For Sale - Arctic Cat ATVs and Tracker Boats

Niagara-on-the-Lake (N-O-T-L): Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, N-O-T-L is 30 km (20 mi) north of Niagara Falls. It is the home of the famous Shaw Festival featuring  plays written by George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. It's a Canadian history buffs dream: Upper Canada's First Capital (1792); during the war of 1812 it was the sight of critical battles in defense of Upper Canada; the first newspaper; the first lending library; the first parliament; the first historical museum; first governing body for the legal profession; and an important stop on the Underground Railroad. N-O-T-L is also home to may of Ontario's award wining estate wineries and was voted Prettiest Town in Canada in 1996 by Communities in Bloom, a nationwide beautification program.

Please visit the Niagara-on-the-Lake Website for more information.

Fort George: Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. During the War of 1812, Fort George served as the headquarters for the Centre Division of the British Army. These forces included British regulars, local militia, aboriginal warriors, and Runchey?s corps of freed slaves. Major General Sir Isaac Brock, ?the saviour of Upper Canada? served here until his death at the Battle of Queenston Heights in October, 1812.

Please visit the Fort George Website for more information.

McFarland House: Upper Canada's Finest Tea Room! For more than two centuries, McFarland House has stood as a monument to the impeccable manners, good taste and gracious living that epitomizes Niagara-on-the-Lake. Visit and experience a taste of 1840s Georgian style and pace. Explore the period herb garden. Sample fine refreshments, home baking or sip a glass of Niagara wine at the McFarland Tea Garden. Qualified interpreters provide guided tours of the historic home and the lovely 19th century herb garden.

Please visit the Niagara Parks website for more information about McFarland House.

Niagara Wineries: The Niagara Peninsula is recognized globally as an outstanding wine producing region. With complex glacial soils and a climate similar to that of Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Oregon and New Zealand, the region is ideal for growing grapes. There are about 20 award winning estate wineries in the Niagara area. Most offer free tours, wine tastings and restaurants.

Please visit the Wines of Ontario Website for more information.

For information about hotels in Niagara-On-The-Lake, please follow this link.

With over 40 golf courses in the Region, Niagara is a golf destination (see map). The season starts, weather permitting, in early April and runs through to the end of October. The fairways and greens are in good shape by mid-May.

The Niagara Parks Commission manages five public golf courses in Niagara Falls. The Whirlpool (18 hole, par 72) and four Legends of Niagara Courses,  Ussher's Creek (18 hole, par 72), Battlefield (18 hole, par72), Chippawa (9 hole, par30) and Oak Hall (Par3).

For other Golf Courses in the Niagara Region and detailed information, follow this link.

An angler's paradise, the Niagara River is considered one of North America's premier fishing destinations with particular emphasis placed on fishing the lower river for Steelhead in the fall and winter. In fact if you "Google it", you will find countless articles written by numerous world renowned fisherpersons on the subject.

Niagara River Game Fish Species include:

• Walleye
• Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass
• Northern Pike

•  Muskellunge

• Yellow Perch
• Crappie
• Sunfish
• Brown Trout
• Rainbow Trout
• Lake Trout
• Pacific Salmon
• Atlantic Salmon
• Lake Whitefish
• Lake Sturgeon
• Channel Catfish

For Ontario resident and non-resident fishing license requirements or to download the 2009 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, please follow this link.

There's plenty of reasons to hoof-it in Niagara Falls, a liesurely stroll through Dufferin Islands, the Botanical Gardens or Queenston Heights Park will calm your mind and refresh your spirits or a hike through the Niagara Glen will bring you back to nature with the awesome power of the Niagara River and the Whirlpool. However, the grandaddy of all the hiking trails is the Bruce Trail.

Bruce Trail

Starting at it's southern terminus in Queenston, Ontario (northern border of Niagara Falls), it follows the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, one of the thirteen UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves in Canada, for more than 800 km (500 mi) to Tobermory, Ontario. The terrain is varied with wooded areas, rocky trails, hills, crossing rivers and streams, past numerous waterfalls and some urban areas.

