Niagara Falls Boat Tour Q&A + Insider Tips (From a Local)

You can’t come to Niagara Falls, Canada and not do the famous boat tour. Well, I mean, technically you can—BUT it’s one of the top attractions here for a reason.

(And just to clarify, I’m talking about the Niagara City Cruises boat tour on the Canadian side in this article.)

As a Niagara local, I’ve done this boat trip four different times and it doesn’t get old. There’s really nothing like getting up close to the Horseshoe Falls, experiencing its magnitude, and feeling that mist on your face.

If you’re a first-time visitor, I’m guessing you probably have a few questions about the tour.

What should I wear on the boat? How long is the ride? How much does it cost?

Whatever you’re wondering about, I’ve got you covered in this post. Since I’ve been on the boat ride several times, I feel confident bringing you helpful answers to all your Niagara City Cruises questions.

Plus, I just so happen to have a friend who works for Niagara City Cruises. Lucky for you, I forced kindly asked her to give me all her insider tips.

Advice from a local + tips from someone who works for the company—what more could you ask for?

Hornblower vs Niagara City Cruises

Let’s start with the basics since this can be a bit confusing for first-time visitors.

There is only one boat tour to the falls on the Canadian side: Niagara City Cruises (which is owned by Hornblower Group).

Initially, the boat rides were branded as ‘Hornblower Niagara Cruises.’ In recent years, they rebranded to the current name of Niagara City Cruises.

In other words, Hornblower and Niagara City Cruises are the same company.

And for additional context: Maid of the Mist only operates on the American side.

Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour vs Falls Fireworks Cruise

Niagara City Cruises offers two boat tours: the Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour and the Falls Fireworks Cruise.

The Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour is the most popular and classic falls experience—a 20-minute boat ride that takes you up close to the Horseshoe Falls during the daytime.

The Falls Fireworks Cruise is a 40-minute trip that departs in the evening at 9:30 p.m. You don’t get as close to the falls on this tour, but you’ll have a front-row view of the fireworks and falls illumination.

How much is the boat ride in Niagara Falls?

The Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour costs $33.50 CAD for adults (13+), and $23.50 CAD for children (3 – 12). Infants (2 and under) are free.

The Falls Fireworks Cruise is $38.50 CAD for adults and $25.50 CAD for children.

When is the best time of year to take the tour?

This depends on your preference. Do you want fewer crowds or hotter weather?

When it comes to the best weather, June to September (Labour Day) is the prime time to visit. However, this is also peak tourism season in Niagara Falls. Expect crowds and potentially longer wait times to get on the boat.

For fewer crowds, the shoulder seasons are best—AKA April to early June or mid-September to November. Spring and fall will be cooler so you’ll need to be prepared with extra layers.

The Niagara City Cruises boat tour runs rain or shine.

What is the best time of day to take the tour?

For the most part, the earlier the better. Peak hours start around 11 a.m., so aim for 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to beat the crowds. 

It’s also a bit quieter after 6 p.m. (the boats run every 15 minutes until 8:30 p.m. from June to Labour Day).

Keep in mind: weekends and holidays tend to be significantly busier, especially during the summer months.  

Does the tour run in winter?

Niagara City Cruises operates between April and mid-to-late November. Exact opening and closing dates depend on the weather and can change yearly.

How long is the boat ride?

The Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour is roughly 20 minutes. That said, you should allot an hour or so for your visit. 

During peak periods, you will likely encounter lineups when boarding the boat. Even if you’ve booked a specific departure time, that exact time slot is not always guaranteed.

The lines tend to move fairly quickly, though.

What to wear on the Niagara Falls boat tour

If you’re visiting during the summer, it’s best to wear shorts with a lightweight and breathable t-shirt.

Our summers tend to be hot and humid (especially in July and August) so light, airy clothes will do the trick—and quick-drying fabric is always a good idea.

Niagara City Cruises provides a free poncho that covers the upper half of your body, apart from your face and forearms. Your legs (from the knee down) and feet will get wet.

The poncho comes with a hood, but your head and hair will also likely get wet.

When it comes to the best footwear for the boat tour, I’d recommend any of the following:

• Quick-drying water shoes
• Waterproof sandals with straps and good traction
• Non-slip silicone shoe covers (to cover regular running shoes or whatever you’re wearing)

Be sure to choose something with decent traction as the boat’s deck can get slippery. You’ll also have to take an elevator and walk on a slight (but gradual) downward incline to get to the boarding area. I do not recommend wearing flip-flops.

