Category: Niagara Falls Hotels

The entire Ontario region is known throughout Canada and North America as an area that excels in producing fruit and vegetables of a wide variety, but it’s the area’s tender fruit production that keeps Canada in everything from peaches and pears to cherries and plums during the summer and autumn months. And with orchards and farms scattered all over the countryside, Ontario’s bounty is almost always exceptional.

While central to the stellar fruit-growing reputation of Ontario, the Niagara region doesn’t always receive as much attention for its fruit-growing prowess by the millions who visit the area every year. Tourists are often too busy enjoying the many wineries and the stunning waterfalls to marvel over the wealth of fresh and delicious fruit available during the growing season. However, to really experience Niagara, it’s essential to bite into some of its ripest seasonal offerings during a visit.

If you’re headed to the Niagara region anytime in the next couple of months, the tender fruit will be ready for you. Here are four reasons to include some time for fruit on your Niagara vacation’s itinerary.

1. There’s So Much of It!

Ontario enjoys its reputation as a powerhouse of agricultural productivity, but when it comes to tender fruits — peaches, plums, pears, sweet cherries, sour cherries, apricots, strawberries, prunes of all colors, and raspberries — over 90 percent of what is grown in Ontario is actually grown just on the Niagara Peninsula. The same rich soil, mild climate, excellent drainage, and abundant water that allows for the region’s robust grape production also contributes to the abundance and quality of everything grown in the area, but the fruit crop is particularly superb.

2. It’s Beautiful

Driving around the Niagara Peninsula is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon, and it’s not just because the grape vineyards are so lovely. Interspersed throughout the region are the scores of farms and orchards that keep Canada in fruit, and the meticulous care the trees and bushes are given helps account for why the area is so postcard perfect and picturesque. Don’t just get a photo at the Falls when you visit Niagara, be sure to snap a few along the roadside in front of a field of cherry trees or pear trees, too.

3. It’s Delicious

Fresh fruit picked the morning you sink your teeth into it is a delight unrivalled during the summer months, and in Niagara, it’s a welcome rite of passage for locals and visitors in the know each and every year. The roadside stands dotted along the Niagara Parkway are a great introduction to Niagara’s freshest fruit, and you can also usually buy jams and pies at them as well.

4. You Can Pick Your Own

Especially if you’re visiting Niagara as a family, look into the many orchards and farms that offer pick-your-own fruit opportunities. It’s a great way to get outdoors and experience a little bit of the working farm life in the region. A few of the best places to pick your own fruit include:

• Parkway Orchards
• Bry-Anne Farms
• Cherry Avenue Farms
• Two Century Farm
• Town and Country Farms

Head to Niagara for a world-class vacation, and while you’re there, be sure to eat the fruit.

For lovers of classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles, there are few experiences as satisfying as attending a classic car show, where the pleasure of seeing a rare, mint condition vehicle firsthand is a common occurrence. Thousands of vehicle models have come and gone over the more than 100 years that have passed since Henry Ford made the personal motor vehicle a reality, and while not every single one of those vehicle models has been heralded as a standard bearer over the years, each one nevertheless carries with it the weight of both cultural history and personal memory. When it comes to feeling the wistful nostalgia of times gone by and the deep admiration elicited by world-class functional design, the classic car show is truly in a class by itself.

For the visitor to Niagara with a love of classic cars — or the visitor to Niagara who wants to show off a classic car, truck, or motorcycle he or she proudly owns — there are dozens of events held throughout the region all year long. If you’re headed to Niagara Falls in the next few weeks or months, however, here are four annual classic vehicle events that shouldn’t be missed.

1. Kinsmen Annual Show and Shine

Held each year in Niagara-on-the-Lake, this year’s Kinsmen Annual Show and Shine will take place August 9 at Kinsmen Scout Hall. Registration for vehicles is from 8 a.m. until noon, and each vehicle entered costs $5. The show is open to spectators from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. for $3. Children under 12, however, get in free.

