Niagara Falls is the ideal place to take a family holiday, offering an extensive selection of attractions that are good for the young and young at heart. The Clifton Hill entertainment centre is perhaps the highlight offering more than enough to keep the kids occupied for the entire holiday while the Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex comes a close second with attractions such as the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark, Marvel Adventure City and MGM Studios.

Dinosaur Park Mini Golf
Kids and adults alike with love this 18-hole miniature golf course with a pre-historic theme. Each hole has its own unique selection of dinosaurs and other creatures from the era creating novel ways of making things difficult players to sink their balls. Real vegetation and water features add to the authenticity of this popular attraction. Tel: +1 905 358 3676;

Fallsview Indoor Waterpark
The Fallsview Indoor Waterpark is located at the popular Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex and is a 125,000 square-foot-large complex featuring an extensive selection of water-based attractions among which are Extreme Slide Racing, the Plunge Bowl, Toob Tower and the Tiny Tots Splash Park.
Tel: +1 800 263 7135;

Louis Tussaud's
Louis Tussaud's is a famous waxworks museum of which there are branches in a variety of countries. The museum here at Niagara Falls offers the usual impressive selection of wax replicas of famous contemporary and historic characters. Sporting celebrities, religious figures, pop stars, politicians and movie stars are all represented and visitors are permitted to stand alongside the dummies for photograph purposes. Kids of all ages will enjoy the sometimes spooky lifelikeness of the figures in the museums impressive collection.

Movieland
Movieland is a popular waxworks museum that features replicas of some of the world’s most famous movie, television and popular music stars. Dummies are set in appropriately themed scenes so you’ll have no difficulty in recognising them. Among the movie exhibits are reconstructions of scenes from the Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Austin Powers. Tel: +1 905 358 3061;

Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Ripley’s Believe It or Not museums can be found in cities across the globe and while all offer differing attractions, the central theme of exploring the weird and wonderful aspects of our planet is the same. At the museum here at Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls visitors can expect to view exhibits offering view of unusual customs, unexplained natural phenomena and bizarre human activities. A highlight of the museum is the exhibition dedicated to the famous Niagara Daredevils which includes genuine film footage of them in action. Tel +1 905 356 2238;

The Great Canadian Midway at Clifton Hill
Clifton Hill is an entertainment centre in Niagara Falls where many of the city’s most lively and popular attractions are located. The Great Canadian Midway is located within the centre and offers a variety of fun-packed amusement park rides which are sure to thrill both kids and adults alike. The FX Thrill Ride Theatre, Cosmic Coaster Ride, Ghost Blasters Dark Ride, Falls Tower Ride and the Niagara Falls SkyWheel comprise the best of the selection. Tel: +1 905 358 3676;

With an interesting history behind it and conscientious efforts made to preserve existing evidence of that history, the city of Niagara Falls offers visitors an excellent selection of sites with culture, history and heritage as their main themes. Old defensive structures and dwellings that once played home to significant historic figures comprise the chief attractions in this category.

Laura Secord Homestead
Laura Secord gained fame through her services to her country during the War of 1812. The house that served as her private residence at that time still stands and is now an historic visitor centre offering the opportunity to learn more about this heroic woman’s exploits. Guides at the house are kitted out in traditional costume of the period and tell a variety of historic tales relating to one of Canada’s most revered war heroines.

Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum
Once the private residence of journalist, politician and rebellion leader William Lyon Mackenzie; the Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum gives visitors an insight into the history of printing technology in a building that captures perfectly, the ambience of a traditional print shop. Among the artefacts on display is a Louis Roy Press which is one of the few remaining wooden presses in the world and certainly the oldest to be found in Canada. Visitors are invited to engage in hands-on demonstrations of the linotype process and other traditional printing methods.

McFarland House
Built at the beginning of the 19th century by Scottish emigrant John McFarland, McFarland House served as a family residence for more than 150 years, playing a role as a hospital in the War of 1812 during that period. Following the death of the remaining McFarland members, the house fell into the hands of the Niagara Parks Commission, which was responsible for restoring it in 1959. Guided tours of the house are available and visitors are also permitted to explore the extensive estate in which the house is situated.

