Question regarding Niagara area

[suejai]

I'm thinking of going to the Niagara area for my birthday in mid April and I'm just wondering if this is a decent time of year in general. Or should we wait until May?

 

[minnie56]

We spent a weekend at Niagara on the Lake last April..towards the end of the month and it was a beautiful weekend!! So lovely..

 

[treehugnmama]

I live in Niagara and April is USUALLY nice and May can be cold an rainy lol....but really we could get any weather. My brothers Bday is the first week of April and Mine first week of May and usually he has a nice bday and I get a freaky cold rainy week. It really just depends on the year. any questions about the area just ask.

 

[suejai]

I live in Niagara and April is USUALLY nice and May can be cold an rainy lol....but really we could get any weather. My brothers Bday is the first week of April and Mine first week of May and usually he has a nice bday and I get a freaky cold rainy week. It really just depends on the year. any questions about the area just ask.

Thank you

Do you enjoy living there? It's always looked like such a lovely place. I've never been to Niagara, even though I was born in Toronto - we moved to Alberta when I was 11.

 

[twokids0204]

I'm thinking of going to the Niagara area for my birthday in mid April and I'm just wondering if this is a decent time of year in general. Or should we wait until May?

April will be perfect in Niagara...

Take a wine tour, visit the falls, don't forget Niagara on the Lake, Have a nice Dinner, they also have 2 huge Casino's.

 

[dvc deernut]

Hi my wife and i are born and raised here in niagara, st catharines single life now living in niagara on the lake for 23 years. Its all vineyards all around us and i enjoy my wine. Buffalo area which is only 30 miles south can get 3 feet of snow we may get an inch. I worked in falls all my life. The rates usually go up after may 2 4 weekend and drop in fall. If you like the cold we have winter festival of lights in falls and ice wine festival in niagara on the lake. I wouldnt reccommend staying in niagara on the lake way to expensive. Stay in close enough place to drive in. We moved into our house in april 23 years ago and it was 80 degrees but it can also be cold rainy or wet snowy into late april. Any further questions i enjoy answering i enjoy talking to tourists about the history and give directions for the area. The area we live in is virgil and its not as expensive to live as the old town. Actually our next door neighbours work in toronto and commute.
BY THE WAY MY BIRTHDAY IS ALSO FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.

 

[suejai]

Thanks Deernut!

 

[laura001]

I too was born and raised in Niagara on the lake. Our wedding Anniversary is April 27, we were married in NOTL and it was a very warm if not hot day! I agree....the end of April is usually fairly warm although with the weather lately......who knows! There are some decent deals for staying in the old town for that time of year, although you will find better deals in Niagara Falls and then just drive. The only thing with that is that you don't get the ambiance of staying in the old town.

Whatever you do....have a great time, it is a GREAT area!

 

[treehugnmama]

I do love living Niagara I was also born and raised here. I love to hike and we have lots of great places to hike. It is also nice to live close to but not in Niagara falls. It is a short drive 15 minutes for when we want to play tourist for the day. If you don't mind taking the chance on the weather April will be much less busy than May in regards to the tourist type activities. Thimgs like marineland don't open till after may 24th long weekend ( which isn't always on the 24th). We have had record lows in snowfall this yearé I love to play in the snow with winter activities

 

[suejai]

Great information! Thank you everyone.

Our trip to Ontario is two fold.

1. My birthday, for which we will go to the Falls and Niagara on the Lake and generally tour the area for a day. Any suggestions on a nice spot to go for dinner would be greatly appreciated.

2. We are in the process of finding a place to move after DS graduates high school; we are so very tired of the long, cold winters in Alberta. We had been considering the east coast, which we both love, but there just isn't enough work there for DH (he is a contract Safety Advisor). The West Coast is too expensive. So we thought maybe we would see what SW Ontario had to offer. Right now we will be taking a look at Guelph, just because it seems to be centrally located for work for me and DH and universities for DS.

One other question I have though, is about the air quality. How often is smog a concern and do you find that it affects you greatly?

