We have, since we set up almost two years ago, always recommended Canadian Affair for flights, where you can get return tickets to Canada for as little as £318 including taxes.

Canadian Affair charter Thomas Cook flights, as well as Air Transat so you you have the piece of mind when you book that you can choose flights by which ever company you’re most familiar with (though Air Transat is my personal favourite). There’s two reasons for us always recommending Canadian Affair. The first being we ALWAYS book our flights to Canada with them – and have now been on 18 flights over the last 7 years, so we have huge experience with them. The second being – they are simply, the cheapest place to book flights to Canada from the UK. I know.. i search every few weeks, always looking to book my next trip!

Thomas Cook 757 at Toronto

Even if you may have heard of Canadian Affair before, there are deals that many people miss, so I’d always recommend checking out their Special Offers page before you start entering dates – so you can ensure you get the best deal before you book your tickets.

With most people, and understandably, the biggest factor is getting the cheap flights to Canada, but there’s more to Canadian Affair than simply being the cheapest flights to Canada! They strive to give you the best customer service possible, for example in the numerous times i have needed to contact them via email, they have always responded the same day – and on a couple of occasions within 30 minutes of me actually submitting my query!

They also provide you with choice. If your closest airport is Manchester and you want to get flights from Manchester to Toronto or flights from Manchester to Ottawa, you can! Likewise you also have the choice of getting your flights from Gatwick to Toronto and flying back from Toronto to Liverpool if you wanted.

Canadian Affair offer flights from the following UK airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Exeter. Their destinations include Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Edmonton, but they also do package holidays to various resorts around these locations (such as Niagara Falls) in addition to their flights.

Remember to have a look at our full review from last year on Canadian Affair, details in it are for a trip we took in 2009 but service has only got better since then: Travelling to Canada with Canadian Affair in 2010

If you want to keep up to date on the latest offers we find, and our latest articles, be one of the first to find out by following us on Twitter!

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But a Holiday isn’t all about the flight right? And different people like different types of holidays. Some relaxing – taking the kids out to some of Canada’s best attractions, Some adventuring through types of wilderness that can only be found here, Some just looking to soak up the culture – or even go shopping. But whatever you want to do while on your Canada trip, we try to find places which you will love, and tag them to the locations you’re looking to Visit!

For example, if you’re heading out to have a drive round Ontario – check out our Ontario category. Or, if you’re planning on spending your time in a particular city or destination such as Toronto, then have a look at the places we’ve reviewed and featured in our Toronto Category. We are also building up a portfolio of Provincial Parks – The one we are focusing on at the moment is Algonquin Provincial Park which is easily accessible after landing in Toronto or Ottawa and you’re guaranteed to be able to spend your entire holiday camping, or staying in a hotel just outside the park – enjoying the unspoilt wilderness – and discovering everything the parks have to offer..

So, Reviews.. Where to start! We have 200 articles on Canada Trip.co.uk, all offering advice about where to go, what to see, how to save money and where to stay.. so when asked to pick out specific reviews, its a difficult choice to make! Below are some of the articles of places you absolutely must visit if you’re in the cities they’re located in..

Toronto

Toronto Zoo
Toronto zoo is one of the must see locations on your trip if you’re in the Toronto region – though remember to give yourself a whole day to look around this amazing place – When i visited in May, it was a beautiful sunny day, we got there in the morning and still didn’t quite get to see everything in the zoo… (more..)

Canada’s Wonderland, Toronto
While you’re in Toronto – why not take a day to visit Canada’s Premiere Themed Amusement Park! Whether you have kids young or old, or even if you don’t have any – Canada’s Wonderland is guaranteed to be a day you wont forget! (more..)

The CN Tower, Toronto
If you’re flying into Toronto Pearson International Airport, you may be lucky enough to be greeted to Canada with a beautiful cityscape of Toronto, set on the background of Lake Ontario – The city skyline of Toronto, no matter where you go in the world will always have a needle looking building to its centre – this is the truely world famous CN Tower Toronto. (more..)

more Toronto articles…

Ottawa

Parliament Buildings, Ottawa
Parliament Hill (colloquially The Hill, in French: Colline du Parlement) is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings — the parliament buildings — serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural elements of national symbolic importance. Parliament Hill attracts approximately 3 million visitors each year… (more..)

