REWARDS
Fall Fun for the Whole Family
From fairs and harvest festivals to Halloween activities, the Niagara Region hosts some great opportunities to enjoy spending time as a family.
By Elisa Keay
Visit Henley Island for the Cicada Music & Arts Festival. | PHOTO: MIKE HIGHFIELD/HIGHFIELD IMAGES
WITH A GORGEOUS BACKDROP of autumn colours lighting up the escarpment, it’s an ideal time to explore activities in the region. Fun for the whole family, choose an adventure — or three! Some of these are bound to become favourite family traditions. Some are free, and some offer CAA Members great discounts and rewards, so you can enjoy the savings, too.
HAUNTED TOURS What could be more apropos of Halloween than a ghost walk through Niagara-on-the-Lake, one of Canada’s most haunted towns? While that title may have been self-appointed, the local ghost walk has numerous sites with reported hauntings to thrill and chill. Old Fort Erie offers Friday Night Frights, and for those war history buffs, the scenes of epic battles won’t disappoint. Here, guides dressed in period costume regale you with epic tales of military spectres and spirit sightings as they lead you through this War of 1812 National Historic Site.
SCENIC DRIVES There’s nothing like heading out for a drive on a crisp, clear fall day. The Niagara Region is full of the most stunning landscapes. Make your way to Beamer Falls in Grimsby, where, aside from visiting two majestic waterfalls, you can also fit in a bit of hiking and bird watching. Wind your way across the Niagara Parkway from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Fort Erie. This route was proclaimed “the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world” by Winston Churchill in 1943, and it’s hard to disagree. You can also cruise from Twenty Valley to St. Catharines — be sure to leave the beaten path and meander down some of the rural roads. You’ll find wineries, conservation areas and charming spots to stop and shop. Don’t forget your CAA Membership — you’ll find it provides some great savings at wineries, restaurants and even a discount on gas when you fill up at Shell.
Riding in cart trains is just part of the fall fun at Howell’s Adventure Farm. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF HOWELL’S ADVENTURE FARM
ANIMAL CAPERS Boo at the Zoo, Safari Niagara Safari Niagara transforms for Boo at the Zoo, which runs over two weekends: October 4–5 and 10–12, 2025. Prepare for some Halloween fun, complete with costume contests, trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting — and of course, animals! Safari Niagara offers discounted tickets for CAA members when purchased online or at a CAA Niagara branch.
Fall Fest, Howell’s Adventure Farm A visit to the farm is always fun, but in October it’s even more delightful. Fall Fest includes more than 35 attractions, including singing chickens and bullfrogs, and games such as a pumpkin slingshot, a zombie paintball shooting gallery and an apple blaster cannon! There are also wagon rides, a corn maze and some spooky skeletons to elicit plenty of Halloween howls at Howell’s!
HARVEST FESTIVALS It's not fall without harvest festivals, where award-winning livestock and blue-ribbon baked goods can all be enjoyed in one spot. The Niagara Region hosts a bounty of opportunities to sip, savour and indulge. Check these out for all the fall fun:
- 35th annual Marshville Heritage Festival in Wainfleet, Labour Day weekend August 30–September 1
- Harvest Pioneer Day in Lincoln, September 20
- Grape & Wine Festival and Parade in downtown St. Catharines, September 27
- Cicada Music & Arts Festival on Henley Island, St Catharines, October 3–4
- Port Colborne Harvest Festival, October 4
- Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show in Simcoe, October 7–13
- Ball’s Falls Thanksgiving Festival in Lincoln, October 11–14
Boo at the Zoo offers Halloween activities including costumes and trick-or-treating; First signs of fall light up the landscapes in Niagara-on-the-Lake. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF SAFARI NIAGARA; J.-F. BERGERON/ENVIRO PHOTO