Nothing thrills me more then a walk down Queen Street in beautiful NOTL. Often referred to as the “Main” street, this street is really why NOTL was once voted the prettiest town in Canada. I would hope most people around here have gone for walks in NOTL at some point in their lives, if you haven’t, get your butt down there! It’s historical, it’s beautiful, and it makes for great pictures! I try to go at least once a season, Summer is beautiful, the flowers are in bloom and most of the stores and bakeries are open all week. If you don’t mind crowds, Summer is beautiful, but it is very busy in the Summer. I usually hit it up on Canada Day as I love the little cake parade they do with the Fife and Drum core from Fort George. Spring and Fall are nice as it’s not nearly as busy in the Summer and you still have the beautiful Spring flowers or Fall leaves as back drops. Winter is without a doubt my favourite time to go. It may be chilly, (bundle up and stop complaining, it’s Canada) but the streets are far less crowded and it’s just so beautiful with the snow. (For shopping the best time to go is Boxing Day week as a lot of the stores do big sales!)
Some of the stores still have that pricey vibe to them, but one can find some good deals if you look for them. The biggest draw is how unique some of the items are. Regardless, when on a tight budget, window shopping in NOTL is always fun and enjoyable. Look out for free samples at Maple Leaf Fudge (greatest fudge EVER, in my opinion) and Kurtz Orchards (they have a location on the Niagara Parkway as well as the Queen Street). Kurtz has all sorts of yummy dips, and check out Greaves Jams for yummy jams. Also note, if you are lucky and travel outside of the region/province/country, all three of those are unique to this area which make them a great hostess gift for people if you are visiting. (However, if you are like me and choose to buy something like Fudge, you may want to buy two as I tend to eat it if I give it to the intended recipient, I can’t help it, it’s really good!) My other favourite store to visit is the “Just Christmas”, if you love Christmas then this store is for you. It is ALL Christmas, ALL year long! Also brave it down some of the side streets that stem off of Queen Street, there are some great little boutiques and Galleries hiding just within walking distance of the main street.
Dogs can walk on the streets on leashes, some shop keepers, IF YOU ASK, will allow you to bring your dog in to their stores to look around with you (If your dog is calm and potty trained!). Be polite and do not try to bring them into a culinary store or a restaurant, common sense folks, common sense. And please always ask, don’t ruin it for others. Typically, if you are bringing your dog, realize that you are mostly going for a walk outside.
Also please realize all of these stores are independently owned. They all have different hours, different exchange rates and different sales! If you are planning to see a specific store during Fall, Winter or Spring, call ahead to verify their hours.
Depending on where you park you may have to pay for parking. If you park in the Courthouse parking lot you will pay for parking as you are right beside Queen street. If you are frugal like me you will park down by Parliament Oak School which is about a four minute walk to the main street. If you are planning on walking around the street, why not walk an extra four minutes and save the money? Also usually parking is free in the month of December on Queen street itself. Which is an added bonus!
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