Being surrounded by water means Niagara on the Lake has a moderate climate, without the big winter freeze you get in much of Canada. Rainfall is evenly spread through the year and snow isn’t that common. Spring and autumn (fall) are good times to visit, with average highs of 12–20°C (54–68ºF). There are colourful blooms in spring.

There are two small airports with regional flights close to Niagara on the Lake – Niagara Falls and St Catharines/ Niagara District. But the nearest international airport is Toronto Pearson, 77 miles/124km (1 hour 20 minutes’ drive) from Niagara on the Lake.
You can also reach Niagara on the Lake by public transport. The easiest option is the Niagara Airbus which runs from Toronto Pearson airport to Niagara on the Lake in around 2.5 hours. But you can also catch a train from Toronto’s Union Station to St Catharines (1 hour 35 minutes), then take a taxi to Niagara on the Lake (around $45 CAD).

Niagara on the Lake was the first capital of Upper Canada and its heritage district is one of the best preserved 19th-century towns in North America. Its gorgeous red-brick buildings, perfectly manicured lawns, tree-lined streets and window boxes overflowing with flowers are so perfectly pretty it could almost be a film set.

It’s a favourite for Torontonians on a weekend break, and sitting on a patio drinking a glass of local wine while watching a horse-drawn carriage trot by, I could definitely see why. It sounds like it could be a bit twee, but somehow it skates just the right side of the line. It’s a place where time slows down – where you can relax, unwind and explore.

It might be hard to drag yourself away from Niagara on the Lake, but you can’t visit Niagara without seeing the Falls. They’re just 15 miles south of the town. Niagara Falls are a group of three waterfalls which span the border between Ontario in Canada and New York state in the USA.

Canada’s Horseshoe Falls are the biggest, stretching 790 metres wide by 57 metres high, with an immense six million cubic feet of water flowing over every minute. The path runs right along the edge of the Falls from Table Rock so you can hear the roar and feel the spray on your face – the feeling of getting up close to such a force of nature is incredible.