Skylon Tower (236m Observation Deck), Clifton Hill & the Niagara SkyWheel

Rising above the bluff directly behind Queen Victoria Park sit two very different perspectives on Niagara Falls: the retro-futuristic 1965 spire of Skylon Tower, offering the highest aerial view over the gorge, and the neon-lit, carnival-like entertainment strip of Clifton Hill ('The Street of Fun').

1. Skylon Tower: The 52-Second 'Yellow Bug' Lift & Revolving Dining Room

Opened in October 1965, Skylon Tower features three exterior glass-enclosed lifts affectionately known as the 'Yellow Bugs' that glide up the outside of the concrete shaft to the summit dome in just 52 seconds:

• The Indoor/Outdoor Observation Deck (236 Metres / 775 Feet Above the Gorge): step outside onto the caged 360-degree open-air walkway. Because you are looking down from 236 metres above the river, you can see the entire horseshoe curve of the Canadian Falls, the white-water Upper Rapids, Goat Island and the American Falls simultaneously, and on a clear morning or sunset, you can see the skyscrapers of Toronto (including the CN Tower) 75 kilometres north across Lake Ontario and the skyline of Buffalo to the south.
• Money-Saving Tip: if you book lunch or dinner at the Revolving Dining Room (which completes one full 360-degree rotation every 60 minutes) or the Summit Suite Buffet, your Observation Deck lift admission is included at no extra cost. Check current ticket and dining rates on the official site.

2. Walking Clifton Hill & Riding the 53-Metre Niagara SkyWheel

Running steeply up the hill from the Niagara City Cruises boat dock to Victoria Avenue is Clifton Hill, a colourful, family-friendly boardwalk-style strip packed with retro arcades (Great Canadian Midway), dinosaur mini-golf, wax museums, fudge shops and the Niagara Speedway (an elevated four-storey spiral go-kart track). Even if you skip the wax museums, do not miss riding the 53-metre-tall (175-foot) Niagara SkyWheel at sunset or after dark: its 42 fully enclosed, climate-controlled glass gondolas give you an unobstructed 12-minute aerial view over the illuminated waterfalls and city lights year-round.