Niagara Falls Is Awesome and Accessible

I love traveling with my family of five, which includes my three kids, ages 10, 12 and 14. Despite the challenges involved in planning vacations because my middle son has multiple disabilities and uses a wheelchair, we travel as often as possible. Our trip to Niagara Falls, Canada, this past October, when the weather was sunny and crisp and the leaves were just starting to change color, proved to be a perfect, and perfectly accessible, mini getaway.

A Great Introduction

After a six-hour drive from our home in New Jersey, we arrived around 5 p.m. on a Thursday evening, dropped off our bags at the AAA Three Diamond Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa and immediately made our way to the nearby Falls Incline Railway, an accessible incline elevator that travels down the steep slope of a hill. On the two-minute descent, we got our first breathtaking view of the glistening waterfall against the setting sun. We stopped in the Table Rock Welcome Centre to grab a snack and use the facilities, including a family-friendly accessible bathroom with a large changing table—a resource we had never seen before.

Later that evening, we rode an elevator down 180 feet to The Tunnel at Niagara Parks Power Station, lit with every color of the rainbow. We meandered along a flat half-mile path with signage sharing information about green energy since, for over a century, the tunnel allowed water used in generating hydropower to flow into the Niagara River. At the far end of the tunnel, the illuminated Falls roared directly in front of us, intermittently changing from fiery red to calming blue.

Back at our hotel at evening’s end, we viewed the Falls once more from our room, this time accompanied by 10 p.m. fireworks.

Views and Hues

We began our first full day at Journey Behind the Falls, another activity easily accessed by elevator and flat tunnels. As the name implies, this experience gives unique views from several different perspectives below and behind the thundering Falls. We received rain ponchos to wear, but the wind was blowing, and my family had fun getting splashed as we tried to take photos.

Our Niagara City Cruises’ tour aboard the Hornblower proved to be a family favorite. An elevator followed by an accessible ramp got us onto the tour boat, which brought us to the base of Niagara Falls and also provided views of Niagara Gorge, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Our family stood at the very front, where we had a blast screaming as the water splashed all around us. At times, it was hard to see the Falls, but the excitement of getting so close, and so wet, made my kids squeal with joy.

While several of our activities were within walking distance of Table Rock Centre, others were farther away, including the Whirlpool Aero Car, which we reached via the WEGO bus, a hop-on, hop-off transportation system connecting various tourist attractions. I was impressed with the accessibility. Within seconds of arrival, the bus driver deployed a ramp and helped us safely secure my son’s wheelchair with tie-downs.

Unfortunately, we didn’t realize the Whirlpool Aero Car itself is not wheelchair accessible, so while my other kids and I traversed the Niagara Gorge in an antique cable car, my son took a nap while he waited with my husband.

At the Butterfly Conservatory later that afternoon, we stood like statues as we waited for butterflies to land on us. One orange, black and yellow butterfly had fun hanging out on my son’s neck, and the kids had a blast watching it flutter around and tickle him. After we had our fill of butterflies, we found another WEGO bus and headed to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a quaint downtown with shops, restaurants and historic buildings. Given the age of the town, some stores and restaurants were not wheelchair accessible, but many cafés offered outdoor seating we could all enjoy.

A Multicolored Goodbye

On our last day in the area, we enjoyed the White Water Walk, a quarter-mile wooden boardwalk along the Niagara River and its rapids. Accessible via an elevator, it was easy to navigate with my son’s wheelchair and a fun way to spend a sunny morning watching the green rapids barrel past us. Our goodbye to the Falls included numerous sightings of rainbows while we enjoyed an ice cream treat at the visitors center. Having never visited Niagara Falls before, I loved seeing it for the first time as an adult but also through my children’s eyes. And any destination that works hard to be wheelchair accessible has a special place in my heart.

If you go…

1. We used the Niagara Falls Park Pass Plus ($104 CAD per adult, $68 CAD per child ages 3–12; available online), which included admission to seven attractions as well as three days of unlimited rides on the Falls Incline Railway and the WEGO bus system. There are less-expensive passes available as well.
2. We enjoyed the ease of riding on the WEGO bus. Driving to the various experiences was also an option, but many parking lots charge a fee.
3. We didn’t realize until our trip was over that, with an accessible parking placard, we could have used the valet parking at our hotel for a discounted rate. This would have been a great benefit because the self-park lot was far from the hotel and valet parking was pricey.
4. Don’t forget your US passports! The Canadian side of the Falls is only about 10 minutes from the United States border, but passports are mandatory.