Niagara, beyond the falls

Never mind, of course, that we are talking about one of the most impressive natural wonders of the West. Never mind that the falls themselves are merely the famous cherry sitting atop the tasty, tasty sundae that is the Niagara region.

Never mind that this region is one of the most desirable destinations in the Northeast. Really, it is: Sitting between two Great Lakes (Ontario and Erie), the Niagara boasts not one, but two great wine-producing regions (one among Canada’s best; the other a hidden New York State gem), world-class theater and music for months out of the year, plus outstanding little towns like Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lewiston, Youngstown, Queenston, with their great restaurants and cool places to stay.

Even still, to many people, the entire region remains some sort of retro-kitsch joke. Ha ha ha. Niagara Falls.

One one hand, that's insane. On the other, who cares? Maybe it's good that too many people's minds won't be changed. More room for the rest of us.

NAPA NORTH No matter how many times it proves itself, a surprising number of Americans still can't accept that the Canadians know anything about wine. Not that Canadians care; they’re too busy getting high on their own supply. Of the many wine regions in the country, some of the most interesting are found in Ontario, simply because of how good the wines can be in a climate that to the untrained eye might seem inhospitable to grape growing. Kick back on the vineyard-facing patios at stunning tasting rooms like the ones at Jackson-Triggs, Peller Estates or Stratus with a glass of something (and maybe a bite to eat, if it's handy) and you'll wonder why you didn't get there sooner. That's just the beginning, though; the entire region west of the river is full of good wineries, from the edgy and experimental Malivoire, near Beamsville, to workhorses churning out solid renditions of the classics (Cave Springs in Jordan for riesling, Henry of Pelham for Pinot Noire and sparkling pink). To really get into the scene up here, you'll need at least a week. No matter how much time you have, though, make room in your schedule for Inniskillin, a granddaddy of the Canadian wine industry and home to some of the world’s most sought-after ice wines. Make sure to pick up a bottle of their sparkling Vidal — a glass of that, served just-this-side-of-frozen, and you'll wish you had a heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub, and someone to share it with. The tub, not the wine — they can get their own damn bottle (ontariotravel.net).

THE UP-AND-COMER Cross the gorge from Ontario back into New York and you’ll find a similar geographical setup that favors grape growing. But when it comes to wine, let's just say that the folks in Niagara County have a lot of catching up to do. not that you’d have known this up until recently. When it comes to wine, let’s just say, the folks in Niagara County have a lot of catching up to do. They're working hard at it, though — it's really starting to show at wineries such as Arrowhead Spring, which has received high marks for its ice wine and Chardonnay; their attractive little tasting room just outside the historic Erie Canal town of Lockport is a must-visit. Thirteen wineries make up the county's Niagara Wine Trail; two more will join this summer. Other stops should include Freedom Run and Leonard Oakes, where you’ll likely meet the young and energetic people behind the interesting (and sometimes surprisingly good) wines being produced from estate-grown grapes. Early days? You bet. But nothing like getting in on the ground floor (niagarawinetrail.org).

CURTAIN UP Think the wine's tasty? Wait until you try the theater. Drawing on a pool of top talent from nearby Toronto (not to mention beyond), the region's annual Shaw Festival, which takes over four unique venues in the Ontario village of Niagara-on-the-Lake, is worth the trip alone for its astonishingly good executions of Broadway favorites and thought-provoking smaller productions. Some people mistakenly assume this is just a summer thing. It’s not. The season — which will run right into fall — has already begun. Fired up 50 years ago to celebrate the plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries, the festival has evolved into one of the best cultural wingdings in North America, with a little something to please everyone, from big-ticket productions of crowdpleasing musicals ("My Fair Lady") to popular plays ("Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") to critically acclaimed works such as Suzan-Lori Parks’ "Topdog/Underdog" and, of course, standbys like Shaw’s "Candida." Tickets are reasonably priced — sometimes as low as $30 for mainstage events (shawfest.com). If you’re here during the summer, the New York town of Lewiston puts on its own show at the seasonal Artpark, an outdoor riverfront venue that this year features a short but worthy roster, running the gamut from indie/hipster fave The Black Keys to rapper Wiz Khalifa to pop classics from the Buffalo Philharmonic (artpark.net).

LITTLE CHARMERS Speaking of Niagara-on-the-Lake, if you've never heard of it before, here's the scoop: This is one of the most perfect little weekend towns you could hope to find anywhere in the Northeast. A fave with Toronto's moneyed set (think Hamptons, but less blingy), Niagara-on-the-Lake is about as far as you can get from Niagara Falls as most people know it. Across the river, Lewiston is still somewhat of an undiscovered gem, offering the charm of the other side of the river for a fraction of the cost, simply because Americans just don't care about the Niagara the way the Canadians do. Our loss. Add in the tiny towns of Queenston, Ontario and little old Youngstown, New York (up in the shadow of ye olde Fort Niagara), and you’ve got four very unique and appealing addresses, all along one stubby little stretch of river. Somehow, they all manage to rise above the falls fray, though Niagara-on-the-Lake is easily the most popular, especially excellent for people who don’t want to do a lot of driving. Hotel-wise, your top choice here is Harbour House, a sophisticated little number near the water (harbourhousehotel.ca). That said, you’ll spend tons less in so-close-but-so-far-away Queenston, where The Red Coat bed-and-breakfast is the one you want (theredcoat.ca). Ditto in Lewiston, where the Barton Hill Hotel & Spa offers the best value in the region — it is smart, it is friendly and rates can go as low as $119 during the week. The hotel sits at the foot of the town’s charming but low-key main drag, which offers plenty of interesting shops and decent restaurants (bartonhillhotel.com).

