You must experience Port Colborne, located on Lake Erie at the southern terminus of the Welland Canal, is one of the greatest small towns in Canada for raising children. Not only does the city of 19,800 feature sun, sand and an easy lifestyle, but it also has been nationally recognized for above-average academic achievement for elementary-aged school children. The city heavily promotes its public and private beaches, as well the 900-slip marina at Sugarloaf Harbour. It has also developed an active arts community with its own theatre (the Roselawn Complex), museum, and art galleries that draws from Niagara and beyond. Founded in 1833 with the construction of the Welland Canal, and built around the fishing and marine industry, Port Colborne has retained a quaint charm, yet has moved to diversify its local economy by building on the Niagara-wide tourism strategy. The features include well-groomed golf courses, marinas, arenas, pools, Bed and breakfast lodgings, hotels, inns and miles of sandy beaches including Long Beach Conservation Area, Centennial (Cedar Bay) Beach and the nearby Sherkston Shores, with more than three kilometres of white, sandy beachfront. Lock 8, near the entrance to the Welland Canal, measures 421 meters, and is one of the longest locks in the world. There is a viewing stand in Fountain View Park.

Spend the whole summer or the weekend at the Long Beach Conservation Area on Lake Erie. Its features include a sandy beach and 275 campsites both serviced and unserviced. Launch your boat, fish, play bocce ball, horseshoes, baseball, or just enjoy your picnic while the children swim or play on the playground. Visitors can stroll the shoreline for miles or open a lawn chair in the shade to enjoy nature's air-conditioner -the great Lake Erie breeze!

Welcome to Sherkston Shores. Your Summer Place on the Beach. Sherkston is the largest privately owned lake side resort in Ontario, with over 550 acres of parkland, a 27 acre spring fed quarry lake, and two and a half miles of beach front on Lake Erie. Our facilities will definitely entertain every member of the family no matter what age and with something to do for everyone, Sherkston Shores is sure to fill everyone’s day with all of the ‘fun in the sun’ you could imagine.

In a remarkable “coming home” story the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum has the century old car shown here. A hundred page book – “Coming Home” The Epic Journey of Canada’s Century Car the 1901 Neff Steam Buggy by Dan Anger 2004 available at the Museum tells the story in detail. The car itself is a masterpiece of restoration and is on display in the museum. Loren Holmwood who owned it willed it to the museum in the town where it was built a century earlier. Don Anger in the introduction to his book says “who could have predicted that the derelict little steamer that was pulled from a wrecker’s garage would one day be considered in 1976 by some to be ‘the finest antique automobile in North America. ‘”

The Sugarloaf Harbour Marina is a joint public/private sector development. It includes a 900 slip marina, up-graded park facilities and a marina centre with restaurant. Just 90 minutes from Toronto or 20 minutes from Buffalo lies one of Lake Erie's finest harbour with more activities than you can fit in one summer: Fishing tournaments, sailing regattas, folk festivals, car shows, a boat parade of lights, Poker Run, beach party & scuba treasure hunt. There's kite flying, summer theatre, a marine museum, shopping galore and some great little restaurants. If you've been waiting for an invitation to visit the Marina: this is it.

If you're visiting Niagara, you've probably discovered that all roads lead to St. Catharines the Garden City of Niagara. Our region is known for its waterfalls and wineries, but as you'll discover there's a whole world of vibrant culture, outstanding beauty and world-class recreation awaiting you in St. Catharines – all of which makes our city the place to visit when you need a little Niagara! A Niagara Falls Bed and Breakfast, Bala Place B&B in St. Catharines is your home away from home, Bala Place B&B is just 1 mile from Old Port Dalhousie and St. Catharines Marina
plus just a short 10 to 15 minutes drive to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls, Welland Canal Museum & Lock 3 and over 40 wineries.

St.Catharines the lovely "Garden City" is situated in the heart of the Niagara Fruit belt. The city is home to the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and to the popular Niagara Grape and Wine Festival and much more. Whether it's your destination of choice or the home base for your Niagara getaway, St. Catharines is right where you want to be.
St. Catharines is a city with a rich past, exciting future and a spirit of wonder in the present. Lying between the shores of Lake Ontario and the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, St. Catharines is surrounded by vineyards, orchards and all that Niagara has to offer, whether a destination of choice or a home base to an Niagara Adventure, Ontario's Garden City is right where you want to be.

In St. Catharines you'll find a wide variety of excellent accommodations from economy motels and family inns to major hotels and quaint Bed and Breakfasts like Bala Place. From your comfortable accommodations or lodging you can explore the city at your leisure or take a short country drive around Niagara to Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Grimsby, or Long Beach.

Travel time from Toronto international airport is only an hour and 45 minutes, from Hamilton or Buffalo airports only 45 minutes to one hour by airport bus or rental car.