Niagara SkyWheel Ticket Niagara Falls Canada

The Niagara SkyWheel

The Niagara SkyWheel opened in 2006 at 4950 Clifton Hill and has been the landmark of the Canadian side's entertainment district ever since. It stands 53 metres (175 feet) tall and carries 42 enclosed gondolas, each with seating for a family, large windows and heating and air conditioning, so the ride is comfortable in the heat of July and the snow of January. The wheel turns slowly through several complete rotations per ride, and because the gondolas are sealed there is no wind or mist to worry about, which makes it the gentlest of the Niagara Falls observation rides.

Boarding is at the base of the wheel on Clifton Hill: show your ticket at the entrance, wait for the next free gondola and step in while the wheel pauses. Rides last 8 to 12 minutes depending on how many rotations the operator runs, and queues move quickly even in summer.

The view from the top: the falls and the river

As the gondola climbs above the rooftops of Clifton Hill, the whole Niagara panorama opens up. To the south the Horseshoe Falls curves around its basin with the cloud of mist rising above it and the Skylon Tower and the hotel towers beside it; straight across the river are the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, the Rainbow Bridge and the skyline of Niagara Falls, New York; to the north the gorge runs away toward Lake Ontario. The optional audio narration in English points out each landmark as the gondola turns.

A SkyWheel ride is often recommended as the first thing to do in Niagara Falls, because it shows you how everything fits together before you walk down to the water, and the photos through the clear windows are among the best from anywhere on the Canadian side.

Clifton Hill and the surrounding attractions

Clifton Hill is the sloping street of family attractions that runs from the top of the hill down to the Niagara Parkway and the falls. Around the wheel you find arcades, a mini-golf course, wax and oddity museums, haunted houses and restaurants, all lit up after dark, which makes it the liveliest street in Niagara Falls, Canada in the evening. The SkyWheel ticket covers the ride only; the other Clifton Hill attractions are separate.

From the base of the wheel it is a 5-minute walk downhill to the Rainbow Bridge, the boat landing and the parkway, and about 20 minutes along the river to Table Rock and the brink of the Horseshoe Falls, so the ride slots easily between the other things to do in Niagara Falls.

Planning your ride: hours, day or night, and weather

The Niagara SkyWheel is open daily year-round, from mid-morning until late in the evening, with extended hours in summer; your ticket is valid at any time during opening hours on the date you choose, so there is no need to pick a slot. Daytime rides give the clearest photos of the falls and the river, while a ride after dark shows the illuminated Horseshoe Falls, the lights of Clifton Hill below and, on fireworks evenings in season, the display over the falls from a sealed gondola.

Because the gondolas are enclosed and climate-controlled, the wheel runs in rain, cold and light snow; only high winds or lightning pause it, in which case you can return later the same day. The best time to ride the Niagara SkyWheel is dusk, when you catch both the daylight view and the moment the illumination comes on.