Niagara Falls - Which Side is Better

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Niagara Falls: Which Side is Better?

View of Niagara Falls, but which side is better?

Because a waterfall such as Niagara Falls spans two different countries it's natural to ask which side is better. In this case, is the American side or Canadian side better?

You've probably heard that the Canadian side is better, and quite frankly, it is. But before you go off spending most of your time on the Canadian side, there are things you should know about the American side that might help you get the most out your experience here.

AMERICAN SIDE

The American side (New York, USA) is where you get up close to all three components of Niagara Falls - Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls. This means that unless you're going on a paid excursion (not counting admission and parking fees), you're pretty much going to see the falls only from the top down or in profile. If you go on a paid excursion, you can experience the falls from their base. Below are some photos of what you can expect to see and experience on the American side without going a paid excursion...

The overlook at Terrapin Point The American side's view of Horseshoe Falls The edge of American Falls Looking past American Falls towards Horseshoe Falls and the Canadian side

View towards the Rainbow Bridge and American Falls

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CANADIAN SIDE

The Canadian side is where you get gorgeous panoramas of both the American Falls and the mighty Horseshoe Falls. While you can't get right up to the American and Bridal Veil Falls, you can get right up to the brink of Horseshoe Falls. This is the one side where you can get satisfying panoramas of both the American and Horseshoe Falls. Below are some of the photos as seen from the Canada side (excluding paid excursions)...

A commanding view of Horseshoe Falls surrounding the Maid of the Mist Boat A Canadian side view of all components of the Niagara Falls Another view of the Horseshoe Falls dwarfing the Maid of the Mist Boat Direct view of the American Falls

Looking down at the lower viewing deck from Journey Behind the Falls Looking right at Bridal Veil Falls dwarfing people on the Cave of the Winds Tour

Looking downstream at the American Falls from the Canadian side

Exclusive to the Canadian side is the ability to stay in a hotel with a commanding view of Niagara Falls. See the photos below for a taste of what you can see from the comfort of your room...

Looking right down at Horseshoe Falls and tiny people besides it Looking down at the American Falls from the hotel room

Also best seen from the Canadian side is the Niagara Falls floodlit at night. This usually occurs from the onset of darkness until midnight. They tend to change colors seemingly in random order so you can easily be mesmerized staring at what combination of colors are going to be next. See below for photos of what this looks like...

Floodlit American Falls Floodlit Horseshoe Falls

Floodlit Niagara Falls from the hotel room

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CONCLUSIONS

In our opinion, the Canadian side is better. However, it's an incomplete experience if you exclusively visit only one side. That's because in general, Canada has the panoramic views while America gets you up close and personal with the waterfalls (including American and Bridal Veil Falls). Both sides gets you up close to the Horseshoe Falls. Moreover, it's pretty convenient and straight forward to see both sides. So why not check them out? What do you have to lose?

With all the textual and visual information provided here, we hope you can decide for yourself how to plan your trip (regardless of which side you might think is better).

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What Other Visitors Have Said

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Niagara Falls - It Depends on your Environment Preference
I just came back from Niagara Falls , and my conclusion is the general one.

Yes, each side has it's benefits that makes it just as good as the other ...

Having been to both sides now...
The New York side is MUCH better!!!

On the American side, you can park free and easily walk to areas with great views of the falls .

On the Canadian ...

Passport Not rated yet
Needing passports for the entire family makes seeing the Falls from both sides complex and more costly!

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