Crystal beach is one of my favourite beach in Ontario!…read more Pros: Crystal clear water Water is not too cold Clean beach Soft fine sand Shallow water even as you go further in Calm waters Clean washroom Cute restaurants around the area Nice playground for kids Family oriented Ice cream shops for the kiddies Cons: Parking is so expensive at $15 to park all day. Used to be $10 precovid. To get in admission it's $10 per person it used to be $5 pre-Covid. This can get expensive with a large family Gets pretty busy in the summer time Smaller beach compared to the other ones in Ontario Restaurants are about a 5-10mins walk away so it's best to bring your own lunch and a cooler of drinks with snacks If you're looking for a clean beach and don't mind paying for the parking and admission this is the beach for you. I took one star off for the parking and admission. Otherwise 5 stars all the way!

This beach is just like regular beaches. The water is no longer crystal clear, its so dirty with…read morechocolate wrapper floating around and many others stuff. I think charging for entrance is ridiculous. Washrooms is very limited and everyone has to wait in line to change and wash their legs. Families washroom is dirty and smelly. I would think since there is a charged for entrance the facilities provided would be better than other beaches.Living in Toronto and driving down 2 hrs to see this is definately NOT WORTH IT....might as well go to beach that is free, you get the same feeling plus save money. Highly NOT recommended !!!

You can't beat the views! You're at the point where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario. If you…read morelook across the river, you will see Fort Niagara on the American side (New York State). We did not walk to the Queens Royal Park. We will have to do that on our next visit. Rather, we stopped near the Battlefield of Fort George National Historic Site. When you're done shopping and eating in the town of Niagara on the Lake, make your way over here for nature at its finest. There's a reason why they called this the Great Lakes.

What a beautiful, natural, "un-touristy" stretch of rocky shoreline, adjacent to grassy meadow…read morefields, just two blocks from the main drag (Queen Street) in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This area is akin to a craggy shoreline with a walking trail by the water's edge. You can clearly see an old, rocky fort/garrison just across the bay. My TO friends told me that area is actually in Nw York state, and the building is Fort Niagara. When I say it's close, I'm saying a good swimmer could swim there from here! There is a large, prominent hexagonal gazebo centrally located on the grassy stretch by the water's edge. It is quite Victorian in style, with white wooden cut-outs and embellishments. I thought it would make for a gorgeous location, with he craggy shoreline and Lake Ontario behind it, for wedding or engagement photos, or any momentous occasion, really. Just a beautiful site. (A gallery owner later informed us that this gazebo was built for the Stephen King movie, "The Dead Zone", and they gifted it to the town when the movie was done, as so many locals loved it. It really does seem to fit perfectly on the site). There is a large parking lot by the park, but I believe it is paid parking, FYI. It takes but ten minutes to walk the shoreline trail and back, but it's a wonderful stroll on a lovely day, and the area is so picturesque, it's like out of a postcard. Definitely worth the time, if you are in the area

I love Hamburg Beach! It's $25 for residents permit for the year but well worth it for the…read morebeautiful sunset views with the city skyline and wind turbines off to the right. Many people gather at sunset do it creates a nice, family friend environment. There is plenty of space of recreational activities and ample parking.

I have been going here for a few years now and the view is great! You get to see the Buffalo…read moredowntown city and the vast lake view too. The staff in the summer time is very kind. You need a pass for the summer season but it's only $25. I'd recommend for a good family time!

We came out of the way to enjoy a nearby beach after a day spent at Niagara Falls. We found out…read morethat if you're not a resident then you have to purchase a $50 day pass in order to go to the beach. I get it that you're trying to keep it from being overcrowded but that's a bit ridiculous for a day pass.

You need to be a resident or buy tickets beforehand on the website and there is a capacity. Be more…read moreprepared and plan.

This beautiful park is at the end of the peninsula and next to the Port Dalhousie harbor (harbour?)…read morewhich includes TWO lighthouses. Both of them are on the other side of the inlet. A massive parking lot (pay at the kiosk and display the receipt), the fabulous carousel, picnic pavilion, beach volleyball courts and yes, accessible restrooms. The Rotary Club Bandshell and Neil Peart Pavilion are also here. And if you're wondering why the pavilion is named for a rock drummer, Neil spent all his childhood in Port Dalhousie after his family moved here when he was two years old. [Review 1479 of 2024 - 156 in Ontario - 22502 overall]

Drove to Port Dalhousie with my hubby and our 5 month old daughter after I got my second COVID shot…read morein St. Catharines at the arena. We brought a lunch we picked up at Hambrgr in downtown St. Catharines to eat at the beach. Since we visited on a weekday, it wasn't too busy and there was ample (paid) parking to be found. The sand beach was very clean and there were quite a few families enjoying the park, the overall vibe was super chill. We found a picnic table to sit at to enjoy our meal with a beautiful view of the water. After eating, we took baby for a nice walk in her stroller along the beach (there's a walkway for bikes, people, strollers etc) and then along the pier. Will for sure come back again someday soon!

