Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Niagara-on-the-Lake sits where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, a small town with colonial-style streets, War of 1812 forts, a famous theatre festival and wineries in every direction. It served as the first capital of Upper Canada, and it feels more like a quiet village than a day-trip stop beside the falls.
St. Mark's Anglican Church
Fort George
Fort Mississauga
Shaw Festival theatres
+5 more places
The town has about 19,000 residents, and it is important to Canadian history. It was called Newark from 1792 to 1797 and served as the first capital of Upper Canada, the predecessor of Ontario.
Today the preserved streets, forts and gardens sit in the middle of a thriving grape- and fruit-growing region. You can follow a history trail in the morning, watch a Shaw Festival play in the afternoon and taste icewine before dinner, all within a short drive.
Queen Street is the main street of the village, lined with little shops selling hats, jams, cheese and fudge. The Niagara Apothecary, a museum that preserves a restored 1869 pharmacy, opens seasonally.
Construction of this church on Byron Street began in 1800, and its roof was destroyed in 1813 during the War of 1812 and replaced afterward. The churchyard is quiet and worth a short stop on the way to the forts.
St. Mark's Anglican Church began construction in 1800 and lost its roof in the War of 1812. Photo: Balcer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
This reconstructed British fort is a living museum about military life in 19th-century Upper Canada and the War of 1812. The gunpowder magazine is the only original building, and the site has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 1921.
Fort George is a reconstructed British fort and living museum from the War of 1812 era. Photo: Maksim Sokolov (maxergon.com), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Built from 1814 to 1816 to replace Fort George, this fort has a brick tower and star-shaped earthworks on the shore of Lake Ontario.
Fort Mississauga was built from 1814 to 1816 to replace nearby Fort George. Photo: Ymblanter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Founded in 1962, the Shaw Festival is the second-largest repertory theatre company in North America.
The Shaw Festival Theatre is one of the main venues of the festival founded in 1962. Photo: JFVoll, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The parkway runs along the river and is a pleasant route for cycling. McFarland House, a preserved house dating from about 1800, runs guided tours led by costumed interpreters, and serves afternoon tea in summer.
McFarland House dates to about 1800 and is preserved as a historic site on the Niagara Parkway. Photo: Frank McPhee, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In Queenston, this house predates the War of 1812. Laura Secord became a heroine by walking about 32 kilometres to warn the British of an impending American invasion, and costumed interpreters tell her story.
The homestead dates from before the War of 1812 and is linked to Laura Secord's famous walk. Photo: saychinqua1, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
The park holds the Brock and Laura Secord monuments and marks the site of the Battle of Queenston Heights. It is also the southern end of the Bruce Trail, a long hiking route that runs north to Tobermory.
Queenston Heights Park holds monuments to Isaac Brock and Laura Secord. Photo: Mmcintyre, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Inniskillin held an estate winery licence issued in 1975, the first winery licence in Ontario since 1929, and is credited with putting Canadian icewines on the world stage.
Inniskillin is credited with putting Canadian icewines on the world stage. Photo: James G. Milles from Buffalo, NY, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Peller Estates is one of the largest wine producers in Canada and offers tours and a restaurant. Strewn Winery occupies a converted 1940s fruit cannery and has a restaurant on site.
Trius makes sparkling wines in the traditional method and keeps them in Canada's largest underground sparkling cellar. The winery has a restaurant, and reservations are recommended.
Vineyards and wineries surround the town across the Niagara Peninsula. Photo: Graham, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Icewine is the signature drink here. Made from grapes frozen on the vine, it is sweet and intense, and Ontario produces more than 90 percent of Canada's icewine.
The region is a fruit-growing area, and the Peach Festival on the first Saturday of August celebrates Niagara peaches with jams and pies. Butter tarts, the Canadian pastry with a filling of butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and egg, appear in bakeries along Queen Street.
Popular dishes to try in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Queen Street and the surrounding village have fine hotels within walking distance of the Shaw theatres, plus a wide network of B&Bs.
Queenston lies near the boundary with Niagara Falls and is close to Queenston Heights, the Laura Secord Homestead and the Bruce Trail start.
St. Davids is a village inland among vineyards, with a chocolate maker and a family farm winery with a restaurant.
Where to stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake
The Shaw Festival season runs from April to November, and many sites open seasonally, so late spring to early autumn gives the fullest choice.
The New Vintage Festival is in June, and the Icewine Festival is in January, when carriage and sleigh rides add to a winter break. Weekends in July and August are the busiest, so weekdays are calmer.
Toronto Pearson is about a 90-minute drive away, Hamilton airport is about 75 minutes, and Buffalo Niagara International Airport is about an hour without border delays. Niagara District Airport is 15 minutes from town and has Air Canada flights with a bus connection from Pearson.
By car from Toronto, take the QEW east, exit at Niagara Stone Road and drive north for about 20 minutes. From Niagara Falls follow the Niagara Parkway north. By bus, GO Transit route 12 stops at Niagara College station and on-demand transit continues to town, and FlixBus runs seasonally.
Walk Queen Street, visit the Apothecary and St. Mark's, tour Fort George and walk out to Fort Mississauga.
Drive the Niagara Parkway to McFarland House, Queenston Heights Park and the Laura Secord Homestead.
Cycle the river paths, take a winery lunch at Strewn or Trius, and finish with a Peller Estates tasting or a Whirlpool jet boat ride in season.
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