COUNTRY
United States of America & Canada
CONTINENT
North America
LANGUAGE
English
CURRENCY
US Dollar & Canadian Dollar
BEST TIME TO VISIT
May to September
NEAREST RAILWAY STATION
Niagara Falls Amtrak station (NFL)
NEAREST AIRPORT
Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BUF)
EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER
911
INTERNET ACCESS
Niagara Falls Public Library offers free internet and wi-fi access.
VISA
The Canadian side of the Falls is considered by many to be the more spectacular. If you do wish to cross the border for a complete picture from the US side, you will need to arrange the normal visa requirements before arrival. You cannot obtain a tourist visa at any of the border crossings at the Falls. US and Canadian citizens need to bring their passports, as usual.
CANADIAN VISA
Not required for citizens of Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States, among others. See www.cic.gc.ca.
Citizens of dozens of countries – including the USA, most Western European countries, Australia, Japan and New Zealand – don’t need visas to enter Canada for stays of up to 180 days. US permanent residents are also exempt. Note that you still need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly into Canada. The eTA costs $7 and you can apply for one online at www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-start.asp; the approval proccess usually only takes a few minutes. US citizens and permanent residents do not require eTAs.
Nationals of around 150 other countries must apply to the Canadian visa office in their home country for a temporary resident visa (TRV). See www.cic.gc.ca for full details. Note that if you have a visa, you are not required to purchase an eTA.
Single-entry visitor visas are valid for six months, while multiple-entry visas can be used for up to 10 years, provided that no single stay exceeds six months. Either type of visa costs $100. Extensions cost the same price as the original and must be applied for at a Canadian Immigration Center one month before the current visa expires. A separate visa is required if you intend to work in Canada.
US VISA
Visitors from Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many EU countries do not need visas for less than 90 days, with ESTA approval. For other nations, see www.travel.state.gov or www.usa.gov/visas-and-visitors.
Visa Waiver Program & ESTA
Admission requirements are subject to rapid change. The US State Department (www.travel.state.gov) has the latest information, or check with a US consulate in your home country.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows nationals from 36 countries (including most EU countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand) to enter the US without a visa for up to 90 days.
VWP visitors require a machine-readable passport and approval under the Electronic System For Travel Authorization (www.cbp.gov/esta) at least three days before arrival. There is a $14 fee for processing and authorization (payable online). Once approved, the registration is valid for two years.
In essence, ESTA requires that you register specific information online (name, address, passport info etc). You will receive one of three responses: ‘Authorization Approved’ (this usually comes within minutes; most applicants can expect to receive this response); ‘Authorization Pending’ (you’ll need to check the status within the next 72 hours); or ‘Travel not Authorized’. If this is the case, it means you will need to apply for a visa. Those who need a visa – ie anyone staying longer than 90 days, or from a non-VWP country – should apply at the US consulate in their home country. Canadians are exempt from the process. They do not need visas, though they do need a passport or document approved by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (www.getyouhome.gov).
HOTEL
The most visited waterfalls in the world attract more than 12 million visitors each year, so travelers should stay as close as possible to the Niagara Gorge, Horseshoe Falls, and the Skylon. This means Fallsview Boulevard is the best place to stay. You will find spectacular high-rise luxury lodgings and comforts, mid-priced hotel packages, and more than 5,000 hotel rooms within walking distance to one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles. For last-minute trips or when high season fills the Fallsview hotels, you will want to stay in the Lundy’s Lane district, a great alternative for family or group sightseers. A quick bus ride to the falls on the WEGO transit system, this appealing area is alive with shops, eateries, museums, and stalwart chain hotels.
“Street of Fun by the Falls” as locals call Clifton Hill, is the area for themed dining options; exciting, carnival-like attractions, such as the Niagara SkyWheel and Movieland Wax Museum; and close to Hornblower Boat Tours, taking wide-eyed visitors on tours directly to the falls. Niagara Falls is a very walkable Canadian resort destination, so travelers are never far from the excitement of these astounding waterfalls and a legion of other fun distractions.
LUXURY
Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls
Sheraton on the Falls
Radisson Hotels & Suites Fallsview
MID-RANGE
Americana Resort
Courtyard by Marriott Niagara Falls
Embassy Suites by Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview Hotel
BUDGET
The Peninsula Inn
Days Inn & Suites – Niagara Falls Centre St. By the Falls
Country Inn & Suites by Carlson
COST OF LIVING
CANADIAN SIDE
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than $100
Dorm bed: $25–40
Campsite: $25–35
Self-catered meals from markets and supermarkets: $8–12
Midrange: $100–250
B&B or room in a midrange hotel: $80–180 ($100–250 in major cities)
Meal in a good local restaurant: from $20 plus drinks
Rental car: per day $35–65
Attraction admissions: $5–20
Top end: More than $250
Four-star hotel room: from $180 (from $250 in major cities)
Three-course meal in a top restaurant: from $50 plus drinks
Skiing day pass: $50–80
US SIDE
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than $100
Dorm bed: $20–40
Campsite: $15–30
Room in a budget motel: $60–80
Lunch from a cafe or food truck: $6–10
Travel on public transit: $2–3.50
Midrange: $150–250
Room in a midrange hotel: $80–200
Dinner in a popular restaurant: $20–40
Car hire per day: from $30
Top End: More than $250
Room in a top hotel/resort: from $250
Dinner in a top restaurant: $60–100
Big night out (plays, concerts, clubs): $60–200
