Niagara-on-the-Lake At Christmas

For the Christmas holidays, my boyfriend and I decided to take a quick trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Two summers ago, we did a winery tour by bike (recap  here &  here), and absolutely loved it, so we were keen to return in the winter. The town is so picturesque and looked like something out of a holiday card. When we first arrived, we walked along the main street and bought some Christmas gifts. The shopping is amazing for things like soaps, home goods, cards, and Christmas decorations.

We stayed at the Schoolmaster's House B&B, an old heritage home built in 1818 that once served as a boarding school. The house felt so cozy and Christmas-y. Our host was lovely and made a delicious breakfast each morning. Her homemade scones were to die for!

We decided to return to Pellar, our favorite winery from our previous tour. It you're ever in Niagara, I highly recommend it! We did a quick tasting in the gift shop and then did a wine and chocolate pairing. 

We tried sparkling, white, red, and ice wines with chocolate, popcorn, and even a s'more that we toasted ourselves with blow torches. The Niagara region and Pellar are both known for their ice wines which are essentially a liquid version of strawberry jam. It's personally not my favorite (too sweet!), but it was interesting to learn about its history during the pairing.  I ended up purchasing a Chardonnay, but our favorite was the chocolate, which we bought as stocking stuffers.

After, we walked down the road to Inniskillin, Marynissen, and Frog Pond wineries, and then headed home by Uber. Biking winery-to-winery was strenuous in the summer heat and felt more like an intense workout than leisure, so I was very thankful for the drive.

Frogpond Farm Winery

For dinner, we tried Treadwell, one of the top-rated restaurants in town. The food is made with seasonal, local ingredients and changes month-to-month. The service and food was absolutely impeccable. I tried the scallops, roasted chicken, and deconstructed s'more dessert, which did not disappoint. 10/10 would recommend.

Overall the trip was lovely and the perfect way to celebrate after exams. My boyfriend and I have decided to visit Niagara once a year!