Niagara-on-the-Lake: Quaint and Romantic

Home to the Shaw Festival, three theaters host plays of G.B. Shaw and his contemporaries spring through autumn. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint but bustling tourist village that boasts fine dining, shopping, and a plethora of wineries dotting the countryside. The ice wine, a Niagara specialty is highly sought after and dee-licious. In the area? Treat yourself to a great escape for couples and lovers.

Quick Tips:

Interested in seeing a play? Make reservations for the Shaw Festival early. Tickets go very quickly and many are sold to subscribers before they are available to the general public.

Best Way To Get Around:

If coming up from Niagara Falls, skip the ugly QEW highway and wind your way up to Niagara-on-the-Lake via the Niagara Parkway that hugs the Niagara Gorge below the Falls. It takes twice as long, but the scenery makes it worth it!

Once in town, walking is the way to go. Shop 'til you drop in uniquely Canadian stores.

Should you decide to hit the wineries, a car is a must, but watch your consumption! I

The Harbour House is a lovely new hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake that is built in the shingled style of great maritime houses.

This boutique hotel is instantly welcoming with fireplaces, large overstuffed furniture, and views overlooking the local marina.

We had the standard deluxe room with a huge bay window looking over the boats in the marina, and it was more than you get in a standard hotel - a king-size bed with 300-count sheets and duvet, two puffy lounging chairs, gas fireplace, CD player, armoire with a flat screen TV and DVD player, and a spectacular tiled bathroom with jacuzzi tub and glass-enclosed shower with room galore to towel off. Hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and board are all standard as well.

The hotel features a free borrowing library of books and DVDs and bowls of apples free for the taking! The breakfast, included in the price, was sumptuous, with hot and cold cereals, fruit, cheeses, breads, cold meats, and fantastic coffee and tea.

This place is a real treat and is a worthy addition to this great Canadian town!

See their website at Harbour House Hotel

The Spa at White Oaks Resort is a wonderful facility for a full spa experience.

I had never been to a spa resort, but my wife thought I'd like a visit as the beginning to my birthday weekend in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

At first, the facility seems disconcertingly drab and institutional. Concrete walls with metal insets did not engender confidence. However, after driving up to the main entrance, having a valet park the car and entering, initial concerns are dispelled. Four female statues in a row surrounded by a hazy fog greet you, and upon telling the concierge that you are there for a spa treatment, you are escorted downstairs.

After being checked in at a desk next to a wall of "products," you are taken down a dimly lit hallway with rooms off either side, a designated "quiet zone." From there you go to a common waiting room until the masseur (or manicurist, etc.) comes for you.

For a male treatment, my wife purchased a full-body stress-relieving massage and the "gentlemen's facial," while she got a facial and pedicure.

Men who think this is isn't for them have never experienced it. For the massage, I was taken to a private room, and the masseur informed me that I could disrobe and stay in whatever state of dress/undress that was most comfortable for me, as sheets cover whatever body parts are not being massaged.

Once on the table, the hour went quickly, with the masseur targeting those areas where I felt I needed tension relief, and where she could feel knots. Soft music and candles set the stage, and the various oils provided a skin emollient and pleasing, all-pervasive scent.

Once the massage was through, I had the facial. Starting with an examination of my skin, the technician went through a series of sloughers, conditioners and pore openers. That was followed by some face, scalp and shoulder massages and a straight-razor shave.

The final effects were amazing - I was loose, calm, skin aglow, and ready for the rest of the weekend. I must say that I was out of it from the massage for the next 12 hours, and the effects lasted for at least a week. They design a specialized regimen for each guest which can be purchsed when you leave. They tend to be quite pricey, but even if you choose not to purchase the products, it gives a good idea of what you can and should be doing for your skin.

Guys, if you haven't done this, you don't know what you are missing!

The Spa at White Oaks Resorts offers these services a la carte, as parts of day packages, or in concert with overnight stays at the resort. They run from the manicures, to massages, to hot-rock therapy and meditation. Something for everyone for that much-needed dose of relaxation. I'm a believer, and I can't wait for a trip back!

For my 36th birthday, I wanted an experience, and this restaurant had been on my radar for some time. They say there's no such thing as "going out for Canadian," but The Hillebrand Estates Winery Restaurant proves otherwise. A sizeable blonde wood, glass, and stone space with several rooms, the restaurant is nestled between the winery's fermenting room and the panoramic views of their vineyard.

It specializes in local game foods, which means be prepared for new, exotic flavors. Presentation overall is clean, but not fussy, with well-spaced tables dressed in crisp white linens, and featuring an efficient yet approachable waitstaff.

The night we went, the room was full at 7pm. This evening they were offering a six-course tasting menu with paired wines which they said would take about 2 1/2 hours - tempting, but a bit more of a commitment than we wanted to make (although the wild boar sausage was a real possibility).

I opted for a venison carpaccio for an appetizer and the caribou steak entree with a blue cheese bread pudding, braised baby veg, and a cocoa/cabernet sauvignon reduction sauce. My wife had a salad of wild greens and an entree with portions of venison loin and black cod with paired wines. Of course, they cook with and feature their winery's offerings on the wine list, and the single glasses are generous.

Desserts are rich and homey, like sticky toffee pudding, and apple crisp that was personalized with birthday wishes in chocolate on the rim.

This is an event restaurant where clean and casual is at home with the formal. Try it, sit back and enjoy the experience of Canadian food!

When looking for lunch or a quick quaff in Niagara-on-the-Lake, look no further than The Olde Angel Inn.

Dating to the era of the War of 1812, this is the closest thing to a British pub you'll find in the area. The white clapboard house just off the main street is perfect for a pint of local beer (Upper Canada offerings are recommended) or an English import and to get traditional foods like ploughman's lunches, shepherd's pie, fish and chips, or just a simple burger.

All the food is simple and of good quality, but don't necessarily expect to be wowed. This is all about the experience and immersing yourself in that welcoming feel only found in a true pub.

The Angel is still a functioning inn with rooms and cottages available (although I have never seen them), and you may well run into the ghost of the British Captain Colin Swayze, reputedly killed at the inn about 190 years ago!

In the fall and winter, try to get a table by the fire, settle in with a drink, and prepare to talk the afternoon or evening away as the snow drifts by the window. Cheers, mate!