Niagara Falls is a must-do when visiting Ontario. Neither Ryan nor I had been before but we knew we had to do it on our recent trip. We were unsure how much of it we would get to experience with our 4 month old baby, but we ended up having a fabulous time!
If you are asking yourself “Can I visit Niagara Falls with a baby?” we are here to ease your mind that yes, it is doable!
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Arriving in Niagara Falls
We had rented a car at the Toronto airport and drove down to Niagara Falls. Normally we prefer to save on parking and don’t mind parking further away. However, with a 4 month old baby, we figured it would be best to park in a convenient, central location.
We ended up finding parking right at the beginning of Clifton Hill, at the Travelodge by Wyndham Niagara Falls at the Falls. Parking was a flat rate of $20, good until midnight.
Exploring Niagara Falls with a Baby
Considering how popular and touristy Niagara Falls is, it is no surprise that it’s a crowded place, especially during the summertime. We didn’t want to battle the crowds with a stroller, so we opted to baby-wear instead.
I wore our 4 month old in my Baby K’Tan wrap and it was much easier to weave in and out of all the tourists. I love this wrap because it is quick to put on (no tying involved!), comfy and lightweight.
Tip: Avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds by exploring early in the morning or early in the evening.
Since we were visiting during August which is peak tourist season, we chose to arrive in Niagara Falls at 6pm. We figured we would miss most of the crowds this way and avoid the heat, while still having a few hours of daylight left.
We were able to see the main attraction first, before our 4 month old fell asleep in the wrap carrier.
Taking the Boat Cruise of Niagara Falls with a Baby
If you want to get up close and personal with the falls, then you’ve got to do the Hornblower Niagara Cruise! The boat takes you right up to the falls and into the mist, allowing you to experience just how powerful these falls really are.
We weren’t sure about taking a baby on the Niagara Falls boat cruise but it was fine! Our 4 month old was super fascinated by the falls and she seemed to enjoy the sound of the rushing water and mist in her face.
Tickets
We bought our tickets online. Buying them online allows you entry anytime on the day you’ve purchased them for and includes the funicular ride. Infants are free but still require a ticket. Adults are $28.95 CAD (as of August 2019).
You will receive your tickets electronically which you then show on your phone to be scanned.
Funicular Ride
The funicular takes you down the cliff to where you board the boat and then back up again after the cruise.
If you have your baby in a stroller you can take it on the funicular, but beware that it gets packed tight in there. We found it easier to wear our baby.
Once you get off the funicular you will have your picture taken. The photos are available for purchase when you go to board the funicular for your ride back up. However, prices are quite steep at $39.95 for the photos!
Boarding the boat
As you walk down to the dock, you will be given plastic ponchos. They have different sizes, including infant sized ponchos! Super cute and you can keep them afterwards, too 🙂
If you have a stroller, there is a designated area by the dock to leave them. However small to midsize infant strollers are allowed on board, but you will have to stay on the lower deck.
On the boat
We chose to hold our baby as wearing her in the carrier was not ideal with our ponchos on. The floors can be slippery due to all the water so just walk slowly and carefully while holding baby.
You can choose to stay on the lower deck which is covered. However the sides are still open so you will likely still get a bit wet. If you want the best view of the falls, head up to the upper deck.
We chose to stand in the raised centre of the upper deck, by an inner railing, for safety. I would not recommend going close to the edges with a baby! The boat can get a bit rocky with the waves and everything is slippery!
As we got closer to the falls, the power of the water made it windy and the mist blew in our faces. Our baby did not mind, though!
If you have a camera, I would leave it under your poncho as it will get soaked! Just use the camera on your phone and hold onto your phone tight.
What to wear
The ponchos cover your head and down to at least your knees, leaving your feet and lower legs to get soaked. We wore flip flops and shorts so that we would dry off quicker afterwards. I wore the diaper bag under my poncho and it stayed dry.
Tip: Bring a hair tie if you have long hair so that it doesn’t get all tangled and wet.
Even though our baby had the poncho on, the hood didn’t stay on the whole time and the way we were holding her allowed her legs to get all wet. Make sure you have an extra change of clothes for baby to change into after so that they don’t get cold! We also used a burp cloth to dry her off.
We were worried about the sound of the falls being too loud for our baby so we brought her baby earmuffs, but didn’t end up using them.
Crossing the Rainbow Bridge with a Baby
The Rainbow Bridge is the international crossing between the Canadian/US borders. It is an easy and fun walk with spectacular views of the falls. We wore our baby in the wrap and crossed the bridge as the sun went down.
Make sure you have your passports/necessary documents/ID with you! You will need them when you return as you will need to go through border security. To be sure you have the current required documents, check here before attempting to cross the bridge.
To get on the bridge you will need to pay the $1 toll and go through the turnstile. The turnstiles only accept coins, but there are change machines available if you only have bills.
At the half way point of the bridge you can take a fun photo standing with one foot on the US side and the other on the Canadian side 🙂 The views of Horseshoe Falls from here are fantastic as well.
Tip: If baby can last til then, consider walking the Rainbow Bridge around 9:30pm. This way you can get a great view of the 10pm fireworks show without the crowds.
Exploring Clifton Hill with a Baby
Clifton Hill reminded us of Las Vegas. It is super touristy and busy, with lots of lights and noise. You will find Guinness Book of World Records, Rainforest Cafe, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, haunted houses, all kinds of fast food restaurants, etc. Beware that things are quite pricey, though! For example, a tall size drink at Starbucks was $7+, rather than the usual $4+. A child’s ice cream cone at another store was $6.99!
Walking around with our baby in the wrap, she enjoyed looking around at all the lights and action. We saw other families with their babies in strollers but it looked difficult to navigate the crowds, and also Clifton Hill is, well, hilly!
The lights and noise can be overstimulating for infants so we didn’t spend too long on Clifton Hill. We also didn’t find a good place to stop and feed our baby. We were glad we parked close so that we could feed her in the car where she wouldn’t be distracted and could eat calmly.
Watching the Fireworks in Niagara Falls with a Baby
Seeing the falls all lit up is a memorable sight. During the summer, there are fireworks shows every night at 10pm. You can check the schedule here for other months.
Tip: Make sure you are in a good viewing location before 10pm. The show starts at exactly 10pm and only lasts about 5 minutes so make sure you don’t miss it!
We weren’t sure how our baby would do seeing her first fireworks show. However the noise did not even bother her! We had brought her baby earmuffs just in case but didn’t need to use them.
We hope you have an amazing time in Niagara Falls with your baby! Let us know in the comments below how your trip went and what worked for you!
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