The Gateway to Niagara (Grimsby, Ontario)

By Laura A. Melnyck

Southern Ontario's prestigious town of Grimsby is located in the heart of the Niagara Region. Visitors to the town have the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds, since Grimsby is nestled between beautiful Lake Ontario and the scenic Niagara escarpment.

In the past, Grimsby was well known for its rich agricultural land, and eventually became a major centre for the growing, shipping and canning of fruits.
Even though Grimsby continues to grow and expand on a daily basis, it is unique in that it manages to maintain its "small town" atmosphere. Grimsby offers many activities and sites to see throughout the year, with something for everyone to enjoy.

If you like shopping, Grimsby's downtown core offers several unique shops and specialty stores to its clientele. Some of the available amenities include: pharmacies, grocery stores, clothing stores, gift shops, shoe stores, jewelers, hardware and convenience stores, among many others. If you plan on spending the night, you will have a wide variety of accommodations to choose from. The town is famous for its many bed & breakfasts as well as its brand new state of the art "Kittling Ridge Winery Inn". The Inn is located off of the Queen Elizabeth Way and is adjacent to Lake Ontario.

In addition to this, Grimsby offers every kind of meal ranging from fast food to fine dining. Some of the fast food restaurants include: McDonalds, Sub Way, Pizza Pizza and Harvey's to name a few. If you would like to dine in a casual bar/grill setting, try the Rumour Mill on Main Street or the Gables Bar/Grill on Mountain Street. If you are looking for fine dining, try Angel Food Cafe on Ontario Street or the restaurant located at Fifty Point Marina. Be sure to stop off at one of Southern Ontario's famous coffee shops. There are five Tim Horton's Coffee/Donut shops located in various places throughout the town, which sell the best coffee around.

Also, while visiting Grimsby, you should take advantage of the complimentary tours/tastings offered by the hundreds of wineries throughout the Region. Local wineries such as Kittling Ridge, Andres and Peninsula Ridge have contributed to making the Niagara Region a well known place around the world.

If you enjoy historical sites, you can take the historical walking tour, which travels throughout Grimsby. If you enjoy art, make sure you visit the gallery which exhibits work by the many talented local artists, and plan to stop by Grimsby's Museum to view the many historical artifacts that are kept there.
If you are an exercise enthusiast, you can take a guided tour along the Bruce Trail up the Niagara Escarpment, or walk along Grimsby's water front trail. If you prefer to exercise indoors, be sure to drop by Total Health & Fitness. The gym is the largest around, at 24,000 square feet of space. Or, if you have a competitive edge, why not enter one of the Financial Centre's running series races, based out of Grimsby. The events are offered throughout the spring, summer and fall months through In stride Productions.

If you intend on coming to Grimsby at a particular time during the year, you may want to plan to come for a special event. The town offers festivals, parades and art displays all year long, including: Happening at the Park, Festival at the Forty, the Art Festival and the Santa Claus Parade. If you plan on staying a while, you can explore the larger surrounding cities as well. Toronto, St. Catharine’s, Hamilton and Niagara Falls are all just a short drive away!

For more information about Grimsby, contact The Niagara Information and Welcome Centre, Niagara West Tourism or pick up a copy of the Grimsby Independent, the community's bi-weekly newspaper. Cheers, from the wine region of Ontario.