Niagara Falls has long been known as the honeymoon capital of the world but many families know it as the fantastic vacation spot as well. Children and adults alike gaze in wonder at the size and power of the Falls which include the largest and most powerful in the continent. However, aside from visiting the world-famous waterfalls of Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the American Falls, there are many family-friendly activities within the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario to keep both parents and children happy.
Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
The Butterfly Conservancy is a butterfly zoo that’s complete with a 200-seat theatre and auditorium, a climate-controlled greenhouse that serves as the habitat for the butterflies. The conservatory imports 3,000 butterflies per month from international butterfly farms and maintains 2000 separate species at any given time. There is even an Emergence Area where visitors can watch as butterflies climb out of their chrysalis and take flight for the first time.
Due to the demand of hungry caterpillars and butterflies, the conservatory supplies a wide variety of fauna for habitat and nourishment including zinnia, ixora, cuphea, lantana and liatris. The population of all insects within the greenhouse is kept in balance by goldfish, toads, turtles, beetles and Eurasian quail. The conservatory is on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Garden & School of Horticulture.
Marineland
Marineland is one of the most popular attractions in Niagara Falls. Operating an amusement park alongside an interactive aquatic zoo, Marineland is a must for the kids. Children will be able to view and interact with a variety of species including bears, deer, elk, beluga and orca whales, sea lions, walruses and dolphins. Visitors to the park can even enjoy a show by the orca in the King Waldorf Stadium.
As if that wasn’t enough, there are a variety of rides and games throughout the park to please everyone. The Dragon Mountain roller coaster is the most famous of all rides and games in Marineland. It holds the record for being the world’s largest non-stop rollercoaster. When it was built, it was also the world’s tallest roller coaster but has since been surpassed by Cedar Point’s Magnum XL-200. It was the first steel coaster to surpass one mile of track and is still the only coaster in the world to have what’s called a bow tie inversion.
Greg Frewin Theatre
The Greg Frewin Theatre hosts the magic show of its namesake, Greg Frewin. In 2005 the show was awarded attraction of the year in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Greg Frewin himself has won many awards for magic and illusions including first place at the FISM “Olympics of Magic” in 1994 in the category of general magic. He has performed in venues across the world, including several in Las Vegas. His show can be viewed either with dinner or without. Either way the show is an experience that’s sure to please any crowd with exotic animals and fantastic illusions.