::TRAVEL NEWS::
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Explore The Roar-It’s A Barrel Of Fun Source: Movie Entertainment - Melanie Reffes (July 2009) Steeped in history and oozing charm, the Niagara Peninsula is an all-inclusive 
choice for a
Canada Day
blowout par excellence. From the thunderous roar of the famous
falls to top-notch theatre and the best wineries this side of
Tuscany, this southern Ontario spot is a treasure chest of fun
for the entire family. From Niagara Falls, Ont., it’s only 22 kilometres to the smaller, more “boutique” town of Niagara-on-the-Lake (or NOTL, as the locals call it), and just a short hop over the mighty Niagara River to Niagara Falls, N.Y. July is party time, with celebrations of both Canada’s 142nd birthday and the United States’ Independence Day. Fireworks light up the skies on both sides on July 1 and July 4. At 55 metres, the American Falls are slightly higher than the Horseshoe Falls in Canada, although daredevils have historically preferred the Canadian side because there’s a greater flow of water and fewer rocks. Nowadays, the falls are less about plunging over in a barrel and more about tourism, with 28 million people expected to visit this year. Marilyn Monroe became a fan while filming the thriller Niagara Falls in 1953, and Princess Diana vacationed here with her princely sons in 1991. For the rest of us, there is no better way to explore the roar than aboard the Maid of the Mist, a tour boat that motors to the foot of the falls (www.maidofthemist.com). Just to the north, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a cornucopia of grand mansions on avenues lined with red poppies and pink peonies, churches and cemeteries that salute the past, acres of wine-ready grapes, and the Shaw Festival Theatre showcasing the work of playwright George Bernard Shaw (www.shawfest.com). On Queen St. in NOTL, the Maple Leaf Fudge shop rocks with the real deal, still creamed on marble slabs and cooked in cop- per kettles. A chuckle and a cone go hand-in- hand at a shop called Cows, with its bovine themed line of High School Moosical and Dancing with the Steers clothing, and its cutesy ice cream flavours including Moo York Cheesecake and Cowrispy Crunch. Enjoying a climate similar to that of France’s Burgundy region, Niagara is a bonafide bonanza of wineries. The Shiraz Icewine at the Pillitteri winery and the White Moose Riesling at Konzelmann are must-sips for savvy oenophiles on a tastings tour, Hillebrand hosts jazz-and-wine concerts, and gourmands will applaud the menu at the Reif Estate. When you’re ripe for relaxation, a spa at the White Oaks Resort beckons with a bevy of vino-treatments. Formerly the home of a family of engineers whose projects included Canada’s Parliament buildings, the Keefer Mansion Inn (www.keefermansion.com) tempts with a Book Lovers pack- age that includes a $250 gift certificate for the nearby Book Depot. The Prince of Wales hotel has an 8,000-bottle wine cellar and is worth the splurge. A stay at the Pillar and Post will remind you why you booked a vacation in the first place. (Both at www.Vintage-hotels.com.) Independent Celebrations The big Canada Day blowout is at Fort George & Simcoe Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Activities include heritage displays and historical arms demonstrations. At night, the Fort George Fife & Drum Corps performs, followed by fireworks. In the park, the Willow Cakes and Pastries shop slices up a Canada Day Cake big enough for 1,000 people. The Friendship Festival (www.friendshipfestival.com) straddles the border with a stellar line-up of concerts, activities for kids and the Miss All Canadian Pageant. Area info www.niagarafallstourism.com www.niagaraonthelake.com www.tourismniagara.com www.infoniagara.com Wineries www.hillebrand.com www.pillitteri.com www.reifwinery.com www.konzelmann.ca www.niagaraworldwinetours.com http://wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com www.whiteoaksresort.com Break through to the other side A Discovery Pass costing $33 U.S. for adults and $26 U.S. for children includes entrance to Niagara Falls State Park, Cave of the Winds, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Adventure Theatre and the Niagara Scenic Trolley. Snow Park Niagara has an NHL-size skating rink and snow-tubing hill operating year-round. Nearby Buffalo is well worth the drive for a taste of American culinary history at the Anchor Bar, where Buffalo wings were invented in 1964. The Niagara Wine Trail is full of sleepy hamlets, farm vistas and a dozen wineries. A Vino Passport ($20 U.S.) includes a tasting at each winery. |
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