Staff Pick

Road Trip Toronto to Niagara Falls

Toronto Niagara Falls
130
km
1h30
drive
All seasons
season

The Itinerary

This is the road trip nearly every Ontario visitor makes at least once: about 130 km from downtown Toronto to Niagara Falls, one of the most visited natural landmarks on earth. The Queen Elizabeth Way carries you around the western end of Lake Ontario through Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington, crosses the Burlington Bay Skyway above Hamilton Harbour, and then runs along the base of the Niagara Escarpment through the fruit belt into the Niagara peninsula.

The Canadian side gets the better view because the Horseshoe Falls curve away from it, sending more than 2,800 cubic metres of water a second over a crest some 670 m wide. The Hornblower boats run from the Canadian shore into the mist below the Horseshoe from roughly April to November, the equivalent of the Maid of the Mist on the American side. Journey Behind the Falls uses tunnels cut through the rock to reach platforms directly behind the curtain of water. Clifton Hill, immediately above, is an unapologetically loud strip of arcades, wax museums and rides, and the Skylon Tower observation deck puts the whole gorge in one frame.

Most visitors underrate how much there is downstream. The Niagara Parkway leaves the tourist district within minutes and follows the river all the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake, past the whirlpool and the botanical gardens. The falls are floodlit nightly year-round and are genuinely worth seeing in winter, when spray freezes onto the railings and the crowds thin out considerably.

Points of Interest

  • ✦
    Horseshoe Falls
    The Canadian side of the falls, 670 m wide and 57 m high.
  • ✦
    Hornblower Niagara Cruises
    The boat that gets closest to the falls, April to November.
  • ✦
    Niagara Parkway
    A 56 km scenic route along the Niagara River.
  • ✦
    Clifton Hill
    Family entertainment strip with museums, rides and restaurants.
  • ✦
    Journey Behind the Falls
    Tunnels and viewing platforms behind the cascade.

Fishing Spots Along the Route

🎣
Abino Bay
Lake
🎣
Ashbridges Bay
Lake
🎣
Bell's Lake
Lake
🎣
Bertie Bay
Lake
🎣
Blockhouse Bay
Lake
🎣
Bond Lake
Lake
🎣
Cedar Bay
Lake
🎣
Christie Reservoir
Reservoir

Protected areas along the route

🌿
Bronte Creek Provincial Park Addition
Recommended Provincial Park
🌿
BRONTE CREEK PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
SHORT HILLS PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Bronte Creek Provincial Park Deletion
Public lands
🌿
WAINFLEET BOG CONSERVATION RESERVE
Conservation Reserve
🌿
JAMES N. ALLAN PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
ROCK POINT PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
SELKIRK PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
HOLLAND LANDING PRAIRIE PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
DARLINGTON PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
FORKS OF THE CREDIT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Guelph District Crown Lands
General Use Area

Take this route offline

Cell coverage thins out fast once you leave Toronto. Export the map as a geo-referenced PDF before you go and open it in BorealMaps — your GPS position shows on the map with no signal at all.

Try PDF Export How geo-referenced PDF maps work
Practical info
  • Departure Toronto
  • Destination Niagara Falls
  • Distance 130 km
  • Duration 1h30
  • Category Medium (100–250 km)
  • Best season All seasons
Themes
waterfall Family Iconic Day Trip Day Trip Nature

Plan your adventure with our interactive map

Open the map
All road trips