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Niagara-on-the-Lake Attractions
Niagara-on-the Lake is small, and most of its attractions are along one main street, making it easy to explore on foot. In 1792, it briefly served as the capital of Upper Canada (though the town was then called Newark). The town was burned down during the War of 1812 but quickly rebuilt afterwards.
How Ghoulish!
For those who believe in ghosts, Fort George is one of Ontario’s favorite haunted sites. Reported sightings include a soldier patrolling its perimeter and a young damsel who appears in an 18th-century mirror. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, the Ghost Tours are fun for the whole family. They run Sunday evenings from May through June; during July and August, tours take place on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with bonus dates around Halloween. The cost is $20 adults and children 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under; October tours cost $25 per person. Contact the Friends of Fort George at tel. 905/468-6621, or visit the website for a schedule and for more details.
Along the Niagara Parkway
The Niagara Parkway, on the Canadian side of the falls, is a lovely, scenic drive. Unlike the American side, there is plenty of natural beauty, including vast tracks of parkland. You can drive along the 56km (35-mile) parkway all the way from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Niagara Falls, taking in attractions en route. Here are the major ones, listed in the order in which you'll encounter them:
- The White Water Walk (4330 River Rd.; tel. 905/374-1221)
- The Whirlpool Aero Car (tel. 905/354-5711)
- The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and School of Horticulture (tel. 905/356-8119)
- Old Fort Erie (350 Lakeshore Rd., Fort Erie; tel. 905/871-0540)
- Fruit Farms and Wineries: This is home to some of Canada's best stone fruit and other orchards, so you'll find peaches, apples, pears, nectarines, cherries, plums, and strawberries at Kurtz Orchards (tel. 905/468-2937) and elsewhere; you can tour the 32 hectares (79 acres) at Kurtz on a tractor-pulled tram. Inniskillin Winery (Line 3, Service Rd. 66; tel. 905/468-3554 or 905/468-2187), the pioneering winery behind Canada's famous ice wine, is open June to October daily from 10am to 6pm, November through May Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm. The self-guided free tour has 20 stops that explain the winemaking process. A free guided tour, offered daily in summer and Saturdays only in winter, begins at 2:30pm.
16 Results
- Winery
13th Street Winery
For the past 2 decades, Toronto restaurants that know good local wine have been pouring 13th Street. The boutique winery produces excellent delicate reds (Pinot and Gamay noirs), as well as top bubbly, and commendable Chardonnays. No visit is complete without a meander through the… - Winery
Cave Spring Cellars
If you’re only going to make it to one winery, make it Cave Spring. The landscape is pure Niagara: a gorgeously sloping vineyard that abuts the dense canopy of the Niagara escarpment. There’s a little something for everyone at this 30-plus-year-old winery. History buffs will…Jordan
- Winery
Château des Charmes
The winery was built to resemble a French manor house, and its architecture is unique in the region. The winery was founded in 1978 by fifth-generation winemaker Paul Bosc, who had decided to relocate his then-young family to Niagara. He was the first in the region to plant European… - Winery
Foreign Affair
One of my favorite wineries in the region doesn’t have a fancy kitchen, nor is it located in a faux château (it’s in a retrofitted stone-fruit research facility tucked behind some Ministry of Agriculture greenhouses). The wine, however, has deep umami depth you’d expect in Tuscany,… - Historic Site
Fort George National Historic Site
The fort played a central role in the War of 1812: It was headquarters for the British Army’s Centre Division. The division comprised British regulars, local militia, Runchey’s corps of former slaves, and Indigenous forces. The fort was destroyed by American artillery fire in May… - Winery
Frogpond
Best visited in summer, Frogpond was Ontario’s first certified organic winery. True to its granola roots, the unfussy tasting room fits three comfortably. In summer, tastings are done behind the old farmhouse, while chickens cluck in the background and sheep graze in the fields. Walk… - Winery
Henry of Pelham
Almost a century before Canadian confederation, Great-great-great-grandpa Nicholas Smith’s military service was rewarded with the deed to the land that would one day become the Henry of Pelham winery. His son would later inherit the property and build an inn and a tavern called Henry… - Winery
Hinterbrook Winery
Drive down the winding gravel path, through the vineyards, and you’ll spy the tasting room tucked behind a stately Victorian home. If you feel as if you've stepped into a sleek art gallery, you’d be spot-on. Proprietor George Lau is an artist (he sketched the fox and owl on the… - Winery
Inniskillin Winery
The pioneering winery behind Canada’s famous ice wine—made from grapes frozen on the vine—Inniskillin was the first winery to resurrect Ontario’s wine industry in the post-Prohibition era. Because Inniskillin is one of the most internationally recognizable Ontario wine brands, the… - Winery
