Niagara Falls Clifton Hill
Good Time Rating: 5 out of 5 tourist traps
Accessibility Rating: it's complicated...
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada
08/21/26
You guys! My godmom came to visit me!!!
Connie lives in Maryland, and she flew out in time to see my performance in The Hobbit with Theatre in Hamlin Park. After dragging her to two shows, the set strike, and the cast party, it was time to go play tourist.
That's a lie; it was time to fall in a heap. But as soon as I could make it off the couch again, THEN it was time to go play tourist.
You've probably heard that Niagara Falls is prettier on the Canadian side, and that is 1000% correct. It's also a very different experience on the Canadian side. While New York has quite a few shops and restaurants within walking distance of the falls, Canada has Clifton Hill.
Clifton Hill is like a glorious mash-up of tourist traps, schlocky carnivals, and Universal City Walk. Connie told me after we arrived that she expected more of a National Park vibe, which HAHAHAHA nope! Oh, there's certainly natural beauty aplenty.
That's obviously what draws people from all over the world in. But what keeps them there and spending money is the hill. They've got carnival rides, mini golf, at least half a dozen haunted attractions, wax museums, go carts, zip lines, all the ice cream you can shove into the mouth part of your face, and soooooo many souvenir shops.
Unfortunately, it is exactly as the name describes - It's a hill, with the viewing area for the falls at the bottom, and attractions lining both sides of the road all the way up. And it's pretty damn steep.
The first time we went after moving to Buffalo, we took my manual wheelchair, Darla. While I have seen other folks using wheelchairs there, my weak noodle arms were no match for Clifton Hill. My hubby had to push me basically the whole time, and while he is a wonderful man and an excellent caregiver, this was nearly a bridge too far for him. My man works on his feet all day lifting heavy shit, and has the kind of calf muscle definition most of us mere mortals can only dream of. But he was ready to GIVE UP by the time we left.
On this trip, we chose Virginia, my power chair.
If I were giving Clifton Hill an Accessibility Rating based solely on visitors using a power chair, it would be an easy 5 out of 5 funnel cake stands. I had no issues with any of the bathrooms I used. I didn't spot any shops or attractions that had a step up to get inside, and for the most part I could successfully navigate the aisles of the shops. There were ramps and elevators aplenty - even an elevator to the zip-line launch platform. I also rolled Virginia right onto the giant Ferris wheel that overlooks the falls. Like many an amusement park attraction, the staff asked me to enter through the exit. In almost no time flat, they produced a nice, sturdy ramp which got me into the gondola, and they folded up the bench seat on one side so I could fit.
But despite all the things they're doing right, Clifton Hill just isn't really doable if you've got a manual chair all the strength of an infant chipmunk.
Or if you lack the stamina to walk uphill.
Or if you've got a husband who will straight up divorce you if you make him push you up that hill again.
Now, obviously I can't say I've exhaustively explored the area. I know that the haunt Dracula's Haunted Castle is inaccessible, and I'd wager the rest of the haunts are the same. (One day, I will find a 100% accessible haunt, but it is not this day. Or this one. Or this one either.)
Here in America, the ADA is a model piece of legislation that covers a lot of ground. Among many other protections, it ensures that all businesses accessible to the public meet wheelchair accessibility requirements (with some limited exceptions for historic buildings). The biggest problem with it is that it's not enforced. I've encountered So. Many. Businesses that aren't accessible, and they're just out there existing without consequence. I've called the cops on people parked in the crosshatch of the handicap spot and watched those officers do exactly nothing about it. I've reported ADA violations, only to be told they've found no wrongdoing.
Canada is different, and surprisingly not really for the better. Requirements vary by province, but in Ontario, there's actually no law that says Dracula's Haunted Castle has to be wheelchair accessible. A lot of their accessibility requirements for private businesses actually come from Ontario's building codes. Those state that doors and pathways need to be so wide, and that ramps and elevators have to be provided... for new construction or older buildings undergoing extensive renovations. Dracula's Haunted Castle has been there since the 70's, so unless Count Dracula is planning a remodel of his shadowy estate, don't expect to get your wheelchair in there any time soon.
This is a good thing to keep in mind while traveling in Ontario. The laws say that transportation and public outdoor spaces have to be accessible, alongside certain government-regulated businesses like banks. More or less, any building constructed after 2005 is going to be accessible. Otherwise, it's a crapshoot, and I honestly expected better of our northern neighbor.
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