Canada’s Wonderland, Toronto
The museum’s collection contains a wide variety of civilian and military aircraft, representing the history of Canadian aviation from the pioneer era before the First World War up to the present day. Particularly noteworthy is the collection of vintage bushplanes from the 1920s to the 1940s. The military aircraft represent aircraft flown by Canadians in the First World War, Second World War, and the Cold War. The museum’s best known exhibit is the surviving components of the Avro Arrow interceptor from the late 1950s. (more..)

more Ottawa articles…

Vancouver

Toronto Zoo
Back now to Vancouver – and one of the city’s key attractions – The Capilano Suspension Bridge. Not a place to go if you have a fear of heights, but if you’re clear of that – you’ll find the trip out to this attraction to be something special, and something you’ll remember for a long long time. The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a simple suspension bridge crossing the Capilano River in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada… (more..)

Vancouver Aquarium
Vancouver Aquarium is Canada’s largest Aquarium, and also a non-profit organisation! They dedicate their efforts to effect the conservation of aquatic life through display, interpretation, education, research, and direct action. You will experience all this and more when you go visit them! (more..)

Fort Langley National Historic Site
My personal thoughts are that if you truly want to get to know somewhere, then you should always go a little bit further to learn about how it came to be this way in the first place, hence my love for history! So, I’m shining the spot light on Fort Langly National Historic Site of Canada in Vancouver, BC… (more..)

more Vancouver articles…

Halifax

Halifax, NS
Another one of the cornerstones of places to visit in Canada would certainly be Halifax. Halifax was the site of the first British town in Canada, founded in 1749. Since then, the area has evolved to be home for a diverse mix of people. Charming fishing villages, farming communities and Atlantic Canada’s largest city are just some of the things which Halifax has to offer. (more..)

Halifax Citadel
Located within the centre of Halifax, this fort is easy to get to from wherever you may be staying in the city. Though a little word of warning – each day at noon a cannon is fired as a symbol of Halifax’s military history.. This often comes as a great shock, being so loud, to unsuspecting tourists – so now you wont be one of them! (more..)

York Redoubt, Halifax
York Redoubt as a place to visit is both an interesting historic site, as well as a fantastic spot to take pictures of the surrounding landscape, and not only that it’s only a very short drive from the city its self… (more..)

more Halifax articles…

Quebec / Montreal

The Citadelle, Quebec City
And I’m once again going to delve into the history of Canada. Anyone who happens to be a member of English Heritage or National Trust in the UK may be interested in Castles, and simply for its imposing position, significance and importance – The Citadelle in Quebec City I would probably most likely compare to Dover Castle, as far as visitor experience is concerned. (more..)

Montreal Biodome, Montreal
If you or your kids ever wanted to be able to visit a number of different places around the world within a few hours, the Montreal Biodome is the place you’ll want to take your family!… (more..)

Canadian Railway Museum
f you have kids, love history and or trains – this is one place that if you’re in Montreal in Quebec, you will not want to miss out of your trip! (more..)

more Quebec / Montreal articles…

Calgary / Edmonton

Calgary, Alberta
Nestled in the foothills of Canada’s Rocky Mountains, Calgary, Heart of the New West is a place where visitors come to explore the heritage of the Canadian West. This safe, clean and vibrant city offers the best of all worlds: a cosmopolitan city of over 1 million people and breathtaking outdoor adventure in pristine wilderness. Not only does it offer amazing wilderness, it has an immense number of activities for you and your family to head off to! (more..)

Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta and is well known for its scenic river valley and a thriving music and art community. Located 294 km (183 mi) north of Calgary, Edmonton is home to North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex, West Edmonton Mall. More than just a shopping centre, West Edmonton Mall also has a giant water park, a man-made lake, a skating rink, two mini-golf courses, 21 movie theatres, a Vegas-style casino and an amusement park with 25 rides and attractions. (more..)

