Looking for some cheap, fun things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada?
Take the plunge and check out this fantastic list.
3 Hotels close to the Falls & Fun
-Blue Moon Motel, 3-Time TripAdvisor Award of Excellence Winner
-Country Inn & Suites Niagara Falls, TripAdvisor Award of Excellence Winner
-DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa, 85% Approval Rating
More ideas: Cheap Hotels & Places to Stay in Niagara Falls
Intriguing Places
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium museum is home to oddities and curiosities from around the world.
See things like actual shrunken heads, two-headed animals, crazy mirrors and more.
Book your tickets online and you can save 10% off the price of admission to this Niagara Falls, Ontario attraction.
Book your tickets online and you can save 10% or more off the admission price to the Odditorium, plus 2 other Ripley’s attractions…
…the Ripley’s Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks wax museum where you can see celebrities and stars,…
…and Ripley’s Selfie Studios where you can take Instagram-worthy pics in front of over 20 cool, themed settings.
In the mood for a good scare?
There’s no better place than Nightmares Fear Factory. Twice it was named attraction of the year.
For a reasonable $13.25 an adult and $9.50 a kid you get to walk in total darkness across a shaky drawbridge, crawl through a tunnel, and….well, we don’t want to give anymore away…let’s just say you’ll have a scream!
Check Groupon for Deals on Niagara Falls Things to Do
A great way to save on local fun things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario is to check Groupon, the money-saving website that features local discounts in 150 cities.
Visit the Niagara Falls Groupon page and you’ll find savings of anywhere from 40-90% on attractions, tours, wine tours, show tickets, golf, events, dinner spots and accommodations.
The Groupon Niagara Falls page is a smart place to check out when you’re first planning your trip and even when you’re in the middle of your Niagara Falls visit because new deals get added weekly and even daily many times.
Get last minute tickets to a concert or game
You never know who might be in Niagara Falls playing a concert or show, or what sporting event could be going on.
A great, reliable source for last minute tickets is Stubhub. You can often pay less than the face value of the ticket when you purchase it a few minutes before the show or event.
Go on a Wine Tour
The Niagara Falls area is renowned for its wineries which have produced many internationally acclaimed, award-winning wines. 25 vineyards are located within a 20 minute drive of the Falls, along the shores of Lake Ontario, in the Niagara-on-the-Lake area.
The type of tour you take is up to you.
There is everything from bus tours of wineries to private luxury tours, to bike tours and wine and dine tours.
To assist you in indulging your vintage exploration ThriftyTourist.ca has put together a list of a few affordable Niagara Falls wine tours for you to embark on.
Peanuts, Peanuts, Peanuts
If you decide to foray into Niagara-On-the-Lake wine country there are a couple other things to taste besides a few reds and whites.
First stop is Picard’s Peanuts. If you love peanuts, you’ve got to stop here.
You’ll find a mind-blowing selection of flavours to choose from (and sample, for free!) and if that wasn’t enough they also sell a variety of mouthwatering chocolates and very reasonably priced ice cream cones too.
Things to do in Niagara that will get you close to the Falls
Daredevils and their attempts to tame the mighty Falls have been a part of the history of Niagara Falls, Ontario for decades.
Discover their stories and see the actual barrels some of them used to plummet over the Falls at the Niagara Daredevil Exhibit and Gallery.
Admission is free, though you might be tempted to buy one of the souvenirs.
You may not want to go over the top of the Falls but you may want to get close to the bottom.
Board the Maid of the Mist, don a slicker, and embark on a journey up the Niagara River to the base of the Falls. Try and talk over the roar of water pouring down 13 storeys at a rate of 150,000 gallons per second.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $13 for kids for this cheap, fun thing to do.
Landlubber?
You can still get up close and personal.
Buy a ticket to Journey Behind the Falls and you can walk along a tunnel to an opening in the bedrock wall where you can witness the water plunging in front of you or stand on an observation deck at the foot of the Falls.
During peak season admission is $16 for adults and $11 for kids.
Get a bird’s eye view
One of the best ways to appreciate the magnitude and beauty of the Falls is to take it in from up high.
A cheap, fun way to do this is to go for a spin on the Niagara Skywheel ferris wheel. For just $11 an adult and $7 a kid, you can check out the Falls from 175 feet in the air.
Want to go even higher?
