Category: Niagara Falls Hotels

It’s becoming more and more popular for people to travel with their dogs, especially if they’re taking a road trip. As Niagara is within easy driving distance from many places in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, furry friends are arriving in Niagara to enjoy a vacation with their humans, and this also includes service dogs.

While many hotels in the area are dog friendly, it’s not generally ideal to ask Fido or Fluffy to wait in the hotel room all the time while the humans are out enjoying the scenery. Luckily, the Niagara area offers several ways to include your dog in fun activities, or a safe place for your pooch to stay while you’re out exploring the falls and the beautiful surrounding areas.

If you plan to travel to Niagara Falls with your dog, these are some great resources that will not only help you ensure that your dog is safe when you’re not there, but also dog friendly places that will allow your dog to join the fun.

Niagara Falls Dog Park

Located within the already existing Firemen’s Park is the Niagara Falls Dog Park. It is fully fenced and has separate areas for small and large dogs so owners of smaller dogs need not worry about their little Yorkie in a sea of Great Danes. There are benches for the humans, drinking water available for the dogs, and shaded areas.

Dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations and dogs that are ill, female dogs in heat, and dogs younger than four months of age are not permitted. The park is open from dusk until dawn, but those hours may change seasonally. Visit their website for more information.

Burgoyne Woods Dog Park

Located in St. Catherine’s, Ontario is the Burgoyne Wood Dog Park. This leash-free dog park is popular with visitors and locals alike and is a great place for your dog to run, play, and socialize with other dogs. This park also features a separate area for dogs less than 16 inches tall, so, again, you can be assured that your small dog is safe.

Typical dog park rules apply, and the owner is responsible for their dog’s behavior at all times. No puppies younger than four months are allowed, nor are sick dogs or females in heat. The larger park which incorporates the dog park is also the perfect place for a picnic or a walk, as long as your dog is leashed after leaving the dog park.

DogSPAw Niagara

One of the most loved dog day care centers in Niagara is dogSPAw Niagara. While their specialty is grooming and they don’t offer boarding services they do offer daycare for dogs and their staff are highly trained dog lovers who are on hand to ensure your dog is entertained while you’re out sightseeing.

Dogs must be fully vaccinated and any special needs should be discussed with the staff before leaving your dog for the day.

Traveling with your dog is fun and Niagara is a great destination for dogs and their families. Consider one of these dog friendly options for your next trip.

Niagara Falls is one of the most popular family vacation destinations for a number of wonderful reasons. Aside from viewing the magnificent falls there are many places that will have your children entertained for hours on end, which not only gives you as a parent a little reprieve, but also brings smiles to the faces of everyone involved.

Let’s face it, kids love animals. Even adults love animals and one of the best ways to get up close and personal with many different types of animals is the always popular petting zoo. Your kids can see, feed, touch, and play with a number of different types of animals at one or more of Niagara’s petting zoos, and all of them are perfect for an afternoon of family fun.

These are just a few of the petting zoos in the area, and it might be hard to choose which one to visit during your next vacation in Niagara Falls.

Safari Niagara

Not just a petting zoo, Safari Niagara is home to over 1,000 animals and covers 150 acres. Professional guides will escort you and your family throughout the area, showing off and describing the many different species that live here, including big cats, giraffes, hippos, birds, and a number of reptile species.

One section of Safari Niagara that is sure to appeal to children is Papa Steve’s Family Farm. Here your children can visit a variety of farm animals including goats, miniature horses, chickens, and more. And if someone gets bored with the animals Safari Niagara also offers paddle boating, catch and release fishing, a splash pad, and more.

Happy Rolph’s Bird Sanctuary and Petting Zoo

This 15 acre park houses numerous bird species but is most well known as a family farm and petting zoo. A large pond is home to many types of waterfowl, and children can visit and interact with many types of farm animals like cows, horses, goats, sheep, and more.

There are many trails throughout the property at Happy Rolph’s and they are all safe for wheelchairs and strollers. A snack bar and picnic area complete the picture and the combination makes for a fun morning or afternoon for the entire family.

