When we decided to visit Niagara Falls, everyone told us to book accommodations at Niagara-on-the-Lake. The town of 17,000 lies on the shores of Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Niagara River.

Although only a 30-minute drive north of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake feels worlds away. You won’t find tacky souvenir shops or hoards of tourists blocking the sidewalks.