Niagara Grape & Wine Festival — a 3-day weekend in Niagara

The weekend, day by day

1. Day 1

   Arrive in St. Catharines

   Land at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), settle in and walk the old town in the afternoon. Light dinner near your accommodation — save your appetite for the festival day.

2. Day 2

   Niagara Grape & Wine Festival

   Festival day — arrive early to avoid the lunchtime crowd. Insider tip: Skip St. Catharines' main events and use the Discovery Pass to visit smaller winery verticals at Château des Charmes and Flat Rock during harvest week—you'll taste newly crushed juice and engage directly with harvest-focused winemakers unavailable during the parade chaos. The $1 entry makes this budget-friendly for exploring Niagara's true production landscape.

3. Day 3

   Wine country day in Niagara

   Use the third day for a single winery visit (booked ahead) and a long lunch at one of the regional addresses below before heading home.

Where to stay

Three angles for the festival window. Festival hotels book out 6+ months in advance — apartments are the contingency when the main shortlist is sold out.

• Hotels in St. Catharines

  Live inventory around the festival window — 2 adults, all star ratings.

• 4–5 star options near St. Catharines

  Higher-end shortlist when you want the milestone weekend treatment.

• Apartments in St. Catharines

  Self-catering option — useful when festival hotels sell out 6+ months ahead.

Booking.com links — we may earn a commission. We never recommend hotels we wouldn't use ourselves.

Practical

Nearest airport

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

Tickets

Buy festival tickets