We live in an age where childhood daydreams are continually reimagined as real-life adult-sized experiences. You can stay in a house made entirely of LEGOs; Spain’s La Batalla del Vino Festival is the world’s coolest food drink fight; and this near-lethal slingshot is the most adult version of the childhood classic we’ve ever seen.
All of which brings us to Canada — a destination that’s already provided us with plenty of reasons to visit in 2017. An adventurous Canadian company is giving us one more by making all our Mario Kart fantasies come true in the heart of Niagara Falls.
It’s billed as a “go-kart track on steroids.” Upon completion, The Niagara Speedway will be the only one of its kind in Canada and the largest elevated go-kart track in all of North America. By the numbers, the track’s construction features 3,841 tons of concrete and 425,920 pounds of steel. In practical terms, this translates into a third of a mile of high-octane go-karting. The rollercoaster-style layout boasts a 40-foot elevated spiral track, an undulating ramp, and a ground-level round-about course.
The Niagara Speedway will open amid Niagara Falls’ Clifton Hill district, just feet from the famous falls. It’s an area chock full of souvenir tchotchke stores, chain restaurants, fudge shops, and a Ferris wheel. To be sure, it’s the most famous street in Niagara Falls, which means it’s arguably the most touristy street in Canada. Still, if you’ve ever wanted to live out your Mario Kart dreans, it’s the ideal opportunity to turn off your brain and embrace some mindless, childlike fun.
The speedway joins similar tracks like The Track and SpeedZone Go Kart Tracks in the Smoky Mountains and Branson, Missouri’s 1,200-foot Heavy Metal High Rise go-kart track. The Niagara Speedways steals a good deal of inspiration from the latter, in fact, which also boasts a four-story spiral climb and a three-tiered downslope.
An exact opening date for The Niagara Speedway has yet to be announced, but the company expects it to be up and running in spring 2018.
