Located on Lake Ontario in Canada's wine region, this southern Ontario city has Victorian buildings, active arts venues, and more than 100 wineries within a 20-minute drive.
St. Catharines sits between Toronto and the U.S. border as the largest city in Ontario's Niagara Region. You can walk through Montebello Park's 1,300 rose bushes, watch cargo ships navigate the Welland Canal locks, or cycle along 90 kilometers of trails. Visit the Salem Chapel BME Church where Harriet Tubman once worshipped, or take a spin on a century-old carousel at Lakeside Park for just 5 cents.
Exploring the Welland Canal
At the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre at Lock 3, you can watch cargo ships pass through the canal system. Stand on the observation deck as vessels weighing thousands of tons move through the complex lock system. Inside the museum, you'll find exhibits about the canal's construction and the workers who built it. Interactive displays explain how the lock system works and its role in North American maritime trade.
Parks and Green Spaces
Frederick Law Olmsted designed Montebello Park in 1887, creating spaces for more than 1,300 rose bushes in 25 varieties surrounding an ornamental fountain. Musicians perform at the park's 1888 band shell throughout summer. Port Dalhousie's Lakeside Park includes a beach, boardwalk, and the Lakeside Park Carousel from 1903, maintaining its original 5-cent ride price. Many locals gather here during summer evenings to watch the sun set over Lake Ontario.
Downtown Culture and Arts
You'll find four theaters at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, presenting concerts, plays, and shows year-round. Brock University's Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts students perform and exhibit their work downtown. Watch ice hockey games and concerts at the Meridian Centre, a 5,300-seat arena where the Niagara IceDogs play their home games. Art galleries and studios occupy many buildings in the surrounding streets.
Black History Sites
The Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church, a National Historic Site, welcomes visitors to the place where Harriet Tubman worshipped during the 1850s. People who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad gathered in this building. At the St. Catharines Museum, you can learn about the city's role in the abolitionist movement through permanent exhibits and stories of local families who assisted people reaching freedom.
Wine and Food Scene
Local wineries within city limits produce wines using Niagara Region grapes. Each September, more than 100,000 people visit the Grape and Wine Festival in Montebello Park to taste wines and regional foods. Downtown, you'll find independent restaurants, cafes, and the St. Catharines Farmers Market, operating since the 1860s.
Getting Around
Three major highways link St. Catharines to Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara Falls. Regular GO Transit trains run to Toronto, and local buses serve the city. You can travel between neighborhoods on the trail system, using paved paths along the Welland Canal and connecting to the Bruce Trail.
