Niagara Virtual Takes Off: a World-First-Experience Flying over Niagara Fal
A revolutionary new attraction is now open at one of the world’s most iconic destinations — and it’s already capturing the imagination of visitors and industry insiders alike.
Niagara Virtual, the world’s first location-based flying (LBF) experience over Niagara Falls, is now thrilling guests at the newly opened Rainbow Air Tourism Center on the U.S. side of the falls.
Created by a partnership between Frontgrid, which combines motion-based engineering and immersive content to story tell innovative experiences and Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours, which also orchestrates real-life helicopter flights over the falls.
Tammy Owens, Business Development Director and Producer for Frontgrid said
“Blending immersive virtual reality, gamification, and motion-based engineering, the experience gives guests a chance to explore Niagara Falls from a whole new perspective—under canopy, in first person, and entirely under their own control”
Since opening its doors earlier this summer, the attraction is drawing in visitors from around the world and generating positive feedback for its innovative take on destination-based VR entertainment.
“Location-Based Flying” (LBF), a term coined by Frontgrid, represents a new category of immersive attraction—one that merges place-specific storytelling with active, first-person exploration. Unlike traditional fly-over films or passive VR, guests at Fly Niagara VR self-steer through a detailed, interactive recreation of the region. Their movements are tracked in real time, allowing for precision control and a genuine feeling of free flight.
Matt Wells, CEO of Frontgrid, commented:
“What we’re seeing here is a perfect example of how attractions can evolve by combining innovative tech with a globally recognized destination. LBF is proving itself to be both a crowd-puller and a profitable format, and Niagara Virtual is a shining example of what’s possible”
Developed by Frontgrid, creators of the award-winning ParadropVR™, and powered by the latest Rize 4 hardware, Fly Niagara VR features 11 units arranged in a striking horseshoe configuration. This dynamic amphitheatre setup allows for high throughput while immersing guests in a visually rich, motion-synchronized environment.
The attraction begins with a dramatic 360-degree film introduction, shot from a real helicopter over the falls, which seamlessly transitions into the gamified VR experience. Guests then glide over a rich 3D landscape constructed from satellite data and real-world models—complete with animated boats, crowds in iconic ponchos, and even a barrel taking the plunge over the falls.
Visitors can choose to race for points or simply enjoy the view, with progress tracked on a global leaderboard. Every detail, from moving elevators on the Skylon Tower to erupting theme park volcanoes, adds to the experience’s authenticity and excitement.
The attraction is housed inside the Rainbow Air Tourism Center, a newly opened hub that also features a museum, gift shop, photography studio, and launch site for Rainbow Air’s long-standing helicopter tours. Niagara Virtual not only complements the traditional tours—it enhances them, offering an exciting new option for guests of all ages and accessibility levels.
Anna Pierce, VP, of Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours said:
“It is truly magnificent seeing Niagara Falls from the air.
You really get a sense of scale and can appreciate the vastness of the volume of water as well as the journey the river takes through the wider landscape, where it comes from and where it goes to.
We’ve been taking visitors to see the falls, from above, in a helicopter for 30 years now, and we love giving people, what they always say is, the highlight of their stay at the Falls.
Now, we are excited to be launching this VR experience as a new, gamified way of exploring and connecting with the land and cityscape.”
The model has exciting potential for other iconic sites around the world. And for Rainbow Air and Frontgrid, the successful launch is a milestone that validates their shared vision for the future of immersive tourism.
Get in touch with Frontgrid if you have a destination in mind you’d like to explore differently.
