It is a shame that St. Catharines is overlooked by most tourists visiting Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake as it has a lot to offer. St. Catharines offers better value and quality for food and accommodation than the nearby tourist destinations which are only about 10-20 minutes away.
One of the world's best rowing courses, and is home to the annual Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, named after the original regatta in Henley-on-Thames.
Fantastic scenery can be enjoyed in Shorthills Provincial Park which can be access within minutes of the downtown core. The main entrance on Pelham Road is surrounded by vineyards and forests while the trails themselves wind themselves up and down the escarpment. All trails are suitable for hiking and There are some fantastic mountain biking trails, trails for horseback riding, and in the winter snowshoeing and cross country skiing are also popular activities. There is no shortage of wildlife, a couple waterfalls, rivers, valleys, cliffs. There is great scenery on every trail all waiting to be explored. Dogs are welcome.
The Welland Canal runs along the east side of the city. From late spring to fall it is possible to watch ships go in and out of the locks and be raised or lowered through gravity.
port dalhousie
Port Dalhousie pronounced Da-loo-zee is, as the name suggests, at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek on Lake Ontario. Not far away is Henley Rowing course. It is the home of Lakeside Park, made famous by the Rush song of the same name. It is a small area, basically one square block, but it hosts more than 10 bars, almost all of which have patio areas. One popular attraction is the old-fashioned carousel, which costs only 5 cents a ride. A very popular place for locals and tourists in the summer time.