For more information about the Bruce Trail, please read the excellent article in Wikipedia.

Round-trip self guided bicycle tour between Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

• Weather
• Currency & Measurements
• Retail Sales Taxes
• Travel by Car
• Travel by Train
• Travel by Air

NIAGARA FALLS WEATHER

• Spring: April and May - Cool and Mild, great time to visit and enjoy outdoor activities.
• Summer: June, July and August - Hot and Muggy or Cool and Muggy (High Season). Most tourists visit during the Summer Season (May 24th through Labour Day)
• Autumn: September, October and the first few weeks in November - Cool and Mild, great time to visit and enjoy outdoor activities.
• Winter: November, December, January, February and March - Cool and Wet or Cold and Wet or Really Cold and Icey.

Weather-wise, the best seasons to visit Niagara are Spring and Autumn. Because of the proximity to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario the summers here can get very humid and the winters can be grey and wet. If you need more accurate weather information, visit Environment Canada, The Weather Network or The U.S. National Weather Service.

CURRENCY & MEASUREMENTS

In Canada, the currency is Canadian Dollars, distance is measured in Meters and Kilometers, the temperature is in Celsius, liquid volume is measured in Liters and weight is measured in Kilograms.

• $1 Canadian = $? U.S. (it fluctuates, click here for todays exchange rate)
• 1 meter = 3.28 feet
• 100 kilometers = 62 miles
• 20 degrees celsius = 68 degrees fahrenheit
• 1 liter = .264 U.S. gallons (liquid)
• 1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds

Most Canadian hotels, restaurants and vendors will accept U.S. dollars for purchases but the conversion rate won't even come close to the official exchange rate. Your best bet is to either use your credit/debit card to make purchases or convert your U.S. dollars to Canadian before you go shopping!

For currencies other than U.S.$, your best bet is to convert before you get here! "Click here" for exchange rates.

Visit Online Conversions and Bank of Canada Currency Converter for more information.

RETAIL SALES TAXES

In Ontario, Canada there is a Provincial Retail Sales Tax (RST) of 8% and/or a Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 6% on almost every product and service. I mean everthing! Haircuts, chocolate bars, shoes, hotel rooms, restaurant meals, attraction passes, rental cars ... and so on. So no matter what the sticker price says, it's going to cost 14% more. The "sin" taxes are even higher on Alcohol and Tobacco.

The good news is. If your visiting from outside Canada you can get a rebate on the GST by filling out a form that you get at most of the Duty Free shops along the border and at the airports.

My advice for visitors. Bring your own Bourbon and Smokes and save your receipts for everything you buy here.

IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING BY CAR:

• The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is located on the west side of the Niagara River approximately half-way between Lake Ontario to the north and Lake Erie to the south.
• If you are arriving from the U.S., you will probably be crossing into Canada at one of three U.S./Canada borders along the Niagara River i.e. Buffalo/Fort Erie Peace Bridge, Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston Bridge. The border crossing wait times can be as little as 10 minutes to as long as 3 hours or more. Be prepared! (see border wait times)
• U.S. Citizens and foreign nationals must produce proper I.D. at the borders before crossing. (Canada Border Services Agency)
• Mapquest or Google Maps: Online Road Maps and Travel Directions

Traveling by road? Distance from ...

U.S. Cities

• Chicago - 532 miles, 8.5 hours
• Detroit - 246 miles, 4 hours
• Cleveland - 215 miles, 3.5 hours
• Pittsburgh - 241 miles, 4 hours
• Buffalo - 23 miles, .5 hours
• Rochester (NY) - 88 miles, 1.5 hours
• Syracuse - 164 miles, 3 hours
• Albany - 300 miles, 5 hours
• Boston - 470 miles, 7.5 hours
• New York City - 410 miles, 7 hours
• Philadelphia - 417 miles, 7 hours
• Washington (DC) - 482 miles, 8 hours
• Baltimore - 390 miles, 7 hours
  