The Calgary Tower
Officially opened June 30th 1968, the ‘Tower’ has become the City of Calgary’s most famous and identifiable physical landmark. One of the first Towers of its kind, the Calgary Tower offers the best view in Calgary and is a must-see on any tourist’s itinerary… (more..)

more Calgary / Edmonton articles…

Remember, you can check any of the categories on the left to specify if you’re looking for anywhere that isn’t listed here. For the latest articles, feel free to head back to the home page and have a look around!

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If you’ve been following me by Twitter you will probably have spotted a retweet about this offer yesterday! The offer is $129 for a one night short break in Niagara Falls. It treats you to a Deluxe Cityview Two-Bedroom Jacuzzi Suite with a fireplace and includes a $40 dining voucher for Romano’s Macaroni Grill for your dinner at the hotel, Full buffet breakfast for two, valued also at $40, and Two passes for a winery tour and tasting at Peller Estates, also valued at $40!

The offer is being run through TravelZoo.com and to have a look at full details of the offer click the following link: http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/hotels/ontario/1021136/

These rooms are available now through until June 15th, but you must book by the 10th May and these rooms are likely to sell out quickly, so the sooner you book the better! If you are flying to Toronto to stay there or near and around Niagara Falls – planning a trip there, this is not an offer you should miss! If your journey is particularly long and don’t fancy driving back at night – stopping at a hotel is very much recommended. Not only do you get to avoid a night time drive, you get to enjoy the atmosphere and the vibrancy of the colourful Falls when they’re lit up at dusk – and at all time you have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ve got an incredibly comfy and cosy suite to head back to for a good night’s sleep.

Treating yourself has just got a lot more affordable!

If you want more updates about the Hilton Niagara Falls Hotel, you can follow them on twitter here: @Hilton_Niagara

And remember you can always follow me on Twitter here:@canadatrip

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The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is a butterfly zoo operated by the Niagara Parks Commission in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It is located about 10 minutes by car, north of Niagara Falls on the grounds of the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & School of Horticulture.

The conservatory was opened in December 1996 with a gift shop, 200-seat theater/auditorium room, and a climate-controlled greenhouse. The conservatory has over 2,000 tropical butterflies from over 60 different species. The conservatory glass dome is 1,022 square meters (11,000 sq ft) in size with 180 meters (590 ft) of paths inside the greenhouse portion, which has a wide variety of foliage. The conservatory can accommodate up to 300 visitors per hour. Since captive butterflies usually have a life span of 2–4 weeks, the conservatory imports up to 3,000 butterflies per month from world butterfly farms in Costa Rica, El Salvador, the Philippines, and Australia. Special netting along the inside of the glass dome keeps the butterflies from getting stuck to it and from dying from hypothermia. Butterfly food plants at the conservatory such as Lantana, Cuphea, Zinnia, Ixora, Liatris, and Pentas are replaced every 2–3 weeks because caterpillars have large appetites.

Visitors who want the butterflies to land on them should wear bright clothes, move slowly, and wear perfume or cologne. Eurasian quails, turtles, goldfish, toads, and beetles help keep the insect population in balance. The Emergence area allows visitors to view the butterfly life cycle and produces over 45,000 butterflies annually.

The species of butterfly at the conservatory include the Banded Orange, Blue Morpho, Common Mormon, Cydno Longwing, Doris Longwing, Gulf Fritillary, Julia, Low’s Swallowtail, Monarch, Mosaic, Owl, Red Lacewing, Sara Longwing, and Small Postman.

If you love taking photos, this is somewhere you wont want to miss. The conservatory encourages people to take photos, and though they say you can’t take tripods (only monopods) – that shouldn’t stop anyone from getting some spectacular shots of some of the most brightly coloured of the butterflies who live there.

