Niagra on the lake
Jun 25th, 2008, 05:41 PM
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Niagra on the lake
We will be going to Niagra Falls in July. We are told to visit Niagra on the Lake. Where do we stay and what do we do? WE heard of some wine tours. PLease give some suggestions, this is our first time in Canada.
Jun 25th, 2008, 05:45 PM
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http://www.niagaraonthelake.com/
I would definitely recommend staying in Niagara-on-the-Lake instead of the town of Niagara Falls. NOTL is a bit twee, but it has some nice inns. The Shaw Festival (a theatre festival) also takes place in NOTL. You should investigate tickets - check out the website above for links.
By the way, Niagara is spelled with 3 "a"s, not two.
I would definitely recommend staying in Niagara-on-the-Lake instead of the town of Niagara Falls. NOTL is a bit twee, but it has some nice inns. The Shaw Festival (a theatre festival) also takes place in NOTL. You should investigate tickets - check out the website above for links.
By the way, Niagara is spelled with 3 "a"s, not two.
Jun 26th, 2008, 03:41 AM
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Well not all of NOTL is really that "twee" (such an odd term that one) if you are willing to do a little exploring...but it is very attractive and can also be expensive.
You'll probably find it to be much more "charming" than Niagara Falls (the towns, not the cataract).
The drive up on the parkway can be very nice and we have stayed in a number of different places in town when we have attended the Shaw Festival.
I would read ALL the reviews on accommodations on Trip Advisor before making a final decision if I were you.
You'll probably find it to be much more "charming" than Niagara Falls (the towns, not the cataract).
The drive up on the parkway can be very nice and we have stayed in a number of different places in town when we have attended the Shaw Festival.
I would read ALL the reviews on accommodations on Trip Advisor before making a final decision if I were you.
Jun 26th, 2008, 04:48 AM
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The best wine tour is accomplished by downloading a driving map from www.winesofontario.org and following the wine trail... there are over 70 wineries and you can pick and choose your stops along the way.... for the easiest and fewest stops, start at the village, however some of the prettiest vineyards are away from town...
Near town, see Peller, Inniskillen, Reif.... away from town, see Penninsula Ridge, Vineland Estates, Angels Gate, and Featherstone...
For accomodations, you must pick a price range first...
Near town, see Peller, Inniskillen, Reif.... away from town, see Penninsula Ridge, Vineland Estates, Angels Gate, and Featherstone...
For accomodations, you must pick a price range first...
Jun 26th, 2008, 04:56 AM
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I am of another opinion then the above. I like getting the wine route from the conceiage at our Niagara Falls hotel and then making the lovely drive to Niagara on the Lake via the wine route, having lunch in Niagara on the Lake, shopping the cute, quaint town and then driving back to Niagara Falls. It is about a 30min drive with no stops.
I suggest a fallsview room in Niagara Falls, we like the Embassy Suites, http://www.embassysuitesniagara.com/
There is so much to see and do in the Falls, and the beauty and power of the Falls just blows me away, Maid of the Mist, Wind of the Caves, walking Goat Island, etc. Do a search here and there are tons of things to do in Niagara Falls. The only thing to do in NOTL is the wine tours, Shaw Festival and the Jet Boats that take off from NOTL. Although a very pretty town, I find it pretty boring after a day.
I suggest a fallsview room in Niagara Falls, we like the Embassy Suites, http://www.embassysuitesniagara.com/
There is so much to see and do in the Falls, and the beauty and power of the Falls just blows me away, Maid of the Mist, Wind of the Caves, walking Goat Island, etc. Do a search here and there are tons of things to do in Niagara Falls. The only thing to do in NOTL is the wine tours, Shaw Festival and the Jet Boats that take off from NOTL. Although a very pretty town, I find it pretty boring after a day.
Jun 27th, 2008, 07:04 AM
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The only concern you should have about wine tours from the Conceirge at the hotel is that it may limit you to the packaged tour or wineries that "favor" the hotel... The last time we stopped at the desk in the lobby at the Embassy Suites, we "tested" the Conceirge on his winery knowledge... he told us he was limited to the package tours available through the hotel and knew little else... the website lists all wineries in the region and maps them for you...
