St. Catharines

It is a shame that St. Catharines is overlooked by most tourists visiting Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake as it has a lot to offer. St. Catharines offers better value and quality for food and accommodation than the nearby tourist destinations which are only about 10-20 minutes away.

By car

The QEW Highway (which runs from Toronto to the Fort Erie-Buffalo border crossing) runs right through the city.

By bus

• St. Catharines Bus Terminal

  address: 62-66 Carlisle St
  Greyhound and Megabus (Coach Canada) operate bus services to Toronto and Niagara Falls. Niagara Region Transit operates a shuttle service from Niagara Falls (route 40). The terminal also serves local operator St. Catharines Transit.

• Fairview Mall bus stop

  address: YMCA Dr
  From this stop, GO Transit route 12 services east to Niagara Falls, and west to the Burlington GO Station connecting with GO Transit trains to Toronto. There are nearby connections to St. Catherines Transit buses.

By train

St. Catharines is served by the Maple Leaf train, operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail. The train runs daily between Toronto and New York City via Oakville, Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and various smaller cities. Also, GO Transit provides an limited commuter service with the once-daily train between Toronto and Niagara Falls calling here. On weekends year-round, GO Transit offers the Niagara Weekend GO Train Service which stops in St. Catharines. Both the Maple Leaf and commuter trains can accommodate bikes.

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St. Catharines Transit Commission buses serve most of the city. Maps and schedules can be viewed online. As of November 2019, the cash fare is $3 per ride including a transfer. A weekend one-day family pass can be purchased from the driver on the bus for $8/day. You can view maps, schedules, and purchase passes at the St. Catharines Bus Terminal. Tickets for multiple rides can also be purchased at the Pen Centre shopping mall.
Central Taxi provides 24-hour service in the Niagara Region.

• Welland CanalThe Welland Canal runs along the east side of the city. From late March to Christmas, ships travel between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario bypassing Niagara Falls using the series of locks that constitute the canal. Visitors can see the ships at several locations. The best locations are the Welland Canals Centre at Lock 3, and the Lock 7 Viewing Complex in Thorold. Sections of the canal are drained between New Year's and mid-March for maintenance.

• St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre

  phone: +1 905-984-8880
  address: 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy (at Lock 3)
  The Welland Canals Centre houses a tourist information centre, gift shop, the St. Catharines Museum and the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The raised observation deck (elevator available) allows visitors to see the process as ships are raised or lowered in Lock 3. Ships pass through the locks from late March to the end of December. There is a picnic area and children's playground just north of the building.

• Lock 7 Viewing Centre

  phone: +1 905-680-9477
  address: 50 Chapel Street South, Thorold
  This is a good location to watch ships being raised or lowered in Lock 7. A short walk leads to the head of Lock 7 for a very close look.
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  Kissing Rock

  address: 50 Chapel Street South, Thorold
  Legend has it that couples who kiss here enjoy luck and happiness.

Montebello Park

address: 64 Ontario St

This heritage park was started in 1887. It has a rose garden with over 1,300 bushes in 25 varieties. The park also has an ornamental fountain, a band shell and pavillion.

Art Alley

address: Art Alley

A graffiti alley apparently encouraged by the City.

Old Lincoln County Court House

address: 105 King St

Constructed 1848-1849, the building was modelled after the town hall in Perugia, Italy. It features a quaint tower with a three-face clock under an octagonal cupola.

Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church

phone: +1 905-682-0993

address: 92 Geneva St

Built in 1855, BME Church was a terminus for the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman was a church member and one of the conductors leading escaped slaves to this church.

Morningstar Mill

address: 2714 Decew Rd

Located near Lake Gibson, this 19th-century gristmill operated from 1883 to 1933 and is still in working order. The site also has a picnic area.

{{see

| name=Shorthills Provincial Park | alt=
| url=http://www.friendsofshorthillspark.ca/page/home
| address=Pelham Rd, Thorold, ON | lat=43.108395 | long=-79.287053
| directions=
| phone=
| hours= | price=
| wikipedia=
| lastedit=2019-11-02
| content=Fantastic scenery can be enjoyed in Shorthills Provincial Park] which is within minutes of the downtown core. The main entrance is surrounded by vineyards and forests while the trails themselves wind up and down the escarpment. All trails are suitable for hiking. There are some fantastic mountain biking trails, and trails for horseback riding. In the winter, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are also popular activities. There is no shortage of wildlife, a couple of waterfalls, rivers, valleys, and cliffs. There is great scenery on every trail all waiting to be explored. Dogs are welcome.
}

Merritt Trail

The Merritt Trail follows a narrow river that was once part of the First and Second Welland Canals. The 11-kilometre trail runs from Martindale Road south to Bradley Street passing near downtown St. Catherines. There are a few gaps in the trail, and a map is advised. Some early industrial ruins are along the trail.