Admission to the conservatory is $12.25 Adults (13+ years), $7.95 Children (6 to 12 years). Children 5 and under are free.
For up to date information about admission prices and opening hours throughout the year remember to check out their website!

So, if you have a little time in a morning or afternoon, why not head down to the butterfly conservatory at Niagara!

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If you haven’t been to Canada yet, you’ll almost certainly walk into restaurants and find something on the menu called Poutine. Now, don’t be scared of its particularly unique name! Poutine is actually something that most people in the UK can relate to.. We have all (well.. most of us) gone to the chip shop and got either Chips with Gravy, OR Chips with Cheese .. Well .. although technically it wouldn’t be technically correct – if you had cheese and gravy on the same tray of chips, that is almost poutine! Now, i say almost because for it to be truly poutine, the cheese needs to be cheese curds, not just your normal cheese.

As you can see from the picture, poutine is definitely not the most elegant looking of foods, but lets face it, it beats the looks of mushy peas now doesn’t it! Besides, Canadians have always been known for their no-nonsence approach, and food in my opinion should always be about flavour, and not looks.

The dish originated in rural Quebec, Canada, in the late 1950s. Several Québécois communities claim to be the birthplace of poutine, including Drummondville (by Jean-Paul Roy in 1964), Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Victoriaville. One often-cited tale is that of Fernand Lachance, from Warwick, Quebec, which claims that poutine was invented in 1957. Lachance is said to have exclaimed ça va faire une maudite poutine (“it will make a damn mess”), hence the name. The sauce was allegedly added later, to keep the fries warm longer.

So, since in the UK fresh cheese curds are difficult to find, how do you make poutine in the UK? If you were fancying making and trying your own poutine, it’s actually not too difficult. my suggestion if curds are hard to find, use a cheese like Mozzarella (torn into small ‘curds’) or Cheshire or Lancashire cut into small cubes, then pour your sauce over them.

You can either make your own real meat gravy from your Sunday roast, or use tinned gravy granules (OXO or that nice Bovril granule mix), a touch of tomato sauce and a dash of pepper (black), or if you like a touch of oregano and garlic that is fine, depending on were you go in Quebec the poutine sauce can change.

The most important thing you should know, is the chips are supposed to be soft in the middle and crispy on the outside, and to make sure they keep their texture for as long as possible, take the chips to the table and put the gravy on immediately before eating!

So when you’re in Canada next, you’ll see it on the menus. And sometimes, someof the best places to get it are at the chip trucks you’ll see in store carparks or by the road – so why not call off and try out the genuine stuff? Comments would be welcome for places to get the best Poutine!

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Winter Festival of Lights runs until 31st January so if you’re heading out next week you should be able to catch it still! Visit the 28th annual Winter Festival of Lights, Canada’s largest lights festival with nearly 2 million lights and over 100 animated lighting displays, including the world-famous Enchantment of Disney displays. You’ll also enjoy spectacular fireworks; Concerts at the Arena and children’s entertainment; Candy Cane Lane 5K Race & Fun Run; Winter Festival Candle Light Stroll as well as a variety of dinner theatre shows. Don’t miss all there is to see and do in Niagara Falls during the Winter Festival of Lights! .. Oh yes – and admission is free!

Jan 1st – 31st: Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival Snow draped vineyards and warm hospitality collide during the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival. Icewine comes to life as each of the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake offer distinct events sure to leave a sweet taste in your mouth. In addition, the Heritage District will be the site of a variety of Icewine-inspired events, the flagship event being the Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village. Held on January 22 and 23 from11 am to 5 pm, the event pairs Icewines from the 25 Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake with Jazz music and Icewine-infused delicacies from Niagara-on-the-Lake dining partners. Admission is free.

On the evening of January 22, Wine Country’s hottest Icewine “Mixologists” will compete in the Icewine Cocktail Competition, where guests can sample the innovative Icewine cocktails created. Admission is free.

