You can see stunning fall colours in Ontario suspended above a raging whirlpool
If viewing Ontario's vibrant fall colours from above a gorge in Niagara Falls is on your bucket list for the impending autumn season (rather specific, I know!), then the Whirlpool Aero Car experience is screaming your name.
The adventure takes guests on a cable car ride suspended about 200 feet above the Niagara Whirlpool, an immense volume of water that rushes in from the Horseshoe Falls and meets the gorge below, creating the dramatic Class 6 rapids.
Once aboard the cable car, a year-round favourite for views of the gorge, guests make the 350-foot-long journey from one end to the other at about seven kilometres an hour. The leisurely pace gives riders the perfect opportunity to soak in the surrounding fall foliage, courtesy of the Niagara Glen nature reserve.
And it's truly a treat for the eyes.
Fall colour aficionados can watch the surrounding deciduous forest come to life in brilliant shades of orange from the sugar maples and bright reds from the ferns, which tend to peak around mid to late October. Pair those views with the whirlpool below, and the Whirlpool Aero Car makes for a pretty spectacular way to take in fall colours in Niagara Falls.
The cable car has been a popular attraction at Niagara Falls since the 1800s, when it was originally used to take guests from the top of the Niagara Gorge down to the whirlpool banks below. The car was then rebuilt for the Whirlpool Aero Car excursion in 1913 and underwent a complete refurbishment in the winter of 2023.
The excursion is open daily until Nov. 1, with cars departing starting as early as 9 a.m. Each cable car ride lasts 29 minutes, and cars depart every half hour. Tickets are $25, plus applicable taxes, and can be purchased directly through the Niagara Parks official website.
The Whirlpool Aero Car is located at 3850 Niagara River Pkwy. in Niagara Falls, Ont.
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