This is an absolutely beautiful destination any time of the year. There is an old mill located at the top of a beautiful waterfall.
During the summer the mill is open to visitors to see the inner workings of the grain mill. They even sell flour that is milled there!
The mill is located on Decew Rd where it meets Cataract. There is ample parking most of the time.
The historic house is also opened up on the weekends during the summer and is preserved in its original state. It is absolutely beautiful for taking pictures. Although it is free to tour the house, they appreciate donations to upkeep the property.
If you walk the path past the house it continues to the other side of a fence and beyond. If you stay on the trail it will eventually bring you down to the water level. There is a swimming area there where kids have left behind a rope and ladder for getting back out. You can also walk upriver, passing a waterfall on the way back to the main falls the mill is located on (pictured above). This is a popular place for swimming in the summer. You are able to get completely behind the falls. Visiting in the winter, it completely encloses into a beautiful ice tunnel.
This tunnel is located just left of the picture above. You can access it from the base of the main waterfall. A pair of rubber boots and a flashlight are a good idea if you plan on checking it out. I used only the flash of my camera, causing an eerie and slightly terrifying effect.
This is the lower falls at the mill. It still has a lot of force but it is possible to sit comfortably with your feet in the water after a hike. Occasionally during the year it dries up and you are able to sit where the water normally flows and have a picnic or just hang out!
If you are from around Niagara, you better have been down to the gorge by now! It is located downriver of the falls, and after the whirlpool.
There is a rather large staircase that leads down to a walkway. From there you can follow a series of hiking trails that criss-cross the area.
The view is great! You can get right down to the water level. I have seen people fishing down there. Be careful though, this is not a destination for children as the current is extremely strong and there are no fences or barriers. Just nature showing off its extreme power!
To see it on a google map Click Here
Happy Rolphs is a bird sanctuary but also a lot more. There is a petting zoo area where kids (or adults) can pet and feed the animals. There are miniature goats, a donkey or horse, bunnies, cows and others. There is also an area where you can feed the geese and ducks. If you follow the path you can walk along the waters-edge. It is a beautiful place to visit on a sunny, warm day! There are great picnic areas as well.
Facilities:
Lakefront nature study
Passive area
Children's farm
Picnic area
Playground
Washrooms
Parking area
Ponds
Wooded areas
911 Memorial Trail
Waterfront Trail
Where is it? To see it in Google Maps click HERE
White Meadows Farms
This is the fourth year that White Meadows has been offering skating at the farm. I believe it is $2 (not free) per person to skate. I put this at the top of my list because there is so much to do there other than skating. There is also a toboggan hill, and a petting zoo area (free). From February to March they also have sugar bush tours. If you get cold they have a "Pancake House" that serves all-day breakfast.
Rink at the Brink
This is located in Niagara Falls. There are free skate days which they list on their website each year. This year (2012) you can skate for free January 9, 16 & 30th; February 13th. There is also free parking! It is open daily from December-February.
Click here to see regular admission prices and season pass prices (for not-free days)
Woodlawn Park
Woodlawn Park is located in Welland on Woodlawn road at Northwood. In the winter the pond freezes over and makes a sweet local rink. It is free to skate on and available at all hours!
Its a sweet place to hang out with friends or play some hockey on your down-time from school. It is an easy walk from residence/fist ave and especially convenient for those living in the Northwood area.
Chippewa Park
Chippewa Park has a pond in the summer where you can do feed ducks, turtles and fish. In the winter though, it freezes over and is maintained as a rink.
Civic Square
This is located in front of City Hall/Library on Main Street in Welland. Good, smooth ice but i believe that hockey is not permitted.
I will keep my eye out for other free skating locations and upload some pictures soon!
Swayze Falls is a waterfall located in Short Hills Provincial Park. It has easy trails that are wheelchair accessible all the way to the top of the falls where there is a platform to see the waterfall from. The waterfall is 100 feet high and can be rushing with water or completely dry depending on when you visit. I enjoy visiting when it is completely dried up and sitting on the edge of the waterfall for a picnic.
In the winter it is a beautiful sight! The water freezes up into amazingly huge icicles and a frozen waterfall. If you follow the path down river there are extensive hiking trails and you are able to double-back to the waterfall base where you can stand right in the falls (great for pictures).
This is one of my favorite destination any time of year. In the heat of the summer it is always cooler down there between the rocks and shaded by the trees. In the winter it is protected from the winds and snow.
The trail is easy accessed from Roland Rd. From there it is a quick and easy hike to the lookout. You will be following the red trail on this map. Check out the Friends of Short Hills website for trail maps and more info on the park: http://www.friendsofshorthillspark.ca/page/home
Here is a Map to the location:
Swayze Falls on a Google Map
If you have not discovered Geocaching yet, you are missing out! It is like a worldwide scavenger hunt! Great for kids and adults. Your mission is to follow the directions and tips to find small containers. Inside the containers might be a logbook to sign or small items other cachers have left behind. There is an online community where you can track which caches you have found and befriend others!
Here is a map with caches around St Catharines. You can zoom out and move the camera around or search for a different city/country
http://www.geocaching.com/map/beta/default.aspx?lat=43.15937&lng=-79.24686
Here is a link to the website:
http://www.geocaching.com/
There are also Geocaching apps for the iPhone. Some people also use handheld gps to help find the caches. I always just follow the hints, but if you are looking for a Geocaching GPS, Garmin has a couple specifically for that.
Add me as a friend when you join! Im YesNoMabee (go figure) http://www.geocaching.com/my/myfriends.aspx
If you are anything like me, you live in the Niagara Region and YOU ARE BORED!
Sure, there's a lot to do if you want to spend a million dollars, but chances are, you don't. My mission is to seek out all the fun activities and destinations that won't cost you a fortune.
I would love it if you followed my blog and joined me on the adventure!