Icewine Legends, a tasting series lead by Niagara-on-the-Lake’s founding and upcoming Icewinemakers, allows guests to taste the legacy of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s most precious wine. It takes place the weekends of January 15/16, 22/23, 29/30 and the admission price is $35 per person.
For more Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival events, including Icewine & A Movie, a celebration of Icewine and 50 Years of Shaw Festival and Goodies for Grownups, an Icewine and dessert reception hosted by celebrity Chef Anna Olson, visit www.wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com.

Feb 5th – 27th: Days of Wine and Chocolate Warm up your winter with this match made in heaven. Explore pairings of two of your favourite indulgences – wine and chocolate, as you tour the 25 Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake in February. Each stop will feature a decadent chocolate selection, from classic flavours to unexpected surprises, matched to a premium VQA wine. A romantic celebration for two or a great girls’ getaway weekend!
The cost is $30 per person plus applicable taxes. Times are 11:00AM – 5:00PM Passes can be used any of the four weekends – February 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20 or 26 and 27.
Tickets are available at the 25 Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake or online at http://www.niagaraonthelake.com.

July 1st: Niagara Falls Canada Day Celebration The Niagara Falls Canada Day Parade kicks off the celebration at 10:00am on Morrison Street at Drummond Road and travels west on Morrison, leading to all the fun at Optimist Youth Park. Watch for the Pre-Parade at 9:45 am with Dreams Take Flight Mascots and Project S.H.A.R.E.
Following the Parade at Optimist Youth Park: At 11:30am, Opening Ceremonies begin on the Main Stage. Come and sing the Canadian National Anthem and enjoy presentations to the Good Canadian Citizen Award recipients and other award recipients. Throughout the afternoon, enjoy non-stop entertainment at any of the three outdoor stages and one indoor stage! There will be something for everyone including free birthday cake, a Car Show, displays, the Niagara Falls Lions Carnival and so much more!
Don’t forget to bring your refillable water container as the celebration is going green, attempting to cut down on plastic bottles used on the day!
And if you need to cool off on Canada Day? There’s free public swimming at City Pools from 1:00pm – 5:00pm!

Nov 19th The 2011 Niagara Falls Santa Claus Parade The Pre-parade will begin at 10:45am featuring entries such as the Dreams Take Flight Mascots and Project S.H.A.R.E. who will be collecting food donations, as well as Canada Post who will be collecting all of the letters to Santa! Don’t forget to include your return address so Santa can answer your letters!
Following the Pre-Parade will be the Official Parade which will begin at 11:00am. The parade begins at Victoria Avenue and Armoury Street and travels north on Victoria Avenue to Valley Way, turning east (right) on Valley Way and then east (right) on to Queen Street, ending at City Hall.
Come and ring in the holiday season! This year’s Parade will feature many exciting bands, beautiful new floats, a few surprises and more! Santa Claus will be the Grand Finale!

Remember the events I’ve chosen to highlight are just a couple that are on throughout the coming year – If you want to see a full list of events taking place in Niagara this year so that you can check what’s on while you’re there, the website to check out (and source of the information in this article) is: http://www.tourismniagara.com/festivals.html

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The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is a major Canadian aviation museum. It is located at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport on the outskirts of Hamilton, Ontario. The museum is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to acquire, document, preserve and maintain a complete collection of aircraft that were flown by Canadians and the Canadian military services from the beginning of the Second World War to the present.

The Museum’s collection includes aircraft that really fly and several that remain on static display and are interactive workshops. A large collection of military aircraft that have played a major role in the Canadian military are displayed, including one of two airworthy Avro Lancasters and a Supermarine Spitfire. The museum is also in the process of restoring lesser known but historically significant aircraft, including a Westland Lysander and a Bristol Bolingbroke (a version of the Bristol Blenheim).

The Avro Lancaster flown out of the museum, one of only two airworthy Lancasters in the world, is known as the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster in honour of Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski, and is painted in the markings of his aircraft. The other is the City of Lincoln, which I’m sure is very familiar to most people in the UK as it is the only Lancaster you will have likely ever seen in the air at national celebrations, along with local ones. An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum by the province to commemorate Eileen Vollick’s role in Ontario’s heritage. Eileen Vollick was Canada’s first licensed female pilot

Of coarse in addition to the Lancaster it has many other aircraft, some of the most recognisable being the Hawker Hurricane, and the Supermarine Spitfire. There is also a Fairy Firefly and a Douglas DC-3 Dakota! A full list of their aircraft is available at their website from the link below.

