Niagara Falls and Other Delights Just Short Drive From Toronto

“All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene!” wrote the naturalist John James Audubon. “My blood shudders still … at the grandeur of the Creator’s power; and I gazed motionless on this new display of the irresistible force of one of His elements.”

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The falls continue to make visitors shudder, and they are just a short drive for APA members and their families visiting Toronto in May for this year’s annual meeting. Here are a few suggestions for special ways to take in one of the Seven Forgotten Wonders of the World and surrounding areas.

Hornblower Niagara Cruises is a thrilling way to experience the drama and power of the cascading torrent. As a passenger, you will get as close as possible to the breathtaking flow. Within the Niagara Great Gorge, the cruise travels past the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls and into Horseshoe Falls.

Skylon Tower is located in the heart of the Niagara Falls hotel, dining, and entertainment district. Just steps from the falls, the Skylon Tower offers Niagara Falls attractions, dining, entertainment, and shopping. It has two levels of dining, both 775 feet above the falls—the Revolving Dining Room Restaurant and the more affordable Summit Suite Buffet Dining Room. The Ride-to-the-Top and indoor/outdoor observation decks are favorite attractions at Skylon, and the 3D/4D movie “Legends of Niagara Falls” is another family-friendly attraction.

Journey Behind the Falls is an attraction that takes visitors to a protected space behind the falls where they can see 2,800 cubic meters of water thundering over the brink every second, traveling 65 kilometers an hour. Visitors can take an elevator down 45 meters (150 feet) through bedrock to tunnels leading to the Cataract Portal and Great Falls Portal, one-third of the way behind the massive sheet of water. From there visitors walk on to the upper and lower observation decks at the foot of the falls.

After experiencing the falls, you may be ready for something restful and meditative. Try the Butterfly Conservatory on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, 10 minutes north of the falls. The conservancy features more than 2,000 colorful tropical butterflies flitting among lush, exotic blossoms and greenery. Paths wind through the rainforest setting, past a pond and waterfall and the Emergence window, where butterflies leave their pupae and prepare to take their first flight. The self-guided walking tour of the Butterfly Conservatory begins with a short video presentation that is closed-captioned for the hearing impaired. ■