Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is on the western bank of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. Incorporated on 12 June 1903, the city is across the river from Niagara Falls, New York. The Niagara River flows over Niagara Falls at this location, creating a natural spectacle which attracts millions of tourists each year.

The tourist area, which stretches along the Niagara Parkway and promenade, is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls. Apart from the river's natural attractions, it includes observation towers, high-rise hotels, souvenir shops, museums, indoor water parks, casinos and theatres, mostly with colourful neon billboards and advertisements. Farther to the north or south, golf courses are operated alongside historic sites from the War of 1812.

GEOGRAPHY

Niagara Falls is approximately 130 km (81 mi) by road from Ontario's capital of Toronto, which is across Lake Ontario to the north. The area of the Niagara Region is approximately 1,800 km2 (690 sq mi).

The city is built along the Niagara Falls waterfalls and the Niagara Gorge on the Niagara River, which flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

CLIMATE

The city of Niagara Falls has a humid continental climate which is moderated to an extent in all seasons by proximity to water bodies. Winters are cold, with a January high of −0.4 °C (31.3 °F) and a low of −7.8 °C (18.0 °F). The average annual snowfall is 154 centimetres (61 in), in which it can receive lake effect snow from both lakes Erie and Ontario.

Summers are warm to hot, with a July high of 27.4 °C (81.3 °F) and a low of 17 °C (62.6 °F). The average annual precipitation is 970.2 millimetres (38 in), which is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year.

VISUAL ARTS

Niagara Falls Art Gallery
Peterson's Community Gallery

PERFORMING ARTS

Niagara Falls Centre for the Arts
Seneca Queen Theatre

MUSEUMS

Niagara History Museum
Battle Ground Hotel Museum
Willoughby Historical Museum
Niagara Military Museum
Niagara Falls Wedding and Fashion Museum
Battle of Lundy's Lane Walking Tour
Historic Drummondville
Stamford Historic Area

PARKS & RECREATION

Queen Victoria Park

EVENTS

Winter Festival of Lights
Niagara Integrated Film Festival
Springlicious
Mount Carmel Fine Art and Music Festival
Niagara Icewine Festival
Niagara Woodworking Show
Family Fun Day at the Museum
Heritage Info Day at the Museum
Canada Day Celebration
Santa Claus Parade
Niagara Night of Art
Niagara Region Jazz Festival

TOURIST SECTOR ENTERTAINMENT

Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls — Tourist promenade featuring a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, arcades, five haunted houses, four wax museums including a Louis Tussauds Wax Works, and themed restaurants including the Hard Rock Cafe and

Marineland — Aquatic theme park
Casinos — Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort
IMAX Theatre and Daredevil museum
Greg Frewin Theatre/Las Vegas style magic show.
Skylon Tower - Revolving dining towering 774 feet (236 m) above Niagara gorge.
Fallsview Tourist Area
Fallsview Indoor Waterpark
Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls indoor waterpark
MGM Studios Plaza
Queen Street Arts & Culture District
Konica Minolta Tower Centre - the area's second tower
Flyboard Niagara - Watersports/leisurely activities

ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Niagara Falls is linked to major highways in Canada. The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), stretching from Fort Erie to Toronto, passes through Niagara Falls. Highway 420 (along with Niagara Regional Road 420) connect the Rainbow Bridge to the QEW. The Niagara Parkway is a road operated under the Niagara Parks Commission which connects Niagara-on-the-Lake to Fort Erie via Niagara Falls.

BUSES

Coach Canada has daily runs to and from Toronto and Buffalo, New York.
GO Transit offers daily bus service between Niagara and Burlington GO Station.
Greyhound Canada has daily runs to and from Toronto and Buffalo, New York.
Megabus has daily runs on its route to New York City starting in Toronto.
Niagara Transit is the public transit operator in the city.

RAILWAYS

Via Rail Canada and Amtrak jointly provide service to the Niagara Falls station via their Maple Leaf service between Toronto Union Station and New York Penn Station.

AIRPORTS

Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Cheektowaga, New York.
Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario - the primary international airport
Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport in Mount Hope, Ontario.
Niagara Falls International Airport in the Town of Niagara, New York
St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario