Whether you’re big into waterfalls or not, you’re going to appreciate going to Niagara Falls. As one of the most majestic waterfalls in the world, they attract over a whopping 30 million visitors a year!
If you’re in Toronto, you have no excuse not to go see them as it’s a really easy driving destination as well. We’ll be honest, it’s definitely a big tourist attraction as well, but not one of the overrated ones.
We have all of the top tours of Niagara Falls from Toronto right here for you, making sure you pick ones that are actually worth your time and money.
Best Niagara Falls Tours
| Small Group Niagara Falls Tour w/ Pickup & Boat From Toronto | Luxury Small-Group Niagara Falls Day Trip From Toronto | Niagara Falls Evening Tour With Boat Cruise From Toronto | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Budget Tour | Best Small Group Tour | Best Evening Tour | |
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| Departure: | Pickup From most downtown Toronto hotels | Pickup from all Toronto hotels | Tim Hortons Toronto, 55 York Street or Terminal 3, Toronto Pearson Airport |
| Start: | 8:00 AM | 8:00 AM | 1 PM or 1:30 PM |
| Duration: | 9 hours | 9 hours | 9.5 hours |
| Includes: | Transportation in a minibus, Licensed tour guide, time to experience Niagara Falls, seasonal stops at iconic landmarks including the Niagara Whirlpool, floral clock and Queenston Heights Park | Full-day guided excursion with round-trip transportation from downtown Toronto, admission to the Niagara Hornblower Cruises boat tour | Hornblower cruise "Voyage to the Falls" (or journey behind Niagara Falls or visit to the Skylon Tower when the boat is not operational), hornblower "Firework Cruise" (if option selected) |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Niagara Falls Tours From Toronto For 2023
- Best Budget Tour: Small Group Niagara Falls Tour with Pickup and Boat From Toronto
- Best Small Group Tour: Luxury Small-Group Niagara Falls Day Trip From Toronto
- Best Evening Tour: Niagara Falls Evening Tour With Boat Cruise From Toronto
- Best Full Day Tour: Niagara Falls Day Tour with Niagara-on-the-Lake From Toronto
- Best Private Tour: Niagara Falls, Canada Private Tour From Toronto
Niagara Falls Tour Reviews
1. Best Budget Tour: Small Group Niagara Falls Tour with Pickup and Boat From Toronto
- Duration: 9 hours
- Departure: Pickup From most downtown Toronto hotels
- Departure Time: 7:45 to 8:20 AM (depending on pick-up location)
- Includes: Transportation in a minibus, Niagara Parks licensed tour guide, time to experience Niagara Falls and buy tickets for optional activities like the Niagara City Cruises boat ride and more, seasonal stops at iconic landmarks including the Niagara Whirlpool, floral clock, and Queenston Heights Park
If you’re experiencing Niagara Falls for the first time, you need to do it right. You could fall into the tourist traps and not take full advantage of the beauty and fun you can have on the right tour. Not to worry though, because on the Toronto: Small Group Niagara Falls Tour with Pickup and Boat, you’re sure to have a blast!
This 9-hour tour will maximize your time with Skip-the-Line tickets so once you arrive you’ll head straight to the front without waiting. Your pickup time will be around 8 am, depending on which of the 11 pickup locations you select in downtown Toronto or Mississauga.
You’ll be picked up in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus. Depending on the size of the group and availability, it’ll be either a 13-seat or 24-seat configuration. The journey there is quite nice, and along the way, your driver/licensed tour guide will offer interesting commentary about the area.
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They’ll also tell you all about the falls’ history, various activities you can partake in around the area, and answer any questions you may have. We appreciate how obviously knowledgeable they are, while also placing guests’ safety first.
You’ll arrive in Niagara Falls around 10 am, making the ride there pretty short. You’ll get to choose between 1-2 activities such as the Niagara City Cruises boat ride (available in the summer), Bird Kingdom, Journey Behind the Falls (highly recommended!), Skylon Tower, or Niagara Helicopters.
Another fun activity is heading to Clifton Hill village and walk around. The village has a lot of stuff to do, like their Niagara SkyWheel, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, an arcade, and much more. You can have a picnic outdoors, or enjoy one of the many restaurants in the area.
Next, head to a beautiful narrated drive across the Niagara Parkway. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to take photos at the Niagara Whirlpool Rapids, floral clock, and much more.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy
2. Best Small Group Tour: Luxury Small-Group Niagara Falls Day Trip From Toronto
- Duration: 9 hours
- Departure: Pickup from all Toronto hotels
- Departure Time: 8:00 PM
- Includes: Full-day guided excursion with round-trip transportation from downtown Toronto, admission to the Niagara Hornblower Cruises boat tour
Next up, we have the Toronto: Luxury Small-Group Niagara Falls Day Trip tour. This is yet another 9-hour adventure, and is perfect if you want more personalized attention.
With small group sizes only, there’s a maximum of just 12 passengers allowed which means you’ll get to see more and ask your guide any questions you may have. Start out being picked up at your Toronto hotel, and hop on board your deluxe Mercedes-Benz Sprinter out to the falls.
This is one of the most comfortable options and is perfect for small group sizes. The vehicle is clean, air-conditioned, and comes with comfortable seats and a nice amount of leg room.
As you journey along, your guide/driver will tell you and your group all about the history of the falls and very interesting personal anecdotes as well! After a couple of hours, you’ll arrive at the falls, and be able to immediately skip the line and head directly to the boarding area.
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Hop on the iconic Hornblower Niagara boat tour called “Voyage to The Falls”. This tour is exhilarating and you’re sure to never have experienced anything like it before! You’ll get to see the falls up close and personal!
Afterward, you’ll want to relax a bit so have some free time to grab some lunch or take the optional Journey Behind the Falls tour if you’re really into getting the adrenaline going! After your leisure time, travel along the breathtaking Niagara Parkway and make various stops for taking photos and stretching the legs.
You’ll make stops that simply aren’t possible to do with larger buses, such as the stop at the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you’d like to participate in an optional wine tour here, make sure to let them know in advance!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Best Evening Tour: Niagara Falls Evening Tour With Boat Cruise From Toronto
- Duration: 9.5 hours
- Departure: Tim Hortons Toronto, 55 York Street or Terminal 3, Toronto Pearson Airport
- Departure Time: 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM
- Includes: Hornblower cruise “Voyage to the Falls” (or journey behind Niagara Falls or visit to the Skylon Tower when the boat is not operational), hornblower “Firework Cruise” (if option selected)
If you’re looking to see a perspective of Niagara Falls not many get to see, you’re in the right place. The Toronto: Niagara Falls Evening Tour with Boat Cruise lasts 9.5 hours, taking you to a fantastic falls tour illuminated at night.
You’ll take some of the same tours that you would on the ones we’ve just covered, but will see them in the afternoon or dusk! Start your tour by being picked up at your hotel between 1 and 1:30 PM, which gives you more than enough time to sleep in our for other activities in the morning.
They cover not only downtown hotels in Toronto, but Toronto Pearson Airport hotels as well. The air-conditioned mini-coach is cozy but very comfortable. As you drive to Niagara, your guide will tell you all about the history of the area, and how important the natives were and still are today.
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Not only that, but they’ll explain how the geography of the Niagara Peninsula is so special, which will only make you appreciate it that much more when you see it!
You’ll first arrive at Niagara Whirlpool, where you’ll witness some of the most intense white water rapids in the entire continent. Next up, head onto the Hornblower to see the Niagara Falls up close on their legendary “Voyage to The Falls” boat tour! If you thought they were impressive from a distance, this will surely surprise you!
Once you get back on land, you’ll hop on board your coach again and head down the Niagara Parkway to see it from another perspective. The gorgeous Dufferin Islands along the way are also stunning, and you’ll want to take plenty of photos.
Then, have some leisure time at the falls for dinner or the charming village of Clifton Hill. When the sun sets, you’ll surely be mesmerized at the glorious rainbow of colors that appear around the falls!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Best Full Day Tour: Niagara Falls Day Tour with Niagara-on-the-Lake From Toronto
- Duration: 9 hours
- Departure: 8:00 AM
- Departure Time: Around 8 am (varies a bit, depending on pickup location)
- Includes: Tour by air-conditioned bus, guide and live commentary, stopover in Niagara-on-the-Lake, up to 3 hours of free time at Niagara Falls, Hornblower Niagara cruise (if option selected), luggage storage
Next, we bring you another top-rated tour: the Toronto: Niagara Falls Day Tour with Niagara-on-the-Lake. Just seeing the falls alone is an experience that could surely encompass an entire day of wonder and adventure.
However, this tour takes it a step further by showing you the lovely Niagara-on-the-Lake where you’ll get to see many other interesting attractions.
Lasting 9 hours, you’ll have plenty of time to see everything you could ever want in this area. There are multiple pickup areas in central Toronto as well as Mississauga, and pickup times are all around 8 am so make sure you’re ready with some good walking shoes and comfortable clothing!
Your ride for the day is a luxe air-conditioned mini-bus with large windows perfect for viewing the beautiful scenery outside. As you drive along, your guide will offer a fascinating educational commentary on the area, the falls specifically, and their geography and culture.
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After a couple of hours of driving, you’ll arrive in Niagara-on-the-lake located along the scenic Niagara Parkway. Check out Queenston Heights, Brock’s Monument, and take a good look at the hydroelectric power station, violent Whirlpool Rapids, and the Floral Clock.
You’ll then get to the main attraction: the Niagara Falls. Here, you’ll have approximately 3 hours of free time where you can choose how you spend it. Participants typically like to take the Hornblower Niagara Cruise “Voyage to the Falls” where you’ll get to see the falls up close.
The Journey Behind the Falls takes things a step further, and the Skylon Tower is available during the winter months when the others are not.
With so much excitement going on, this is a great time to take a moment for a delicious lunch at one of the array of restaurants available in the area. You have everything from fast food to fine dining sit-down restaurants.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Best Private Tour: Private Tour of Niagara Falls From Toronto
- Duration: 8 hours
- Departure: Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Departure Time: Varies depending on option selected
- Includes: Driver/guide, private customized VIP tour by Lincoln Town Car, Hornblower Boat Cruise (substituted for Skylon Tower or Journey Behind the Falls when boat is not operating), Canadian Horseshoe & American Falls, helicopter tour (optional); discounted tickets available, complimentary snacks, bottled water
No guide to Niagara Falls would be complete without the From Toronto: Niagara Falls, Canada Private Tour! This one is just a bit shorter than the others, clocking in at 8 hours long.
Ideal for smaller groups, you’ll have personalized attention from your knowledgeable driver who will answer any questions you may have while on your tour.
You will be picked up at your hotel in style. No tour buses or mini-buses this time! Nope, you’ll be personally guided to your sightseeing tour with a Lincoln Town Car!
This offers a bit more of a personal touch, while keeping it comfortable and convenient. There are many places you are able to see in a town car that wouldn’t be possible in a larger vehicle.
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Once you arrive to Niagara Falls, you’ll stop wherever you feel like to take photos. If planned ahead of time, your guide will even help you make a customized itinerary based off of what you and your group want to see!
You can also opt to have your guide choose where to stop based on their recommendations, stopping at all the major sights. They do offer a full educational commentary, along with interesting personal stories!
You’ll choose from various optional activities and tours throughout the day, such as: the Hornblower Boat Cruise, Canadian Horseshoe Falls & American Falls, seeing the Whirlpool Rapids and Niagara Cable Car, town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and even a free wine tasting!
Oh, and for those fearless adventure-seekers, you can even choose to try the Helicopter Tour over the Falls!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
FAQs About Day Trips to Niagara Falls
Can You Visit Niagara Falls from Toronto in One Day?
You can definitely do a trip Niagara Falls in a day. The drive is about two hours and there are also several bus and tour options available if you don’t have your own transportation. See our favorites above!There are plenty of things to do to keep you busy and entertained.
Obviously the main reason for going is to see the falls and you can get up close in a variety of ways. Take a ride on the famous Maid of the Mist boat which will take you right into the misty spray of the Horseshoe Falls or you walk along the Niagara Parkway to get a different perspective of the falls from various lookout points.
Visit the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory to see hundreds of colorful butterflies up close or take a thrilling ride on the Whirlpool Aero Car which offers breathtaking views of the Niagara River.
A visit to the Niagara Falls History Museum is worth a visir. You can learn about the geological formation of the falls and the various legends and stories associated with them.
No visit to the Falls would be complete without trying some of the famous local cuisine. From classic Canadian poutine to fresh seafood and locally-sourced wines there are plenty of delicious options to choose from.
While it may be a long day trip, visiting Niagara Falls from Toronto is doable!
5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Day Trip to Niagara Falls
- Natural beauty: Niagara Falls is one of the most amazing natural wonders. The power of the falls is amazing and seeing it in person is an experience you shouldn’t miss!
- Adventure: There are many ways to experience Niagara Falls that will get your adrenaline pumping. Take a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat , zip line over the falls or try your hand at the Whirlpool Adventure Course which is an aerial obstacle course that will get your heart pumping!
- Culture and history: There is a lot of history in the Niagara Falls area! Check out the Niagara Falls History Museum or take a tour of the Old Fort Erie. It’s one of the oldest military forts in Ontario.
- Family-friendly: Niagara Falls is a great destination for families. There are plenty of attractions and activities for your kids. Such as the Niagara SkyWheel, the Great Canadian Midway and the Butterfly Conservatory.
- Local cuisine: Niagara Falls is known for its local cuisine. You can try classic Canadian dishes like poutine and butter tarts or fresh seafood and locally-sourced wines. You will most likely find something to satisfy you. And the view of the falls from many of the area’s restaurants can’t be beat!
What is There to See in Niagara Falls Other Than the falls?
There are plenty of other things to see and do that Niagara Falls an unforgettable visit. From outdoor adventures to cultural experiences and delicious local cuisine, there’s something for everyone in Niagara Falls.
One must-visit attraction is the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens. This 99-acre garden has over 2,400 roses, a butterfly conservatory along with a collection of rare and exotic plants from around the world. The gardens will give you a break from the tourists.
If you are into history, the Niagara Falls History Museum is worth seeing. You will learn about the fascinating history of the area, from the geological formation of the falls to the people that originally lived here.
For some adventure go to the Whirlpool Adventure Course. It’s an aerial obstacle course that has ziplines, suspension bridges and other challenges. For something truly unique, take a helicopter tour of the falls for a bird’s-eye view of the falls!
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The Small Group Niagara Falls Tour with Pickup and Boat Tour is our Editors Choice for the best Niagara Falls tour from Toronto