The indoor observation deck at the Niagara Tower will have you taking in the breathtaking view of the Falls from 525 feet in the air. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids.
If you want to go even higher still, then head over to the Skylon Tower Observation Deck.
You’ll be 775 feet up and able to see the Falls and over 8,000 square miles of Canada and the U.S. Tickets are $14 for adults, just over $8 for kids. If you buy your tickets online from their website, you’ll pay even less.
More marvels of nature
One of the favourite cheap, fun things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario is to visit the Butterfly Conservatory.
Here you will wind your way through an indoor, tropical oasis that’s home to over 2,000 beautiful butterflies.
Hold your hand out—they love using visitor’s arms, shoulders and heads as landing perches!
Admission is a budget-friendly $13.50 per adult, $9 for kids.
Equally amazing is Bird Kingdom.
Step into a man-made tropical rain forest and thrill to the sight of over 400 species of birds all free-flying around you.
This place has been the Niagara Falls “Attraction of the Year” award winner four times and named a Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Destination Winner twice.
Stepping into paradise will cost you $17 per adult and $12 for kids. Buy your tickets online and you’ll knock a few bucks off.
If you prefer big game watching, Safari Niagara is the place to be.
This 110-acre park is home to over 500 mammals, reptiles and birds, including lions, leopards, tigers, monkeys, apes, giraffes, hippos, moose, reindeer, kangaroos, zebras and more.
Admission is a little pricey, $27 for adults, $23 for kids. If you go off-season in May, September or October, it’s only $20 for adults and $16 for kids.
Take your chances at the Casino
Feeling lucky?
One of the cheap things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario is to hit the casinos.
By cheap, we mean they’re free to walk into. How you play your cards is up to you!
Fallsview Casino overlooks the Horseshoe Falls and features over 3,000 slot machines, 130 gaming tables and a poker room.
Casino Niagara is home to the largest poker room in Ontario and 1,500 slot machines and 40 gaming tables.
Fabulous Shows
The casinos in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada give the city a Las Vegas-like feel. So do the type of shows you can take in at the Greg Frewin Theatre.
This Las Vegas-style magic review features Greg Frewin– one of the most acclaimed magicians in the world–tigers and more.
Admission is cheap if you compare what the price for show like this in Las Vegas would be—tickets start at $35 for adults and $25 for kids.
The “Oh Canada Eh?” Dinner Show has won the Niagara Falls Attraction of the Year award seven times.
This production takes place in a log cabin and features laughs and songs performed by a Mountie, Hockey Player, Anne of Green Gables and other iconic Canadian figures.
Dinner and show start at $60 for adults, $30 for kids 13-16 years old and kids 12 and under can get in for free when you book a reservation in the Maple Leaf section!
Another affordable option for a night out is the Seneca Queen Theatre.
The Seneca dates back to 1941 and has been wonderfully renovated. It now plays hosts to live tribute bands and retro movies.
See a great cover band playing your favourite tunes for just $25 or catch a classic flick for just $8 ($7 if you buy your ticket on line). Oh, and there’s free parking too!
4D Theatres
Temperature drops, water bubbling and spraying, snow, the ground beneath you rumbling—Niagara’s Fury is a 4D experience that reveals how Niagara Falls was created. Tickets just $15 for adults, $10 for kids.
The 4D Moving Theatre at Falls Avenue Resort will take your senses on a ride too. Put on your 3D glasses and watch a film but be ready—blasts of air and jets of water are part of the script too! Tickets just $16 for adults and $13 for kids.
Plant yourself in the garden
If you’re a green thumb an ultra affordable, fun thing to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario is to visit the Niagara Parks Floral Showcase.
This indoor, tropical escape features lush tropical plants, vivid floral splendor and the symphony of tropical birds singing away. You’ll feel like you’ve been whisked away to some exotic locale.
Entry is just $5 for adults and $3.75 for kids.
Save with Discount Deals & Packages
Many of the hotels and attractions in Niagara Falls, Ontario have teamed up with one another to create discount packages. To check them out be sure and visit Niagara Falls Tourism.
Be thrifty and practical! This information was accurate when published, but can change without notice. We recommend you confirm all details with the provider in question before planning your excursion.
Photo Credits: e³°°°, basykes, haven’t the slightest, John Vetterli, kthypryn, ohcanadaeh, deaf dude, niagara parks commission and niagara parks.
