It was time for a relaxing weekend, but my wife and I just can’t seem to flick the switch into relaxation mode when we’re sitting in our house knowing in the back of our minds that there’s so much to do.

So, we treated ourselves to two nights in Niagara Falls at the Sterling Inn and Spa. The drive was less than an hour from our home in Ancaster. We checked-in to our beautiful, spacious room and got ready for dinner down at AG. After a delicious dinner, we took a walk down to the falls which was lit up beautifully at night. We then made our way to the new Fallsview Casino Resort and lost $20 each to the slot machines before heading back to the hotel to turn in for the night.

Sunday morning we headed down to Clifton Hill and realized that tourism was definitely picking up in Niagara Falls. The city was full of energy and there were people everywhere! We started off by grabbing some chocolate from the Hershey Store (their cherry almond bar is fantastic!). We then walked down by the falls for a daytime view and stopped for lunch on a patio, then a ride on the Skywheel. Their FunPass is a pretty good deal at $32! We spent the rest of the afternoon reliving our childhood at a mini-golf course, video game midway, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

After heading back to the hotel to change, we returned to the Fallsview Casino Resort and found a restaurant for dinner. We decided to try our luck in the casino again and after twenty minutes on the electronic Black Jack machine I managed to walk away with the $40 we lost the night before.

The next morning we relaxed and indulged in sleeping in. My wife went down for her spa appointment and after her facial, she was glowing! We decided to take the scenic route home through Niagara on the Lake. It was a beautiful, relaxing drive through vineyards and fruit orchards. We stopped and grabbed some fresh peaches and apricots from a roadside stand before stopping at Stratus Vineyards where we did a wine tasting that included a couple complex blends and a unique red ice wine.

It was a beautiful, relaxing trip and best of all; it’s in our own backyard! If you ever get a chance to visit Niagara Falls you won’t be disappointed. The Niagara region is less than an hour away from the Hamilton International Airport. For more information on Niagara Falls tourist attractions and accommodations please visit www.tourismniagara.com.

Do you have stories about your trip to the Niagara region? Please share them with us below!