Things to do in Niagara beyond the Falls this winter include the Saturday St. Catharines Farmers Market, VQA wine tastings at Fielding Estate Winery and Flat Rock Cellars, and Jordan Village boutiques. St. Catharines and the Niagara Benchlands sit a short drive west of the Falls on the QEW, so add a day or a weekend.
How easy is it to add St. Catharines and the Niagara Benchlands to a Niagara Falls trip?
Easier than you’d think, and no rain poncho required! Plan on two days: St. Catharines’ market, shops, wineries and shows on day one, then Jordan Village and Benchlands tastings on day two. St. Catharines sits just west of Niagara Falls, and the Niagara Benchlands (Jordan, Vineland, Beamsville and the rest of Lincoln) carry on along the QEW toward Toronto. So the Benchlands fit neatly into the drive in or out. Coming from the city? The Benchlands are about 110 km, or roughly 1.5 hours by car, from Toronto (opens in a new tab) and 40 to 45 minutes from Hamilton.
Prefer the train? GO Transit (opens in a new tab) Lakeshore West trains between Toronto Union and Niagara Falls stop in St. Catharines. GO added weekend trips to Niagara in October 2025 (opens in a new tab) and schedules vary, so check the current timetable before you book. Once you’re here, Niagara Region Transit (opens in a new tab) buses link downtown St. Catharines with Port Dalhousie and Brock University. Wine country is a rural loop, though, so plan on a car and a designated driver for day two.
What is there to do in Niagara beyond the Falls on a winter Saturday morning?
Start on the urban side of the trip at the St. Catharines Farmers Market (opens in a new tab), which runs at Market Square, 91 King St. every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round, plus Thursdays through December. Stock up on cured meats, cheeses, honey and baked goods for an in-room picnic later. Shopping for someone back home? The market’s $10 Market Gift Certificates (opens in a new tab) slip easily into a stocking. Vendors don’t all come every week, so keep your list loose.
From the market, wander into Downtown St. Catharines (opens in a new tab), where independent boutiques and vintage shops line St. Paul Street. Our Holiday Markets and Shopping guide (opens in a new tab) has more stops for your gift list. Once the bags are in the car, it’s time for your first tasting.
Where can you stop for lunch and a first VQA tasting in St. Catharines?
You don’t need to leave St. Catharines for your first flight. At 13th Street Winery (opens in a new tab) on Fourth Ave, book a guided tasting or tour online, then stay for lunch at the on-site Vineyard Kitchen Bistro, which also hosts live music. Or head to Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery (opens in a new tab) at 1469 Pelham Rd, home to Short Hills Kitchen.
Book tasting slots ahead on weekends and check winter hours when you book.
What else is there to do around Niagara Falls after dark?
Stay in St. Catharines for dinner and a show. Look through our fine dining guide (opens in a new tab) and MICHELIN Guide roundup (opens in a new tab) to pick a reservation, then catch theatre or live music from the lineup in Museums, Theatre and Live Shows in Niagara (opens in a new tab). Our Niagara Holiday Events (opens in a new tab) calendar rounds up more festive happenings.
For an after-dinner stroll, watch for Let it Glow (opens in a new tab), the City’s free, self-guided holiday light display, which filled Rennie Park in Port Dalhousie and downtown with 50+ illuminated installations during its 2025 run from Nov 29 to Jan 4 (opens in a new tab). Dates for this season aren’t confirmed yet, so check before you plan around it.
Rather not drive back to the Falls tonight? Find a room in the city or a B&B out in wine country through Hotels, B&Bs and Vacation Rentals in Niagara (opens in a new tab), and you’ll wake up close to tomorrow’s first stop.
What are the must-see stops in the Niagara Benchlands for first-time visitors?
Day two belongs to the Niagara Benchlands, the rural side of the trip. Bundle up for a morning walk on the Niagara Escarpment. Our Winter Hiking and Waterfalls in Niagara (opens in a new tab) guide rounds up conservation areas and falls to choose from. Trail conditions change quickly in the cold months, so check them before you lace up.
Warm up afterwards in Jordan Village. Browse the racks at Tintern Road & Jack Style Collective (opens in a new tab), a shop right on the village’s stretch of the wine route, then pop into the volunteer-run Heritage Gift Shop (opens in a new tab) for something to tuck into a stocking. Check shop hours before you go, since small-village hours can shift in winter. More Benchlands boutiques are in the holiday shopping guide (opens in a new tab).
Which Benchlands wineries are worth a winter afternoon?
Pair two wineries and give each one time. Head out from Jordan Village around lunchtime:
- Start in Jordan. Flat Rock Cellars (opens in a new tab) on 7th Ave pours personalized tastings alongside cheese and charcuterie plates, which double as a light lunch. It keeps shorter 10-to-5 hours from November to April (opens in a new tab), so arrive by early afternoon and check Sunday hours before you go.
- Finish in a dome in Beamsville. At Fielding Estate Winery (opens in a new tab) on Locust Lane, book a Wine Lodge, Vineyard Lounge or Wine Dome Lounge session ahead and check its site for holiday events. The Wine Lodge is open seven days a week but closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day (opens in a new tab).
Time for one more? Hidden Bench Estate Winery (opens in a new tab) is also on Locust Lane, in the Beamsville Bench sub-appellation, and takes tasting bookings through its website. Confirm hours when you book.
Plan it: Pick a cozy base from Where to Stay in Niagara Wine Country This Winter (opens in a new tab), plan your meals with Niagara Restaurants, Wineries and Breweries (opens in a new tab), and find more seasonal ideas on the Holidays in St. Catharines and the Niagara Benchlands (opens in a new tab) hub. Cheers to doing the Falls and then some.
