Niagara Wedding Hotspots

Niagara Wedding Photography

As if the wonder, beauty, and resourcefulness of the Golden Horseshoe weren’t enough, there are many hot spots in the area that offer naturalists the opportunity to truly get a feeling of what the Niagara area is all about. Because these areas do not offer a great deal of ‘excitement’ in the way of ‘attractions,’ they are not as well known as more publicized areas, and if you aren’t seeking them specifically, you will probably never know that they exist. They do, however, have the features that many people are looking for as an outdoor wedding venue. If you are trying to think outside of the box for a place to get married in the Niagara area, please consider the following:

 

Niagara Area Parks

One part of the area that has become quite popular is the Queen Victoria Park. At this hotspot, you will have the opportunity to view beautiful, expansive gardens, and the Park in the winter time is equally as breathtaking. Goat Island is another well known – and well traveled area – thanks to preservation, it is the only area left in Niagara Falls that has not been completely changed by industry. Make sure you visit these two areas before seeking out the less known spots.

Parks that the naturalist may want to visit include the Botanical Gardens, Beavers Dam Park, Dufferin Islands, King’s Bridge Park, Lakeside Park, Buygoyne Woods,  Mather Arch Park, Mel Swart Lake Gibson Conservation Park, Mosaiculture Garden, Montebello Park, Ontario Jaycee Gardens, Queenston Heights Park, and of course Queen Victoria Park, as mentioned above.

There are many hiking and walking trails as well in the Niagara Falls area. Try not to miss Terry Fox Trail, Niagara Glen, Bruce Trail, Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail, Merritt Trail, Niagara River Recreation Trail, Niagara on-the-Lake, and Welland Canals Parkway Trail.

Niagara Conservation Areas

There are many important conservation areas as well in the Niagara Falls area. These include Cave Mountainview Conservation, Springs, Mud Lake, Short Hills Provincial Park, Stevensville Conservation Area, Ball’s Falls Heritage Conservation, Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, St. Johns Conservation Area, Humberstone & Willoughby Marshland, Wainfleet Wetlands, and Rockway Conservation Area.

While there are numerous bird watching spots in the area, you should definitely seek out birds in the Beamer Conservation Area, Rock Point, Port Weller, the Adam Beck Generating Station, Queenston Sand Docks, Malcolmson Woods, Point Pelee National Park, and Happy Rolph’s Bird Sanctuary.  You will probably also want to visit the Butterfly Conservatory, which has over 2000 tropical butterflies in a rainforest setting.

The Niagara Falls State Park, which is on the American side, offers a great deal to nature lovers as well. The trail system is simply amazing, with a total of 14.5 miles of trails! Just make sure that you choose your trail carefully, as some of these trails are difficult and not meant for those who were expecting a casual walk. One trail you don’t want to miss out on is the Gorge Rim Trail; this is located near the Robert Moses Parkway Trail.

Below the surface of the water, there are over 25 species of fish, as well as various species of ducks and blue heron. You will find over 50 species of mammals and 36 species of reptiles here as well. Included are squirrels, skunks, raccoons, white-tailed deer, red fox, weasels, rabbits, muskrats, garter snakes, milk snakes, frogs, bullfrogs, painted turtles, and snapping turtles. At one point in time, there were timber rattlesnakes, black bears and mountain lions, but they have since been eliminated from the area.

While visiting the Niagara Falls area, pay close attention to the escarpment. The natural erosion at Niagara Falls has actually relocated the falls themselves seven miles in the past 5000 years. It is estimated that in 50,000 years these beautiful, astounding waterfalls will be nothing more than a raging river.

Niagara Wineries

The Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario have created a unique microclimate that is suitable for the production of many World Class Wines. Experience the beautiful countryside of this area as you spend the day traveling from one winery to another. The wineries also offer a memorable venue for your wedding day, contact Jon Evans for more information about his experience capturing weddings at wineries.