Marineland

One might not think an aquarium would fall under the petting zoo category, but Marineland in Niagara certainly does. In addition to their numerous fish and marine mammals, Marineland has several herds of elk and deer that simply love people, and they really love people with food.

There are also a number of amusement park style rides at Marineland, as well as dolphin and killer whale shows. If you time your visit right you may even be able to participate in the feeding of their beluga whales. Visit the Marineland website for more information.

Offering your children the chance to interact with animals is a great activity to include in your Niagara itinerary. Be sure to visit one or all of these fun and fascinating animal experiences and we guarantee your kids will have the time of their lives.

One of the best things about any family vacation are the photos that you have to remember the experience. As one of the most photogenic places on earth, Niagara Falls and other locations around the area are perfect backdrops for wonderful snapshots of you, your friends, and your family enjoying time spent together in a wonderful place.

However, there’s just one problem.

No matter how hard you try, someone will always be left out of the photo. Of course, you could pack along a tripod and set it up every time you want your entire group in one photo, or count on the kindness of a passerby to take a photo and hope they don’t accidentally crop someone’s head out. But what if there is a better way?

Hiring a professional photographer for a day is a great way to be certain that all of your photos turn out exactly as you want and ensure that everyone is in place. You can choose any location in the area and come home with much more than photos for Facebook. These are a few local photographers who would love nothing more than to capture your vacation in frame-worthy photos.

Icing Sugar Photography

Wedding photography is the bread and butter for most of Niagara’s professional photographers, but lifestyle shoots are almost as popular. Icing Sugar Photography offers onsite family photography in your choice of location.

The family packages start at $225 and include an hour of photo time wherever you want to be. You could choose the mighty falls as your backdrop, the famous flower clock, or an ethereal shoot at the Butterfly Conservatory. No matter the location, you can be sure that you’ll receive high quality photos of your entire family so you’ll always remember your visit to Niagara Falls.

Sugar Photo Studios

Another of Niagara’s most popular photography experts are those at Sugar Photo Studios. These ladies are passionate about photography and specialize in weddings, maternity, and family shoots. They’re extremely flexible and would be more than willing to chat with you about your ideas and the types of photos you feel would best capture your experience in Niagara.

These photographers love to capture family fun amid the stunning scenery of Niagara Falls, so contact them about availability and photo packages that might suit your needs.

Muir Image Photography

Be sure to book ahead during peak wedding season, as Megan Muir of Muir Image Photography is one of the most popular in the area. Her photos capture all of the fun and intimate moments with her subjects, and the results are spectacular.

She can help you select a location that will suit your needs, and work with you to create a series of photos that embrace the natural beauty of Niagara as well as the personalities of your family or friends. You won’t have to worry about someone being left out of the shot and you’ll have stunning photos that will last a lifetime.

Lifestyle photography and the photographers who love to capture the vacation moments of their clients are becoming more and more popular. Consider hiring a professional during your next trip to Niagara, and come home with much more than just memories.

Aside from the falls themselves, if there’s one thing that Niagara is most famous for its weddings. People from all over the world come to Niagara to celebrate their nuptials, and as we all know there is a lot of planning that goes into a wedding, and a destination wedding can prove to be a bit more complicated.

If you’re the type of couple that prefers to do their own wedding planning then you’ll know the challenges that you’ll come up against. Luckily, wedding vendors in Niagara make it very easy to get everything in place for the wedding of your dreams.

As flowers are one of the most important aspects of any wedding, we’ve come up with a list of some of the best florists in the area and any of these are sure to provide the blooms and greenery to make your special day a lot more colorful.

Fleurish Design Studios

Elegant and classic, Fleurish Design Studios in Niagara specialize in wedding arrangements and bouquets, and create beautiful, one of a kind floral designs that will take your breath away. From handheld bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids to boutineers for the men, the professionals at Fleurish will work closely with you to create the colors and styles to perfectly compliment your wedding theme.

They’ll also help you assess your venue and create stunning centerpieces and other arrangements that you may need for the church or reception location.

