Niagara Falls Hotels

To experience the best of Niagara Falls however, you have to sidestep the tacky tourist traps that dot the town. A part of Canada with great appeal, the secret to any vacation in Niagara Falls is to avoid the din of the casinos and theme restaurants.

Attractions

When in Niagara Falls, one must see Niagara Falls. Get the most obvious attraction out of the way first, via promenade stroll or ride on the legendary Maid of the Mist. The Journey Behind the Falls, run by the Niagara Parks Commission, provides the most unusual views of the natural wonder.

Less conspicuous but no less worthwhile is the Niagara Heritage Trail. The scenic stretch of Niagara River coastline runs from Fort Eerie to beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake. Significant attractions include Old Fort Eerie, War of 1812 Chippawa Battlefield Park, Laura Secord Homestead and Niagara Botanical Gardens.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint retirement community in the heart of Ontario's wine region. Replete with wonderful inns and bed and breakfasts, vineyard tours are a popular draw in the sleepy hamlet, in addition to the fabulous Shaw Festival, which runs from April to November.

Other attractions in Niagara Falls qualify as touristy and mainstream. Marineland is a popular amusement park, on par with SeaWorld. Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex features a slew of hotels, theme stores and restaurants. Clifton Hill is the main drag with arcades, souvenir shops, a wax museum and haunted house.

Events

The best festivals in Niagara Falls occur outside town. The Niagara Farm to Table Experience is a good example. The annual Niagara-on-the-Lake festival pairs local food purveyors and chefs, with regular events throughout the summer months.

The Grimsby Festival of Art showcases the best artisans in the Niagara region in the month September.

The Niagara Regional Exhibition is one of the best agricultural fairs in Canada, let alone the province of Ontario, with a long line-up of events every September.

The Niagara Wine Festival is the celebration par excellence in what has become a formative New World wine power. The parallel Niagara Food Festival fêtes the rich culinary heritage of the area with demos, workshops and much food and wine. Both take place in September.

Climate

Niagara Falls experiences four seasons, with cold winters and hot, humid summers. Fall is a popular season in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with clement weather, beautiful foliage and the annual harvest for farms and vineyards.

• Winter (November to March) -8-8°C

• Spring (April to May) 2.5-19°C

• Summer (June to August) 14-27°C

• Fall (September to October) 6.5-21°C