A great place to go and rock climb while enjoying what nature has to offer. Over the years, there…read morehas been significantly more foot traffic, and as a result, more noise pollution and waste items have been popping up. I think that with more focus on an "all things in, all things out" approach, this area would be better for both bouldering enthusiast in addition nature fanatics alike!

Another vacation win- they have something here I have never seen- a nature trading post! You can…read moretrade rocks, crystals, fossils and such for their inventory or participate in a point based scavenger hunt, taking photos throughout the park, and redeem points for something in their inventory. I ma a huge rock hound, crystal nut- not just because my name is Crystal, I've loved picking up shiny rocks since I was a small child. Quartz and mica are two I remember finding often as a child. Here- they had a huge inventory of various raw and polished stones, fossils, animal bones and such. And that was just in the Nature Exchange! The park is wonderful too, plenty of trails to lead you down by the river, wonderful trees, great overlook viewpoints throughout. As part of the Niagra Parks system, they have bike trails too. We stopped here twice, once to explore and once for me to pop back in with my photos and pick out a raw piece of turquoise! A birthday win for me! Shout out to the young lady who talked to me in the morning, she wasn't there when I returned- and I am pretty sure the 2 young men thought I was crazy (I am), but they were all very helpful for this big kid out playing in nature!

Niagara Falls State Park is America's oldest state park and provides adventure-packed and…read morefamily-friendly experiences with incredible views. Thrilling attractions and interactive exhibits, riverfront hiking trails, and delectable dining options. While I was here, I spent time exploring many of the trails throughout the park with gorgeous views of nature that was well maintained. The park has amazing views of the falls. I participated in the Cave of the Winds experience where I descended 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge and feel the water flowing off the Falls from the Hurricane Deck. I got a ticket to the Niagara Falls State Park Observation Tower where I saw the only panoramic view of all three cataracts that comprise Niagara Falls, including the American Falls. I ate at Top of the Falls Restaurant that offers American-fare lunch and dinners and a panoramic view of the Falls. You can access The Maid of the Mist boat tour in Niagara Falls, N.Y. From the park. I did not purchase tickets for this experience since I rode the boat on the Canada side. I spent almost the entire day here and could have spent even more time exploring the trails and the Schoellkopf Power Station ruins site if I didn't have a time restriction. Definitely a must see natural wonder.

It's an incredible location full of photogenic scenery and memorable views…read more I highly recommend visiting.

Lovely park with lots to do! We were visiting the in-laws in Welland and was told that a brand new…read moresplash pad opened in June, so we took our toddlers there on a hot Saturday morning and the kids had a blast! The water wasn't super cold and was a perfect way to stay cool in the 30+ temps. There was a variety of spouts that little hands can spin/rotate and another area that has mushroom-like structures where the water comes down from above, in addition to the sprays that come from the ground. The water structures were spaced apart and the splash pad was spacious enough to avoid the kids from running into each other. There's also restrooms in a community center close by. In addition to the newly installed splash pad, the park has a large pond where ducks hang out (see pic), with a couple of "houses" installed in the center of the pond for the ducks to chill out on. There's several beach volleyball courts, a toddler playground that needs updating (it has a small climbing thing with small slides and a few swings), a newer playground that was a bit further off from the splash pad (we didn't play there but it looks fun and new), open grasslands, picnic tables that are covered (you'll probably need to book these through the the city). If you're in Welland and have kids, this is a great park to take the kids to! I hear that the duck pond freezes over and turns into a skating rink in the winter.

This is a lovely hike early in the day. Tons of stairs, you have to go up them on the way back…read more The path is fairly well marked, but has plenty of areas with a drop off so pay attention. I'm pretty familiar with this hike and enjoy it. Easy parking nearby.

Devil's Hole State Park is just a short distance from Whirlpool State Park…read more Tip: From the overlook, you can't see Devil's Hole; you'll have to hike down the trail to see it. The rocks along the wall on the trail are VERY sharp, so excercise caution while you're hiking here - it's a LONG way to the store for band-aids ;-)