Romantic St. Catharine's of Ontario, Canada

St. Catharine's in Canada's Ontario Province, on the shore of Lake Ontario, is a lovely place to visit or live. St. Catharine's is considered by some to be the "cultural nexus" of the Niagara area. St. Catharine's features both professional and amateur theater troupes, jazz clubs, rhythm and blues festivals, and a steady stream of rock bands who often perform at the free Summer concerts that take place in Montebello Park. St. Catharine's also features some highly touted Wine Festivals in addition to its famed wine route, such as the aptly named Niagara Grape and Wine Festival, New Vintage Niagara, and the Ice Wine Festival. St. Catharine's has other festivals that it hosts as well, including Canada Day celebrated in Port Dalhousie, the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in August, and the Niagara Arts Festival in May. One of St. Catharine's biggest attractions is its Summertime Ribfest, also held in Montebello Park, where the American South-style ribs are abundant and the Blues rings out through the Summer air. You also don't want to miss the classy art galleries that line the walkways of downtown St. Catherine's.

St. Catharine's is a great place to find history, culture, lush gardens that are sometimes commercial award-winners and at other times the pride of a private residence, richly landscaped parks, glimmering waters, and the enchantment that can only be found in rural areas.

The historic Port Dalhousie, previously mentioned in connection with a vivacious Canada Day festival, is a village frozen in time. One enters Port Dalhousie and is transported back to the 1800s by the architecture and the narrow, to modern eyes, streets. The "Dalhousie Princess" waits at the waterfront to take you on a tour of the Lake at sunset after you have had a fine surf 'n' turf dinner along the waterfront or watched some live theater there, while the Dalhousie Lighthouse has gazed at you from the background.