Niagara River Parkway: Take Ontario’s prettiest Sunday drive

Winston Churchill once called the Niagara River Parkway the “prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world.” He certainly had a point. This scenic road in Ontario has it all: quaint villages, stately homes, beautiful parks, historic battlefields, and the majestic Niagara Falls as its centrepiece. Just a few years from now in 2031, this historic route will celebrate its centennial anniversary.

Through the years since it was completed, this route between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario has earned a number of nicknames. You may hear it called the Niagara Parkway, Niagara Boulevard, the River Road, or locally, simply the Parkway. No matter the name, the Niagara River Parkway is a gem of a driving route right in the heart of Southern Ontario.

In this article, we’ll detail what you find as you set out along the Niagara River Parkway, from popular attractions to scenic lookouts, historical plaques, shops, restaurants, hotels, and everything in between.

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Presented in partnership with Niagara Parks

Niagara River Parkway: What to know before you go

The Niagara River Parkway is 55-kilometre scenic route that follows the western shore of the Niagara River between the towns of Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario.

A drive from end to end on the Niagara River Parkway without stopping takes roughly one hour. Since this only adds half an hour versus taking the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), the Parkway works well purely as a scenic diversion when you’re passing through the area and have some extra time.

If you’d like to stop at some of the destinations along the route, we recommend dedicating a full day to your drive. To stop at most or all points of interest as we did, an overnight stay in Niagara Falls will allow for a more leisurely visit.

Technically, the Niagara River Parkway begins at the Mather Arch in Fort Erie and ends at Fort George National Historic Site just south of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Most visitors approach from the north and arrive at Niagara-on-the-Lake first, so we’ve presented the points of interest here in order from north to south. If you’ll begin your drive in Fort Erie, start at the bottom of this article and work your way up.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, the historic first capital of Upper Canada

Did you know Niagara-on-the-Lake was the first capital of Upper Canada, the colonial province that became Ontario? Like much of the Niagara Peninsula, this town holds plenty of historical significance. It was the site of a fierce battle in the War of 1812 and was occupied and later destroyed by American forces.

The town was rebuilt after the war, but many reminders of its military history remain. Key among them is Fort George National Historic Site, a reconstruction of the fort that stood on the very same land in the early 19th century.

Today, Niagara-on-the-Lake is popular as a hub for the surrounding wine region. It’s also home to the Shaw Festival Theatre, a charming shopping district, Canada’s oldest public golf course, day spas, and several historic hotels. You can start exploring War of 1812 history here at Fort George National Historic Site and the many other historic locations found throughout town.

Discover the many things to do in Niagara-on-the-Lake >

Start your Niagara River Parkway drive toward Niagara Falls

As you depart Fort George National Historic Site and head southbound, Queen Street becomes the Niagara River Parkway. It’s time to start the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world!

You’ll pass the Riverbend Inn & Vineyard, East & West Line, and some nearby wineries including Peller Estates and Lailey Winery before arriving at the first Niagara Parks managed site on the route.

McFarland House, a survivor of the War of 1812

McFarland House is the oldest property owned by Niagara Parks and one of the oldest structures anywhere on the Niagara Peninsula. The home was built by John McFarland and his sons after he was gifted the land by the British Crown for his military service.

The house still has several original elements and objects to explore, a conservatory that serves afternoon tea, and an adjacent park with a picnic area.

The Niagara River Recreation Trail starts at Fort George and runs through McFarland Park as it continues all the way to Fort Erie, creating 56 continuous kilometres of paved mixed-use trail on the shores of the Niagara River.

Walker’s Country Market and the Living Water Wayside Chapel

On the corner of the Niagara River Parkway and Line 1 Road, Walker’s Country Market has been selling farm-grown fruit and fresh-baked pies for nearly a century. You’ll also find shelves full of jams and jellies as well as locally made sweet treats.

Next door to Walker’s Country Market, the Living Water Wayside Chapel lays claim to being the smallest chapel in the world. At 4 metres long and 1.8 metres wide, it holds six single-seat pews and a small counter with pamphlets and a donation box.