Canadian Cities

• Sarnia - 307km, 3 hours
• Windsor - 387km, 4 hours
• London - 210km, 2.5 hours
• Kitchener/Waterloo - 141km, 2 hours
• Toronto - 127km, 1.5 hours
• Hamilton - 84km, 1 hour
• Kingston - 388km, 4 hours
• Ottawa/Hull - 576km, 6 hours
• Montreal - 668km, 7 hours
• Quebec City - 922km, 9.5 hours

Online Road Maps and Travel Directions

• Mapquest
• Google Maps

IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING BY TRAIN, there are two railways serving this area:

• VIA Rail. The Canadian Passenger Rail Service (Please visit their website for schedules)
• Amtrak. The U.S. Passenger Rail Service (Please visit their website for schedules)
• If you are arriving from outside of Canada please make sure you have the required I.D., Passport and Citizenship documents to enter Canada.  (Canada Border Services Agency)
• The Niagara Falls Train Station is located in the north-end of the city at 4267 Bridge Street.  It's about 4km (2.5 miles) from "the falls".

IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING BY AIR, there are three airports serving this area:

Buffalo Niagara International Airport: (BUF)

• Located in Buffalo, NY.
• Travel time (and distance) by car from the airport to Niagara Falls is about 1 hour (30 miles).
• To get here from the airport you will be crossing one of three U.S./Canada Borders at either the Peace Bridge in Buffalo NY, the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls NY or the Queenston-Leweiston Bridge in Lewiston NY. Make sure you have the required I.D. and Citizenship documents to cross the border.  (Canada Border Services Agency)
• For Airport Bus/Limo Service contact Niagara Air Bus.

(John C. Munro) Hamilton International Airport: (HIA)

• Located in Hamilton, ON.
• Travel time (and distance) by car from the airport to Niagara Falls is about 1 hour (85km).
• If you are arriving from outside of Canada please make sure you have the required I.D., Passport and Citizenship documents to enter Canada.  (Canada Border Services Agency)
• For Airport Bus/Limo Service contact Niagara Air Bus.

Toronto Pearson International Airport: (YYZ)

• Located in Toronto (GTA), ON.
• Travel time (and distance) by car from the airport to Niagara Falls is about 1.5 hour (100km).
• If you are arriving from outside of Canada please make sure you have the required I.D., Passport and Citizenship documents to enter Canada.  (Canada Border Services Agency)
• For Airport Bus/Limo Service contact Niagara Air Bus.

There are several campgrounds in the Niagara Falls area. Please "click" the links below for further information.

Shalamar Lake Campground

Yogi Bears Jellystone Park

King Waldorf's Tent and Trailer Park - Marineland

Niagara Falls KOA

Campark Resorts

For other Niagara Falls lodging options, please follow this link.

For information about the hostels in Niagara Falls "click" the following links.

HI -Niagara Falls Rainbow Hostel

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Niagara Falls Backpacker's Hostel

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Lyons House Hostel

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

For other lodging options in Niagara Falls, "click" this link.

These hotels are located in the town of Niagara-0n-the-Lake, Ontario however they are at the west end of the town limits and a 15 or 20 minute drive to the "Old Town" of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The "Old Town" is the actual location of all the fine restaurants, beautiful gardens, the Shaw Festival Theatre, the lovely scenery and.the finest hotels/spas.

For details and room reservations, "click" the images. For hotels in the "Old Town", "click" this link.

Hilton Garden Inn

Click Here for the Best Niagara Falls Hotel Deals!

The Old Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario is the heart of a larger sprawling rural area (vineyards and wineries) north of Niagara Falls, Ontario and east of St. Catharines, Ontario. The "Old Town" is where all the fine restaurants, beautiful gardens, the Shaw Festival Theatre, the lovely scenery and.the finest hotels/spas are located. These are some of the hotels in the Old-Town. For details and room reservations, "click" the images. For other hotels in the area, "click" this link.

Colonel Butler Inn

Click Here for the Best Niagara Falls Hotel Deals!