During spring and fall, you’ll want to add extra layers to combat the cooler weather. Bring a waterproof jacket, quick-drying or water-resistant bottoms, and closed-toe shoes (with waterproof shoe covers if needed).

It was raining the last time I went on the tour, so I wore a waterproof rain jacket with the poncho on top. Honestly, that made it too hot, uncomfortable, and difficult to move around and take pictures. 

You can definitely throw on a waterproof jacket instead of the poncho for extra coverage, but I wouldn’t wear both. It will likely be hot and humid if you’re visiting in the summer, so a jacket might be uncomfortable in the heat.

How wet do you get?

I’ve sort of answered this above in the “what to wear” section already. You will get quite wet, but not fully soaked.

The poncho they provide keeps you somewhat dry, apart from exposed areas like your face, legs, and feet.

How wet you get will also depend on where you’re standing. If you’re at the back of the boat, you might stay a bit drier. The front of the boat is where you’ll encounter the heaviest amount of mist.

As an FYI: there is a covered area on the main level of the boat that will shield you from the mist if you want to stay dry. (It’s not as fun as being in the open, though.)

Is the boat wheelchair accessible?

Niagara City Cruises boats are wheelchair accessible. To get to the lower landing/boarding area, you will have to follow a paved ramp that leads you to an elevator.

The washrooms on the boats are also wheelchair accessible. You can find full accessibility details on the Niagara City Cruises website.

Where to buy tickets 

The Niagara City Cruises official website is cityexperiences.com.

You can also purchase tickets in person at the Niagara City Cruises Ticket Plaza (5920 Niagara Parkway).

Should I buy tickets in advance?

If you’re visiting during the busy summer months, I’d recommend purchasing tickets in advance.

This will save you from waiting in line to buy them in person when you arrive.

Where to board

The entrance to the boarding area is at the Niagara City Cruises Ticket Plaza at 5920 Niagara Parkway. Look for the large white sails next to the WildPlay Zipline.

Niagara City Cruises Parking

Niagara City Cruises does not have a parking lot. There are several parking lot options throughout the Niagara Falls tourist hub, but you have to pay to park. Rates vary depending on the location of the lot and the time of year.

One of the closest parking lots to Niagara City Cruises is the Clifton Hill Parking Lot (4960 Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls)—roughly a 9-minute walk away.

There is also a parking lot at the Skylon Tower (approximately a 12-minute walk from Niagara City Cruises).

Insider tips from a local

Now for the best part: top tips from a local (hi, that’s me!) and my friend who works for Niagara City Cruises. We’ve got several things to share, so here’s a quick-fire list:

• Best time to book: Book a tour earlier in the morning (as soon as it opens is best) for fewer crowds and the best photo opportunities. This will also allow you to get on before the bigger tour groups arrive.

• Avoid the busiest days: Weekends and Tuesdays tend to be the busiest days for this tour (apparently, a lot of tour groups come on Tuesdays for whatever reason). Less busy days include Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (excluding holiday Mondays).

• How to get great photos: When the boat turns around and heads away from the Horseshoe Falls, move to the back of the boat. This area is usually empty because everyone crowds around the front to get photos at the start of the tour. While the boat travels back to the docking area, you’ll have a few minutes to snap some unobstructed photos of the falls.

• Protect your phone and camera: Don’t forget to bring a waterproof case or Ziploc bag for your phone. Dry bags are also handy; I brought a 5L dry bag to protect my DSLR because it was raining the last time I went on the tour.

• Bring a small cloth or towel: You might also want to pack a small towel or face cloth to wipe the mist from your face–or to wipe your phone/camera when taking photos.

• Remember your sunglasses: Sunglasses are handy to protect your eyes from the mist. (If you’re wearing makeup, you will look like a raccoon after.)

• You can recycle the poncho: Unless you want to keep it as a souvenir, Niagara City Cruises provides a bin to recycle your poncho after the tour ends. You don’t need to keep the poncho for other attractions like Journey Behind the Falls.

• Don’t worry about rain: You’re going to get wet either way. Plus, it’s still warm outside in the summer when it rains.