Easter moves every year, and in Niagara that matters more than in most places. A mid-April Easter can catch the first boat cruises of the season. A late-March Easter, like the one in 2027, usually means winter coats at the railing, the seasonal attractions still shut, and a weekend built around the indoor sites and the Falls themselves. Planning an Easter in Niagara Falls is mostly a matter of knowing which kind of year you are in.
NiagaraFallsLimo.net drives families between Toronto and the Falls every holiday weekend. This guide is for the 2027 dates.
The 2027 Easter calendar
- Good Friday, March 26, 2027. A public holiday in Ontario under the Employment Standards Act. Most retail stores close, though some tourist-area businesses have exemptions.
- Saturday, March 27. A normal Saturday, and usually the busiest day of the weekend at the attractions.
- Easter Sunday, March 28.
- Easter Monday, March 29. Not a public holiday in Ontario, so many people are back at work, though some employers and school boards give the day off.
Easter 2027 lands a week after Ontario's March Break (March 15–19, 2027), so the crowds of the school holiday will have just thinned. If you have both on the calendar, see our March Break in Niagara Falls guide for the difference.
What can families do in Niagara Falls at Easter?
At Easter in Niagara Falls, families can count on Niagara Parks' year-round indoor attractions, community egg hunts and the Falls lit from 7:30 p.m. in late March. The drive from downtown Toronto covers about 129 km (80 mi), usually 1 h 30 – 1 h 50. NiagaraFallsLimo.net books a family day trip with child seats at a fixed fare online.
The Niagara Parks attractions open all year are the backbone of an early Easter:
- The Butterfly Conservatory, inside the Botanical Gardens, with more than 2,000 butterflies under glass. It is the natural Easter outing: warm, colourful and easy for small children.
- The Floral Showhouse and its Orchid Show. In 2026 the Orchid Show opened on March 7 with more than 1,700 Phalaenopsis orchids, which suggests it will be in bloom for a late-March Easter. The Showhouse is a short walk south of the Horseshoe Falls.
- The Niagara Parks Power Station and its tunnel, where a glass elevator drops 180 ft to a 2,200-ft tunnel ending at a platform by the river. Children who like machines love it, and the tunnel is fully accessible.
- Journey Behind the Falls, down 125 ft to portals behind the Horseshoe Falls, open year-round.
- Niagara Takes Flight, the flying-theatre ride in Table Rock Centre. Riders must be at least 100 cm (3 ft 3 in) tall.
The Botanical Gardens grounds are free. In late March they are more bare branches than blossom, but a short walk between the Conservatory and the car is pleasant on a mild day.
What will probably still be closed
Be realistic with the children about these:
- The Whirlpool Aero Car and the White Water Walk open for the season in April. For a March 28 Easter, plan on them being closed.
- Niagara City Cruises opens when the river allows. In 2024 the boats started on March 28; in 2026, heavy ice on Lake Erie pushed the first sailing to May 1. Our Niagara City Cruises page will reflect the 2027 opening once it is announced, and our post on spring in Niagara Falls explains why the date moves.
- The Laura Secord Homestead and Old Fort Erie are May-to-October sites.
Our best time to visit guide has a month-by-month view if you are still choosing between Easter and a later spring weekend.
Egg hunts and Easter events
Community egg hunts across Niagara are run by local groups, malls and fire services, and dates are usually posted in March. For a sense of what to expect, these were held over Easter 2026, according to Clifton Hill's Easter weekend roundup:
- An egg hunt at Fireman's Park on Dorchester Road on Good Friday morning, with a sensory-friendly zone.
- An indoor egg hunt at Canada One Outlets on Lundy's Lane on the Saturday, with the Easter Bunny for photos.
- A three-day Easter event at a family farm on Schisler Road, and a Saturday-morning hunt in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Many Clifton Hill attractions also extended their hours over the 2026 Easter weekend. Treat these as examples, and check the 2027 listings in March.
Easter brunch in Niagara Falls
Holiday brunch is a big part of the weekend, and tables go early. In 2024, Niagara Parks offered a three-course Easter menu at Table Rock House Restaurant, on the brink of the Horseshoe Falls, booked through OpenTable, as its 2024 Easter release described. Look for the 2027 menu in early March. Hotel restaurants in Fallsview are the other reliable option. Book brunch first, then set the car's arrival time around it.
A sample Easter Saturday from Toronto
- 8:30 a.m. Pickup at home. Car seats and boosters already fitted, the stroller in the back.
- 10:15 a.m. Arrive at the Butterfly Conservatory for an early slot, before the late-morning crowd.
- 11:30 a.m. Short drive south along the Parkway to the Floral Showhouse for the orchids.
- 12:30 p.m. Easter brunch near the brink.
- 2:00 p.m. The Power Station tunnel, or Journey Behind the Falls if the children are dressed for spray.
- 3:30 p.m. One last look at the Falls, then home, arriving in Toronto around 5:30 p.m., before the dinner traffic.
Families who want to stay until dark should know that the Falls are lit from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. from March 12 to March 31, according to the Niagara Parks illumination schedule. That is late for toddlers, and a good reason to stay overnight instead. Our Toronto to Niagara Falls day tour explains how an hourly booking works for a full day like this.
