Niagara Falls - Canada Trip FOR FREE! 🇨🇦
Guess what?! My family just had an AMAZING 4-day, 3-night adventure to Niagara Falls in Canada, and we even hopped over to the US side for a peek! What's even crazier? Our flights, hotel, rental car, and parking were ALMOST completely FREE!
Breaking Down the Costs: 💰
- Total Cost (if we paid full price): $2,068.59
- What we ACTUALLY paid: $163.82 (for 2 adults + 1 toddler!)
- Our Secret Weapon: 41,888 points + 3 Free Night Certificates!
Want to know how we pulled off this almost-free trip? I'm spilling all the details, including how we booked everything, plus our favorite places to eat, play, and explore! P.S. I've linked a video of our trip in the comments - check it out!
1. Scoring Dirt-Cheap Flights: ✈️
We flew into Buffalo, New York (BUF) and rented a car to drive across the border to Niagara Falls, Canada. It's only a 45-minute drive, and it's WAY cheaper than flying directly into Toronto! If you're traveling with a bigger group, this is a HUGE money-saver.
I only booked ONE ticket for myself because my husband flies FREE with my Southwest Companion Pass. Plus, our daughter is under 2, so she flew free too! That means we got 3 people on one ticket!
=> Round Trip Flights (3 people): 15,888 Southwest points + Companion Pass + $22.40 tax/fees
2. Hotel Room with a View - FOR FREE! 🏨
We stayed at the Marriott on the Falls. Why? Because the views are INSANE! It was super important to have a falls-view room because our little one goes to bed around 8-9 PM. This meant we could enjoy the illuminated falls and nightly fireworks show while she slept! ✨
This room normally costs $809.97 for 3 nights! We used Marriott Free Night Certificates + 26,000 points to book it entirely for free! Here's a TIP: Free Night Certificates usually only get you a basic parking lot view room. Email the hotel and politely ask for a free upgrade to a falls view room – it worked for us!
We were SO happy with our room! Not only did we get a free upgrade to a falls-view room, but it also had a jacuzzi tub overlooking the falls! The hotel is newly renovated, so everything was super clean and modern. Plus, the customer service was amazing! They even sent us a complimentary chocolate cake with strawberries. Highly recommended!
=> 3 Nights Hotel: 3 Free Night Certificates + 26,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
3. Rental Car Hack: 🚗
I booked our SUV through the Capital One Travel Portal. I often find better deals there than even Costco, and I get 10x points back with my Venture X card! For example, if the rental costs $300, I earn 3,000 Capital One points and get primary auto insurance! This means I can skip the expensive rental car insurance and not have to use my personal auto insurance.
Our 4-day SUV rental was $360.42, but thanks to the Venture X card, we got a $300 travel credit, making our final cost just $60.42!
Yes, there's always a risk with travel portals, but for me, the savings, points, and primary auto insurance are worth it. We've booked through Capital One Travel Portal several times, and haven't had any issues yet.
=> 4-Day Standard SUV: $360.42 - $300 (travel credit) = $60.42
4. Parking Like a Pro (on a Budget): 🅿️
Parking at the hotel was $45/day. I used my Amex Bonvoy card, which had an offer for 40% cashback on hotel parking, bringing the total for 3 nights down to just $81!
Pro Tip: Parking in Niagara Falls is EXPENSIVE! Instead of paying hefty flat rates at each attraction, park at your hotel and use the WeGo Shuttle! Most large hotels offer free WeGo Shuttle passes to guests. The bus stops right in front of the hotel and takes you to all the attractions around the falls. Super convenient and saves you tons of time and money! 🚌
=> Parking 3 Nights: $81
5. Must-Do Activities at Niagara Falls (Canada Side): 🏞️
- Journey Behind the Falls: Walk through tunnels and get up close to the cascading water! Cool experience for the first time, but the lines can get long. Tickets are about $25/adult and you can purchase online: Niagara Parks
- Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour (or Falls Fireworks Cruise): The daytime boat tour is a BLAST! You'll get SOAKED but it's so much fun. I'd do it again in a heartbeat! The nighttime cruise offers incredible views of the fireworks. Buy your tickets online to skip the lines: City Experiences
- Zipline to the Falls + Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours: For the adrenaline junkies! I couldn't do them this time because of our little one, but I LOVED these in New Zealand!
- Whirlpool Aero Car: A cable car that takes you over the whirlpool! Looks so fun, but our daughter was too young. Next time!
- Clifton Hill: A vibrant street with restaurants, attractions, and a buzzing atmosphere. Perfect for an evening stroll!
Don't miss the nightly fireworks show at 10 PM! The falls are beautifully illuminated!
We also visited the US side, but honestly, we preferred the Canadian side – it's more beautiful and lively!
6. Niagara-on-the-Lake Town: 🍇
This charming town is about 25-30 minutes from Niagara Falls. It's peaceful and beautiful, and we actually enjoyed it more than the falls themselves! It's also home to many wineries.
- Queen Street: Stroll along this adorable street with its charming shops and restaurants. It feels like you're in Europe!
- Peller Estate Winery and Restaurant: If you only visit one winery, make it Peller Estate. Take a tour to learn about winemaking and sample different wines. Don't miss the ice wine cellar made of ice! The scenery is gorgeous, and the food is delicious and reasonably priced.
I hope our trip inspires you to plan your own Niagara Falls adventure! Check the comments for more photos and videos!
Next time, I'll be sharing how I booked a FREE 2-week trip to Greece, including a 7-day cruise around the Greek Islands and Turkey – all with points! I booked it for my parents, so I'm waiting for their review to share all the details!
Happy Travels! 😊
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