Old Fort Erie
Built by the British in 1764, Fort Erie is the only fort of its kind on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. The Fort has a long and active history seeing the most military activity of any defensive site on Canadian soil. During the War of 1812 it was the scene of Canada’s only siege then in 1866 it became occupied by the Fenians. Famous visitors to the fort have included Mark Twain, General Brock, Lord and Lady Simcoe and General Winfield Scott. The fort is open daily for visitors during the high seasons but closes for winter.

Old Fort Niagara
A part of the Niagara scenery since 1726, Old Fort Niagara is a structure located above Lake Ontario and close to Niagara Falls. The fort has seen its fair share of military skirmishes having played significant defensive roles against attempts by the French, British and Americans to take control of the Great Lakes region. Now classified a National Historic Landmark, the fort is one of the city’s most popular historic attractions seeing over 100,000 visitors per year. Distinctive military architecture along with a collection of historical artefacts, are the chief appeals of this dominant Niagara structure.

Niagara Falls has an extensive dining scene that includes national and international cuisines at a huge selection of restaurants, many of which offer entertainment while you eat.

Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Café, both at Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex need little in the way of introduction; both offering the décor, environments, quality of food and general ambience that are typical of these famous establishments.

The Rainforest Café, also at Falls Avenue and also of international repute, offers great food in a unique rainforest environment. Entry to the restaurant is through the mouth of a volcano and once inside diners get to sit amid lush tropical greenery with the sounds of birds and monkey providing the soundtrack to the experience.

For classy, up-market dining, the Rainbow Room Fallsview Restaurant and Penthouse Fallsview Dining Room are the places to head; both also located at Falls Avenue.

The rest of the city offers a wide selection of dining establishments among which are steakhouses and all you can eat buffets as well as the obligatory French eateries and venues offering cuisine from every continent on the planet.

Shopping options in the city are plentiful and include a variety of strips and malls where both independent and well-known retailers are present. With goods at savings of up to 75 per cent, Canada One Factory Outlets is a favourite with visitors, featuring big names such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and Reebok. The Niagara Shoe Factory Outlet is on hand for those addicted to footwear purchases while a variety of shops can be found at both Falls Avenue and Clifton Hill.

Canada is a country blessed with fine scenery and nature and lends itself well to the pursuit of outdoor activities of every nature. Niagara Falls is no exception, offering a range of geographical and geological characteristics suitable for pursuits such as hiking, fishing and mountain biking. Camping in the warmer seasons is a popular activity with locals and visitors alike.

Camping
Niagara Falls has a number of established campsites where happy campers can pitch their tents and take advantage of amenities such as showers and bathrooms and on-site dining. Alternatively, hardcore outdoor types who prefer to rough it and really get back to nature might prefer to head off into the wilderness with a decent map and compass and find their own spot to erect their canvas home for the night.

Fishing
The Niagara River offers angling fans some of best freshwater sports fishing to be found anywhere in North America. The calmer sections of the river are typically more popular with enthusiasts and the warmer months tend to attract most angling fans as the winter cold often precludes the activity for all but the most hardy of characters.

Golf
Golf lovers will find an abundance of opportunities to indulge their passion with a total of nine public golf courses serving the Niagara Falls area. Of those nine, all are 18-hole affairs, aside from ‘Legends on the Niagara’ which is home to a whopping 45 holes. Popular courses among those available include the Beechwood Golf Club, the Rolling Meadows Golf & Country Club, the Grand Niagara - River Course and the Thundering Waters Golf Club. Some fine scenic surroundings in the Niagara region; enhance the golf experience for locals and visitors alike.

Mountain biking
Terrain beyond the city in the rural and mountainous areas is ideal for mountain biking enthusiasts presenting a variety of conditions to challenge everyone from the novice to the accomplished rider. Bring your own bike and suitable clothing and aim to bike in the warmer seasons as the winter may present some hazardous conditions with ice and snow not uncommon.

Walking and Hiking
Niagara Falls has a good selection of greenbelt areas and open spaces that are perfect for walking activities. Municipal parks and rural wilderness areas offer a varied selection of terrain, giving opportunities for occasional ramblers and serious walkers alike to enjoy leisurely or challenging conditions.