As busy families rush through hectic weeks filled with school, sports, homework, and social commitments, the pleasure of an unstructured day is becoming increasingly foreign.
Fortunately, a day trip to Niagara is an easy remedy for time-starved families at risk of forgetting how to ‘just be.’ Borrow any of these five ideas for activities in and around the Niagara Benchlands and St. Catharines to remind everyone that sometimes the best plan can be having very little plan at all!
On-Your-Own-Time Activity #1:
Find Some New Food Faves At The Farmer’s Market
If your home operates on a system of meal planning, meal prep, packed-lunch plans, and rotating dinner duty, food can start to feel more like a system than a source of pleasure. To shake things up, head to the St. Catharines Farmers Market on a Thursday or Saturday and let everyone loose to find something that looks tasty to them to tuck into lunchboxes or incorporate into a family meal the following week. If you arrive around breakfast or lunch, the market’s diverse selection of prepared-food vendors also makes it a great place to enjoy a meal on the spot. Families who prefer to take a wider wander to discover some fresh foodie finds can follow the Niagara Benchlands CultivATE Taste Trail to find roadside farm stands, pick-your-own fruit stands, and more.
On-Your-Own-Time Activity #2:
Trade Phones For Stones
Teach kids the sneaky way time tends to speed up when we have a device in our hands by encouraging your gang to unplug on the shores of Lake Ontario. Charles Daley Park’s shoreline has lots of skippable stones to throw, big boulders to climb, and a beautiful boardwalk for strolling.
On-Your-Own-Time Activity #3:
Stumble On Some Waterfall Surprises
Throw the kids a complete curveball by setting out on a waterfall scavenger hunt that has nothing to do with Niagara Falls! Let them choose between finding a waterfall that sits beside a very cool historic village they can explore at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area, a waterfall they’ll have to navigate Jurassic Park-style rocks to reach at Rockway Conservation Area, a waterfall in a forest with singing songbirds and limestone crevice caves at Louth Conservation Area, or waterfalls at Short Hills Provincial Park, which happens to be right nextdoor to White Meadows Farms, a maple sugar bush that offers fun visitor tours and tasting experiences!
On-Your-Own-Time Activity #4:
Slow The Day Down with Some Old-School Fun
Transport your crew back to a simpler time by giving them a glimpse into how families used to spend slow Sundays together. Start at the historic carousel in Port Dalhousie’s Lakeside Park, where the fun still costs just five cents a ride! Next, swing into Happy Rolph’s Animal Farm, a free animal park with farm animals, birds, playground equipment, and walking trails along the shore of Lake Ontario. Finally, follow the Welland Canal down to Lock 3 and climb up the viewing platform to watch huge ships go through the lock system. If it’s time for a snack, head inside the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre to purchase ice cream treats to enjoy while you watch the boats.
The Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre, located in historic Jordan Village, is another fun option for some family time travel. Be sure to explore the historic buildings located on the property, including The Fry House, a two-story log dwelling built in 1815, staged with period-relevant objects, and Jordan’s original one-room schoolhouse.
On-Your-Own-Time Activity #5:
Do Something Completely Spontaneous Together
Choosing an activity to try that your crew wouldn’t typically do can be a fun way to reinforce the joy of unplanned adventures. Fun things to try in and around St. Catharines and the Niagara Benchlands include:
- A family taste test of St. Catharines’ famous Beechwood Doughnuts or 13th Street Winery’s buttertarts
- A family float to explore Jordan Harbour
- An easy hike along the Twenty Valley Trail behind the Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre, with a treat afterward from RPM Bakehouse or Plant No. 1
- Picking out your next new reads together at a cozy bookshop like Port Dalhousie’s Thistle Bookshop and Café or St. Catharines’ Someday Books
- Seeing how many of the big benches scattered throughout the Niagara Benchlands you can find and take your photo on
Find even more inspiration for your family’s wander around the Niagara Benchlands and St. Catharines in our Flip Side Files and by browsing our Farms and Markets, Culinary, Arts and Action, Outdoor Adventure, and Stay pages.