2. Classic Car and Truck Show

A St. Catharines classic car event, the Classic Car and Truck Show takes place at the CAA Car Care Centre on August 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge to show a vehicle or attend this event thanks to the sponsorship of CAA Car Care Center.

3. 9th Annual Pine Ave. Classic Car and Bike Cruise

Held every year as part of the Niagara Falls Blues Fest, this classic car show is actually a cruise, which makes just being in Niagara Falls when all those beautiful relics of the past roll by a memorable treat. Thursday, September 10 at 5 p.m., anyone with a classic car, truck, or motorcycle is encouraged to meet up at Sal Maglie Stadium. The cruise will leave from there at 6 p.m. and will go down Pine Ave. to Old Falls St. Set up camp along the route, or wander over to the meet-up spot at 5 p.m. to get a good look at some beautiful old vehicles.

4. Last Chance Car Show and Swap Meet

Part of the Niagara Regional Exhibition held in Welland every year, this large and very popular car show features well over 1,000 different classic vehicles that are worth millions of dollars. Hosted by the Sunset Cruisers Car Club, the car show also includes a swap meet. You can register your vehicle for $10 and set up a booth to sell your secondhand goods and wares for $10, too. Spectators pay just $5 to get in, and the event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Head to Niagara, and experience you love of classic cars in one of the world’s best-loved vacation destinations.

For the history buff, spending a day or week among the dusty annals of a library’s special collection sounds like a vacation made in heaven, whereas, for most of us, such an endeavor is a lot less fun. Regardless of its importance in the overall scheme of things, for the majority of people, any engagement with “history” needs to involve some pretty hefty razzle dazzle to attract and hold our attention, which is why history buffs invented historical reenactments, which are a fantastic way that history gets preserved and learned.

Experience Niagara’s past in tandem with its stellar present by visiting Niagara Falls during one of these three reenactments during the month of July.

What’s a Reenactment?

A historical reenactment is an entertaining and educational activity that involves a group of people reenacting an event that took place some time in the past. Spectators attend and observe from the sidelines in order to get a fly-on-the-wall view of the event as it unfolds. Most reenactments are of battles, and they take place all over the world to mark significant times of war in a given location in a nation’s history, and the Niagara region is home to some excellent ones.

1. The Battle of Fort George

On July 11 and 12 at the Fort George Historic Site, reenactors from all over North America will join together to mark the 202nd anniversary of the Battle of Fort George. A bloody fight that took place during the War of 1812, the Battle of Fort George was a seminal engagement in the Niagara region’s history that saw the Americans defeat British troops to successfully capture the fort. In addition to battle reenactments that will take place on Saturday and Sunday, the weekend will also include musket firings, period music, artillery presentations, and more.

2. The Battle of Chippewa

Another engagement during the War of 1812, the Battle of Chippewa took place nearly two years after the Battle of Fort George, and while it resulted in another American victory over the British — and caused significant British losses — it nevertheless failed to allow the Americans to make much headway in the war overall. This July 5 marks the anniversary of that battle, and reenactors will take to the field to relive it at 2 p.m.

3. French and Indian War Encampment

On the first weekend in July, the Siege of 1759 that took place during the French and Indian War will be reenacted at Fort Niagara. Hundreds of reenactors are slated to attend for both the battle reenactments and the living history camps. Period artisans, craftspeople, and merchants will also be on-site, and there will also be artillery firings, musket demonstrations, Native councils, military music concerts, youth recruitment demonstrations, special exhibits, and much more.

No matter which end of the history-loving or hating spectrum you routinely find yourself on, the month of July boasts three spectacular events in and around the Niagara region sure to stoke your curiosity of what Niagara was like long before the 21st century.

Canada is the second largest country in the world by land mass, but it’s estimated that as many as 75 percent of the nation’s 35 million residents live within 100 miles of the border it shares with the United States. A former colony of both the French and the British, Canadian culture involves plenty of carryover from those two nations as well as the indigenous people groups and immigrants who have called Canada home over the years.