• Canal Valley

  address: Merritt Trail
  Remnants of the First and Second Canals including lock walls can still be seen.

• Knifeworks Historical Site

  address: 1 Carson Ct
  The site has ruins of an 1870 knife factory that was closed about 1921. The original stone foundations remain.

• Lock structure

  address: Disher St W

• Lock structureNice view from a narrow pedestrian bridge over the lock.

• Mountain Locks Park

  address: 107 Merrit St
  A staircase of stone locks remain from the second Welland Canal. The ruins of several industrial buildings are nearby.

Port Dalhousie

Port Dalhousie (pronounced Da-loo-zee) is at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek on Lake Ontario which was once the entrance to older versions of the Welland Canal. Port Dalhousie has a small town centre, basically one square block, but it hosts more than 10 bars, almost all of which have patio areas. Adjacent to the town centre is Lakeside Park, made famous by the Rush song of the same name, and is a very popular place for locals and tourists in the summer time; it features an antique wooden carousel. Not far away is the Henley Rowing course.

• Lakeside Park

  address: 1 Lakeport Rd
  Features a beach, picnic areas and a carousel.

• Lakeside Park CarouselOne popular attraction of Lakeside Park is its old-fashioned, wooden carousel, carved between 1898 and 1905; it still costs only 5 cents a ride.

Rear Range Lighthouse

address: 57-61 Lighthouse Rd

The lighthouse is a wooden, octagonal tower with a 12-sided lantern at the top. It was built in 1898 to serve the now-defunct third Welland Canal which passed through Port Dalhousie. Today, the lantern is not used.

• FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

  phone: +1 905-688-0722
  address: 250 St. Paul St

• In the Corner Billiards & Lounge

  address: 448 Welland Ave
  A pool hall with 12 billiards tables, 2 snooker, food, beer and fun. All ages welcome.

• Meridian Centre

  address: 1 IceDogs Way
  Home of the Niagara IceDogs (hockey) and the Niagara River Lions (basketball).

• White Meadow Farms

  phone: +1 250-682-0642
  address: 2519 Effingham St
  Although a working farm with cattle and other crops, the big attraction is the Sugarbush. The Sugarbush Adventure runs weekends in February and March.

• Royal Canadian Henley RegattaOne of the world's best rowing courses is home to the annual Canadian Henley Regatta, named after the original regatta in Henley-on-Thames. The event is held in early August.

• Brock University

  address: 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way,
  Named after Sir Issac Brock who was responsible for defending Upper Canada against the United States during the War of 1812, Brock University offers undergraduate and graduate programs, with the well-known sports management program being the only university offered in Canada.

• Downtown St. CatharinesA wide variety of stores and services are available in the downtown area, located mainly along St. Paul Street between Ontario and Geneva streets.

• Fairview Mall

  address: 285 Geneva St
  Major stores include Chapters, IKEA, Mark's Work Wearhouse, Sport Chek, Winners, and Zehrs. Nearby large stores include Costco, Home Depot, and Staples. There is a food court in the mall. Harvey's and Swiss Chalet restaurants are in the parking lot.

• Outlet Collection at Niagara

  phone: +1 905-687-6777
  address: 330 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
  Although closer to St. Catharines, this open-air outlet mall is part of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The first phase opened May 15, 2014. The main anchor is Bass Pro Shops.

• Pen Centre

  phone: +1 905-687-6622
  address: 221 Glendale Ave
  A shopping mall. You can get almost anything. Large stores include Dollarama, H&M, Homesense, Hudson's Bay, Old Navy, SportChek, Winners, Walmart, and Zehrs. Services include Passport Canada. There is a food court inside the mall. A&W, Boston Pizza, and Kelsey's restaurants are in the parking lot.

• St. Catharines Farmers' Market

  address: 91 King St

Individual stores

• Book Outlet

  address: 340 Welland Ave
  40,000 titles offered within a store space of 50,000 Sq.ft.

Typical Canadian chain restaurants can be found around town. McDonald's, and Tim Hortons are probably the most common. St Pauls Street near the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre has an ever-changing variety of restaurants.

• Amakara Japan

  phone: +1 905-684-0612
  address: 19 Geneva St
  This is a Japanese restaurant. The owner is Japanese, so you can enjoy real Japanese food: sushi, teriyaki beef/chicken, tempura and so on.

• Cat's Caboose

  phone: +1 905-682-0139
  address: 224 Glenridge Ave
  Well-liked St Catharines restaurant. Entertainment usually on Friday & Saturday nights.

• Chang Noi

  phone: +1 905-228-6067
  address: 225 Queenston St
  Authentic Thai food, slow service and a language barrier that results in a high probability that you will not get what you ordered. Most often they will correct it if you are willing to put up with a longer wait. But it is worth it and if you aren't picky any meal they put in front of you will be very delicious. They have a good vegetarian and vegan selection and the prices are reasonable. They also have the coldest beer in town served to you in an ice-frosted mug. Despite the slow service and frequent mix-ups, regulars keep coming back to this restaurant.

• Duru

  phone: +1 905-682-6920
  address: 220 Welland Ave
  Korean restaurant. “Cook-it-yourself” on their electronic grill table. Features five different types of barbecues.

• Fabio's Pizza

  phone: +1 905-935-5353
  address: 530 Scott St

• The Feathery Pub

  phone: +1 905-687-3553
  address: 420 Vansickle Rd
  British style pub.

• The Merchant Ale House

  address: 98 St. Paul St
  The food is almost as good as their beers. It is made from scratch and fantastic value. Great budget pub food. The chicken wings are the best in the area and they have some very hot and even some usual sauces you can try. Try the shoestring fries as well but just about anything on the menu is as good as it sounds. For details on beers see the drink section below.

• Papa Vince Pizza

  phone: +1 905-227-9394
  address: 2A Sullivan Ave, Thorold
  Papa Vince has great pizza and wings, but where it really stands out is with their steak sub. Everyone should try a fatty!

• Romby's Tavern & Smokehouse

  phone: +1 905-937-0331
  address: 488 Lake St
  Restaurant & tavern.

• Sahla Thai

  phone: +1 905-984-4482
  address: 270 St. Paul St
  Thai restaurant.

• U Need A Pita

  phone: +1 905-682-PITA
  address: 116 St. Paul St
  This place has much better value, flavour, and selection than the other pita places downtown. They also have burgers, fresh cut fries, smoothies, frozen yogurt, sliders and other goodies prepared fresh. A popular take-out lunch destination as well. Also at 343 Glendale Ave and 100 Martindale Rd (inside Nonna's Kitchen) in St Catharines, and 30 Rice Rd in Welland. Each location has different hours.

There are two primary bar areas in the city: Port Dalhousie and downtown. Generally, Port Dalhousie is the active bar scene during the warm summer months, and downtown is the prime location for nightlife in the winter. The downtown area also has its fill of bars, likely more than twenty. Everything from small pubs to large dance clubs fill the area, although almost every bar has a laid-back feel (with matching laid-back clothing requirements.) There has been a bit of an upscale trend lately, with the addition of a few martini bars. It's a bigger area to cover than up in Port, but even still it's quite easy to walk from a bar at one end of downtown to another at the opposite end.

• The Merchant Ale House

  phone: +1 905-984-4060
  address: 98 St. Paul St
  Possibly the best hang out pub in the city. Most of the beer is brewed on premises and is home to their famous Drunken Monkey Oatmeal Stout. Some other honorable mentions go to the blueberry wheat, strawberry blonde, IPA, Hockey Ale, and their seasonal pumpkin ale and holiday skullcrusher. There is some interesting live music most Saturdays. The type of music never seems to be the same. This is a pub for all ages and is thankfully not frequented by immature college crowds.

Vineyards

There are world class vineyards in the rural west end of St. Catharines. Tours can be arranged and there is much available for tasting at every stop. Ontario wineries produce some fantastic white wines and ice wines which is what the region is known for.

• Henry of Pelham Estate Winery

  phone: +1 905-684-8423
  address: 1469 Pelham Rd

• Hernder Estate Wines

  phone: +1 905-684-3300
  address: 1607 Eighth Avenue Louth

• Capri Inn

  phone: +1 905-684 8515
  address: 391 Ontario St
  Complimentary breakfast of hot drinks, juice, muffins and other pastries, free Hi Speed Wireless Internet, 100% non- smoking rooms, in-room safe and fridge.

• Stone Mill Inn

  phone: +1 905-680-6455
  address: 271 Merritt St
  Complimentary Wi-Fi, cable television, mini fridge, coffee maker.

• Cedar Suite Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 905-935-0436
  address: 11 Dorothy St

• Brock University Residence

  phone: +1 905-688-5550 x3370
  address: 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way
  Campus residence. Available to travellers from May to August.

• Holiday Inn & Suites St. Catharines Conference Centre

  phone: +1 905-688-2324
  address: 327 Ontario St
  About from Downtown St. Catherines.

• Best Western St Catharines Hotel & Conference Centre

  phone: +1 905-934-8000
  address: 2 N Service Rd

• Hampton Inn by Hilton St. Catharines Niagara

  phone: +1 905-934-5400
  address: 89 Meadowvale Dr

Interesting places nearby include:

• Niagara Falls (Ontario) - for the Falls, of course
• Niagara-on-the-Lake - quaint, historic town with great little shops, restaurants, and (in the summer) the Shaw theatre festival