This tiny church was built on the Walker family farm in the 1960s and returned to Walker’s Country Market in 2012 after spending 30 years 10 kilometres down the road near Queenston. It’s free to access from April to December each year.

Continue through wine country and into Queenston

Reif Estate Winery and Riverview Cellars are based directly on the Niagara River Parkway as you continue to the south, while other well-known wineries are close by through this stretch including Inniskillin Wines, Marynissen Estates, and Frogpond Farm Organic Winery.

Just as the Parkway curves to skirt around the small rural community of Queenston, you’ll see RiverBrink Art Museum. Originally, this building was the country home of Samuel Weir, a prominent Ontario lawyer with an interest in fine art. After Weir’s death in 1981, the home was converted into an art museum according to his will.

Today, RiverBrink displays a permanent collection of Canadian art, including a selection of paintings by the Group of Seven, plus a library and sculpture gallery and a hall for featured exhibitions. In the summer of 2025, a series of woodcut prints is on display by Japanese-Canadian artist Naoko Matsubara. Entry to this beautiful space is by donation. For art lovers, it’s well worth the stop.

Laura Secord Homestead honours a Canadian War of 1812 hero

Although Queenston is a relatively small community, it’s hosted many important moments in Canadian history. Two separate heritage sites honour this legacy here, both managed by Niagara Parks.

Laura Secord Homestead is a partial reconstruction of the family home of James and Laura Secord. Its location put them directly in the thick of the American invasion during the War of 1812. When James was wounded in the Battle of Queenston Heights, Laura undertook the work of nursing him back to health.

Before James had fully recovered, Laura learned of an American plot to launch a surprise attack on British forces. She left her injured husband behind and walked through 32 kilometres of occupied territory to alert British Lieutenant James FitzGibbon. Her warning allowed the British to win the ensuing Battle of Beaver Dams and altered the course of the war.

At this heritage site, you can tour the rebuilt home, learn more about Laura Secord’s life and her walk that altered history, and even pick up some Laura Secord Chocolates made by the company that bears her name.

Explore Canadian newspaper history at Mackenzie Printery

Niagara Parks also maintains Mackenzie Printery in Queenston, which is really two museums in one.

In part, it’s a tribute to William Lyon Mackenzie, one of early Canada’s most eccentric figures. He founded one of Upper Canada’s few independent political commentary newspapers, the Colonial Advocate, on this very site in Queenston. Within the 15 years that followed, he also became the first mayor of the City of Toronto, led the Upper Canada Rebellion against the British establishment, and got himself jailed for 10 months in the United States!

Mackenzie Printery also preserves the oldest printing press in Canada along with several more historic presses. If you take a guided tour, you’ll learn more about Mackenzie and try typesetting letters and operating a press to create your very own printed souvenir.

Make a diversion into St. Davids for lunch at Ravine Vineyard

If you started your tour of the Niagara River Parkway in the morning as we did, you’ll likely be getting hungry for lunch by the time you’re ready to leave Queenston.

This is the perfect time to make a quick five-minute diversion into the village of St. Davids to enjoy a fantastic meal at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. The dishes here from Executive Chef John Vetere are exquisite, served in a modern atmosphere with expansive views of the vineyards and grounds. For more casual fare, grab a pie at Four Mile Pizza during the summer months.

Wander through historic memorials at Queenston Heights Park

Just south of Queenston, the Niagara River Parkway winds its way up a 100-metre cliff face to Queenston Heights Park. This elevated stretch of land is the southernmost Canadian point of the Niagara Escarpment. From the top, the views of the Niagara River are stunning!

Queenston Heights Park has several memorials and markers scattered throughout, which makes it a wonderful spot for leisurely wandering. The most prominent is Brock’s Monument, a tribute to Major General Sir Isaac Brock, a British Army officer who fell during the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812. As it towers 56 metres above the Niagara Escarpment, this monument can be seen from much of the surrounding area.

