Free Things to Do on Vacation in Niagara Falls, Ontario

This information is excerpted from http://www.associated content.com

There are plenty of fun things to do in Niagara Falls, Ontario and many of these are actually free of charge.

The Falls
Of course, viewing the Falls is the first free fun thing to do in Niagara Falls as the wonderful view is the best of the fun things to do in Niagara Falls. You can spend hours walking along the path next to the Falls, not only looking at the Falls themselves, but relaxing in the beautiful gardens and watching the many people as they walk by. At night, the Falls are illuminated with bright lights, and watching these lights is yet another free fun thing to do in Niagara Falls.

Niagara-On-The-Lake Wineries
Most of the many wineries in the Niagara-On-The-Lake region offer free tastings. The wineries are located along scenic vineyards, providing a nice change of scenery from the Falls.

Niagara Botanical Garden
Located between Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake, the Niagara Botanical Gardens are a must see fun thing to do in Niagara Falls. Open year round, this 99 acre site offers beautiful grounds filled with flowers and plants which can be toured free of charge. This is a great place to allow kids to run and explore, while the parents take in the gorgeous scenery.

Fireworks at the Falls
During the summer, another fun thing to do in Niagara Falls is to watch the fireworks let off over the Falls. There are also free concerts in the park prior to the fireworks display. The Falls area gets very crowded on fireworks night, so get there early to make sure that you get a seat!

Niagara Parks Recreation Trail
Walk, bike, or run along the Niagara Parks Recreation Trail. The Niagara Parks Recreation Trail runs from Fort Erie to Fort George and provides great views of the gorge and surrounding area, giving users a different perspective of the Falls area.

Illumination at the Falls
Niagara Falls looks very different at night when the Illumination at the Falls lights are on. From May 1st until August 17th, between 9 pm and midnight, the Illumination at the Falls experience lights up Niagara Falls with shades of color. From August 18th through September 30th, the Illumination at the Falls lights are on from 8:30 pm until midnight. This attraction is perfect for visitors who want to take some spectacular photographs.

Niagara Falls Power Project Visitors Center
The Niagara Falls Power Project is just 5 miles down the Robert Moses Parkway, from downtown Niagara Falls, New York. The Niagara Falls Power Project Visitors Center is open from 9-5 daily, offering visitors free activities and educational information about the Power Project. Special events are planned regularly, and it is easy to reach the Niagara Falls Power Project Visitors Center from Niagara Falls. To visit, take the Robert Moses Parkway towards Lewiston for 4 miles, exiting at the Power Vista exit. Turn left on Route 104 for one mile, and park in the Power Vista parking lot.

Artpark Free Events and Family Fun
Artpark is just outside of Niagara Falls, located in the historic town of Lewiston, New York. During the summer months, artpark offers a variety of free events and activities for adults and families. Artpark sits on the Niagara River Gorge, providing visitors with great views of the lower Niagara River. Guests can picnic, fish, or take a walk along one of the scenic trails at Artpark.

Tuesday at the Park is a popular free attraction at Artpark during the summer. Free concerts are held at the Artpark Outdoor Ampitheater from June 5th through August 28th at Artpark. Concessions are availableat different concession stands during the free concerts. The concerts are scheduled for evening.

Artpark began offering an additional free concert program on Wednesday nights recently. Artpark Wednesdays are held from July 11th through August 22nd. Artpark Wednesdays offer free hands-on art activities for children, and National headliners for free concerts.

Family Weekends at Artpark are offered on Saturdays and Sundays in the month of July. Art demonstrations and activities for kids take place during July on the designated Artpark Family Weekends.

Lewiston Jazz Festival
The Lewiston Jazz festival is the perfect free summer event in the Niagara Falls area. Each year the Lewiston Jazz festival is held in the small town of Lewiston, attracting up to 30,000 visitors over the three-day event. The 2007 Lewiston Jazz Festival will feature 150 jazz musicians, food vendors, and art workshops. The dates of the Jazz Festival for 2007 are August 24 through August 26th. Lewiston can be reached by taking the Robert Moses Parkway from the downtown Niagara Falls area.

Let us know about your own experiences visiting these places and/or any other free things that you have found for this destination. Include a comment in the comments section below so that others may learn from your experience.