CURTAIN UP Think the wine's tasty? Wait until you try the theater. Drawing on a pool of top talent from nearby Toronto (not to mention beyond), the region's annual Shaw Festival, which takes over four unique venues in the Ontario village of Niagara-on-the-Lake, is worth the trip alone for its astonishingly good executions of Broadway favorites and thought-provoking smaller productions. Some people mistakenly assume this is just a summer thing. It’s not. The season — which will run right into fall — has already begun. Fired up 50 years ago to celebrate the plays of George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries, the festival has evolved into one of the best cultural wingdings in North America, with a little something to please everyone, from big-ticket productions of crowdpleasing musicals ("My Fair Lady") to popular plays ("Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") to critically acclaimed works such as Suzan-Lori Parks’ "Topdog/Underdog" and, of course, standbys like Shaw’s "Candida." Tickets are reasonably priced — sometimes as low as $30 for mainstage events (shawfest.com). If you’re here during the summer, the New York town of Lewiston puts on its own show at the seasonal Artpark, an outdoor riverfront venue that this year features a short but worthy roster, running the gamut from indie/hipster fave The Black Keys to rapper Wiz Khalifa to pop classics from the Buffalo Philharmonic (artpark.net).

LITTLE CHARMERS Speaking of Niagara-on-the-Lake, if you've never heard of it before, here's the scoop: This is one of the most perfect little weekend towns you could hope to find anywhere in the Northeast. A fave with Toronto's moneyed set (think Hamptons, but less blingy), Niagara-on-the-Lake is about as far as you can get from Niagara Falls as most people know it. Across the river, Lewiston is still somewhat of an undiscovered gem, offering the charm of the other side of the river for a fraction of the cost, simply because Americans just don't care about the Niagara the way the Canadians do. Our loss. Add in the tiny towns of Queenston, Ontario and little old Youngstown, New York (up in the shadow of ye olde Fort Niagara), and you’ve got four very unique and appealing addresses, all along one stubby little stretch of river. Somehow, they all manage to rise above the falls fray, though Niagara-on-the-Lake is easily the most popular, especially excellent for people who don’t want to do a lot of driving. Hotel-wise, your top choice here is Harbour House, a sophisticated little number near the water (harbourhousehotel.ca). That said, you’ll spend tons less in so-close-but-so-far-away Queenston, where The Red Coat bed-and-breakfast is the one you want (theredcoat.ca). Ditto in Lewiston, where the Barton Hill Hotel & Spa offers the best value in the region — it is smart, it is friendly and rates can go as low as $119 during the week. The hotel sits at the foot of the town’s charming but low-key main drag, which offers plenty of interesting shops and decent restaurants (bartonhillhotel.com).

GET SOME EXERCISE On a warm and sunny day (and there are plenty of them, once winter packs it in), there’s nothing like getting out and exploring along the river. The best and cheapest way: Hook in to the Niagara River Recreation Trail, which stretches 35 miles from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie along the Canadian side of the river. Follow it south from Niagara-on-the-Lake towards the falls and you’ll quickly see why Sir Winston Churchill long ago called this stretch "the prettiest Sunday drive in the world." Designed by nature to be taken at a leisurely pace, you can either walk or go by bike — either way, dozens of plaques and markers brief you on the historic relevance of the region, particularly to the War of 1812, a minor event that Canadians enjoy banging on about, all these years later — particularly now, with the bicentennial coming up (niagaraparks.com). Rent wheels from Zoom Leisure Bikes, which has locations in both Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls; sign up for a day or more and get free delivery in the immediate area ($30 per day, zoomleisure.com).

LOGISTICS

Get there The best way to go is to fly to Buffalo-Niagara International and rent a car. Multiple airlines serve the airport from New York — go with whatever's cheapest, it's only an hour or so. Lewiston, New York and the bridges to Canada are about a half-hour from the airport via highway.

Border crossings You're going to want your passport or a TSA-approved ID card when crossing over. Note: We did not say that you could use your drivers license, because you cannot, so don't even try. There are multiple bridges spanning the Niagara River; the two you'll use most are the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge and the Rainbow Bridge. After lots of experience with both, a word of advice: Use the Rainbow Bridge where possible, particularly when coming back into the United States. When asked, just say you crossed over to see the falls. The other bridge, the Lewiston-Queenston, connects two major highways, and sees lots of long-distance traffic. As such, it can get quite backed up. Also, officials here — going in both directions — always seem a little more suspicious than they do at the Rainbow Bridge.