“Be sure to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake.”

This was the most frequent recommendation we received before our trip to Niagara Falls.

Sweet Mother of Pearl.  How true it was.  Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada is a quaint charming town full of beautiful gardens, fantastic shopping establishments, unique restaurants, theaters, and lovely places to stay.  The weather was perfect, and we had a wonderful day.

First impression – A beautiful park in the downtown area.  The flowers are gorgeous.  I have never seen hydrangeas as large as the hydrangeas we saw on this trip.

Be still my heart.  All of the flowers were so beautiful.  There were beds that lined the streets.

Hanging baskets were everywhere.

Flower boxes hung off fences and rooftops.

In the center of the town is a cenotaph clock tower which honors veterans.  When I heard it chiming the time, I thought, “How perfect.”

The Shaw Festival is a major cultural event in Ontario, Canada, and it takes place in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In 1962, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, lawyer and playwright Brian Doherty parlayed his love for the work of Irish playwright Bernard Shaw into a summer theatre festival, producing eight performances of Don Juan in Hell and Candida in the Court House auditorium. In this singular act of passion for theatre and culture, the Shaw Festival was born. (From their website)

The festival is now in its 53rd season, and it runs from April through October with ten different productions.

When we asked the concierge at our hotel where to eat in Niagara Falls, he suggested we make the thirty minute trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake to dine.  When pressed for suggestions, he said, “We have had that discussion around here and have decided that there is not a bad restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake.”  (The dining in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada tends to be filled with American chain restaurants – That was not what we wanted.)  So, hi-ho – hi-ho to Niagara-on-the-Lake we did go.

On our first visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, we had lunch at The Shaw (restaurant on the right).  That is a statue of the famous Irish playwright Bernard Shaw in front of the restaurant.

We enjoyed dining in Niagara-on-the-Lake that so much that we returned on another day.   On our return, we had dinner on the patio at the Prince of Wales.  Patio dining at these restaurants was most enjoyable.  The restaurants are also known for using the bountiful fresh produce available in this area.   Both restaurants served delicious food.

Shopping in Niagara-on-the-Lake is a girls-day-out dream.  There are no cheap souvenir shops, but rather there are cute boutiques and up-scale gift shops.

Many wineries are located in this area, and there is not a shortage of wine shops.

Carriage rides were even offered.  It truly is a quaint romantic town with so much to see and do.

Blessings to you and yours,

I have to admit that Ever-Lovin’ does not enjoy shopping, but he seemed content to sit on the sidewalk benches and enjoy the views.  He even met a Canadian who was a Cowboy fan.  Go figure!