Niagara Falls is already unforgettable from the ground, but seeing it from 775 feet above the Niagara Gorge gave our family an entirely different perspective. During our family trip to Niagara Falls, we took our five kids to dinner in the Skylon Tower Revolving Dining Room, followed by a visit to the observation deck.
Yes, dining inside one of Niagara Falls’ most recognizable landmarks can be expensive, especially for a large family. We are a family of six, so I am always looking for ways to make special travel experiences fit our budget. By reserving one of the early dinner times, we were able to enjoy the revolving restaurant, incredible views, and observation deck admission for less than we would have spent later in the evening. Plus, dinner was also an attraction, making this one sweet deal!
Dining in the Skylon Tower Revolving Dining Room
The Revolving Dining Room is located high above Niagara Falls at the top of the Skylon Tower. The restaurant slowly completes one full rotation every hour. You are not spinning quickly, and the movement is gentle enough that we barely noticed it until we looked out the window and realized the view had changed.
During dinner, we could see the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Niagara River, and the city surrounding us. Because the restaurant continually rotates, no one has to worry about being seated on the “wrong” side. The scenery eventually comes to you.
Our kids loved watching for the different landmarks as we moved around the tower. It also gave them something to talk about and explore while we waited for our meals. Dinner felt less like sitting in a restaurant and more like experiencing another Niagara Falls attraction.
How We Made Skylon Tower Dinner More Affordable
The regular dinner menu at the Revolving Dining Room can make this a significant vacation expense, particularly when you are paying for a large family. The Skylon Tower offers early dinner specials at select reservation times, currently 4:30 and 5 pm.
We chose the early dinner menu, which made this meal fit into our family trip budget. Eating early also worked well with kids. We avoided a late, drawn-out dinner after an already busy day of sightseeing, and we still had plenty of time to visit the observation deck afterward.
The restaurant also has a children’s menu for kids ages 12 and younger that’s about one third the price of the adult menu. Before making a reservation, check the current menus and prices online because offerings and pricing can change.
The three-course early dinner is $65 Canadian per adult and includes a baguette, mixed green salad, potatoes, vegetables, an entrée, and chocolate mousse for dessert. Entrée choices include prime rib, pork loin, salmon, beef tenderloin tips, and chicken cordon bleu. The children’s menu is $26 Canadian and includes a burger, chicken fingers, prime rib, spaghetti and meatballs, or grilled salmon, along with a side salad and dessert. Taxes and a 3% Attractions and Promotional Fee are additional. Still, since our meal also included admission to the observation decks, it was a great way to combine dinner with one of Niagara Falls’ most memorable attractions.
Since we planned to visit the observation deck anyway, I considered the meal and attraction together rather than treating dinner as a separate expense.
Visiting the Skylon Tower Observation Deck
After dinner, we headed to the observation deck to spend more time taking in the scenery.
The restaurant provides beautiful views from your table, but the observation deck gives you the freedom to walk around, stop wherever you want, and point out the different parts of Niagara Falls to your kids. From above, children can better understand how the river, falls, gorge, and two cities fit together.
The Skylon Tower has both indoor and outdoor viewing areas. The indoor space is a good option when the weather is uncomfortable, but I recommend stepping outside if conditions allow. Hearing the falls and feeling the wind makes the experience completely different from seeing the view through a window.
The outdoor deck also gave us a chance to look back at places we had already visited and identify where we wanted to go next. It became more than a beautiful view. It helped our kids understand the scale of Niagara Falls in a way that is difficult to appreciate from the ground.
Is Dinner at the Skylon Tower Worth It for Families?
For our family, it was worth it because dinner was both a meal and a memorable Niagara Falls experience. The kids were fascinated by the moving restaurant, everyone had an opportunity to see the falls from different angles, and observation deck admission was included with our reservation.
My best tips for making it work for a family are:
- Reserve an early dinner time to access the lower-priced menu.
- Compare adult and children’s menus before booking.
- Remember that observation deck admission is included for dining guests.
- Arrive early enough that you do not feel rushed getting to your reservation.
- Plan time after dinner for both the indoor and outdoor observation decks.
- Check current menus, prices, and operating hours directly with Skylon Tower before your visit.
If your Niagara Falls itinerary includes one special meal, dinner in the Skylon Tower Revolving Dining Room might be the perfect choice. It gave our family a chance to sit down together after a busy day while still feeling like we were sightseeing.
The early dinner menu made the experience possible within our budget, and the observation deck extended the evening beyond the meal. We watched the entire landscape move past our table and then stepped outside to see it all from above.
Skylon Tower
5200 Robinson Street
Niagara Falls, Ontario
View current menus, hours, and reservations
