‍Even Better Together

Peanut butter and jam. Bacon and eggs. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. There’s no doubt that some things are just better when enjoyed together, and it’s a concept that applies to far more than food. Pairing complementary activities is a great way to maximize summer fun. Here are five creative combinations of activities that will help shake up your summer routine on a fresh adventure exploring Niagara’s South Coast.
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‍Perfect Summer Pairing #1: Beer Tasting and Bike Riding

The promise of a frosty pint to quench your thirst on a hot summer day makes any bike ride better. The Friendship Trail extends 16 km across the Town of Fort Erie, running parallel to the north shore of Lake Erie. Since much of the trail is located on an abandoned rail line, you’ll enjoy a relatively smooth and level ride as you cruise past farmland, villages, watersheds, and quiet residential areas. Brimstone Brewing Company in Ridgeway makes a perfect mid-point or final stop. The brewery is housed in a re-imagined 20th-century church and is also home to The Sanctuary For The Arts, a multi-use community space that regularly hosts concerts and other special events. The taproom’s food menu, featuring delicious smokehouse favourites like wings, burgers, and pulled pork, will satisfy peckish pedalers!

Pelham’s Villages Cycling Loop is another great option for bikers who are open to a few more hills. The 16-km route, which passes through the areas of Fenwick and Ridgeville, offers riders the chance to stop at roadside stands and unique shops. For a shorter ride, try the Steve Bauer Trail, a six-kilometre multi-use trail that stretches from Fonthill to Welland. Fonthill’s Kame and Kettle Beer Works boasts a constantly rotating tap list of flavours and delicious eats from The Righteous Monger.

Perfect Summer Pairing #2: Farm Strolls and Live Shows

As Niagara’s farms hit their summer stride, the live entertainment scene lights up throughout Niagara’s South Coast as well. Combining a daytime farm experience with an evening show is an excellent way to blend the best of both worlds. Fun farm experiences in the area include:

● Wainfleet’s Pie In The Sky Farm and Bakery, where visitors are encouraged to grab a fresh-from-oven treat from the bakery and wander through the flower fields and apple orchard.

● Ridgeway Lavender's farm in Port Colborne is a delight for the eyes and the nose on a sunny summer day. For a small fee, visitors can enjoy the farm’s scenery at their leisure, bring their own picnics to enjoy, and play a round of cornhole.

● Feeder Flower Farm in Wainfleet grows gorgeous sustainably farmed flowers. Arrangements can be ordered online for pickup at the farm.

● Pelham’s Bry-Anne Farms offers pick-your-own options so visitors can take home a taste of their thriving strawberry, raspberry, and tomato crops.

● Sons and Daughters Winery, Pelham’s first winery, invites guests to walk their trails and take in the stunning views. Be sure to enjoy some wood oven pizza while you’re there!

Summer entertainment options to enjoy after your rural roam include:

● Port Colborne’s Roselawn Theatre, which serves as one of two venues for the Lighthouse Festival, with a summer calendar featuring a fantastic collection of the finest live theatre.

● The Crystal Beach Waterfront Supper Market, which takes place on Thursday evenings from June 26 to August 28, serves great live music alongside killer food truck fare.

● Port Colborne’s Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival from August 1 - 4 always offers a great array of live band performances.

● The Port Colborne Community Concert Series at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park bandshell offers a summer lineup that includes tributes to Shania Twain, The Beatles, The Tragically Hip, and Taylor Swift.

● Pelham’s Summer Chill Series offers free live entertainment on Thursday evenings alongside the weekly Fonthill Supper Market.

Perfect Summer Pairing #3: Arts and Tarts

Blending a summer studio tour with a few stops at some of the area’s most buzzed-about bakeries is a great way to get a taste for both the art and culinary scene in Niagara’s South Coast. South Niagara Artists is a collective of artists with studios along the shores of Lake Erie. While studios are open by appointment year-round, on August 9 and 10, more than 20 artisans open their studios for the organization’s annual Studio Tour. If your visit doesn’t coincide with the studio tour, stop by Rookleys Canadian Art Gallery in Ridgeway. The gallery takes great pride in its extensive collection that showcases the history of Canadian art, including works by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries.

Can’t-miss bakeshops along the way for tasty tarts and other scratch-baked treats include:

● The Pie Guys Bakery & Café in Port Colborne and Ridgeway, where the signature pastry is made from scratch, and all pies are rolled and assembled by hand each day.

● Fonthill’s The Baking Bar, a boutique bakery specializing in sourdough bread, French macarons, and Jewish baked goods such as challah, babka, and rugalach.

● Nature’s Corner Bakery & Café in Ridgeville, where there is ample outdoor patio space to sit in the sun and enjoy a treat.

● Marshville Chocolates, with both a factory location in Wainfleet and a shop location in Port Colborne, makes a delicious collection of chocolatey treats.

Perfect Summer Pairing #4: Big Breakfast and A Beach Day

Niagara’s South Coast beaches are so beautiful that arriving as early as possible is always a good idea. Enjoying a delicious breakfast before hitting the beach will fuel you up for a full day of wave jumping and castle building!

● Tasty breakfast options near Bay Beach and Waverly Beach include The Breakfast Beacon and M&J’s Restaurant.

● Port Colborne’s Market Café and Melina’s Family Restaurant are both great places to start your day when heading to Nickel Beach or Centennial-Cedar Bay Beach.

● Swing into Fleeters Café in Wainfleet before you stretch out on the sand at Long Beach or Reebs Bay Beach.

Perfect Summer Pairing #5: History and Hiking

Niagara’s South Coast has served as the stage to some fascinating Canadian history, and combining a museum stop or two with a scenic hike is a fun way to step into the past for an afternoon. For a truly immersive experience, time your visit to coincide with the Annual Siege of Old Fort Erie Reenactment on August 10 & 11. The weekend of special events includes a Guided Lantern Tour on Saturday evening, offering a glowy glimpse into what life was like for the soldiers, doctors, and nurses during this war. Daily tours of Old Fort Erie are offered throughout the summer.

Other historic haunts to incorporate into your visit include:

● Point Abino Lighthouse, now designated a National Historic Site, is a rare example of a reinforced concrete lighthouse built in the late Neoclassical style. Guided tours are offered every other Saturday in June, July, August, and September.

● The Fort Erie Railway Museum pays homage to a time when Fort Erie boasted the country's third-largest rail yard through various fascinating artifacts and exhibits.

● The Fort Erie Historical Museum features both permanent and changing exhibitions, as well as a public archive that offers genealogy and local history information.

Excellent hiking options to round out your day include:

● Niagara Peninsula Conservation Area properties that encourage hiking, including Morgan’s Point Conservation Area, St. Johns Conservation Area, Stevensville Conservation Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area, and Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area.

● Pelham’s Gerry Berkhout Trail, a six-kilometre gravel trail running along a former rail line.

● The Niagara River Recreation Trail, a 53-kilometre paved path that runs along the Canadian side of the Niagara River from Fort Erie all the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Discover Niagara’s big secret this summer by enjoying some of your own perfect pairings on Niagara’s South Coast. Find even more inspiration for summer fun in our website’s Sun and Sand, Water Adventures, Heritage and Culture, and Trails and Cycling sections.