Fort Erie

Fort Erie is a community of communities that includes the small villages of Ridgeway, Crystal Beach, Stevensville, and Bridgeburg. Located at the point where Lake Erie enters the Niagara River, this busy border town sees more than 4.7 million passenger vehicles cross the Peace Bridge annually. When the summer is in its prime, visitors flock to lakefront cottages to soak up every moment of the blissful solitude. With the radio turned up and the wind blowing in your face, surrender to the Niagara Parkway. Famously described by Sir Winston Churchill as “the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world”, there’s more to its stunning scenery than meets the eye.

Fort Erie is a reflection of its colourful heritage, starting with Indigenous peoples over 10,000 years ago and continuing through European colonization and the migration of United Empire Loyalists and African American slaves looking for a new life. This heritage stands proudly on display at many historic sites, museums, and re-enactment events. Fast forward to the present, where old-fashioned service meets modern-day style. Shop at a wide array of specialty retailers and make time for a quick bite or sit-down dinner along the way. Fort Erie’s food scene is steadily on the rise and trending towards unforgettable.

Featuring a 42 km-wide window to the Lake, freshwater beaches vary in character from sandy to rocky to naturalized and grassy. Lounging in the sun is the only duty for the day, of course, next to setting afloat in a canoe, kayak, kiteboard or paddleboard. Frolic in the blue waves, build sandcastles with the little ones, and settle in for a fiery sunset that puts everything at peace. An ever-changing calendar of arts and culture events make days in Fort Erie anything but dull. Sometimes it’s applauding the cast at a dinner theatre show, and other times there’s cheering for the encore of your favourite song or getting inspired by the creative work of artisan craftspeople. Generous doses of spirited local culture ensure there’s plenty to remember about Fort Erie.