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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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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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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(The Morningstar Mill and Attached Water Wheel, Photo© 2009)

The morning star mill is a free admission historic location connected to the Bruce Trail. At this remote location you’ll find friendly staff that will always welcome you in. The mill runs from 9am – 5pm same with the local museum just up the path. Walking around you will find almost everything there is original to it’s founding date except the inside of the mill it’s self, which in 1892 burned down, except the stone walls.

(Morning Star House/Museum, Photo© 2009)

The house seen in the photo housed the family that once lived there to run the mill, which is currently set up as a museum of what life was like back then, once again admission is free. Just after this house is the bruce trail, that leads from this location up to as far as Orillia, a 5 hour drive away. For a location that is a past power generating station and current operating mill, the most noise is the two waterfalls that power this location. The mill is surrounded by enless ammounts of forests grown around the water way from the falls that is filled with animal life.

(The Samller man made waterfall that powers the water wheel and turbine when it’s run off valve is opened, Photo© 2009)

This off the path location in the Niagara Region is an amazing place to come and relax while experiencing a true part of Canada’s history and wildlife.

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The Floral Clock, Niagara Parks

You can find the clock at the following location on the Niagara Parkway:



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This location is a brilliant place to visit if you’re doing a drive round the Niagara Parks in general – you can tag a nice photo opportunity here onto a visit to Fort George and Queenston Heights – both places we will be adding to our site in the next few months!

While you’re admiring the clock, dont forget to look around – at the Hydro plant, as well as the small park area behind you – if you look for long enough – you may be lucky enough like we were to meet one of its residents!

A raccoon at the floral clock

If you are thinking about staying in Niagara Falls or the Niagara Parks region on a holiday soon, click the following link for information about prices and hotel locations: