I know the first thing you’re going to ask me is “is 24 hours enough time in Niagara-on-the-Lake?”. The answer to that question depends. It depends what your interests are, if you’ve been before, and yes, what your budget is.

Since I live within a couple of hours of Niagara-on-the-Lake and I’ve been many, many times before, 24 hours was the perfect amount of time for me. Even though I typically visit Niagara-on-the-Lake solo, this time I visited with my daughter for a mini mother-daughter getaway. We were looking to experience something a bit different, while at the same time, getting lots of much needed downtime.

When is the Best Time to Visit Historic Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a year-round tourist destination and once again the best time to visit depends on you and what you’re looking for. I have visited during all four seasons and my daughter and myself both agreed that Winter was by far the best time to visit. We were able to find parking no problem, we weren’t bumping into wall to wall people, and we were able to do a wine tasting without a reservation. Needless to say, Summertime is over-run with tourists, but it’s still a beautiful time to visit especially if you are looking to tour the wineries by bicycle.

Read Next: Tourist Towns of Ontario

There are so many things to do in Niagara-on-the-Lake, even if you only have 24 hours.

Where is Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is in the heart of the Ontario Wine Region, approximately a one hour drive from Toronto. I was coming from Kitchener, and picked up my daughter in Hamilton. The main entrance into Niagara-on-the-Lake is from the QEW, however, we were looking to take a more scenic route so that we were able to visit and enjoy the scenery.

I set my google maps to “avoid motorways”, and it took us through Grimsby, St. Catharine’s and along Lake Ontario. The drive was much less stressful than the QEW and the scenery was much more beautiful.

Visit a Winery (or 2)

Since both my daughter and myself had been to multiple wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake and we only had 24 hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, we opted to visit only one winery this time. We chose Strewn Winery. Although we didn’t have a reservation as we were flying by the seat of our pants, the very kind gentleman took us through a wine tasting of what was to have been 3 types of wine of your choice. He allowed us 4 different wines. My daughter is a white wine lover and she loved the Reisling. I’m a red wine lover and I loved them all, however, I was told that I transferred over to the “dark side”, which I immediately knew my favourite was the most expensive :). Yes we did buy bottles of wine to drink at our hotel room.

A visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake isn't complete without a visit to at least one winery.  I recommend Strewn Winery

The entire experience lasted approximately 45 minutes and the gentleman was extremely kind, patient and knowledgeable. Reservations are required and can be made ahead of time here. We lucked out as we arrived right when the winery opened and during low season.

Stroll the Streets of Historic Niagara-on-the-Lake

Shopping in historic Niagara-on-the-Lake will provide magnificent retail therapy if that’s what you’re looking for. From Christmas stores, specialty tea/coffee shops, and even a massive specialty hat store, Niagara-on-the-Lake has it all.

If retail therapy isn’t on your radar, I highly recommend taking a stroll through the residential area of the historic district. The ancient Victorian architecture is out of this world.

If you only have 24 hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a stroll through the historic downtown is a must

High Tea at The Prince of Wales

High tea has been on mine and my daughter’s bucket list for quite some time now and my daughter always thought that she would have to make a trip to England to experience this. There are a couple of places in Niagara-on-the-Lake that offer high tea, but none are quite as authentic as the high tea at The Prince of Wales. The historic, magical feel to this Vintage Inn added a great deal to the ambiance of our high tea experience.

The Prince of Wales is located in the center of the downtown historic district and high tea is the perfect way to relax and warm up after wandering the streets of downtown. If you are one who loves to be in the center of the action the Prince of Wales is the ultimate place to spend the night.

Read Next: The High Tea Experience in Niagara-on-the-Lake

We thought adding cheese to our High Tea at the Prince of Wales was a good idea, but we didn't have room for all the sandwiches and sweets
High Tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel in the historic downtown of Niagara-on-the-Lake is a once in a lifetime experience.

Check-In and Relax at Pillar and Post

Niagara-on-the-Lake offers an abundance of Vintage Inns, bed and breakfasts, and Airbnb’s, so again, where you choose to stay while visiting is totally dependent on your preferences. Since we were now looking for an evening of relaxation, we chose the Pillar and Post, one of the Vintage Inns. We knew that between the indoor and outdoor pools, the spa and the hot springs, we wouldn’t have a difficult time finding a spot to relax.

