Niagara-on-the-Lake

It was my first trip to Canada, and my first experience in wine country. And let me tell you, Niagara-on-the-Lake exceeded my expectations! This little getaway was all about REST & REFRESH, and NOTL was the perfect escape! NOTL has so much to offer: many restaurants, beautiful wineries, quaint downtown and shopping, and it’s truly a place to unplug. We loved our stay here, and I’d love for you to experience it too! So I’ve put together a little recap of our time here so you can plan your next get-a-way to Niagara-on-the-Lake!

I am all about the B&B! The right Bed and Breakfast is so quaint, makes you feel at home away from home, and serves a delicious breakfast with even better company. And if this is your style too, then NOTL is the perfect place to stay. I’ve never seen so many B&Bs- they are just about on every corner. And Green Oaks B&B was so beautiful, and the perfect place to stay!

Trish was more than welcoming when we arrived, giving us recommendations on all the restaurants, wineries, and shops to go to before showing us to our room. (She even had a complimentary wine tasting card for us!) Our room was so beautiful, clean, and newly remodeled. I enjoyed the big window, and the chandelier wall lights behind the bed were the perfect touch! Each morning we came down stairs for a cup of coffee and relaxed on the porch before Trish served a 3 course, over the top, delicious healthy breakfast!

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Once we got settled in Friday evening, we headed to dinner at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. It’s located right behind Green Oaks B&B so we walked through the vineyard to dinner! Ravine was one of my favorite wineries in NOTL because of it’s patio, live music, and romantic ambiance. Our meals were delicious, but you might have to be a little adventurous! We had the Agnolotti and the Partridge, and I would definitely get the Partridge again! It was very delicious. And you also have to get the Lemon Fool for dessert!

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We also got to experience many more wineries in NOTL by renting bikes with Zoom Leisure Bike Rental! Zoom made it so easy, we literally showed up, told them we wanted to rent bikes to visit the wineries and were on our way in about 15 minutes! They suggested a route and we took off to explore! I loved this day because we got to experience so much of NOTL and do several tastings and stop wherever we wanted!

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On top of all of these cute little spots in NOTL, I got to check something off my bucket list! (It was a recently added item to the list, but still exciting nonetheless…) NIAGARA FALLS from the Canadian side! NOTL is only about 20 minutes from Niagara falls, so it’s super easy to check it out while you’re there. Make a day of it, or even just stop by to take in the gorgeous views. I saw Niagara Falls for the first time last fall after our trip to New England – we hit it up on our drive home. But we weren’t prepared with the time (or passports) to check it out from the Canadian side. So I knew I’d want to make it back to get the amazing view every one talks about from Canada… and they were so right!!!

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I was actually more impressed by Niagara Falls the first time I saw it than I expected to be (that’s hard to do!) and I think a lot of it had to do with the Maid of the Mist experience (IT’S A MUST!). But I was even more amazed by the view in Canada. We made a whole day out of it and saw everything there is to see. We even did the Hornblower cruise (Canada’s version of Maid of the Mist) and it was just as amazing as the first time we did it, but this time I enjoyed it even more because I knew what was coming! (Click Here for my list of “Do’s and Don’ts” at the falls!)

So overall, Niagara-on-the-Lake was a WIN! And I would totally go back. It’s a great place for a romantic getaway, a place to unplug, or a great girls trip! I hope you make a trip up to experience all this beautiful wine country has to offer. And I’ll leave you with a list of restaurants to check out for when you do!

Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
Great patio, live music, romantic & classy feel, great food!
Shaw Cafe & Wine Bar
The cutest view downtown- the vibrant colored flowers and upstairs seating area create a great space to grab a drink!
Kitchen76
Located at Two Sisters Vineyards- this vineyard was the most picturesque in my opinion, so next trip I would love to eat at their restaurant!
Treadwell
The most romantic patio, upscale dining (Sadly we didn’t get to eat here, definitely make a reservation if you plan to go!)
The Old Winery
Next trip to NOTL I plan to check them out! All the locals rave about the food.

Cheers!

XOXO
DIY Jojo ♡