without Pink. It was such a non-traditional vacation for us but one my children still talk about as a travel favorite. This post includes an overview of our time in Niagara Falls and my top picks of things to do in Niagara Fall with kids.
Things To Do In Niagara Falls With Kids – The Falls
Our #1 attraction while visiting Niagara Falls was the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist is a boat tour of Niagara Falls on the American side with a quick drift to the Canadian waters. Maid of the Mist begins on an observation tower and leads to a boat. The 20-minute boat tour takes you to the basin of Niagara Falls State Park’s Horseshoe Falls.
Before boarding the boat you are given a blue poncho to wear.
You have to wear blue ponchos when going on the boat because you definitely get wet. Check out my little guy embracing the moment and letting the Falls mist hit his face. The Maid of the Mist is a total must do.
We used Discovery Passes to enjoy the Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds, Niagara Adventure Theater, Aquarium of Niagara, Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, and Niagara Scenic Trolley.
After exploring the Falls we were a little hungry so we stopped for lunch. We ate at Top of the Falls Restaurant.
I had the most incredible macaroni and cheese topped with buffalo chicken strips. I still dream of this dish and have vowed to replicate it soon.
Another fun way to check out the Falls is to take a walk over the bridge to the Canadian side (we brought our passports on this trip) and experienced the Falls from Canada.
The Falls look totally different from the Canadian side so be sure to save some time and your pocket change to take a closer look.
Things to Do in Niagara Falls with Kids – Historic Attractions
When we travel with our kids we like to keep them busy while also exposing them to historic or cultural experiences. During our time in Niagara Falls we got to experience some fun attractions including:
- Old Fort Niagara – Located on the U.S. side of the falls, this 17th-century fort has roots in the American Revolution and the French and Indian Wars. The Fort includes places to explore, beautiful scenery and historic reenactments.
- Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises – A two hour cruise past many historic sites and “Flight of Five.”
Things To Do In Niagara Falls With Kids – Fun!
On the days we weren’t camping at the campground and enjoying the RV, we were finding other places for a little Niagara Falls fun.
When we crossed over the Canadian side we spent a couple of silly hours at Ripley’s Believe It or Not and also took a ride of the SkyWheel.
Things To Do In Niagara Falls With Kids – Even More
Other attractions things to do in Niagara Falls with kids include:
- Fireworks & Illumination of the Falls
- NYPA Niagara Power Project – Power Vista
- Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum
- Becker Farms
There’s also lots of great festivals that happen around the Falls. When we visited there in September there was a Taste of Niagara festival featuring over 25 restaurants from Niagara Falls. The event had live music, family-friendly activities and vendors.
If you are hitting the road this Summer and heading out to Niagara Falls, be sure to keep this list of things to do in Niagara Falls with kids handy so you maximize your time there while fully experiencing Niagara Falls.
Special thanks to Destination Niagara USA for supporting a portion of our trip to Niagara Falls.
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