Since we had a busy day and we’ve both done the spa, we reserved some time in the hot springs before we went for dinner. Because we were travelling during the off-season, we didn’t have any trouble reserving the time we wanted in the hot springs. Since COVID hit, it is necessary to reserve a spot. The hotel has continued to do this and it’s wonderful! The hot springs will never have more than 10 people in at a time (in fact, the most we had were 6, including the two of us). The time slots are booked for 15 minute periods, however, we spent half an hour in the hot springs relaxing.

The lobby at the Pillar and Post in Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of the many spots to relax and people watch

Dinner at the Pillar and Post

The Pillar and Post offers two restaurants, both on site. The Vintages Wine Bar & Lounge is an upscale pub feel, while the Cannery Restaurant is fine dining. Both restaurants are spectacular! The hotel package I booked for the two of us included a three course dinner for each of us at the Cannery Restaurant. The concierge made the dinner reservations for us when booking our stay. We both had prime rib and the portion sizes were MASSIVE! Suffice it to say that neither of us ate more than half of our dinner.

Walking Off Dinner

After dinner, we were both so stuffed that we needed to get out for some fresh air and a small walk. We were planning on visiting the Gardens at the Pillar and Post which is lit up with a ton of lights and offers a skating rink later in the Winter season. Unfortunately, it closed at 8:00 p.m. so we weren’t able to enter (hopefully as Winter progresses this will change and it’ll stay open longer).

The deluxe room at Pillar and Post has a fireplace which is great for drying bathing suits.

Nighty Night

Since we had been on the go since 8:30 in the morning, we were both exhausted so we returned to our room for a glass of wine and a good night sleep.

I booked a double deluxe room which was quite large with two double beds and a fireplace. The fireplace came in handy to dry our bathing suits and to warm us up after venturing out into the cold night.

For more specifics on the Pillar and Post you might like to refer to Pillar and Post, a Vintage Inn

Hot Springs One Last Time

We didn’t wake overly early the next day, but early enough to book another spot in the hot springs before check out time. All we had to do was call down and our spot was ready within 10 minutes. I was surprised to find that the hot springs both relaxed and energized me. We were now ready for our drive home.

Stroll the Gardens at the Pillar and Post

Since we didn’t have the opportunity to visit the gardens the evening before, we took a quick stroll through the gardens before heading home. It was beautiful, but nothing like it would be in the evenings.

Take a stroll and strap on your ice skates at the Gardens at Pillar and Post.

Our 24 Hours in Historic Niagara-on-the-Lake

This is how we chose to spend our 24 hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but there is so much more to do which all depends on your interests and needs. For this visit, 24 hours was the perfect amount of time for myself and my daughter to experience Niagara-on-the-Lake, as well as to have some much needed mother-daughter down time.

More Than 24 Hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake?

If you decide that 24 hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake isn’t enough time and you need more time to make the most of your experience, there is much more to do that would keep you busy for 2 – 3 days:

Niagara-on-the-Lake offers so many activities that you will want to stay for much longer than 24 hours.

Visit Viator or Get Your Guide to book your Niagara activities. Remember to book any tours well in advance of your arrival as tours fill up fast.

Exploring historic downtown in Niagara-on-the-Lake by horse and buggy is one of the many activities to do if you only have 24 hours in NOTL

JUST ONE TIP: For first time or one time visitors to Niagara-on-the-Lake, I would recommend visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake for 2 to 3 days in order to experience it all.

Accommodations in Niagara-on-the-Lake

As previously mentioned, Niagara-on-the-Lake has some AMAAAAZZZZING places to stay if you are planning on spending more than 24 hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake

As you can tell, my favourite place to stay when I’m in Niagara-on-the-Lake is the Pillar and Post Inn, which is part of the Vintage Hotels Group. The Vintage Hotels Group are all 5 star hotels which offer an abundance of amenities and are in prime locations throughout the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

In Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Vintage Hotels to choose from are Pillar and Post, the Prince of Wales, Queens Landing, and the most recently acquired Moffat Inn.

