invme Place
Everywhere
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish
Whirlpool Aero Car — Yellow Aero Car above the churning river and forested shorePhoto: Hannah Clover · CC BY 4.0 · edited
Watch · 8

Whirlpool Aero Car

Cable cars & funiculars ·Niagara Falls ·Open now
4.513.2K
#14Things to do in Niagara FallsTravelers' Choice 2025
  • Visit: 45 min
  • from CAD 25
  • Not step-free
Make a plan here
Directions Website Call Bookmark

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

Is this your place? Get the badge for your website

About

Whirlpool Aero Car is a cable car over the Niagara Whirlpool in Niagara Falls, Ontario, about four kilometres downstream of Niagara Falls.

More photos 11

1 / 11
Whirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car crossing above the turquoise whirlpool and riverbank Sergey Ashmarin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · edited
Whirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car crossing above the turquoise whirlpool and riverbankWhirlpool Aero Car — Red Aero Car cabin suspended over the river rapidsWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car crossing over autumn-coloured treesWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car above the river, seen through leafy branchesWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car crossing the broad river between wooded banksWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car suspended over whitewater rapids and forestWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car viewed from above the river near its landingWhirlpool Aero Car — Historic cable car crossing the river above a crowdWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car cabin above the river beside a wooded cliffWhirlpool Aero Car — Aero Car landing station set into a rocky cliffWhirlpool Aero Car — Distant Aero Car crossing above the broad river

Opening hours

Today10:00 – 17:00Show all
Monday10:00 – 17:00
Tuesday10:00 – 17:00
Wednesday12:00 – 17:00
Thursday10:00 – 17:00
Friday10:00 – 17:00
Saturday10:00 – 18:00
Sunday10:00 – 18:00

Shorts

Why go

  • The 60-acre Niagara Whirlpool and Class 6 rapids below the car.
  • Four crossings of the Canada–United States border on each ride.
  • Views of Whirlpool State Park and hydroelectric stations downstream on both sides of the river.
  • The ride’s height profile: 86 metres above the river at both ends and 42 metres at the midpoint.

Best time to visit

  • The ride operates from March through November.
  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:00–17:00; Wednesday: 12:00–17:00; weekends: 10:00–18:00.

With kids

  • Strollers are not allowed aboard.
  • Passengers stand throughout the ride; the car carries up to 35 people.

Know before you go

  • Riders do not need immigration clearance for the border crossings.

Interesting facts3

1/3

  1. The car travels at about seven kilometres per hour, powered by a 37-kilowatt electric motor.

    Whirlpool Aero Car - Wikipedia

  2. The original car was open; later designs added a roof.

    Whirlpool Aero Car - Wikipedia

  3. A diesel motor is available for emergencies.

    Whirlpool Aero Car - Wikipedia

History

Local developer Samuel Colt bought seven acres and built an inclined railway to carry visitors to the whirlpool rapids. Spanish businessmen later proposed a cable car across the whirlpool to give visitors a new view of the gorge. J. Enoch Thompson conceived the cable car. Leonardo Torres Quevedo designed it, and The Niagara Spanish Aerocar Co. Limited built it to his plans.

  1. 1915Construction began, including excavation for machinery chambers on both sides of the gorge. The carriage was built overseas and installed on a cable spanning more than 500 metres.
  2. 8 August 1916The cable car opened.
  3. 1961, 1967 and 1984The system underwent successive upgrades.
  4. 1989A sightseeing helicopter struck the cable. The ride closed for three days for inspection; nobody was hurt.
  5. Winter 2023The car went to Saint-Jérôme, Québec, for refurbishment with new mechanical parts, a floor and a roof. An identical arch replaced the original to extend the attraction’s life.

Don't miss

  • Niagara WhirlpoolSee where rapids meet a sharp counterclockwise bend in the gorge, forming the whirlpool.Below the cable car
  • Hikers and anglersSpot hikers on nature trails and anglers along both riverbanks from the car.Along both riverbanks
  • Yellow archLook for the yellow support structure shaped like an arched bridge.Above the river

How to get there

  • ParkingOn-site parking is available at 3850 Niagara River Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Accessibility

  • Step-free entry Boarding requires descending 40 steps and climbing 40 steps after the ride. The ride is not wheelchair or scooter accessible.

Sources: Whirlpool Aero Car - Wikipedia · Niagara Falls (Ontario) - Wikivoyage (do) · Whirlpool Aero Car – Cable Car Ride over the Ni… · Whirlpool Aero Car - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026

Where
3850 Niagara River Parkway, Niagara Falls

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Does the Whirlpool Aero Car ride finish in the United States?

No. Both stations are on the Canadian bank, on opposite sides of the whirlpool.

How long is the Whirlpool Aero Car route?

The route spans about 530 metres.

Is there a rescue car at the Whirlpool Aero Car?

A separate rescue car carries four passengers and an operator. It has been used only for training.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment Share
Loading comments…