Both are OK, but if you have a car and a pioneer spirit, its fun to explore other choices...
Both are OK, but if you have a car and a pioneer spirit, its fun to explore other choices...
Jun 27th, 2008, 10:52 AM
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Hi Gary
At the Embassy we asked for and were given a map that directed us to the wineries as we said we wanted to do our own tour. It did not list them all as I understand there are over 100 but it had a lot.
At the Embassy we asked for and were given a map that directed us to the wineries as we said we wanted to do our own tour. It did not list them all as I understand there are over 100 but it had a lot.
Jun 27th, 2008, 06:03 PM
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If this is your first visit to the area then I too would probably recommend staying in a fallsview room and spending a day touring around Niagara on the Lake visiting wineries, or attending a matinee at the Shaw Festival.
There is more choice in fine dining and in charming accommodations in Niagara on the Lake than in the Falls, so the advice to look on tripadvisor is a good one. Sort out your likes/needs in those departments and it just may determine where you want to stay........
There is more choice in fine dining and in charming accommodations in Niagara on the Lake than in the Falls, so the advice to look on tripadvisor is a good one. Sort out your likes/needs in those departments and it just may determine where you want to stay........
Jun 28th, 2008, 03:42 AM
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I know I have said it before, but it bears repeating... take the Tripadvisor reviews with a grain of salt. I would take the recommendation of someone on this board well before I trusted the Tripadvisor reviews.
Of all of the cities I check in on regularly on Tripadvisor, none have the number of suspicious reviews that appear for Niagara on the Lake.
There is no question in my mind that many of the reviews are being written by the hotel/B&B staff themselves or they are giving incentives (discounts?) to guests that write favorable reviews. (Which, in my book, is almost as unethical as writing the reviews themselves.)
There are so many great places to stay in the area, I hate to see people dissappointed in their accommodation because they were mislead by some devious owners.
Of all of the cities I check in on regularly on Tripadvisor, none have the number of suspicious reviews that appear for Niagara on the Lake.
There is no question in my mind that many of the reviews are being written by the hotel/B&B staff themselves or they are giving incentives (discounts?) to guests that write favorable reviews. (Which, in my book, is almost as unethical as writing the reviews themselves.)
There are so many great places to stay in the area, I hate to see people dissappointed in their accommodation because they were mislead by some devious owners.
Jun 28th, 2008, 07:45 AM
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goldilox~the secret to using tripadvisor or venere (or reading any reviews for that matter) is to read with a critical eye as you suggested. Throw out the raves from honeymooners, and the rants from people who hated the weather that weekend and you might find more than a few kernels of truth.
I know what you mean about "incentives" but I would say the thing I find most irksome with the review system is that a gem with only a few reviews will be much farther down the list (and buried) than a fair to middling place with tons of reviews. And many B&B's aren't on TA at all.......
So it does take some time and research to find your perfect place to stay.......
We like The Riverbend Inn on the Niagara Parkway by the way.....and I'm not an owner.
http://www.riverbendinn.ca/
I know what you mean about "incentives" but I would say the thing I find most irksome with the review system is that a gem with only a few reviews will be much farther down the list (and buried) than a fair to middling place with tons of reviews. And many B&B's aren't on TA at all.......
So it does take some time and research to find your perfect place to stay.......
We like The Riverbend Inn on the Niagara Parkway by the way.....and I'm not an owner.
http://www.riverbendinn.ca/
Jul 7th, 2008, 07:04 PM
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I stayed at the Embassy Suites in the Falls a couple years ago...I liked it very much!
Niagara on the Lake is quaint, but I agree with a post above that after a day it's kinda boring. By staying near the falls you could always go back to NOTL for a second day as it's 15 minutes away (and rooms are typically cheaper in the Falls than NOTL).
Niagara on the Lake is quaint, but I agree with a post above that after a day it's kinda boring. By staying near the falls you could always go back to NOTL for a second day as it's 15 minutes away (and rooms are typically cheaper in the Falls than NOTL).