The result is a highly nuanced and friendly culture that’s so polite, we’d likely never tell you if we spied you committing some egregious cultural faux pas. Whether you’re a first-timer planning a trip to Niagara, or you’ve been here dozens of times before, here are some of the truths about Canadian culture you may or may not know.

Common Etiquette

Canadian etiquette is similar to many other western and developed countries, but it gets expressed in ways that are uniquely Canadian. When you’re visiting Niagara, if you happen to make the acquaintance of a Canadian — and you probably will as Canadians really are amazingly friendly — keep in mind the following:

• Greetings and introductions should include handshakes with strong grips and good eye contact.
• Take your shoes off and leave them at the entrance whenever you enter someone’s house.
• Use titles or last names when addressing someone, as first names are generally reserved for close friends and family.
• If invited to a dinner party, bring flowers, high-quality wine, chocolates, or all three as a gift.
• Give people plenty of physical space in conversation.

Progressive Ideals

Because of the wide variety of people who visit Canada and call it home, Canadians tend to be a pretty progressive and welcoming bunch. Universal health care, a commitment to sustainable agriculture, legal same-sex marriage, the abolition of capital punishment, religious freedom — these realities and others like them show Canadians’ commitment to progressive ideals.

Polite Behaviour

When you visit Niagara, especially if you come from a major city in the United States, you’ll notice there is less honking and aggressive driving on the roadways. Canadians are also quick to take responsibility, apologizing for slightly brushing anyone on a sidewalk or in a grocery. Harsh words are so rarely exchanged between people in public that some Canadians would say it never happens.

Hockey

Hockey is the one religion in Canada that you can always talk about in any kind of company. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport before you come for a visit, just talk with a local long enough, and we’ll fill you in on everything from the local high school team’s record to NHL trades and rule changes. Almost everyone has a favorite team and almost every Canadian can ice skate well, too — a reality that’s evidenced by Edmonton’s plan to build an ice skating “highway” for people to use when commuting to work.

While Canadian culture is often subtle enough to go unnoticed, keep these guidelines and touchstones in mind while you’re in Niagara, and you’ll fit in as one of the locals.

The tradition of afternoon tea can be placed solely upon the British, which is why its popularity still holds sway in places like Canada, the United States, India, and even Burma. Its history harkens back to the early 19th century when the Duchess of Bedford needed something to tide her over during the late afternoon.

The advent of electric lighting had recently transformed such mainstays as eating so that the second of the two meals people used to eat during the day had been moved — for the aristocracy at least — until after dark so as to make use of the technologically advanced lighting. As that long expanse of time between the first meal and the second proved too much for the Duchess, she requested tea and a snack, and the tradition of afternoon tea was born.

The Niagara region is home to many high-quality and varied afternoon tea experiences, and if you’ve never taken time out with a friend or family member to enjoy tea, it’s a simultaneously relaxing and invigorating experience. Just as your energy is beginning to languish after a nearly full day sightseeing, you sit down to a light and delicious snack accompanied by a refreshing beverage that often contains caffeine. As you rest, eat, and drink, your blood sugar is restored. Your rushing about is paused. You are given a chance to reconnect with a loved one or traveling companion and yourself. Afternoon tea is truly a fabulous mini meal, and if you’re planning a Niagara Falls vacation, you should reserve some space in your itinerary for these two excellent tea rooms.

The Drawing Room

Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, The Drawing Room boasts one of the most regal and traditional forms of afternoon tea available. A space of undeniable Victorian finery and charm, the tea room is laid out with meticulously set tables covered in cloth that feature fresh rose bouquets and Minton China. An excellent selection of tea is offered, and the accompanying food and condiments are superb. Warm scones, lovely finger sandwiches, Devonshire cream, and pastries are all served on shining silver stands as attentive wait staff meets your every need. You can add to the more traditional tea offerings by choosing different menu items including Canadian cheeses and wine as well.