Konzelmann Estate Winery
When fourth-generation German winemaker Herbert Konzelmann was looking to buy property in Niagara (his family has a well-established winery near the small German town of Uhlbach), he knew he wanted a waterfront winery. Lake Ontario creates a microclimate that extends the growing… - Museum/Historic Site
Niagara Apothecary
For history buffs, this museum has more than 8,000 artifacts pertaining to local history. The collection includes possessions of United Empire Loyalists who first settled the area at the end of the American Revolution. So, if branding-irons, portraits, maps, and early Canadian… - Museum
Niagara Historical Society Museum
For history buffs, this museum has more than 8,000 artifacts pertaining to local history. The collection includes possessions of United Empire Loyalists who first settled the area at the end of the American Revolution. So, if branding-irons, portraits, maps, and early Canadian… - Winery
Ravine
The century-old farmhouse with its many brick fireplaces and creaky floors is a pleasant spot to sip acclaimed organic Chardonnays. It's a winning ambience, but just beyond the walls lie even more delights. Pop over to the winery’s bistro, which backs onto 13.8 hectares (34 acres) of…St. Davids - Winery
Rosewood Estates
Another winery on my shortlist for best in Niagara is Rosewood, not only because its affordable rosé rivals the stuff coming out of Provence, but because of its dedication to low-intervention winemaking. Founded by a Ukrainian beekeeper, Rosewood has its own beehives, from which it… - Winery
Stratus
This is one of the region’s more cutting-edge wineries, with a focus on sustainable practices and eco-design. Take a look through the glass windows into the impressive French-oak-barrel aging room, which is kept at a cool 14°C (57°F) with geothermal heating. Status is famous for its… - Winery
Tawse
Cutting corners is akin to blasphemy at Tawse. The grapes are harvested by hand from low-yield vines and hand-sorted before they’re crushed and fermented. The stunning winery (it boasts some of the best landscaping in Niagara) implements gravity-flow design and geothermal systems to…
More About Niagara-on-the-Lake Attractions
Niagara-on-the-Lake Shopping
It’s a pleasant pastime to stroll along the Niagara-on-the-Lake’s main artery, Queen Street, and check out some entertaining, albeit touristy, shops. The following are the best of the bunch. Serious shoppers also make a pit stop at the Outlet Collection at Niagara (see below) en route back to Toronto.
- Greaves Jam—Skip the labor of heading to the orchard to pick fruit, and grab some already preserved local goodness at Greaves Jam. This preserves emporium is run by fourth-generation jam makers. The jellies, jams, chutneys, and marmalades are truly good stuff. Specialty flavors include gooseberry, boysenberry, and rhubarb ginger (55 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-7331; Mon–Wed 9:30am–6pm, Thurs–Fri 9:30am–6:30pm, Sat–Sun 9:30am–7pm).
- Hatley Boutique—Painter Alice Oldland ran a quaint gift shop in North Hatley, Quebec, and painted for pleasure more than profit. When a series of pastoral landscapes she did started flying off the shelves of the gallery she opened above the gift shop, her husband thought it would be a great idea to create a line of aprons based on Alice’s art. Cow and pig aprons soon gave way to moose and bear motifs, which are now printed on everything from pajamas and onesies to fetching raincoats (8 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-2349; daily 10am–6pm).
- Irish Design—Irish expats Paul and Maureen Dickson head back to Emerald Isle every year seeking out only the best hand-knit sweaters, and traditional gold and silver jewelry. The quaint store also carries teas, Guinness memorabilia, and leather goods (75 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-7233; Sun–Fri 9:30am–6pm, Sat 9:30am–8pm).
- Maple Leaf Fudge—Since 1967, this sweets stop has been fueling sugar crashes thanks to their small-batch fudge and nut brittles. Patrons watch as the aproned staff fashions fudge in 20-plus flavors, first cooked down in copper kettles, then shaped on marble slabs (114 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-2211; Mon–Thurs 9:30am–6pm, Fri–Sat 9:30am–6:30pm, Sun 9:30am–7:30pm).
- Outlet Collection at Niagara—This open-air shopping mall has more than 100 different stores to browse. Jocks flock to Bench, Adidas, and New Balance, while outdoorsmen prefer Columbia and the Bass Pro Shop. For deals, Marshall’s, the Nike Factory Store, and the Banana Republic Factory Store are your best bets. High-end options include Brooks Brothers and Escada (300 Taylor Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/687-6777; Mon–Sat 10am–9pm, Sun 10am–6pm).
- Scottish Loft—Catering to William Wallace wannabes, this wee shop is filled with tartans, Celtic memorabilia, candy, books, and other assorted Scottish-themed notions (13 Queen St., Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-0965; daily 10am–5pm).
- The Shawp—The Shaw Festival gift shop carries George Bernard Shaw memorabilia, books, and more (10 Queen's Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake; tel. 905/468-2153 ext. 2276; daily 9am–8pm).
