Easy Weekend Getaway Idea: Canadian Wine Country

In the summer, we all like to plan weekend getaways during which we can enjoy the great outdoors. Personally, I love a day at the beach, but I also love hiking or biking and exploring a new place. This summer, I’ve been lucky enough to go on two wine country trips: one to Napa & Sonoma Valleys and the other to the Niagara wine region.

You may not realize it, but a 45 minute drive from Buffalo is a little wine valley in Canada that has some lovely vineyards. My friend Brian and I explored the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake by bike ($30 CAD for an all-day rental at Zoom Leisure) and had a great time, but leisurely walking is sure to be enjoyable in this scenic area too. With lots of little markets around town, you can pick up fixings for a lovely picnic by the river or in a vineyard. Alternately, you can eat at one of the many wineries with dining options.

At Inniskillin, we snacked on freshly shucked oysters and roasted corn before a tour (only $5 CAD) that ended in a 3-wine tasting. We also enjoyed an extended tasting ($15 CAD) and cheese plate ($10 CAD) at Reif Estate Winery, where the pleasant service and reasonable prices meant that we each went home with a few bottles. Since we were on bike, we made a plan for the wineries we wanted to revisit for shopping and swung back at the end of the day.

It was a lovely day trip, but it would also make a great weekend trip, with more information (including lodgings) to be found at the official tourism website.

Flights from JFK to Buffalo are about $150-$200 each way and take just under an hour.