The Savoy Room

For another high-end tea experience, choose this St. Catharines tea room. The elegant Victorian setting features fine bone China, a wide variety of quality teas, linen tablecloths, and sweet and savory snacks. The Savoy Room offers a variety of tea types and times, including:

• Elevenses. Taken mid-morning, this tea break is served with a simple snack.
• Afternoon Tea. The most common type of British tea time, The Savoy Room offers three distinct styles: Cream Tea, Light Tea, and Full Tea
• Royal Tea. Afternoon tea served with either champagne or sherry.
• High Tea. Also called “Meat Tea,” this tea is actually a robust meal that includes meats, cheeses, meat pies, desserts, bread, and teas. It is generally taken in the early evening.

Come to Niagara, and eat and drink like the British by enjoying tea at The Drawing Room, The Savoy Room, or both.

Almost any trip to the Niagara region includes much more than just marveling at massive waterfalls, which is as it should be: In addition to its stunning and eponymous cataracts, Niagara is home to world-class entertainment, history, culture, and wine. Especially for the true and budding oenophile, the Niagara Peninsula’s wines are a major draw.

Some of the finest in all of Canada, Niagara wine attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to our wineries every year for the unforgettable experience of touring our vineyards first-hand, meeting winemakers, and enjoying vintages and varietals that can’t be found anywhere else. In addition, many of our wineries offer events and learning opportunities to assist wine-lovers on their quest for further knowledge and appreciation. One such offering takes place the first Saturday in June, when Reif Estate Winery gives a class in pairing wine with food.

Pairing food and wine is as much science as it is art, and for newcomers to the effort, it can feel overwhelming. How do you bring out the raisin and coffee notes in an older cabernet sauvignon? What can you eat with an unoakaed chardonnay that will coax out the wine’s more subtle notes for a fuller experience? What wine should you serve with a particularly stinky blue cheese? What wine is best alongside pot roast?

For the food and wine lover, these questions are of extreme importance, and it’s only with guidance and experience that the answers can be discovered. For the uninitiated in the process, the class at Reif Estate Winery is a great way to start putting together the world’s oldest dining pair: food and wine.

Part of their Start Living the Reifstyle series, the class is held on June 6th at 2 p.m. in the Reif Estate Winery Sensory Garden and Winemaker’s Loft. Reif’s Wine Sensory Garden is the only one of its kind in the vineyard- and winery-heavy Niagara-on-the-Lake, and it exists as a tool to enable guests to consider the many colors, flavors, and aromas that are often used to characterize the wines made in the area.

For example, the riesling and sauvignon blanc section of the garden boasts delicate flowers and includes aromas of coriander, mint, honeysuckle, grapefruit, and more. The icewine and chardonnay section is located in the yellow quadrant of the garden, and there you will smell peach, sage, pineapple, and vanilla to name a few. Likewise, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are represented in the red section with oregano, mint, and chocolate plantings. In every way, the Wine Sensory Garden is an invitation to experience wine anew by increasing your understand and engaging even more of your senses.

In addition to your time in the Wine Sensory Garden, the class will also include a tasting of four estate-bottled wines that have been paired with four local, herb-inspired samples. As you taste each pairing, the principles of matching food to wine and vice versa will be discussed. The cost is $30 a person, and it’s the kind of experience that can only be had in Niagara’s wine country.

Poutine is a Canadian food that is so well-loved and ubiquitous, it’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t readily available and eaten by all. French fries covered in fresh cheese curds and gravy, poutine isn’t for the overly health-conscious, but as far as Canadian comfort foods go, it’s hard to top.

According to legend, the first batch of poutine was ordered from and served by a small restaurant in Quebec back in the late 1950s when a trucker ordered the menu’s French fries and cheese curd in a bag with a side of gravy. Today, the dish is a favorite among Canadians and anyone else lucky enough to try it. If you’re planning a visit to Niagara Falls, and you’d like to experience poutine, here are a handful of restaurants that do it right.

