Weekend Travel

The Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan

Explore Canada’s Wine Country

Skip the kitsch by the falls and head instead to Niagara-on-the-Lake, where old-world charms meet pretty bike paths and a burgeoning wine scene.

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By David Sax
Published May 22, 2007

1. Where to Stay

The Prince of Wales

(Photo: Courtesy of Vintage Hotels)

Relax in varnished Victorian splendor at the Prince of Wales (from $227), a turn-of-last-century landmark at the center of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where fresh-cut roses grace the pillow tops and frescoes of Queen Victoria stand guard over an indoor pool.

Enjoy a chilled Riesling in your bathrobe while staring at the stately grounds of Riverbend Inn and Vineyard (from $232), a Georgian mansion along the Niagara River Parkway. The inn’s guestrooms exude old-time elegance, with ornately carved fireplace mantles, original wood flooring, and framed renderings of sea battles.

For something decidedly more modern (iPod docks, free wi-fi, a complimentary DVD library), check into the Shaw Club (from $205). The hotel’s swish lounge is geared toward Toronto’s luxury-condo dwellers, who want the historic charm of Niagara-on-the-Lake without giving up their flat-screens.