Wine Country Floral

Another of the area’s most popular wedding florist is Wine Country Floral, the exclusive florist for Vineland Estates Winery. They pride themselves on their one-of-a-kind arrangements and delight in using seasonal blooms and greenery, as well as cutting from their own gardens.

They service venues across the Niagara region and their florists offer professional consultations to ensure that the end result are the flowers you’ve always dreamed of. In addition to exquisite bouquets, they will also design and arrange blooms for your ceremony and reception locales, as well as flower crowns, boutonnieres, and any other flower request you may have.

Crescent Gardens Florist

Serving nearly every wedding venue in the region, Crescent Gardens Florist is one of the most popular choices amongst brides in the Niagara region and for destination weddings. Each arrangement is carefully handcrafted using only the freshest flowers, many of which are sourced locally.

Crescent Gardens will take charge of all the floral needs for your wedding, including bouquets, centerpieces, church flowers, floral archways, and more. In addition, because they are so familiar with the venues in the area, their professionals can guide you on style and design choices that will suit your personal taste and accent your wedding location beautifully.

Following in the footsteps of countless brides and grooms who have tied the knot in Niagara, a wedding here is definitely an event to savor for a lifetime. If you’re planning a Niagara wedding and need to have your flowers and arrangements professionally designed and created, any of these florists will suit your needs perfectly. And once you’ve place your flower order in the hands of one of these local florists, you can relax a bit and move on with the other plans for your special day.

Aside from the famous falls, one of the best reasons to visit Niagara is for the food. The region boasts a number of restaurants running the gamut from quaint cafe to five-star luxury. In addition, you’ll find most cuisines represented here, whether you’re in the mood for Thai or Mexican or anything in between.

However, one of the most popular types of cuisine in the United States and Canada is the simple, comforting, delicious BBQ. Made famous in the Midwestern and Southern portions of the United States, many would call BBQ an art as well as a style of cuisine, but we just call it delicious. On your next visit to Niagara Falls be sure to try one of these BBQ restaurants for a truly savory experience.

Jeffro’s BBQ

Hailed as Niagara’s original southern BBQ joint, Jeffro’s BBQ serves up classic Southern style BBQ dishes and all of the traditional and yummy sides to go with it. Brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and ribs grace the menu along with burgers, salads, and drool-worthy appetizers like the brisket poutine.

On Tuesday evenings the locals descend upon Jeffro’s in their classic cars and a special menu is rolled out to celebrate. This is not only the best place to get BBQ in Niagara, but also a great way to get to know some of the people who call this area home.

Brickyard Pub & BBQ

Just a short distance from Niagara Falls in Lewiston, New York is Brickyard Pub & BBQ. With all meats smoked on site for 14 hours over a blend of hickory and fruit woods, this BBQ is the real deal. They also offer an extensive beer and bourbon selection.

Brickyard offers a delightfully big menu with a wide variety of smoked meat dishes, ribs, burgers, salads, and the side dishes you’d expect with good BBQ, such as coleslaw, beans, and mac and cheese. For those of drinking age in the United States you can even have a shot of bourbon as a side dish. Brickyard also sells their homemade rubs and sauces so you can take a bit of Niagara BBQ home with you.

The Great Niagara BBQ Company

While not strictly a BBQ joint in the way the other two places on this list are, The Great Niagara BBQ Company still fits the bill and has served many, many happy customers. They offer the traditional dishes you’d expect from a good BBQ restaurant, including pulled pork, ribs, steak. Their menu also includes a fun appetizer called the Pulled Pork Sundae, which consists of delectable pork layered with mashed potatoes and baked beans, served up like an ice cream sundae.

Unlike their counterparts, The Great Niagara BBQ Company offers a nice selection of hot dogs, including a “create your own dawg” option. Beans, pulled pork, cheeses, and sauces are all available add-ons that result in a one of a kind comfort food experience.

When in Niagara Falls you’ll have more food choices than you might expect. However, do yourself a favor and visit one of these BBQ restaurants during your stay and get a true down-South experience.