 

[dvc deernut]

In virgil we have a micro climate protected by the lake and escarpment. Its smoggier here than it was 30 years ago but in notl we dont get many smog alerts. When i drive over the st catharines skyway in the summer sometimes you can see the golden haze. I have bad allergies to plants and dusts etc, but i like to garden and float in our pool with my wine. Living in notl you are close to everything also. 45 min from buf airport to get us to disney hahaha, close to toronto, our daughter went to western so we were 90 min from london. We cross border every week get some groceries go to restaurants etc.
What type of restaurants and price range and food? There is such a wide variety here and very close. Guelph is about 10 min from 401 and far enough away from toronto your not going to get all the toronto traffic. Milton along the 401 is one of the bedroom communities for toronto and the developement and prices show it. Depending where you buy in niagara your not far from anything. But the qew corridor is getting very developed and busy. Its too bad , thats the prime farmland.
Look at niagara mls realter site on computer and you will see the various homes prices taxes etc.

 

[dvc deernut]

The cost of living here in niagara is a lot lower than anything nearer toronto. I dont know how it is in alberta so i cant compare. Virgil is dead centre of notl and farms all around. Its very community minded.

 

[dvc deernut]

Any questions please ask!

 

[suejai]

Thank you again deernut

With regard to a restaurant for my birthday dinner we aren't big fans of fancy places but something mid range - the place the locals go, if you know what I mean.

Yes, I've been looking at houses in the area and I was surprised to see how affordable they are. I thought they would be a lot more expensive.

And the thought of being able to fly to WDW from Buffalo is a big draw for us as well

 

[dvc deernut]

I may have to ask my wife about restaurants many go over the river to eat like the anchor bar in downtown buffalo for wings and other finger food. Might be better if you were to look up on the computer under niagara and restaurants and ask what do you think of such in such place i could give my opinion. Sounds like im avoiding question but im not.

 

[suejai]

Good idea.

1. Stone Road Grille

2. Grill on King

3. Riverbend Inn Restaurant

4. Old Winery Resaurant

 

[minnie56]

We stayed at the Riverbend Inn last April...until the end of April they had some pretty nice promo's..LOVED it there and the restaurant was exceptional!!

 

[dvc deernut]

HI FUNNY YOU MENTION OLD WINERY RESTAUTANT. MY NEIGHBOUR OPENED THAT PLACE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. HE USED TO BE HEAD CHEF AT HILDEBRAND WINERY ON HIGHWAY 55 in VIRGIL. MY WIFE AND I GO THERE A LOT IN THE SUMMER AND SIT OUT ON THE DECK. ITS NOT FINE DINING BUT THE FOOD IS GREAT. THERE ADVERTISEMENT CAN BE A LITTLE DECEIVING WHEN IT SAYS PATIO OVERLOOKING THE CREEK. YOU CAN BARELY SEE THE WATER DOWN THE HILL AMOUNGST THE TREES BUT ITS NICE TO GO FOR LUNCH THERE. THE RIVERBEND IS ECCELENT. IT USED TO BE AN OLD RUN DOWN ART GALLERY , WAS PURCHASED A FEW YEARS AGO AND MADE INTO A INN ON RIVER ROAD JUST PAST FORT GEORGE BESIDE JOHN STREET. TRISH ROMANCE THE ARTIST HER HOME IS AROUND THE CORNER. STONE ROAD GRILL HAS FANTASTIC FOOD. FINE DINING. FUNNY LOCATION YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW ABOUT IT EVEN DRIVING PAST AND LOOKING AT THE FRONT OF RESTAURANT. ITS AT THE CORNER OF MARY AND HWY 55 AND SIGN SAYS REST! THE PLACES YOU HAVE MENTIONED MAY NOT BE FOR KIDS I NOTICED ON YOUR POSTS I THINK IT SAYS DW DH AND DS. THOSE ARE ALL GOOD CHOICES FOR THE 2 OF YOU. ANOTHER PLACE MANY PEOPLE WOULD GO FOR MANY YEARS SPECIALLY FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH IS THE OBAN INN. IT HAS HAD NEW OWNERSHIP OVER THE YEARS. IF YOU LIKE STAYING IN B AND Bs THERE ARE MANY IN THIS AREA. MY WIFE ISNT HOME YET SHE IS WORKING SO I HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO GET HER OPINION.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR TRYING TO EAT IN NOTL? BY THE WAY WE HAVE HEARD THRU THE GRAPEVINE THAT THE RIVERBEND IS UP FOR SALE OR HAS SOLD SO IM NOT SURE WHAT HAS CHANGED IF ANYTHING THERE.

 

[suejai]

Thank you minnie and deernut.

So far the Riverbend and the Old Winery are my choices.