Niagara on the Lake
Niagara on the Lake is a small town in the province of Ontario Canada and certainly among the nicest small towns to visit in the province.
It's also just a stones throw away from the border of the United States.
Nestled in the heart of wine country it's situated along on the water of Lake Ontario and the Niagara River.
It's approximately 30 minutes from Niagara Falls by car and about an hour away from Hamilton.
The town is steeped in history and quaint charm and it all becomes apparent as soon as you set foot along its streets.
The Colonial style resident homes with their white picket fences scream historic small town Americana and buildings along the main strip now house numerous artisinal shops and boutique restaurants.
The copious amounts of flowers and lush gardens certainly help the vibe as well.
The one thing that it really should do but hasn't as of yet is block off the main street and make it only for pedestrians.
Horse drawn carriages can remain of course.
Cars line the roads on both sides and that really detract from the scenery.
The town is busy with tourists too so it would warrant this small change, at least for the summer months.
A little about the history now.
In the late 1700's the town went by the name "Newark" and it was actually the capital of the province of Ontario. This was way back when Ontario was still being called "Upper Canada."
The capital later moved to Toronto leaving Newark (Niagara on the Lake) behind. This might have been to get the capital a little farther away from the American border, who they were in and out of conflict with.
During the war of 1812 the city was captured by the United States after a bloody battle and two days of heavy bombardment.
When the US eventually withdrew their forces back to Fort Niagara they burnt the city to the ground, leaving the residents to rebuild the city.
We visited Niagara on the Lake in the summer of 2024 and spent a few hours there as a weekend day trip for something to do.
The town is relatively close to where we live but it's not somewhere that we go often.
Actually this was the first time that I had been with my wife and I believe that the trip was her first time ever visiting the city.
We spent some time checking out the many shops, walking the park, and eating fresh apple fritters.
After that we went to a nearby winery and vineyard to sample some Niagara wines and take a tour of the property.
There are a ton of wineries in the area that give tours and tastings so if that's your thing then it's pretty easy to do it as an activity.
You can book a tour or just pop into some of them though to guarantee a spot in the busy season it may be best to book ahead.
You can "winery hop" by bus, bike or self directed driving (drink responsibly though).
The winery we chose was called Two Sisters, a lesser known but very nice vinyard.
We sampled three wines each and then bought a few bottles to take home to save for a special occasion.
The tasting was good but it wasn't inexpensive.
We walked the grounds afterwards to burn off the alcohol we drank.
The samples were fairly small and probably totalled one full glass of wine all in, so I was fine to drive afterwards.
We plan to open the first bottle from that vinyard this year on our anniversary so maybe I'll do a follow up post to let you know how it was.
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Awesome. It's really a beautiful city, and your photos are really cool :)
It one of the nicer small towns in my province, though there can be a lot of tourists.
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Wow, this looks really beautiful! Even if they closed off the main street to cars in the summer and then let it be open for them in the other months it could make a huge difference. We have towns that do that here where I live. I haven't been to Canada in forever. I feel like I need to make the trip back there sometime soon. It's so close after all!
Yeah it's not very common for towns and cities to block off streets unless it's a few days for a festival or something, but it would be a smart idea. It's quite common in Europe and it really makes for a nice atmosphere 👌
The town I grew up in does it every summer. Just a couple blocks so that people can wander around. They usually do live music on the weekends and food trucks and stuff like that.
That's awesome. I wish that more towns would do that up here. I'm not aware of any that do it for a prolonged period of time - just a day or maybe a week for an event or festival
The town looks charming especially with the presence of the buildings/homes with Colonial style/architecture. The trees and different flowers add more beauty to the surroundings. It's so beautiful and I like the layout and landscape. For me, it gives me that dreamy place impression.
I think even just the flowers alone makes a huge difference for making a place beautiful
Wow, what an amazing small town with such perfect views. Look at some of the buildings that have really cool architecture and really amazing natural views. I really enjoyed it ❤️🙏
Thanks, glad you liked it!
This is very beautiful and seems like a paradise, very wonderful to live because of the awesome view, clean surroundings and beautiful buildings.
It was a nice spot to see
I especially enjoy the historical context you provided, such as the town’s former status as the capital of Upper Canada and its pivotal role during the War of 1812,wow.... . Your shared experiences,makes me feel from savoring fresh apple fritters to sampling wines at Two Sisters Winery, made the account feel personal and engaging, while also offering practical tips for prospective visitor. Overall, you capture not just the aesthetics but also the spirit of Niagara on the Lake, making it a compelling destination to explore. Enjoy exploring...Love lots...
I'm glad you got a feel for the town in the article. Thanks for commenting!
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Man, that place is quaint! A wine tasting to finish, that sounds like an ideal day out to me!
Yeah, it had been a while since we visited a winery or done a tasting. We were do! This vinyard was unknown to us previously as well, so that was kind of neat - trying something different.
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Glad you liked it 😁
That small town was absolutely beautiful, surrounded by the trees with it's green leaves and the colorful flowers were so catchy . Hoping to visit there soon.
I hope that you get a chance to!
It’s amazing how much history is packed into such a quaint little place.😍You really brought out its personality: the historical depth, the scenic charm, and that cozy small-town feel that’s getting harder to find these days.
The town definitely has a lot of character for a Canadian town
Wow, Niagara on the Lake looks absolutely charming! The flowers are stunning. What's your favorite thing to do when you visit
I'd say that visiting a winery/vinyard is the best thing to do there. That was my favorite
Absolutely stunning photos! So green, clean and fresh looking. Looks like a perfect day for a walk around town. Even better when you add some fritters and wine! Thank you for sharing. :)
The flowers really add a lot of beauty to the place
I couldn't agree more. Blooming flowers are one of the best parts of spring :)
I agree!
Wow! The place is really beautiful, from flowers, green trees and the beauty of the surroundings. It attracts me a lot. I hope I can visit in that place. The pictures that you posted are also nice and good quality. In your post, I feel that walking in that good surroundings makes me feel relax and refresh. I hope I can read more of your travel blog. Have a great day!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked the photos!
I hope that you get a chance to see the town one day 😄
Wow, what a beautiful little town. As I was looking through the pictures I was wondering when you went. It is gorgeous in the summer. I bet with that wonderful architecture that it would be beautiful in every season. Those plants really do add to the beauty though!
We went in the early summer last year. I'm way behind in most of my travel posts but slowly catching up. That time of year is very nice though because of all of the flowers and such.
It's a beautiful small town. Love the colorful flowers.
The flowers are a nice touch 👌
I'm in awe while reading and seeing these pictures. Niagara has a tranquil and vibrant environment. From the lush green grapes, the flowers in the surrounding area, horse carriages, cars line the roads, the building facade, the food that was being served, etc. complement the place of its own. It's really giving vibes roaming with your loved ones and i like the wine.
It certainly had a lot going for it. It's a nice spot!