Amazing Location

The 20-acre Falls Avenue Resort is situated directly across the street from the incredible Niagara Falls and just steps away from the city’s top Niagara Falls Attractions. Falls Avenue Resort is located in the middle of Niagara’s lively tourist district with many resort attractions located right on Clifton Hill, the street of non-stop family fun.

Best Fallsview Guaranteed

Falls Avenue Resort features more than 1,200 guestrooms and suites, many of which feature some of the best views of Niagara Falls. Each of the resort’s four hotels has been recognized with TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence, and the Skyline Inn is a past recipient of the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for Family Travel in Canada. Book a fallsview room and enjoy the spectacular fireworks from the comfort of your own room.  Hotels are directly connected to Falls Avenue Resort’s many lively family entertainment venues, great family dining choices and located across the street from the Falls.

Family Fun at Fallsview Indoor Waterpark

The 3-acre Fallsview Indoor Waterpark offers non-stop fun for people of all ages with 16 waterslides, a 1000-gallon tipping bucket, giant wavepool, year-round outdoor activity pool, plunge bowl, sundeck, adult-only Jacuzzis, and much more. It has been named the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award Winner for Amusement Parks & Waterparks in Canada for three years in a row and is a waterpark experience unlike any other.

Dining Choices for Everyone

Falls Avenue Resort has plenty of delicious dining options sure to please any appetite. Guests can venture into the wild at the Rainforest Café, experience a rock & roll haven at Hard Rock Café, dine with the stars at Planet Hollywood, or create an ideal meal from the many delicious culinary delights at the Fallsview Buffet restaurant. The options are endless and dining has never been so fun.

Hershey’s Chocolate World Experiences

The Hershey’s Chocolate World Niagara Falls store is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. This 7,000 sq. ft. retail experience is the only store of its kind in Canada and features decadent fresh Hershey’s treats, packaged favourites and exclusive Hershey’s memorabilia. Families can indulge in chocolate dipped strawberries, rich milkshakes, creamy fudge, freshly baked cookies, and much more. 

About Niagara Falls Hotels

Niagara Falls Hotels is a collection of world-class hotels, restaurants, attractions, and retail stores located in the heart of Niagara Falls, Ontario. Situated on the 20-acre Falls Avenue Resort entertainment complex in the heart of the city’s tourist district, our properties offer unparalleled views of Niagara Falls and unforgettable getaway experiences for people of all ages.

Niagara Falls is known around the world for the high quality and diversity of its cuisine. Celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver have taken advantage of the high-quality ingredients in the area and have opened restaurants that are booked solid throughout the year.

While you can feast on all types of delicious dishes during your visit to Niagara Falls, other culinary adventures are at your fingertips. Cooking classes, long popular in other parts of the world, are popping up all over the Niagara region and any of these will make a wonderful addition to your Niagara itinerary.

Strewn Wine Country Cooking School

Located at Strewn Winery, one of the most popular wineries in the region, Strewn Wine Country Cooking School offers a variety of classes focusing on local ingredients and food and wine pairings. Their classes are held very frequently and you can choose from a number of different types depending on length.

Their Saturday classes are five hours in duration and you will cook and eat the entire menu, as well as learn about the best wines to pair with your dishes. They offer an extended course that takes place over a Saturday evening and Sunday morning, as well as a five day culinary vacation where you can not only cook but visit local markets and farms as well.

Niagara Falls Culinary Institute

Niagara Falls Culinary Institute is where students from all over the world go to learn their trade from master chefs. Luckily, they also open their doors and offer classes to anyone with an interest in cooking, baking, wine pairing, and other aspects of the culinary industry.

They offer private cooking classes for groups of six or more where you’ll have the chance to cook alongside one of their experts and prepare an exquisite meal. Pastry and beer, wine, and spirits classes are also available, as are private tours of the entire state-of-the-art facility.

Chef Mark Picone Dining Experience

While not necessarily a cooking class, a dining experience with Chef Mark Picone at his culinary studio is bound to teach you a thing or two about food, the slow food movement, and the farm-to-table mentality. Chef Picone hosts lunches and dinners at a studio near his home where he delights in sharing his years of expertise with culinary aficionados.

