Niagara Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the world. If you are staying in New York or Ontario, this is one of the most popular weekend getaways. Known for its scenic views and grandness, this area has attracted tourists from all over the world and has a huge footfall during the peak summer season. We had visited Niagara Falls earlier in the summer of 2021 and we happened to visit this majestic beauty again over the last weekend. Here’s a 2 day weekend itinerary to Niagara Falls. We tried to make it a relaxing, rejuvenating yet fun-filled itinerary for all. 
Day 1
Depending on where you are staying in the New York region, it is advisable to start for Niagara Falls early on a Saturday morning. Located at a distance of 6 hours and 30 mins from New York City and 4.5 hours from Albany, the drive to Niagara Falls is very smooth via the I90 highway. We started around 7 in the morning and reached Niagara around 12 noon with 2 short breaks.
Head to the Maid of the Mist
As soon as we reached Niagara Falls in the afternoon, we went for the Maid of the Mist Boat ride. This is one of the major tourist attractions in Niagara Falls and offers a 20 minutes boat ride to view to Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil falls together. The experience was astonishing as we witnessed the beautiful falls from a very short distance with some occasional showers of the mist. 
Check in to Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino
After visiting the maid of the mist we checked into our hotel. We stayed at the Seneca Niagara Resort and Casino as it is one of the best options in Niagara Falls. We reached the resort around 4 in the evening and checked in. Our check in process was very smooth. 
The hotel offers some astonishing views of the falls from the rooms coupled with views of Canada including the CN tower. Also the location of this resort makes it our favorite as it is less than a mile away from Niagara Falls State Park. We stayed in their King suite on the 26th floor which had some really stunning views of the falls.
After a long drive to Niagara Falls we took it slow and spent some time at the Spa at our hotel. They offer different types of individual and couple massages and therapies to help you relax and rejuvenate. We suggest calling in advance to book your slot as it can get really busy on a weekend. We went for a Swedish massage for 60 mins and this was exactly what we needed.
The therapists for both of us spent time asking about our pain points and the areas that needed attention. This helped them understand our concerns which they then addressed in our massages. It was such a relaxing experience for us that we ended up staying there for a sauna session and shower followed by some refreshments.
Try your luck at the Casino
What’s the fun in staying at Seneca Niagara if we didn’t visit the casino? After the relaxing session at the spa, we headed to the casino located on the ground floor. Seneca Niagara offers $15 vouchers for all guests staying with them to start with. We played at the slot machines and roulette and enjoyed our time there.
Dinner at Seneca Niagara
As it was time for dinner, we checked out the different dinner and drink options at Seneca Niagara. They offer a mix of Asian, Italian and American cuisines at their in-house restaurants. The bar at Seneca Niagara – Lounge 101 offers a wide variety of cocktails and beer to relish with small plates. After our visit to the Casino we spent some time at the bar sipping our drinks and looking at the day gone by. This was followed by dinner at Koi, the in-house authentic Asian cuisine restaurant at Seneca Niagara. The seafood at Koi is delicious to the core and we really liked the jumbo shrimp and the fresh whole fish. Another recommendation is the Seafood Chow Fun for all seafood lovers as it comes with shrimp and scallops.
Visit the Niagara Falls at Night
After dinner and drinks, we went to see beautiful Niagara Falls at night, when the lights for the Canadian side lit up the falls and illuminated them in different shades. The fireworks at Niagara Falls are also one of the major tourist attractions which happens at 10pm everyday during the summer season. You can always check the schedule for these fireworks here if they are expected to be canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Unfortunately, we weren’t lucky enough this time as the fireworks were canceled due to the wildfires raging across Canada. The smoke from this wildfire impacted New York badly including New York City.
After the mesmerising views of Niagara Falls at night, we called it a day.
Day 2: Breakfast at Three Sisters Cafe, Seneca Niagara
We started our day 2 on an exciting note with breakfast at Three Sisters Cafe at the resort. The restaurant serves breakfast buffets along with an ala carte menu. The omelets and french toast there are a must try. We couldn’t have been happier with the amazing pancakes they had to offer–they were delicious! Our recommendation is Chico chip pancakes and French toasts!
Go for Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour
We started the adventure activities for the day after a sumptuous breakfast at the Seneca Niagara, with a Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours at Lewiston. This was about a 15 mins drive from Niagara Falls. The tours offered here were the Wet Jet Boat Tour and the Freedom Dry Jet Boat Tour. Both these tours offer an exciting experience at the Niagara river with some adventure activities over the Devil’s Hole, a class 5 whitewater and the magnitude of a whirlpool.
As the name suggests, be prepared to be drenched completely in the Wet Jet Boat Tour. We opted for the Freedom Dry Boat Tour as it gives you complete freedom to record your videos, take pictures and capture your memories of the adventure. The captain and the host of the trip Ala are fun company and they make the experience more enjoyable.
Visit the Cave of the Winds
After the adventurous boat tour, we went to experience another fav
orite from the falls, the Cave of the Winds. As the name suggests, this is a natural cave formed behind the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls discovered first in 1834. A series of walkways and decks took us to the Bridal Veil Falls. The experience of being beneath these falls is an unforgettable one.
We experienced the thrill and fun while we stood below the falls and let water drench us completely from head to toe. The poncho given by the staff there is definitely helpful if one doesn’t want to be soaked completely.
Grab a bite at Blues Burger Bar
To help our hunger pangs with some delicious food, we headed to Blues Burger Bar at Seneca Niagara. They offer lip smacking burgers which are handcrafted to perfection and are half a pound each. We ended up loving them completely! We enjoyed the chicken breast burger and there’s also an option for Black Bean Veggie burger for all your vegetarian friends.
Shop at Fashion Outlets at Niagara Falls
After having the adventures at the Whirlpool Boat Tours and a good time at the Cave of the Winds, we went to the Fashion Outlets at Niagara Falls. Located right outside the city of Niagara Falls these Outlets have multiple brands, all under one roof. The deals offered there on premium products are definitely worth checking out. We spent 2-3 hours there as we were in the mood to shop.
Have dinner at Zaika
What could be better than ending a happening day with some delicious Indian cuisine? We went to Zaika Indian Restaurant and Bar located on 3rd street. They offer buffet options for both lunch and dinner and were definitely worth a visit during our trip to Niagara Falls. Delicacies to look forward to at Zaika include the Tandoori Chicken and Gulab Jamun amongst others.
This brought us to the end of an exciting, fun filled yet relaxing weekend trip to Niagara Falls. We started our trip back home after our dinner.
Do let us know how you liked this 2 day weekend itinerary to Niagara Falls and don’t forget to share your recommendations and experiences from Niagara Falls in the comments below!
This post has been sponsored by Seneca Niagara; all opinions are entirely our own.