Syndicate

Syndicate Restaurant and Brewery serves up gourmet fare that makes use of local farms’ produce, meats, and cheeses as much as possible. While poutine is usually considered pub food or fast food, Syndicate flips the script with duck poutine and manages not to alter the gooey goodness of the dish one bit. Available on their bar menu, fresh-cut fries are smothered in house gravy and fresh cheese curds before being topped with duck confit.

Smoke’s Poutinerie

Smoke’s Poutinerie is on a mission to bring the wonderful world of poutine to everyone. With scores of locations in almost every Canadian province and Berkeley, California, Smoke’s is slowly putting restaurants dedicated to poutine everywhere. With over 30 different kinds of poutine to choose from, and countless options to invent your own, the poutine you’ll get from their Niagara Falls location probably won’t be anything like what you’re used to. Here are just a few of the options:

• Chicken fajita poutine
• Philly cheesesteak poutine
• Perogy poutine
• Pulled pork poutine
• And many more!

Flying Saucer Restaurant

If you ever wanted to eat poutine inside a restaurant shaped like a flying saucer, now is your chance. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night, Flying Saucer Restaurant is a favorite with locals and visitors of all ages. Order their poutine for a slightly different take on the classic — instead of fresh cheese curds, they use fresh, shredded mozzarella.

Taps

Taps on Queen is known first and foremost as a brewery and brewpub that serves up some of the area’s finest craft beer. From bright, satisfying ales to hoppy IPAs, they have a rotating selection of brews that are definitely worth trying. While it could probably go without saying, one of the best accompaniments to excellent beer is excellent poutine, and Taps has six kinds to choose from, including:

• Classic poutine
• Chicken club poutine
• Vegetable curry poutine

Michelle’s Fries

Michelle’s Fries started out as a food truck, and because they specialize in fries, you can bet their poutine is exceptional. Winner of the “Best Fries” award in Niagara Falls for multiple years, they make a good thing even better. From classic poutine to poutine with hamburger and onions, every variety they serve is delicious.

So, bring your fry-loving appetite to Niagara Falls, and indulge in a Canadian classic at one of these five restaurants.

Beer doesn’t hold quite the hallowed place that wine does in the hearts of the people of Niagara, but it’s certainly climbing the ranks on lists about why people love visiting the area. From light crisp ales to sweet and earthy stouts, a handful of breweries have popped up in the region in recent years, and the beers they brew are starting to garner some much-deserved attention.

Whether you’re a beer lover on a perpetual tour of the earth’s finest brews or you’re just a guy who likes to drink good beer when you’re away from home, here are some of the best places to grab a pint of beer the next time you visit Niagara Falls.

Syndicate Restaurant and Brewery

Syndicate Restaurant and Brewery blends the best of the farm with excellent food and beverages — just one of the many time-honored traditions visitors to the Niagara Peninsula have enjoyed for decades.

Fresh, local, gourmet food is served with elegant simplicity, and it’s accompanied by excellent beer made on-site. Order the Niagara’s Best Brown Ale, the Taps Rye Knot, or the Niagara’s Best Blonde Premium Ale, and pair any one of them with the duck poutine or a local, dry aged steak.

Syndicate boasts three locations: Niagara Falls, St. Catherines, and Grimsby, but the Niagara Falls location is where the beer is made if you want to take a gander at their operation.

Taps Brewhouse and Grille

Now in its 11th year, Taps Brewing Company — who also makes the beer served and enjoyed in Syndicate — features and perfects small batch craft beer using only the most basic of beer ingredients: pure filtered water, malted barley, yeast, and select hops.

As with almost every libation in Niagara, the beer is made alongside an excellent restaurant whose award-winning chef’s menu includes better-than-basic pub fare. They boast six different types of poutine, including vegetable curry and Philly steak, and a handful of hamburgers worth writing home about.

