NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario, Canada – The grandeur of Niagara Falls keeps tourists seeking new and better views of the natural wonder — and it’s easy to find them. On both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the river, you can gaze from lookouts, boat tours, a bridge, towers with wide windows, helicopter rides and even a zipline.
But the newest view in town may also be the most fascinating. It’s found at a decommissioned hydropower station that for 100 years generated electricity for several Canadian cities. Now you can walk through the 2,200-foot tunnel that once carried water from the plant back into the Niagara River, bringing you to a viewing platform only 100 yards from the bottom of Horseshoe Falls. That puts you within mist range (no worries, rain ponchos are provided), with a stunning view that has never before been offered to tourists.
There’s more to the Power Station than its magnificent view of the falls. The station, renovated in 2020 and opened to tourists in 2021, is a sight to behold itself. Upon entering the building you’ll see six massive generators painted bright blue lined up in a cavernous room. Tours are available, but visitors also can freely walk around the interactive exhibits and view power station relics such as the gizmos that controlled the generators and an old volt tester the size of an ice-cream cart that today would be a device that fits into an electrician’s pocket.