In addition to the Vintage Hotels, one of my other favourite places to stay is the Oban Inn, especially during the Summer. The Oban Inn is located within walking distance to the main street, but offers beautiful views of the Niagara River. The outdoor pool in the gardens is what attracts me to the Oban Inn during the summer.

JUST ONE TIP: Separate from the main part of the hotel, there are two units located right beside the outdoor pool and both provide outdoor patios allowing you to enjoy the beautiful gardens at the Oban Inn. These units are my favourite.

There are also an excessive amount of bed and breakfasts and Airbnb’s in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but it is important to note that notwithstanding that an abundance of accommodations is to be had, during the Summer months it is virtually impossible to find accommodations unless reservations are made far in advance.

For more places to stay, visit Booking.com or click the link in the Travel Like I Do section at the end of the post

Is 24 Hours Enough Time in Niagara-on-the-Lake?

It is important to keep in mind that Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian tourist destination and the prices definitely reflect this. But having said that, I also believe that it is an Ontario destination to be experienced at least once. Whether you are travelling to Niagara-on-the-Lake solo, with your family or friends, or as a couple, you definitely won’t have any problem finding activities to keep you busy for the entire 24 hours.

Enjoy! 🙂

Travel Solo Like a Pro!

AIRFARE:

♥  CheapOair and WayAway offer flights at a resonable rate. Let CheapOair or WayAway find the cheapest and best flight for your destination

HOTELS & ACCOMMODATION:

♥  I use Booking.com to book all of my accommodations, both domestically and internationally. When booking in the United States, I use Trivago US

ACTIVITIES:

♥  Get Your Guide and Viator are the absolute best sites to plan and book any adventures, activities, and all things fun

BIKE AND MOTORCYCLE RENTALS:

♥  BikesBooking.com will find the best prices for bicycles, motocyles, and scooter rentals any place in the world.

CAR RENTAL:

♥  Economy Bookings will provide rental prices worldwide, which making it a one stop shop for the most reasonable car rentals

AIRPORT TRANSFER AND PRIVATE TOURS:

♥  Kiwitaxi is who you want to contact for transportation from the airport or train station.  Why not arrange for a PRIVATE CITY TOUR with Kiwitaxi at the same time.

CRUISES:

♥  Cruise Critic not only provides reviews and answers questions, it also offers great cruise deals. If your a cruise lover (like me), I highly recommend that you check it out!

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

♥  Travel insurance these times of natural disasters, travel interruption and baggage loss is no longer a place where you can cut costs. essentials.  It has become an essential part of travel. Visitors Coverage will take care of all of your insurance needs.

PIN TO SPEND 24 HOURS IN THE HISTORIC NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE

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28 Comments

  1. First, love the tip about avoiding motorways on Google Maps! I stopped getting the GPS on rental cars (before smartphones really took off) because I hated how they always guided me on highways. I much preferred asking locals along the way!

    Second, I seriously overlooked Niagara-on-the-Lake when I lived in southern Ontario. I wish I had known about the hot springs!

  2. This is such a charming place and I see why you thought Winter was the best time to visit. The nature looks so peaceful and relaxing and I would also visit in Winter so I can enjoy the hot springs!

  3. Loved this place when I visited last year. Much nicer than nearby Niagara Falls, although you really can’t miss the actual falls. Would love to do the high tea at the Prince of Wales, and a ghost tour sounds super fun. The bakeries and good options had me happy as can be, and just strolling the cute streets

  4. This article convinced me to visit NOTL. The houses are wonderful and the whole atmosphere has such a cozy air that you feel like hanging out there for a while. Judging by the photos, the tea at Prince Charles must be delicious!

  5. I only did a few wine tastings when we visited Niagara Falls, but really want to go back. It’s such a cute town – and I had no idea they had hot springs!

  6. It was beautiful when I visited it a few years ago. Looks like it still is. The houses were a delight and I actually walked a residential area to admire the big, old, waterboarded buildings. Lots on here about eateries and places to stay. My visit was too brief so didn’t get to stay here.

  7. This is such a great recap of Niagara-on-the-Lake! I remember my grandmother (who lived there) taking me for tea at the Prince of Wales as a birthday present when I was a little girl. I still remember how special it was! Maybe I need to go back for tea again and relive the experience 🙂

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