It’s National Tourism Week, and there’s no better time to explore everything that makes St. Catharines such a compelling place to visit, experience, and discover.
From rich history to a growing culinary scene and a thriving community of local makers, St. Catharines offers something meaningful at every turn.
Where Our Story Begins
Before it was a destination, it was a turning point.
Stand beside the ships at the Welland Canal and watch history move in real time. Here, you can trace the canal’s transformation from an ambitious 19th-century engineering project to a vital link in the Great Lakes system, or explore stories of everyday life, from factory workers to firefighters, that reveal how this city grew and thrived. What makes the experience in St. Catharines especially unique is how close you can get. At Lock 3, visitors can stand just metres away as ships (some over 200 metres long) are raised or lowered with quiet precision. It’s slow, powerful, and surprisingly captivating, offering a front-row seat to global shipping routes in action.
Step inside the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre to uncover the stories that built this city. With a collection of nearly 800,000 artifacts, photographs, and archival records, the museum brings local history to life through immersive exhibits that explore everything from the evolution of the Welland Canal to the people and industries that built St. Catharines.
Then experience the powerful legacy of the British Methodist Episcopal Church, a place of resilience, freedom, and community. Harriet Tubman resided in St. Catharines from 1851-1858 in a home behind the BME Church and belonged to the church’s congregation, along with numerous other self-liberators who settled in the area.
This is the foundation of who we are.
As St. Catharines marks its 150th anniversary, these places and stories continue to shape the city’s identity and inspire its future.
A Culinary Scene on the Rise
Food is one of the strongest reasons people travel. Big flavours, local roots, and a culinary scene worth planning a trip around are increasingly shaping how and where people choose to go. Nearly 80% of travellers now select destinations based on what they will eat, planning their journeys from the plate up, according to Travel Boom. Increasingly, St. Catharines is appearing on that map as a destination where food is not just part of the experience, it is the experience.
This shift is no accident. It reflects a growing culinary identity rooted in creativity, local connection, and a strong sense of place. In St. Catharines, dining has become one of the most accessible and compelling ways to experience the city. Restaurants are not operating in isolation from their surroundings; instead, they are deeply connected to the region’s agricultural landscape, nearby wineries, and network of independent producers. The result is a food culture that feels intentional and grounded, where each meal reflects both the season and the community that produces it.
Made Here, Shared Here
The spirit of St. Catharines is reflected in the people who create here, where makers, growers, brewers, and winemakers all contribute to a deeply rooted culture of craft and connection.
That spirit begins in places like the St. Catharines Farmers Market, where growers, bakers, and artisans bring generations of knowledge and passion to the table each week. It continues in creative retail spaces such as NAC Studio Shop, where curated vintage and contemporary design come together to showcase the city’s evolving artistic identity. These are places where local expression is not only preserved, but actively shared with residents and visitors alike.
Across the city, a strong and diverse craft beverage scene reflects the same values of creativity, community, and place-based storytelling. Breweries such as Cold Break Brewing, Merchant Ale House, Decew Falls Brewing Company, Lock St. Brewery, and Helliwell Hall each contribute their own distinct voice to a shared culture of craft brewing, where experimentation, community connection, and local pride are central to the experience.
This culture of craftsmanship also extends into Niagara’s infamous wine country, where producers such as Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery and 13th Street Winery continue to define the region’s reputation for quality and innovation. Here, winemaking is storytelling rooted in land, climate, and generations of expertise.
Together, these makers and creators form a connected ecosystem that defines the region’s identity. Whether through a market table, a pint glass, or a tasting flight, each experience reflects a shared commitment to place, craft, and community, offering visitors a genuine sense of what makes St. Catharines and Niagara distinct.
This National Tourism Week, discover St. Catharines – where history, flavour, and creativity come together to create something truly memorable.