Lucky for everyone, the museum is open 9-5pm every day except Christmas day, so no matter what time of year you’re always going to be able to make plans to head over to the museum!

Admission is: $11.00 for Adults, $10.00 for Seniors, $10.00 for Students (13 – 17), $7.00 for a Child (6 – 12) and children 5 and under are free!

The museum is not just about simply seeing planes on the ground neither. If you’re heading to the museum, try to go between may and November, this is their primary airshow period of the year. If you want more information about exactly what is flying and when, there is an option in the main menu of their website on their home page to their timetable.

For more information about aircraft stories, stories of pilots, their plane listings and much more have a look at the museum’s own website! www.warplane.com

As i’ve said before, if you’re interested in aircraft, this is a must see on your trip to Canada in the southern Ontario region!

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It’s a stark contrast from the busy casinos, amusements, restaurants and rides of Niagara’s town centre, but Niagara Falls Falls Queen Victoria Park does its job well, providing visitors with a calm relaxed open space full of life, both flora and fauna – and colour.

Queen Victoria Park is literally the “heart” of Niagara Parks. Bounded by the steep Fallsview moraine and the Niagara River Great Gorge, the Park contains a valuable collection of unique native and international plants and beautifully maintained gardens.

Walking through the Park beside the Falls, from Clifton Hill to beyond Dufferin Islands, you can enjoy a rock garden, hanging baskets, a Hybrid tea rose garden and attractive carpet-bedding displays. Park benches and well-groomed lawns provide pleasant venues for relaxation and photography.

Queen Victoria Park celebrates every season in style. In Spring, over 500,000 daffodils start the season in their bright and welcoming way. Magnificent magnolia trees, breathtaking tulips and other blooms are all there for you to enjoy.

Summer features carpet bedding displays as well as thousands of bedding plants. Fuchsia and lantana standards, cannas, coleus and many other plants provide horticultural and aesthetic points of interest. Chrysanthemums and kale are used in the Fall to provide interest after the arrival of “Jack Frost”.

During the Winter months, the stark branches of trees and shrubs create visual and special interest for our visitors, especially when beautifully covered with the freezing mist of the Falls.

We went at the beginning of May, and what caught my eye first was the brilliant red tulips that were around the paths in abundance while walking up the path from the falls towards the town centre, and around the park there were a number of other coloured tulips – pink, yellow, white, and purple!

The route we took this particular day was to first park up in the car park we usually do, up at the far end just past the falls on the right. There’s been a new welcome centre opened since we last walked along the main front of Niagara Falls, so we walked down the side of the car park, over the bridge – through the centre and out by the side of the falls. From here we walked down the path and came upon the sight in the picture above. That was when suddenly i realised exactly how beautiful the park was. Its a difficult competition, to compete for your eye at the Falls, on one side you have the huge majesty of the natural horse shoe and America falls, and on the other the beautiful Queen Victoria Park. Usually of coarse The falls wins out.. but the park shouldn’t be underestimated!

We walked down the path to the main town and walked up the main street where there is Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s, the amusements and things – and grabbed a bite to eat. It’s on the way back which we decided to spend some time enjoying the park and exploring it more than we usually do, which is to simply use it as a quiet route back to the car park.

Seeing the skylon looming from the top of the hill, through the trees of the park is certainly a unique sight greeting you as you begin to walk through the park and as you continue you find yourself walking by a fountain, again surrounded by flowers. This is the Zimmerman Fountain Pond. This beautiful fountain takes its name from Samuel Zimmerman who came to Canada from Pennsylvania in 1842. He amassed a fortune through a series of lucrative contracts involving the building of the second Welland Canal and various railway lines, allowing him to begin construction of a large estate in what is now Queen Victoria Park. The estate was unfinished when he was killed in a railway accident in march 1857. This fountain pond which dates back to 1856 is the last remaining remnant of his estate.