The park also houses a memorial to Laura Secord, the Landscape of Nations Memorial honouring First Nations contributions to the British cause in the War of 1812, and a cairn marking the southern terminus of the Bruce Trail. This historic 890-kilometre footpath follows the Niagara Escarpment all the way from Queenston north to Tobermory, Ontario.

For a rare treat, visit the park on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy brunch with a spectacular view at Queenston Heights Restaurant.

If you decide to drive through without visiting the park, you can get a sense for the view at a scenic lookout located just off the Niagara River Parkway just past its intersection with York Street.

Enjoy colourful gardens and awe-inspiring lookouts

As you depart Queenston Heights Park, you’ll pass under the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge. From here, beautiful gardens, lookouts, and attractions arrive in quick succession.

The Centennial Lilac Garden, maintained by Niagara Parks, is a field dotted with dozens of lilac shrubs. These were gifted to Canada on the 100th anniversary of Confederation by a group of American Rotary Clubs in New York State. Numerous lilac varieties are planted here that bloom at different times in late spring. Mid-May to early June is the best time to see these colourful displays.

The Niagara Parks Floral Clock is located just down the Parkway from the Centennial Lilac Garden. This 12-metre-wide vibrant display of thousands of carpet bedding plants is refreshed twice annually by the horticulture staff at Niagara Parks. Ontario Power Generation keeps the clock’s inner workings running. Get up close to see the fish swimming in the pond, and stick around to hear the chimes, which go off every 15 minutes.

Locals know that when you drive past the Floral Clock, you’re getting very close to Niagara Falls!

Drive just a little further down the Parkway to reach the Niagara Falls Power Generating Plants Lookout. From here, you’ll get a clear view of the enormous generating stations that harness the full power of the mighty Niagara River from both sides.

Wind your way through Niagara’s natural attractions

Once you pass the generating stations, the next stretch of the Niagara River Parkway is lined with one fantastic attraction after another, most of which fall under the purview of Niagara Parks.

The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory is more than 11,000 square feet, making it one of the largest of its kind in North America. Watch as more than 2,000 butterflies flit around in a tropical oasis, then step outside to tour the Botanical Gardens. These gardens are maintained by students of the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, and the herbs grown here are used in Niagara Parks Feast ON certified restaurants.

At the Niagara Glen Nature Centre, descend down the cliffs and into the Niagara Glen to challenge yourself with eight different hiking trails. Before you head down the nine storeys of stairs, visit the staff inside to learn how to take part in a photo scavenger hunt. Earn enough points and you can choose a natural object to take home as a souvenir. There are rocks, gemstones, shells, and more!

Across the Parkway from the WildPlay Niagara Falls Whirlpool Adventure Course, the Niagara Parks Whirlpool Golf Course offers 18 holes of public play with the Niagara Gorge as a backdrop.

The Parkway gently curves around the Niagara Whirlpool and passes Niagara Helicopters and Great Wolf Lodge before reaching the Whirlpool Aero Car. This classic cable car ride has been gliding visitors 60 metres above the Niagara Whirlpool for more than a century! You’ll travel roughly a kilometre and enjoy breathtaking views of the whirlpool and the Niagara Gorge.

There’s one more attraction here not to be missed. At the White Water Walk, you’ll board an elevator and descend 70 metres into the Niagara Gorge, where a boardwalk puts you right next to the Class 6 rapids of the raging Niagara River. The water’s power is truly something to behold!

And as you pass under the Whirlpool Bridge, you’ll enter the City of Niagara Falls!

Niagara Falls: The heart of the Niagara River Parkway

The city of Niagara Falls needs no introduction! These famous Falls attract people from around the world, and their visits are made even better by the fantastic falls view restaurants, the museums and nightlife of Clifton Hill, casinos, concerts, and much more. And at Journey Behind the Falls, you can stand directly behind the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and experience the immense power as the water rushes past you at almost 10 metres per second!

