How to get from Niagara Falls to Niagara on the lake

Here is our ultimate guide on how to get from Niagara Falls to Niagara on the Lake and all the best things to do and see when you are there.

Having heard a lot about Niagara on the Lake, it was somewhere I always planned on visiting when we went to Niagara Falls. The quaint picturesque 19^th Century village was a real draw to me with its flower filled streets. I love oldie worldy places and Niagara on the lake sure lived up to that.

Niagara on the lake is a southern Town in Ontario, positioned on the shores of Lake Ontario. Only a 40-minute drive from Niagara Falls (Canadian side) it’s a great day out for anyone visiting the Falls.

We thought it would be easy to get to and it was… after researching it ourselves! Be careful as the hotels will tell you that you need to book a tour to get there, which includes a vineyard tour, not great when you have young kids. They told us the only other option was a taxi which would cost around $100 round trip including tip!

After some research I found WEGO. They operate a great state of the art bus service around the city and Niagara’s parks. We found it so easy to use and there was plenty of space for prams on the bus which was a bonus.

You do have to connect at the floral clock for the Niagara on the lake shuttle which runs from from April 29 until October 29, 2017. We actually connected at the butterfly gardens which was a lovely little place to stop and visit on the way.

So in a nutshell…

With a WEGO 24 hour pass the costs are as follows:

You then have to pay for the shuttle from the ‘Floral Clock’ to Niagara on the Lake which is:

Taxis are approximately $40 each way, excluding tips

It took around an hour including the stop at floral clock. We really enjoyed the views along the way, such a beautiful place and a lovely journey.

The shuttle runs hourly

Northbound First Departure Last Departure

Southbound First Departure Last Departure

Yes absolutely, It goes without saying that along the way to Niagara on the Lake you can take in the unbelievable beauty of Niagara Falls, it takes our breath away every time you see it. However there are some other stops you can take along the way, such as the whirlpool aero car, butterfly gardens and not to mention just great scenic views.

We stopped at Whirlpool aero which is a little cable car that has been operating since 1916 and goes over the swirling Niagara Whirlpool and whitewater rapids of the Niagara River. It is the only one of its kind in existence so makes for a very memorable experience.

What people don’t realise is that whilst passing over the river you will actually cross the international border line of Canada and the US 4 times due to the way the river bends!! How mad is that?!

We had never heard of the whirlpool before we went to Canada and I have to say it was one of our favourite experience’s whilst we were there. Highly recommend it.

We also stopped at Butterfly conservatory which is a Butterfly zoo home to over 2000 Butterfly’s and over 45 different species!

Can you believe 60% of the butterflies come from butterfly farms in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Philippines with the other 40% being raised in the quarantined greenhouse at the conservatory.

It really is a Beautiful place and so fascinating for kids and adults too! It’s a great place to stop for an hour on the way to Niagara on the Lake.

We decided to have a wander around when we first arrived. We took a relaxing stroll up the flower filled Queen street, it felt like we’d stepped back in time! The 19^th century village is absolutely stunning to say the least. Its nestled with pretty boutique’s, cute cafes and decadent chocolate shops.

Take a walk along one of the trails, Niagara parkway is the one we did and recommend it as runs along the river. The views are beautiful and on a clear day you can even see Toronto!!

It may sound cheesy but one of my favourite memories from this trip was throwing rocks into the water with our 2-year-old son at Queens Royal Park, just off Ricardo Street. It has to be one of the most picturesque places I’ve been, the views were breathtaking.

With Fort Niagara, Toronto and Lake Ontario right in front of you, what’s not to love. A picnic in the white wooden gazebo makes a great family day out that doesn’t cost the earth but makes such beautiful family memories.

We ate at The Stage Coach on Queen Street which is a typical American style diner, so much fun for us Brits! They serve sandwiches, burgers, salads etc at very reasonable prices. A lovely little place to stop for lunch on your travels and it has been awarded a “Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor.

I can’t recommend Niagara on the lake enough, it truly is an amazing place to visit with the family and so easy to get to from Niagara Falls. Make sure you go you won’t regret it.

Here are some videos of Niagara on the Lake to see the true beauty of this place

If you need some travel inspiration and more reasons to go Niagara on the Lake then these pictures should help you!