Canadians know the value of memories made on warm, sunny summer days. We tuck them away in our brains to coax out on cold winter days when we need a reminder that this, too, shall pass. Niagara’s sparkling shorelines, rocky Escarpment paths, and meandering cycling trails are the perfect backdrop for outdoor adventures that you’ll recall fondly all winter long. Here are just a few of our favourite ways that grown-ups can get outside and play on a summer getaway to Niagara.
Enjoying a stroll through the vineyards is an excellent way to get some steps in before you saunter up to the tasting bar to sip your way through a flight. Niagara wineries with beautiful hiking trails that guests can enjoy at their leisure include Pelham’s Sons and Daughters Winery and Calamus Estate Winery in Jordan. 13th Street Winery’s expansive outdoor sculpture garden is a delightful destination for an art-filled walk. Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery offers a 45-minute guided Wine and Vines tour that highlights the family farm and gorgeous St. David’s vineyard views. Megaloniac’s Insta-worthy Vineyard Walks guide guests to the most wow-inspiring spots on this 65-acre vineyard set atop the Niagara Escarpment in Vineland.
A boat ride beside the Falls is just one of several ways to float an afternoon away in Niagara! Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Paddle Niagara offers paddleboard and kayak rentals that allow visitors to explore the Niagara River’s more gentle sections, and their special summer Full Moon Paddles are worth timing your trip around! Kayaking or paddleboarding along the shores of Lake Erie is easy with the convenient rental service offered by Port Colborne’s Sugarloaf Marina. Exploring Jordan Harbour by kayak, canoe, or paddleboard offers paddlers the opportunity to spot a wide variety of wildlife that call that area home. Paddling the Welland Canal with a boat rental from Welland Rec Rentals is a fun way to get a better sense of the size of this storied freight route.
The Niagara Gorge is a fascinating piece of Escarpment geography to explore on foot. Head to the Niagara Glen, located deep within the Niagara Gorge, and take the stairways that lead to four kilometres of rugged hiking paths winding through the Carolinian Forest, past prehistoric geological formations, and beautiful greenery. Stroll the White Water Walk’s riverside boardwalk located at the base of the Gorge for one of the best views of the 410-million-year-old rock layers and the crashing waves of some of North America’s wildest rapids.
Niagara’s flower power is on proud display all summer long! Visit the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens to stroll peaceful walking trails that showcase the property’s Rose Garden, Woodland Garden, and Arboretum. Visit The Outpost, set within the Monet-inspired garden at Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Pillar and Post, to enjoy sandwiches, snacks, creative cocktails, wine, and beer with shaded seating, a grassy area for lawn games, and sweeping views of the entire garden. If you’d like to purchase some blooms to plant at home as a memento of your trip, plan an outing to Vineland’s The Watering Can Flower Market, a massive European-inspired flower shop bursting with plants and flowers that also boasts a beautiful café.
Passionate cyclists looking for a picture-perfect pedal can time their trip to Niagara to coincide with one of the large-scale cycling events taking place this summer. Bike the Benchlands, on August 23, offers riders the choice of four routes, each with an optional visit to a Niagara Benchlands craft brewery or winery. Niagara-on-the-Lake’s RiseUp cycling fundraiser on September 6 has 24-, 60- and 100-km route options. The Big Move Cancer Ride, on September 14, invites riders to explore the roads of Pelham on 25-km, 50-km, or 75-km routes, or a 14-km Fun Ride.
Niagara’s beautiful beaches are a secret that those in the know would prefer to keep to themselves! Long stretches of sand on both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie invite summer sunseekers to stretch out and soak up a small-town beach vibe that’s truly one-of-a-kind. Favourite sandy spots on Lake Ontario include Port Dalhousie’s Lakeside Park and St. Catharines’ Sunset Beach. On Niagara’s South Coast, Crystal Beach’s Bay Beach, Waverly Beach, Nickel Beach, Centennial-Cedar Bay Beach, Long Beach, and Reebs Bay Beach are all lovely Lake Erie options.
Niagara’s incredible growing conditions work their wonders on so much more than grapes! Spending an hour or two picking your own fruits or vegetables at a Niagara you-pick farm is a great way to capture tasty memories that you can take home and freeze for enjoyment all winter long! Favourite local fruit farms include Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Parkway Orchards for cherries, peaches, plums, and nectarines, Pelham’s Mathias Farms for cherries, raspberries, and blackberries and Smith Two Century Farm in Grimsby for cherries and peaches. Bry-Anne Farms in Fenwick has excellent pick-your-own tomatoes that are typically ready the third week of August.
Browse our Naturally Niagara, Outdoor Sports, Attractions, and Wineries pages and @visit_niagara on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for trip inspiration and to learn about upcoming events. Then, scroll through accommodations and dining options to discover even more delightful places to add to your trip.
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