If you’re making a weekend out of your Niagara River Parkway drive, Niagara Falls is the perfect place to spend the night. On this trip, we discovered the Old Stone Inn, an early 20th-century flour mill that was converted into a boutique hotel in the 1970s. The richly appointed rooms and on-site restaurant offer a respite from the hustle and bustle of Fallsview Avenue, and yet attractions like Fallsview Casino and the Skylon Tower are just a short walk away. We received very friendly service, and the breakfast is fabulous, too!

Explore Niagara’s electric legacy at the Niagara Parks Power Station

Before you leave Niagara Falls, stop at the Niagara Parks Power Station and Tunnel. Here, you can experience interactive displays explaining the history of this first major power plant on the Niagara River, which supplied electricity to the surrounding communities for a century. Then, head down the elevator and walk through the nearly 700-metre underground tunnel to view Niagara Falls from below.

On until October 13, 2025, the Tesla: A Spark of Genius exhibit walks you through the life and times of groundbreaking inventor Nikola Tesla, who created many of the technologies now integral to our lives such as AC power and remote-controlled devices. Cap off your visit to the exhibit by listening to the electrifying music played by the power station’s enormous roof-mounted Tesla coil!

Follow the Niagara River Parkway to Fort Erie

From Niagara Falls to Fort Erie, the Niagara River Parkway is a little quieter than at its north end with points of interest spaced further apart. This stretch is also, arguably, more scenic: the river is visible through the trees more often, making it ideal for that proverbial Sunday drive.

Take in gardening excellence at the Floral Showhouse

Horticulture has a long history in Niagara Falls, and it’s on full display at the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse. Here, you can see a showy variety of tropical flowers and plants inside the greenhouse, then head out to the garden to see the amazingly creative sculptures made from flowers and plants.

Before you move on, take a quick look across the street. The grand building you see here on the banks of the Niagara River is the former Toronto Power Generating Station. It’s been abandoned for 50 years, but Niagara Parks recently received approval to restore it and turn it into the first five-star boutique hotel in Niagara Falls. This exciting project, currently named the Toronto Power Hotel, is scheduled to be completed in 2028.

Just to the south of the Toronto Power Generating Station, the Old Scow Lookout Point provides a riverside view of a boat that broke loose from a tow in 1918. The scow came within a kilometre of plunging over Niagara Falls with two crewmen on board. Fortunately, the scow became caught on a rock and the men were rescued.

The wreckage remained in the same place, more or less intact, for nearly a century until it finally began to deteriorate in 2022. While it’s not as easy to spot today as it once was, some rusted remnants are still visible above the rushing river water. There’s no on-site parking at the lookout, so if you’d like to check it out, it’s easiest to park at the Floral Showhouse and walk to the site along this riverside section of the Trans-Canada Trail.

Find a moment in nature at Dufferin Islands Nature Area

Not far from the Floral Showhouse, the Dufferin Islands Nature Area is accessible directly off the Niagara River Parkway. You won’t believe this quiet and peaceful green space can exist to close to the heart of the tourist area in Niagara Falls!

During the summer, the islands house a network of short walking trails connected by small bridges. Many birds flock here including ducks, geese, and red-winged blackbirds. It’s a wonderful place for a tranquil escape from the busiest parts of the city. In the winter, the Dufferin Islands loop becomes part of the driving route for the Winter Festival of Lights.

Enjoy a picnic at Kingsbridge Park in Chippawa

The Niagara River Parkway continues past a pair of massive curious-looking structures — these are water inlet pipes for the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station Reservoir — until it arrives at Kingsbridge Park in Chippawa, a small community located just outside Niagara Falls.

Kingsbridge Park marks the point where the Welland River meets the Niagara River. This tree-covered green space offers picnic tables and charcoal barbecues as well as a portion of the Trans-Canada Trail, including pedestrian footbridge that spans the mouth of the Welland River. The small historic Chippawa Waterworks building is tucked away in a corner. Together, these elements make Kingsbridge Park an ideal spot for a family picnic.

Reflect on the past at Chippawa Battlefield Park

After a quick diversion across Chippawa’s Portage Road bridge, the Niagara River Parkway continues around the community and rejoins the Niagara River. From here to Fort Erie, you’ll find the riverfront is lined with many lookout points where you can pull off the Parkway and linger to enjoy the views. These appear every half-kilometre or so. If you feel like stopping but find one is occupied, keep driving. You’ll have a lookout entirely to yourself before long!