But the dining experience is not the only treasure that Chef Picone offers. His home and dining studio are located on a small but highly regarded vineyard which produces grapes for other vintners. So not only can you expect a perfectly prepared meal, you can also be assured that the wines paired with the meal are expertly chosen.

Trying something new when you travel is always a good idea, and it’s part of the overall experience. On your next visit to Niagara Falls consider one of these unique culinary and cooking experiences. In addition to your favorite Niagara souvenirs you just might return home with a few brand new kitchen skills.

Spring has sprung and with that comes all of our favorite outdoor activities. Hiking, biking, and exploring the beauty of the Niagara area are just a few of the opportunities guests can enjoy during this time of the year. However, one of the most popular of the springtime outings in the region involve our fine feathered friends.

Whether you’re an avid birder or just love to see love to see wildlife in their native habitats, Niagara is the place to be. In fact, the Niagara Corridor is designated as a Globally Significant Important Bird Area, due largely in part to the sheer number of native and migratory bird species in the area, and spring and summer are the best times to see them.

Be sure to pack your binoculars and visit Niagara Falls birding hotspots to witness some of these magnificent creatures on your next vacation.

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area

Not only can you take in the sweeping views of Lake Ontario from Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, but it’s also the best place in the region to spot bald eagles, vultures, and other birds of prey. The hiking trails are well maintained and some of the trails are wheelchair accessible.

The lookout platforms are the best vantage points to spot the eagles as they soar on the updrafts of warm air. You may also see herons, egrets, and numerous songbirds here as well.

Mud Lake Conservation Area

As a man-made marshland, Mud Lake Conservation Area is vital to the health and safety of migratory birds and is a bird watcher’s paradise. Several trails wind through the wetlands and there are wildlife viewing blinds that are accessible by canoe.

Waterfowl are abundant here and you can see many different types of ducks, geese, egrets, herons, and perhaps even a magnificent swan. The conservation area is open all year, but spring, summer, and fall are the best times to catch a glimpse of the birds.

Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area

Once a limestone quarry, the Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area is now an important sanctuary for birds, reptiles, mammals, and native plants. This area was also part of an ancient shallow sea, so fossils of long extinct plants and animals can be seen in some of the exposed quarry walls. It’s important to be careful here; some of the fossils have been damaged or stolen by careless or unscrupulous visitors.

The Niagara area is home to more than 19 species of gull, and you could possibly see them all here. In addition, you can spot terns, herons, egrets, and many more wading and shoreline species. The conservation area is open year round and does offer hunting on strict schedules and with proper licensing.

Birds are one our best connections with nature, and once you begin to pay attention to their activities it’s almost impossible to stop. Make your next trip to Niagara even more special by visiting one or more of these incredible bird watching sites. Who knows? You may even leave a self-described birder for life.

If there’s one thing you can count on in Niagara Falls it’s that you’re going to get wet at some point. Whether it’s on a boat ride under the falls or at one of the area’s many water parks, it’s a simple fact that you’ll get wet at least once.

But what do visitors do when it rains?

Weather is always fickle and it’s hard to tell if your visit will include a rainy day, but there are plenty of indoor activities to chase away the rainy day blues during a trip to Niagara Falls, and these are just a few of them.

Bird Kingdom

This local treasure is the largest free-flying aviary in the world and is the perfect way to while away a few hours during a rainy day. Kids and adults alike will love the many colorful bird species that call Bird Kingdom home, and the Lorikeet Landing is especially popular as these little beauties seem to love posing for photos on the arms of visitors.

In addition to the birds several varieties of reptile live here, and there are various special habitats to explore. Bird Kingdom also offers a cafe and gift shop.

Butterfly Conservatory

Another great way to forget about gray skies is to visit the wonderfully colorful Butterfly Conservatory. Over 2,000 butterflies live here amongst their native, tropical plants and flowers. The greenhouse-like atmosphere will transport you to the equatorial jungle as you walk through the paths surrounded by butterflies.

The Butterfly Conservatory lies within the confines of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

IMAX Niagara

What better way to spend a rainy day than at the movie theater? But this is not your everyday, average movie theater. IMAX Niagara offers visitors a unique perspective on the mighty falls and some of the history and lore surrounding the area.

