Niagara Falls is shared between Canada and America. The Canadian side with its wide selection of hotels, restaurants, casinos, haunted houses and various other tourist attractions is a perfect family tourist destination. Tours go through the Falls themselves, including Maid of the Mist and Journey Behind the Falls catering for those who want to really feel the pure brute force of Niagara. Situated 27 km north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 121 km south-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, lies Niagara Falls. The Falls are the end point of the Niagara River, and features an island (Goat Island) which splits the 2 falls and divides the 2 nations. There is also a smaller waterfall named the Bridal Veil Falls which is located on the American side, separated from the main falls by Luna Island.

Niagara Falls originally formed during the end of the last ice age, as glaciers receded while water from the newly formed Great Lakes formed a path to the Atlantic Ocean. While not exceptionally high, the Niagara Falls are very wide. More than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falls over the crest line every minute in high flow, and almost 4 million cubic feet (110,000 m³) on average. It is the most powerful waterfall in North America. The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.

While this article refers to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, this beautiful landmark crosses nations in to America – see our American specific entry on Niagara Falls.