Things To Do

Updated February 2022

• Mark’s cemetery: I find something new to discover on every visit. On my last visit I sat on the stone that General Brock sat on while considering the American attack at Lewiston. St. Mark’s is the oldest continuously used cemetery in Ontario.
• ARTPARK: Go “over the river” to Lewiston NY and attend and outdoor concert at the ArtPark. Check out the web site for a full list of events.
• Niagara historical Society town tours: Join the guides for a walk around town, Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am beginning at the Gazebo in Queens Royal Park. Tickets are included with your Museum admission.
• Shaw Festival:I have guests who take in every play, every year. We try to make it to one or two plays a year and are always impressed.  
• Jackson-Triggs Concert Series: Great music in the outdoors. These concerts sell out early. If you are planning a visit to NOTL book these tickets ASAP.
• Whirlpool Jet Boat tours: Fran and I went on the jet boats soon after they arrived (Fran paid) about 20 years ago. Since then I have ridden at least 6 or 8 times. This is serious fun, you are going to get VERY.
• The Welland Canal: Go to lock three where they have an observation deck and watch the ships go up and down in the lock.  Take Glendale Avenue (behind the outlet mall) to Government Road and go north. 
• Avondale Dairy:This is a great place to visit. A small dairy, they have been making ice cream since 1955 and it has not changed much since it opened. You might want to stop on the way to or from Port Dalhousie. It is closed during the winter months.
• Port Dalhousie:  Swim at Lakeside Park Beach, walk the piers out into the lake, or ride on the historic 1905 Carousel with hand carved animals 5 cents a ride! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Dalhousie,_Ontario
• Bike Riding: I love riding my bike in Niagara on the Lake. From either house it is a 5-minute ride to Fort George where the riverside trail starts. I ride this paved trail to Queenstown, the big hill at Queenstown stops me but the trail continues to Niagara Falls. This is a paved trail along the Niagara River separate from the road, so very safe. You can also choose to ride out on the trail and back on one of the side roads through the vineyards. Contact Zoom Leisure for bike rentals, they will deliver to the house with helmets. 
• Take the Go-Train to Toronto: This service was running full time from Niagara Falls but has now stopped for the winter. Check the schedule to see if it is running. The bus service does run from St. Catherine’s to the Go train station in Burlington where you can hop on the train to Union Station in Toronto.
• Lundy’s lane Battle site: We visited for the first time in March of 2021 this marked battle with the highest number of deaths ever recorded in Canada with over 800 dead on either side. To get there take Four-mile creek road south from Gales Gas bar in Virgil stay on it until you cross Lundy’s lane and there will be an entrance on your left. Laura Secord is buried there as well. 
• Below is a Bingo card of suggested things to do published by the Niagara on the Lake museum. We have found these to be interesting outings.

Wineries

 We favour smaller wineries that specialize in red wine.

• De Simone Winery:Vincenzo graduated from the Niagara College Winery program then worked at local wineries for several years.  In 2017 he opened his own winery taking over his dad’s fruit and vegetable market.  It is a small non-fancy winery. Vince puts his effort in the wine and it shows. 
• Icellars Estate Winery: The owner and winemaker was an engineer in his native Turkey. Icellars specializes in Redwines the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon we bought was excellent. We continue to return here for the reds.
• Marynissen Estates:At a time when the government of Canada was paying grape growers to pull out grapes, John Marynissen was planting European grape varieties. In 1978 he planted Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are now the oldest planting in Canada. If you like red wines at a reasonable price this is the winery for you.
• The Hare Wine Company There Frontier Cabernet Franc is excellent. This is wine is made in the Appassimento style, the grapes are left on the vine as long as possible

                                  Spend a day on the Bench

I strongly suggest that if you have a few days in Niagara on the Lake that you spend a day visiting the wineries on the Beamsville Bench. Here is a link to the 39 wineries on the bench Drive yourself or hire a limo, lunch at Bench Brewery or Good Earth food and wine. It is away from Niagara and a great area to visit.