If you do stay the night, the long weekend rewards booking early. Fallsview hotels look straight over the river, which means the children can watch the lights from the room after bath time, and the indoor waterpark resorts on Falls Avenue and at Great Wolf Lodge give the second day a plan if the weather turns. A late-March morning can be close to freezing at the brink, so pack hats and gloves even if Toronto feels like spring when you leave.
Car seats, the detail that decides the trip
Ontario's rules set the stages: rear-facing seats up to 9 kg, forward-facing seats from 9 to 18 kg, and boosters for children under eight who weigh 18 to 36 kg and are under 145 cm. A child can use the seatbelt alone at age eight, or at 36 kg, or at 145 cm. The province's child car seat page has the details.
Taxis are exempt from Ontario's child-seat requirements, so a cab will not necessarily arrive with one. Our booker lets you add child, toddler and booster seats to the reservation so they are installed before pickup. Our post on travelling with car seats to Niagara Falls covers the airport side.
Chauffeur vs rideshare vs taxi for this trip
| Mode | Door-to-door time from downtown Toronto | Cost note | Strollers and seats | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private chauffeur | About 1 h 30 – 1 h 50, door to attraction door | Fixed fare via booker | Child seats added in the booker; room for strollers | Families with young children, grandparents, a full-day plan |
| Rideshare | Similar driving time | Surge pricing on holiday weekends | Child seats not guaranteed | Adults travelling light |
| Taxi | Practical for local hops | Metered | Not required to provide child seats | Hotel to brunch within Niagara Falls |
| GO train plus WEGO | Longer; GO to Niagara Falls station, then the visitor bus | GO fare; children 12 and under ride GO free; WEGO child (3–12) 24-hour pass $12.00 (as of 2026) | Strollers manageable, seats not needed on the train | Budget-minded families comfortable with transfers |
| Driving yourself | 1 h 30 – 1 h 50 plus parking at each site | Fuel and paid parking | Your own seats | Families who already own the seats and like to drive |
The honest verdict. For a family of four with older children and no grandparents, the GO train to Niagara Falls with a WEGO pass is a perfectly good Easter day, and children 12 and under ride GO free. A taxi is fine for a ten-minute hop between your hotel and brunch. The pre-booked car wins when the children are small enough to need seats, when grandparents are coming, or when you want to move between four stops on a holiday weekend without hunting for four parking spots. Our chauffeur vs taxi vs rideshare guide goes into the trade-offs.
Booking it with NiagaraFallsLimo.net in 3 steps
- Plan the day in the booker. Enter your home address as pickup and choose "By the hour" for a day trip, or a return trip if you only need the ride there and back. Add your first stop and time.
- Choose the vehicle. A Standard SUV or Executive Black SUV seats up to six with six bags; an Executive Sprinter takes up to 12 for an extended family. The fixed fare shows for each.
- Add the seats and pay. Add child, toddler and booster seats, the stroller as a bag, and any notes. Pay securely; the confirmation comes by email. Long weekends may carry a cancellation deadline different from our usual 72-hour terms, printed on the confirmation.
Check your fixed fare for Easter weekend
Who this suits
Families are the Easter weekend, and our families page has more on pacing a day with young children. Couples can use the quieter Easter Monday for a brunch and an afternoon in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Individuals, including students home for the long weekend, can manage well on the train. Groups, from church groups to extended families with cousins, travel together in a Sprinter. For a ready-made itinerary, see our Toronto day trip to Niagara Falls with a private driver.
Frequently asked questions
Is Good Friday a holiday in Ontario?
Yes. Good Friday is one of Ontario's nine public holidays under the Employment Standards Act. Easter Monday is not, although some employers and schools give the day off. In 2027, Good Friday is March 26 and Easter Sunday is March 28.
What is open in Niagara Falls on Easter weekend?
Niagara Parks' year-round attractions, such as the Butterfly Conservatory, the Power Station, Journey Behind the Falls and Niagara Takes Flight, normally stay open over Easter. Many Clifton Hill attractions also open, and some extended their hours over Easter 2026. Check holiday hours on each site before you go.
Are the Niagara Falls boat tours running at Easter?
It depends on the river. Niagara City Cruises opened on March 28 in 2024, but in 2026 Lake Erie ice delayed the opening to May 1. For an early Easter like March 28, 2027, assume the boats may not be running yet, and check the operator's announcement in March.
Are there Easter egg hunts in Niagara Falls?
Yes. Local groups, malls and fire services run them each year. Over Easter 2026 there were hunts at Fireman's Park, Canada One Outlets and in Niagara-on-the-Lake, among others. The 2027 events are usually announced in March, so check local listings closer to the date.
How long is the drive from Toronto to Niagara Falls with children?
Downtown Toronto to the Falls is about 129 km (80 mi), usually 1 h 30 – 1 h 50 off-peak. On a holiday Saturday morning, allow more. Plan one stop if the children are small; a chauffeur can make a quick stop on the way so nobody has to wait.
Do taxis in Ontario have car seats?
Not necessarily. Ontario's child-seat requirements do not apply to taxis carrying paying passengers, so a cab may arrive without one. When you book with NiagaraFallsLimo.net, you add child, toddler or booster seats in the booker, and they are fitted before pickup.
How much does an Easter day trip by car to Niagara Falls cost?
The price turns on two things: the vehicle class and the length of the booking. The online booker shows the fixed all-in fare for your exact pickup, vehicle and duration before you pay, with no holiday surge. Compare a return trip with a by-the-hour booking to see which suits your day.