Further into the park you’ll find rose gardens and even a small island surrounded by a pond. You’d think it would look slightly out of place in such an area but it manages to blend in well to the surroundings, and is all but missed as you walk down the road on the other side!

Along with the beauty of nature’s plants you’ll also find some of the wildlife – such as the black squirrels and the Canada Geese that are around the park

There are so many different colours and sights to see in Victoria Park, the best thing for me to suggest is for you to have a look for yourself while you are there! It’s not a massive park, and you’re never far from the main road, but its definitely not worth missing if you’re heading to Niagara Falls and love a little greenery in your visits!

Since i took so many photos, and haven’t the space to really display them all on this article, I’ve put some of the above photos as well as my other favourites below for you to have a look at!

The park is particularly easy to find as if you’re by the falls, then the park is right on the other side of the street:

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Blossoming flowers colour the neat and orderly downtown. Beautiful stone heritage buildings have been restored to their original splendor. Old-fashioned street lights illuminate the horse-drawn carriages that parade up and down Queen Street.

Though its famous name has left it linked with one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America, the mood and pace of the charming town has little in common with the city of Niagara Falls.

And Niagara-on-the-Lake’s beauty is more substance than superficiality. The Niagara Peninsula is recognized internationally as an outstanding wine-producing locale, with a unique mesoclimate similar to that of the great wine producing regions of the world. This rich agricultural area is more southerly than Bordeaux, and the two Great Lakes, Ontario and Erie, moderate temperatures, ensuring the cool springs and long autumns that are ideal for growing grapes.

Just over an hour’s drive from Toronto and a half-hour from Buffalo, N.Y., the peninsula is home to more than 40 wineries. No longer are they simply purveyors of excellent wines, the wineries have done an outstanding job of tapping into tourism, offering visitors the complete wine country experience. Open year-round, they welcome guests with tours, tastings, special events and the opportunity to experience regional cuisine in their on-site restaurants.

The picturesque paved Wine Trail meanders along the bank of the Niagara River, past beautiful stone homes, historic inns, orchards, vineyards and wineries. The trek follows the Niagara Parkway, which Winston Churchill, during a 1943 visit, called “the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world.”

The many historic plaques and markers remind us of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s special place in Canada’s history, as capital of Upper Canada in 1792, site of the first provincial parliament and of Upper Canada’s first newspaper.

Travel down to the waterfront to watch jet boats departing for a quick trip upriver to the famous falls, and then why not visit historic Fort George, where staff in period costume and uniform re-enact daily life in the garrison circa 1812, when the fort’s cannons faced Fort Niagara on the American side of the river.

The annual Shaw Festival, which opens in April and runs to November, features the works of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries.

There are three theatres, each with its own personality. The Royal George Theatre on Queen Street features Edwardian gilt mouldings, richly coloured red walls and golden lions. It was built as a vaudeville house to entertain troops during the First World War. The second-largest repertory theatre in North America, the Shaw stages 11 productions each season, to an international audience of some 350,000 people.

Poet William Kirby, who wrote back in 1896 that “Niagara is as near heaven as any town whatever.” If you spend even a day there, you’ll soon see things haven’t changed very much!

Niagara On The Lake, as i’ve mentioned is very close to Niagara Falls..
If you want to have a look at hotels in Niagara – there are two we would reccomend:

The Hilton in Niagara Falls

The Sheraton Fallsview Hotel and Conference Centre

Or you can Search for Hotels in Niagara at:

For more information on the chamber of commerce accommodation booking service, e-mail accomm@niagaraonthelake.com. General tourist information is available at www.niagaraonthelake.com, while details on the Shaw Festival Theatre can be found at www.shawfest.com.

