A Fun & Easy Niagara Falls Day Tour from Toronto
Thank you to Queen Tour for hosting me on this trip. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
I have tons of Niagara recommendations on this blog—restaurants, attractions, hotels, and so many of my favourite hidden gems. But one recommendation I was missing? A good Niagara Falls day tour from Toronto.
As a Niagara local who lives within easy driving distance of Niagara Falls, a guided day tour is something I’d never actually done.
So when Queen Tour kindly invited me to experience one of their tours, I jumped at the chance.
I always love playing tourist in my backyard—and it felt like the perfect way to find a company I could recommend to anyone planning a Niagara day trip.
A bit about Queen Tour’s history
One thing that immediately stood out to me about Queen Tour is that the company is family owned and operated.
It was founded in 1994 by a couple named Nathan and Carmela—two newcomers to Canada who worked hard to bring a fun and organized Niagara day tour experience to Toronto (something that wasn’t as popular and widely available as it is now, mind you).
Nathan actually created the itinerary based on what he thought would be best way to spend a day in Niagara. The company still uses that same original itinerary style, but with a few adjustments over the years, of course.
The founders’ son, Adam, now helps run the company alongside his mom. He uses his tech background to make the booking process as seamless as possible, while ensuring every tour is the best it can be for guests.
What to expect on a day trip with Queen Tour
Queen Tour has two Niagara Falls tour options: a Niagara Falls Day Tour and a Niagara Falls Evening Tour.
Their Niagara Falls Day Tour is a full day trip (approximately 9 to 10 hours in total), including pickup and drop off in downtown Toronto.
You have the option to add on attractions like Journey Behind the Falls and the Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) boat tour so you can create your ideal itinerary.
You can also purchase tickets to the Skylon Tower and Niagara Helicopters on the day of your tour. (Tickets for these attractions are not available to purchase in advance as weather can impact their availability.)
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s included on the Niagara Falls Day Tour:
- Roundtrip transportation in a comfortable minibus. Group sizes are typically between 12 to 28 people.
- Time to stretch your legs and take photos at scenic spots, like a viewpoint overlooking the Niagara River and the Floral Clock (this is where I stopped, but the locations can vary by season).
- A maple syrup tasting and free time to shop for souvenirs at Maple Leaf Place.
- A total of three to four hours at the falls to experience the famous attractions or explore on your own.
- Easy access to attractions like the Niagara City Cruises boat tour and Journey Behind the Falls (if you’ve chosen to include them with your tour).
- A helpful guide to chauffeur you around, answer any questions, and take you to the major attractions.
The price for the Niagara Falls Day Tour ranges between $99 CAD and $184+ CAD depending on which attractions you choose to include.
Highlights from my Niagara Falls day trip
The best thing about this tour is definitely how easy everything is. From the seamless pickup to the attractions being arranged on my behalf, it was so nice to kick back and not have to worry about any planning or finding parking (which can be a nightmare in Niagara Falls).
If you’re looking for a stress-free way to visit Niagara Falls from Toronto, this is the way to do it.
Another highlight? The attractions of course. I hadn’t done Journey Behind the Falls in years, so it was amazing to experience what felt like a totally new attraction to me.
Getting to stand so close to the Horseshoe Falls, being pelted by the mist, and feeling the immense power of the water is a bit surreal.
Even though I’ve been on the Niagara City Cruises (Hornblower) boat tour multiple times, I still have a blast every time I do it. It’s a must-do when you’re visiting Niagara Falls.
If you only have the budget to add one attraction to your day tour, I’d recommend the boat cruise. Stand on the upper deck for the full experience!
Another perk of travelling with Queen Tour is getting skip-the-line tickets for Journey Behind the Falls and the boat tour.
This means your guide will collect the ticket on your behalf so you don’t have to wait in the general ticket lines. You’ll also enter through a special group entrance to save time.
On my tour, we walked right into Journey Behind the Falls with virtually no wait. However, there was a bit of a wait to board the boat cruise, which took roughly 10 – 15 minutes.
If you only have one day to see Niagara Falls, you definitely don’t want to be wasting time standing in lines!
Tips to make the most of your Niagara Falls day trip
- Pack a small towel to wipe your face, phone, camera lens, etc. after the Niagara City Cruises boat tour and Journey Behind the Falls. Ponchos are provided but you will still get somewhat wet.
- Bring a phone charger—you can ask your guide to plug it in on the bus if needed.
- Bring some snacks to tide you over until you can grab lunch later in the afternoon.
- Restaurants around Table Rock Centre and Clifton Hill are extremely touristy and overpriced. Head to Iskender’s for authentic Turkish food or the Secret Garden Restaurant for something budget friendly. (The food isn’t amazing at the Secret Garden, but it’s reasonably priced and you can get souvenirs there, too.)
