Roughly 750,000 gallons of water thunder over the brink every second, and the Horseshoe Falls -- the Canadian side's 57-metre curtain of cascading water -- is one of the most powerful and visually overwhelming natural spectacles on Earth. The Niagara Parks system manages the gorge-side parkland, botanical gardens, and the Journey Behind the Falls experience, which leads visitors through tunnels to observation platforms directly behind the thundering curtain. Hornblower Cruises takes passengers into the mist basin at the base of the falls for a soaking-close encounter. The Clifton Hill entertainment strip, a neon-lit corridor of attractions, wax museums, haunted houses, and arcades, provides the tourist-oriented nightlife experience, while the Fallsview Casino Resort offers gaming, dining, and concert entertainment on a grander scale. The dining scene ranges from international tourist-oriented restaurants along the falls corridor to the more serious culinary establishments of the Niagara wine region, where vineyard restaurants pair Niagara Icewine, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir with locally sourced menus. The Shaw Festival in nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, a professional theatre company specialising in the works of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries, runs from April through December and ranks among the top repertory festivals in North America. Niagara-on-the-Lake itself, a beautifully preserved nineteenth-century town, offers boutique shopping, heritage inns, and Fort George National Historic Site. The Niagara Parkway, which Winston Churchill reportedly called the prettiest Sunday-afternoon drive in the world, follows the river from the falls to the lake through a landscape of gardens, historic sites, and wine estates. The Whirlpool Aero Car, a cable car suspended over the Niagara Whirlpool downstream from the falls, provides another dramatic perspective. The surrounding wine region includes over 100 wineries and is the largest wine-producing area in Canada.

This 5 rated description was provided by Mac

To rate this description and view other descriptions, click here

Population

430,000

Weather

Proximity to Lake Ontario and Lake Erie moderates the humid continental climate at the international border along the Niagara River. Annual precipitation averages about 870 mm. The Niagara microclimate, sheltered by the escarpment and warmed by the lakes, supports the region's wine and fruit industries. Spring (March to May) warms from 2C (36F) in March to 18C (64F) by late May. Orchards and vineyards bloom in May. Summer (June to August) is warm and pleasant, with daytime highs of 26-28C (79-82F) and overnight lows around 16-18C (61-64F). Fall (September to November) is the wine-harvest season, with temperatures declining from 21C (70F) in September to 4C (39F) by November. Winter (December to February) is cold, with daytime highs of -2 to 1C (28-34F) and overnight lows around -8 to -5C (18-23F). Snowfall averages about 1200 mm per season. The mist from the falls creates a localised microclimate in the immediate gorge area.

Website