Travel bucket list idea:
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
The Niagara Peninsula is home to some of Canada’s oldest and most famous vineyards in what has become a world-class wine-producing region. It’s a landscape of rolling vineyards, charming wineries, and heart-stopping views of Lake Ontario – is just a short hop from Niagara Falls and easy to visit in a day trip, if not longer.
It primarily cultivates cool-climate grape varieties, such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. These grapes thrive in the region’s moderate temperatures and mineral-rich soils, resulting in exceptional wines. Visitors can sample a wide range of wines, including crisp whites, elegant reds, and ice wines, known for their intense sweetness.
The charming towns of Niagara-on-the-Lake or St Catherines are the ideal bases for exploring it, touring the vineyards and, of course, tasting the wines.
From Niagara Falls, take the Niagara Parkway south, a scenic route that runs along the Niagara River, until you reach the towns of Niagara-on-the-Lake (30 mins) or St. Catharines (20 mins), which serve as gateways to the region’s wineries. It’s fairly easy to visit independently if you have transport – if not, it’s best to sign up for one of the many organised tours from the Falls. It’s a comfortable and unhurried day trip.
The numerous vineyards, wine trails, and tasting rooms are well-signposted. There’s an excellent ‘wine trail’ website dedicated to the region on the US side of the border with a map of all of the best wineries. For the Canadian side, try Visit Niagara Canada‘s website. Plan on visiting no more than 4-5 wineries in a day.
The best time to visit the Niagara wine region is during the spring and autumn seasons. In spring (April to June), the weather is mild, and the vineyards come alive with vibrant green foliage.
Autumn (September to October) offers picturesque landscapes with colourful foliage and grape harvest activities. These seasons also tend to have fewer crowds compared to the peak summer months.
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