At the southern end of Chippawa, take a moment to reflect at Chippawa Battlefield Park. This Niagara Parks location has a monument and a series of information panels honouring the lives lost in this War of 1812 battle. These offer gratitude for the peace that has prevailed ever since between Canada and the United States.

As you exit, take a look across the river at Navy Island, the only place on the Niagara River between Niagara Falls and Fort Erie where you’re not looking at the United States. If you visited Mackenzie Printery in Queenston, you may have learned that William Lyon Mackenzie retreated to Navy Island after the failed Upper Canada Rebellion. He declared it the independent state of Upper Canada and named himself the chairman. This lasted less than a month before the rebels were dispersed.

Today, the island is a national historic site maintained by Parks Canada and is closed to the public.

Hit the greens and grab a bite at Legends on the Niagara Golf Course

If you started your day in Niagara Falls, you may be ready for lunch by the time you encounter the Legends on the Niagara Golf Course, one of four public golf courses operated by Niagara Parks. You can stop in to play a round if you’d like, but even if you’re not a golfer, the excellent restaurant here makes this a mealtime destination in its own right!

Enjoy the drive as you approach Fort Erie

The southernmost portion of the Niagara River Parkway is mostly scenic, though there are a few historic sites of note.

Willoughby Historical Museum keeps records of early 19th-century life on the Niagara Peninsula within a historic one-room schoolhouse.

Gonder’s Flats is a critical wetland area that is being actively rehabilitated by Niagara Parks. Much of the park is currently closed to the public, but future plans include an improved trail network among native plants and a restored pond. (Birders may want to pull over here to take a quick look. We added a couple of life birds to Merlin during our visit!)

A cairn and historical plaque mark the site of Frenchman’s Creek National Historic Site, another War of 1812 battle in which an American attempt to clear the way for invasion proved unsuccessful. Here, the Niagara River Recreation Trail ends, and the Niagara River Parkway enters the town of Fort Erie.

Fort Erie: A historically important border town

As the Niagara River Parkway winds its way through Fort Erie, it passes several parks and monuments that honour its important history as a port and border town. Many of these are connected by the town’s Riverwalk that traces the water’s edge.

Long before the Peace Bridge opened in 1927 to connect Fort Erie with the city of Buffalo, New York, a network of competing ferry services transported travelers across the Niagara River for more than 150 years. The final ferry crossing took place on September 2, 1950, on a boat named the Orleans. That history, as well as Fort Erie’s place as a final destination on the Underground Railroad that American slaves followed to freedom, is recognized at Ferry Landing Park.

The Niagara River Parkway’s southern terminus is at Fort Erie’s Mather Arch Park. It’s marked by Mather Arch, which was dedicated in August 1940 and paid for by railroad freight car magnate Alonzo C. Mather to honour the peace that has prevailed for centuries on both sides of the Niagara River. The Fort Erie Cenotaph, the town’s war memorial, also stands in Mather Park.

Experience a key War of 1812 battlefield at Old Fort Erie

Before you leave Fort Erie, the historic War of 1812 battleground of Old Fort Erie is an essential stop.

British fortifications have stood on this same spot on the Niagara River since 1764. For the first 50 years, a simple riverside wooden fort acted as a port and supply depot for ships heading further into the Great Lakes. By the early 1800s, work had begun on a stronger stone fort, but construction wasn’t finished by the time the War of 1812 broke out. The fort changed hands between the Americans and British multiple times, making this one of the war’s most fiercely contested battlefields.

To make the most of your visit, join a guided tour. It begins with a film that puts the fort’s important location into focus, then continues with a walk through the grounds and into the parade square, the barracks, the kitchen, and more. You’ll even see a live musket firing demonstration!

With two key forts acting as bookends and seemingly endless vistas and historic sites in between, the Niagara River Parkway is an essential road trip for Canadians and visitors alike.

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