How a Family of Four Can Enjoy a Spa-Like Vacation in Niagara Falls for Under $200 a Day

Photo credit: Amy Suardi

What is it about water that melts away stress? We just moved to a city just three hours away from Niagara Falls, and after seeing it for the first time in a quick day trip, I knew I had to come back. Yes, water is soothing, but there was something about the power of those falls that was magnetic.

So when my father-in-law from Italy came to visit this month, I found two rooms in a new hotel overlooking the falls for just $113 per night. The rooms had a Jacuzzi tub, two luxurious double beds, a flat-screen television and free Wi-Fi. Plus the hotel was within easy walking distance of tons of restaurants, cafés, attractions, and even casinos.

Niagara Falls sits on the border of the U.S. and Canada. On our previous visit we visited the American side, which has sadly suffered from unplanned development and now economic blight. I remember looking across the chasm and lusting for the Canadian dream, with its Parisian-inspired high-rise hotels, giant ferris wheel, and glittering nightlife.

This time we brought our passports and got the Euro glamour. Plus the comfort and familiarity of kid-friendly eateries like Friday's, Outback Steakhouse, and the Hard Rock Café. After the kids went to bed, I even got to sneak out and play a few rounds of quarter poker at the Fallsview Casino.

The highlight for me, however, were the huge windows in our peaceful hotel room, a wide screen showing the crashing water non-stop. I spent hours, playing with the baby or working on my laptop, staring at that jade-green liquid pummeling over the cliff and bursting into plumes of mist --and, because we caught a sunny day, rainbows.

Where to stay

Radisson Hotel & Suites Fallsview in Ontario, Canada. We paid $113 at hotels.com per weeknight for a river-view room (but room rates are in constant flux).

What to do

Luckily the best view of the falls on the Canadian side is free. Beautifully landscaped promenades line the edge of the river, and are the perfect place to see the falls in all kinds of light, including at night when they are colorfully illuminated.
If you really want to spend on an attraction, I recommend the Maid of the Mist boat tour ($16.50 for adults, $11.50 for children aged 6-12), which takes you right up to the bottom of the falls. Do not, however, waste your money on Journey Behind the Falls, which gets you just a tiny bit closer (and a lot wetter) than the free public walkways.
Bring a picnic blanket and some bread and cheese and enjoy al fresco dining (and views to die for) in Queen Victoria Park.
Grab a meal on the colorful and action-packed Clifton Hill. Soak in the lights and party atmosphere, without spending on pricey attractions.

What to bring

Passports.
Breakfast food. The Radisson does not offer free breakfast, but each room is equipped with a microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee/tea-maker. (Buying breakfast out can cost $10 per person.)
Picnic supplies. We didn't see any grocery stores, so if you want to save on food, bring picnic stuff and snacks. If the weather is bad, you can tuck into one of the many public spaces (or hotel food courts).
Bathing suits. The Radisson has a nice, little pool on the main floor. (Towels are provided.)

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