Whether you are looking for a spring vacation where your senses are awed by natural wonders, or one where they are stimulated by non-stop fun and excitement, Niagara Parks is the destination for you and your family. And, with a Niagara Parks Adventure Pass Plus, getting to enjoy it all is easier than ever.
Niagara Parks’ spring and summer Adventure Pass packages give you access to multiple natural wonders, heritage sites, awe-inspiring experiences and energy-filled activities right across 56 kilometres of the Niagara Peninsula.
And your starting point for experiencing this unique destination should be Niagara Falls itself, which sees one-fifth of the world’s freshwater cascade 57 metres over its brink. While you can admire this dramatic natural wonder from the pedestrian pathways next to the Table Rock Centre, there is an even-more spectacular way to experience it.
Journey Behind the Falls is the closest you can get to the dramatic torrent. After descending 38 metres from the Table Rock Centre into the 130-year-old tunnels that run behind the cataracts — and vibrate from the force of the water — you will arrive at an observation deck at the base of Horseshoe Falls. There you will come face-to-face with the cascading and misting water and hear the true power of its constant roar.
Before you descend into the tunnel network, be sure to spend time exploring the new visitor gallery that tells the history of Niagara Falls, beginning with its geological formation thousands of years ago, through its importance among the area’s Indigenous inhabitants and the rise of tourism in the late 19th century.
Equally stunning — and never before seen — views of the Falls can also be experienced from Niagara Parks’ newest attraction, the Niagara Parks Power Station and Tunnel. Explore this century-old restored hydroelectric power generating station, taking in its unique educational exhibits, before descending in its glass-paneled elevator down to the more than 670-metre-long tunnel that leads to an observation deck at the Niagara River’s edge, where you can look-up and wonder at both the American and Canadian Falls from their base.
White Water Walk
ContributedA little down river from the Falls you can explore the Niagara Gorge from Niagara Parks’ White Water Walk. This self-guided boardwalk and trail allows you to get close to the river’s Class 6 rapids and gives you a unique view of the water-carved gorge, which is on the edge of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve. The rare plant and animal species that can be found within the Niagara Gorge make it a globally significant area.
For a bird’s eye view of the gorge and river, you can also ride the Whirlpool Aero Car. The antique cable car travels a more than 1,060 metre span high above the rushing and burbling water. It also crosses the border of Canada and the United States a total of four times because of how this section of the river curves.
While there are several options available, purchasing a Niagara Parks Adventure Pass Plus, which costs $104 for adults and $68 for children (3-12 years old) plus taxes, will give you access to those four attractions, along with the Butterfly Conservatory that is home to more than 2,000 fluttering insects, and the Floral Showhouse, with its large collection of tropical flowers and plants.
The Adventure Pass Plus, which represents a 57 per cent savings, also gives you access to four heritage sites, including Old Fort Erie, which played a pivotal role in the War of 1812, and McFarland House, a Georgian-style mansion from the 1800s that was also used as a military hospital by both the Americans and the British during the conflict. There is also the Laura Secord Homestead, where the Canadian heroine lived, and the Mackenzie Printery, the restored home of rebel newspaper publisher William Lyon Mackenzie.
The pass also provides you with three-day access to the WEGO bus transportation system, which connects Niagara Parks attractions and area hotels, the Falls Incline Railway that connects Table Rock Centre to the Fallsview Tourist Area, as well as access to the WEGO shuttle bus to the nearby town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Learn more about the Niagara Parks Adventure Pass Plus and all its offerings at niagaraparks.com/deals.
