What's Open in Niagara Falls in April

April is when Niagara Falls starts waking up. The boat ride returns to the Canadian side this month. Days are long enough to do real outdoor exploring. And the gorge is running at high spring flow — the Falls are genuinely thundering in April in a way that's different from any other time of year.

Crowds are still manageable for most of April. A solid month to visit.

The Falls Themselves

Always open. Niagara Falls State Park is free and open 24/7. Prospect Point, Goat Island, and all pedestrian access are available.

Queen Victoria Park, Canada: open 24/7.

Illumination

The Falls are lit every night beginning at dusk — around 7:45–8:15pm in April as the days lengthen.

No fireworks yet. Those start mid-May.

What's Open — USA Side

Niagara Falls State Park — ✅ Open 24/7

Prospect Point — ✅ Open 24/7

Goat Island — ✅ Open sunrise–midnight

Welcome Center — ✅ Open

Cave of the Winds — ✅ Open (transitioning to in-season hours)

Maid of the Mist — ✅ Returns late April — check exact date

Power Plant Ruins Site — 🔴 Closed — reopens May 7

ArtPark (Lewiston) — Open for gorge views; concerts June
Parking: $10/vehicle. Free Lot #3 Tue/Wed/Thu on Goat Island.

What's Open — Canada Side

Queen Victoria Park — ✅ Open 24/7

Journey Behind the Falls — ✅ Open daily

Niagara Parks Power Station & Tunnel — ✅ Open daily

Butterfly Conservatory — ✅ Open daily

Hornblower / Niagara City Cruises — ✅ Returns April — check exact opening date

Zipline to the Falls — ✅ Open (expanding hours in April)

Whirlpool Aero Car — ✅ Returns spring — check for April reopening

WEGO Shuttle — ✅ Running

Clifton Hill — ✅ Open

Border Crossing

Rainbow Bridge open 24/7. April is generally quiet for crossings outside of Easter weekend. If Easter falls in April, expect heavier Friday/Sunday traffic.

Tolls: $6.00 USD / $8.50 CAD vehicles. $1.25 CAD pedestrians.

Local Tips for April

High spring flow is a real phenomenon. April snowmelt from the Great Lakes watershed pushes huge volumes of water over the Falls. The sound is noticeably louder, the mist reaches farther, and Maid of the Mist/Hornblower rides are exceptional. The ponchos earn their keep.

The boat ride returning is April's big event. Hornblower typically resumes sometime in April on the Canadian side. If getting on the boat is important to your trip, confirm the exact reopening date before booking — it can vary year to year.

Wildflowers in the gorge. The Niagara Gorge Trail on the NY side is excellent in April. Trout lilies and trilliums start appearing in the gorge and it's essentially empty of other hikers.

Easter weekend gets busy. If your visit falls on Easter weekend, treat it like a mini-summer: book ahead, arrive early, expect lines.

Niagara Falls by Month

January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December