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In the Soil: Niagara’s Homegrown Arts Festival:
70 events – 11 venues – 10 days!
Thursday April 15 – Saturday April 24 2010

In The Soil, the Niagara Region’s first multidisciplinary arts festival, is back for its second year to celebrate the original homegrown talent of Niagara. This year 70 acts featuring over 200 artists were chosen by a jury of local veteran and professional artists, proving once again that Niagara’s creative soil is fertile.

Musicians, video, media, theatre, dance and performance artists will be showcased from April 15 to April 24 in a variety of venues throughout the downtown core of St. Catharines. Plus Niagara’s own Juno nominated Great Lakes Swimmers will headline a stellar showcase at Centre for the Arts, Brock University on April 23rd.

New for 2010, the festival will include a three-day theatre showcase from April 16-18 featuring three local, full-length productions by Mainstream, Present Company Inc(luded) and Stray Theatre. In the Soil will also feature a Variety Night on Thursday April 15 of burlesque, music, spoken word, comedy, performance art and sound making at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre.
Media artists Marinko Jareb, Ryan Rivando, Donna Szöke and David Vivian will be featured in street-level installations in downtown St. Catharines.

This year’s In the Soil venues: L3, The Merchant Ale House, The Mansion House, Mikado, Niagara Artists Centre, Stella’s, The Office Tap & Grill, Strega Café, Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre, St. Catharines Public Library (54 Church St) & Centre for the Arts, Brock University.

In the Soil – proving Niagara grows a bountiful crop of creativity!
April 15 – 24 2010.
Tickets $5 at the door / $10 for theatre showcase / $20 for Brock Showcase

For full schedule and more information on the festival, visit www.inthesoil.on.ca/schedule-2010.html

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Niagara is world famous for its giant falls, so it only makes sense to have a day spent in water, in a place where water is a big deal!
Located on the Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex, North America’s largest indoor Waterpark and Hotel complex, the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark is the only Fallsview waterpark in Niagara. The park Features a mammoth play area, the massive 1,000 gallon tipping bucket, enormous 6 storey high waterslides, the full-sized wave pool, year-round outdoor activity pool and sundeck, plunge bowl, two over sized adult only Jacuzzis and a children’s play area!

The park is guaranteed, no matter what time of the year to provide the perfect day out with its controlled climate that outdoor parks cannot hope to achieve. Even in the harsh grip of the Canadian Winter, where Niagara river is frozen over – the Waterpark is the perfect place to warm up and have fun!

While you’re there why not dine like the Hollywood Stars at the Planet Hollywood Beach Club. Offering their most popular fare from their menu, like burgers and chicken fingers. The Beach Club restaurant is located on the main floor of the waterpark and upstairs on the Fallsview balcony is The Planet Bar, a fully licensed bar serving refreshing drinks and cocktails.

If you’d rather your kids to stay dry for a while after eating there’s the Jungle Beach Playground – your kids will embark on a new journey as they travel through the jungle and reach the top of the playland to get a great view of the waterpark!

The Waterpark however isnt just a waterpark, its part of a complex. The Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex is North America’s largest indoor waterpark, hotel and entertainment complex. Located directly across from Niagara Falls, the 20 acre hotel resort offers fun and excitement for guests of all ages.
Situated on the Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex, the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark is able to provide guests with accommodations at 4 premier hotels. The hotels located on site with direct indoor connections include the luxurious 4-diamond Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, the grand classic Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls-Fallsview Hotel and the family style Skyline Inn Niagara Falls. The Hampton Inn by Hilton at the Falls is located directly behind the waterpark. Ultimately this gives you the option of taking a trip to Niagara for a couple of days, not just to go to the waterpark, but also to see the rest of Niagara at your own pace.
The park is currently offering a deal – a ‘short break’ Package for $139. Packages include hotel accommodations, 4 two-day waterpark passes and a Kids eat Free offer at the Fallsview Restaurant. For more information about the park, as well as more information about its many attractions – take a look at their website!

You can buy yourself a day pass priced at $44.95 but remember to check for the most up to date information at their website

To Find the park:
5685 Falls Avenue,
Niagara Falls,
Ontario,
L2E 6W7

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