IMAX Niagara is currently showing “Niagara: Miracles, Myths, and Magic” and you can also visit the Daredevil Exhibit which houses the barrels, boats, and other vessels in which 16 people attempted to go over the falls. Even if it’s a bright, sunny day this is definitely an experience you don’t want to miss.

Casino Fun

For those adult visitors who might wonder what to do on a rainy day, why not visit one of the casinos? Even if you’re not a gambler casinos are vibrant, lively, fun places to be and a rainy day spent here will not be a day wasted.

The Seneca Niagara Casino offers great evening entertainment, or you could try the Casino Niagara or Fallsview Casino which are both open 24 hours a day for all of your entertainment needs. Shopping, dining, gaming, and more are available at any of the area casinos and are sure to provide you a fun respite from inclement weather.

It’s never ideal when rain or other types of bad weather occur during your vacation, but rest assured that your Niagara Falls vacation won’t suffer. Choose one or more of these activities if you wake up to a rainy day, and everyone can have some fun.

When most people hear the words “Shaw” and “Niagara-on-the-Lake” in the same sentence, they rightfully think of the city’s fantastic Shaw Festival — a repertory theater event that spans months and dozens of excellent plays each and every year. While the Shaw Festival is definitely one of the region’s most prized attractions, it’s just one of many, and just one of many that shares the same name.

For fans of theater, a trip to NOTL is always in order during the late spring, summer, and early fall months. For fans of gardens, landscaping, and the beauty of the Earth, a trip to NOTL in June is warranted as well. Here is a closer look at one of the under-heralded but truly remarkable events taking place in Niagara-on-the-Lake this June: The Shaw Guild Garden Tour.

On June 4th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can join other lovers of unique and beautiful homes and gardens on a tour of NOTL’s Old Town and some of its best-kept and little-seen gardens. Experience a formal knot garden whose perfectly manicured boxwoods border an acre of pristinely curated and cared for space. Step into a Japanese garden inside a private courtyard with a reflective pond bordered by wisteria, clematis, and more.

From outdoor patio spaces crafted with living trees, bushes, and plants to waterfalls and a wide variety of impressive trees and unusual shrubs, the tour boasts eight different private gardens that range from small to large. A one-day-only event, you can experience them all as part of the Shaw Festival’s offerings for the season. Tickets are just $25, and the tour will be a much-loved addition to almost any Niagara vacation itinerary.

Here is a closer look at the eight gardens on the tour:

• The Penman Residence. Featuring both an outdoor kitchen and an outdoor dining area that includes perennials like foxglove, peonies, and valerian, this residence also boasts a small, secluded pond.
• The Todd Residence. This relaxing outdoor space is surrounded by clematis, giant grasses, hydrangeas, yews, and a changing cast of annuals.
• The McCaughy Residence. From the secret dining area to the waterfall and hot tub, this garden offers a wealth of opportunities to rest in seclusion, while surrounding visitors with hostas, heucheras, Japanese reed grasses, and maple trees.
• The Thomas Residence. A formal boxwood hedge grants entrance to this beautiful garden where a wealth of trees, grasses, daylilies, hydrangeas, and other perennials await.
• The Smith Residence. With a pond bordered by coneflower, hostas, and ligularia, this yard also boasts a ginko tree, garden statues, and a lovely lilac display.
• The Misiak Residence. From the arbor covered in wisteria to the herbs, apple trees, and strawberries, this garden is a perfect blend of eye-candy and eating considerations.
• The Laroche Residence. With over 100 elegantly shaped boxwoods, raised beds filled with herbs, 100-year-old willows, a formal knot garden, and more, this property one of the region’s most impressive.
• The Penner Residence. Featuring a Japanese garden along with a stunning courtyard, this space also includes clematis, a reflective pond, peonies, and Japanese Larch trees.

Give yourself the garden tour of a lifetime in quaint and charming Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Shaw Guild Garden Tour offers an enduring look at some of the finest, private outdoor spaces in the whole Niagara region.