Niagara Falls Travel Forum

I am considering bring a motorcoach tour group to Niagara Falls the 3rd week in April of 2008. I have been to the Niagara Falls area in the Winter and the Fall but never in the early Spring. Is April too early to see any flowers in bloom? Is it too cold for the Maid of the MIst or Journey Behind the Falls? Thank you for your help!

April would be too early for there to be many flowers; perhaps some spring blooms. Early/mid-May is 'official' for planting, which should be after the last frost, but with global warming who knows when this might be! (Ottawa is the place to see massive spring plantings).

The Maid of the Mist sites indicate April is subject to ice conditions in the river; if it's a mild winter this wouldn't be a problem - it seems it's a 'wait and see' situation. May mainly appears to be the official start to the season, but if you check out 'Maid of Mist' on Google I'm sure you'll find plenty of info. re. the boats and also info. for visiting behind the Falls.

(I've been skiing in April in past years, and also have been sunbathing!)

April would be too early for there to be many flowers; perhaps some spring blooms. Early/mid-May is 'official' for planting, which should be after the last frost, but with global warming who knows when this might be! (Ottawa is the place to see massive spring plantings).

The Maid of the Mist sites indicate April is subject to ice conditions in the river; if it's a mild winter this wouldn't be a problem - it seems it's a 'wait and see' situation. May mainly appears to be the official start to the season, but if you check out 'Maid of Mist' on Google I'm sure you'll find plenty of info. re. the boats and also info. for visiting behind the Falls.

(I've been skiing in April in past years, and also have been sunbathing!)

Can only give examples of April 2007 and it was way too cold for flowers and Maid of the Mist was weeks away - see my pages for examples of ice at Niagara in April 2007 brrrgggghhh.

Journey behind the falls was open during this cold spell. Some of the views were obscured by ice walls and the lowest viewing platform was not accessible. Still worth it though and because the platform was closed we could not get wet!

By the law of averages the chances are it will be a warmer April in 2008, good luck.

by mid-May, the Hamilton botanical Gardens are in full swing, and that's quite close to Niagara, so you may want to consider waiting about 4 weeks. Then you can get the best of everything.