The beer taps change regularly, but if you’re able, knock back the Taps Charleston Lager and the Taps Red Cream Ale. Besides being a great pub with good food and beer, they also have live music and other entertainment throughout the week.

Niagara Brewing Company

Opening up in May 2015, Niagara Brewing Company is the area’s newest beer maker. Firmly planted in the tradition of Canada’s burgeoning craft brew scene, Niagara Brewing Company promises to make and serve one-of-a-kind beers using the best in locally sourced ingredients.

At the helm of this new enterprise is Gord Slater, a brewery and brewpub developer whose roots in the business go down and back 30 years. With more than 60 breweries and pubs under his belt and plenty of awards for the beers he’s made, it’s likely his newest endeavor also pass muster. The Niagara Brewing Company is located in the center of the Falls View Resort.

Whether you love beer as a companion to food or you love it in its own right, accompanied by good friends or a ball game, the beer in Niagara’s breweries continue to get better and more local with each passing year.

There are a number of great farmers markets in the Niagara region, and they all showcase the wealth and variety of fruits, berries, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and more that the area’s farmers produce.

The St. Catharines Farmers Market, located at the corner of James Street and King Street in the center of the town next to the Courthouse and City Hall, has been in operation since the early 1860s, and it has been an important part of the town’s social and economic life that entire time.

For residents and visitors to Niagara who want to get the freshest, local food and wares from area farmers and artisans, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays should include a visit to the St. Catharines Farmers Market. Here is a look at just some of what you can find at the market.

• Fruit and Vegetables. From asparagus and eggplant to apricots and apples, Niagara is a fertile place. Here are a few of the farms you can find at the St. Catharines Farmers Market and a smattering of what they grow and sell:
  o Bartel Farms. A seasonal participant only, Bartel Farms specializes in organic produce, raspberries, and cut flowers.
  o Chez Nous Farms. A certified organic farm, Chez Nous grows everything from potatoes
  and kale to heirloom tomatoes. You can find them at the market all year long.
  o Porpiglia Farms. You’ll want to try their apples during the late summer and fall.
  o Bry-Anne Farms. A conventional farm that specializes in letting consumers pick their own fruit, this seasonal farm brings everything from pumpkins to strawberries to the market.
• Baked Goods. Whether you need a loaf of bread, a dozen sweet rolls, croissants, cakes, or beaver tails, the St. Catharines Farmers Market boasts a wide selection from many of the area’s best bakeries. Bakeries that are usually in attendance all year long include:
  o de la terre bakery. This Vineland, Ontario bakery specializes in organic artisan bread and pastries.
  o Sweet Potato Johnny. If you’re looking for a baked good made out of sweet potatoes, they have it.
  o Vanessa’s Cupcakes and Confections. Makers of sweet treats, who spend the bulk of their efforts on cupcakes, Vanessa’s is at the market on Thursdays and Saturdays.
• Meat and Cheese. From plucked, whole chickens to fresh-cured bacon and just-layed eggs, you can get locally raised meat from places like Bessy’s Poultry and Kasha’s Sow Farm at the market. There are also plenty of imported meats and cheeses available from places like Maria’s Deli.
• International Cuisine. From Perogies to Middle Eastern food, there are a handful of vendors offering international prepared food for sale. Saturdays are the best days to catch this market fare.
• VQA Wine Sales. It wouldn’t be a market in Niagara if there wasn’t high-quality, local wine for sale. There are about a dozen wineries on a weekly rotation at the market. Some of what you’ll see includes:
  o Cave Spring Cellars.
  o Creekside Estate Winery.
  o Chateau des Charmes Winery.
  o Pillitteri Estates Winery
  o Megalomaniac
  o And more!

Regardless of what brings you to the Niagara region, be sure to spend some time — preferably on a Saturday — perusing the many offerings at the St Catharines Farmers Market. Not only will it give you a hearty sampling of the fecundity of the region, but you’ll get plenty of chances to taste Niagara’s bounty as well.