Golden Hour Glow
4 Fresh and Fun Ways To Extend a Summer Sunset
Whether you’re catching the sunset in Pelham, Port Colborne, Fort Erie, or Wainfleet, here are four itineraries to help you stretch out the evening show to include some afternoon fun.
While Niagara’s South Coast sunsets are spectacular enough to justify a trip just to watch the sun sink below the horizon, it’s a shame not to enjoy some of the area’s other activities while you’re here. Whether you’re catching the sunset in Pelham, Port Colborne, Fort Erie, or Wainfleet, here are four itineraries to help you stretch out the evening show to include some afternoon fun.
Pelham
Time your trip with the onset of cherry, plum, nectarine, and apricot season in July, peach season in August, or apple and pear season in the fall, and stop by Duffin Appleworks Farm Market to pluck the pick of the crop from their orchard. The on-site fruit market also sells freshly picked fruit and homemade pies. Once you’ve filled your basket, head to dinner at Next Kitchen and Bar. Before going to Peace Park to settle in for the sunset, grab some gelato or ice cream at Gelato Village. Time your trip for a Thursday to enjoy free concerts performed from the park’s bandshell.
Port Colborne
Choose between a leisurely cycle along the Friendship Trail or a late-afternoon stroll to check out the Port Promenade, a paved waterfront pathway that runs along West Street with great shops and scenery. Stop by Canalside Restaurant’s new Wine Tasting Room and Gallery to sip a fabulous selection of Niagara wines and take in excellent local photography before enjoying dinner of locally caught Perch or Walleye in the restaurant. After dinner, make your way to Centennial Park-Cedar Bay Beach to watch the Lake Erie sunset.
Fort Erie
Sunset Ridge Golf’s beautifully designed 18-hole mini putt course is a perfect escape for those looking to fit a really fun golf experience into a short block of time. After your game, make your way to Crystal Beach for dinner at South Coast Cookhouse, a Derby Road institution that is famous for its Caesars. After dinner, grab some scratch-made gelato from Maplewood Gelato before finding a sandy spot to watch the sunset at Crystal Beach Waterfront Park.
Wainfleet
Golfers who have time for a nine-hole game will absolutely want to spend the afternoon at Long Beach Country Club, where the friendly, accommodating course, right across the road from Lake Erie, will make every level of player feel right at home. After your last hole, keep the friendly local vibes flowing with a relaxed dinner at M&R Burnaby Bar. Leave yourself some extra time before the sun sets to explore the surroundings and stroll the boardwalk over the sand dunes at Morgan’s Point Conservation Area. This Morgan’s Point Geohike highlights some of the area’s fascinating natural history, including fossilized evidence of an ancient coral reef as well as deep rock gouges and unusually large boulders that paint a vivid picture of the last Ice Age.
Discover even more ideas for your next Niagara’s South Coast adventure on our Stories, Sun and Sand, Water Adventures, Heritage and Culture, and Trails and Cycling pages. Then round out your trip by using the Accommodations and Food & Drink filters on our Destination Map to find tasty dining options and nearby places to stay.
Niagara's South Coast is situated on treaty land. This land is steeped in the rich history of the First Nations such as the Hatiwendaronk, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. There are many First Nations, Métis and Inuit from across Turtle Island that live and work here today. Niagara's South Coast stands with all Indigenous peoples, past and present, in promoting the wise stewardship of the lands on which we live.