City of Port Colborne

Looking for something to do?

Do you have an hour, an afternoon or evening, or a full day?

And what if it's raining? What about the kids?

Listed below are suggestions to answer these questions.

There is always something fun to do in Port Colborne!

Learn about the history of the Welland Canal and our community at the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum.

Enjoy a walk along the Port Promenade and discover the shops of Historic West Street and the Downtown Business District.

Explore history and shop along Old Humberstone.

Stroll through the gardens and fountains of Lock 8 Gateway Park and watch lakers or salties passing through one of the longest canal locks in the world.

Take a scenic drive along Sugarloaf Street and Lakeshore Road. Turn around at Cement Road, retrace your route and observe the Incredible Shrinking Mill. Try to figure out why the Mill seems to get smaller as you drive towards it.

Sample the best Niagara has to offer at the Port Colborne Farmers' Market. A Friday tradition dating back more than a century. 

Across the street from the Farmers' Market is the Maker's Market ran by St. James & St. Brendan Anglican Church.  Hours coincide with the Farmer's Market every Friday morning from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

Drop in at the Library. Read a newspaper or magazine, listen to your favourite CD, or use the free Internet service to contact friends and family back home.

Pack a picnic basket and head for H.H. Knoll Park. Cool summer breezes and picture perfect sunsets. Go for a stroll along the shore and watch the comings and goings at Sugarloaf Harbour Marina.

Enjoy a meal or a drink at one of Port’s eateries and bars. Choices range from coffee shops and fast food outlets to family-style restaurants and fine dining. Fresh fish is available along the waterfront and lakeshore

Softball, baseball, soccer, beach volleyball - throughout the summer there's always an adult or youth sporting event going on at one of our city parks. Relax, put your feet up and enjoy the game. Afterwards stop for an ice cream cone.

Change your travel schedule, stay longer and see more of our community!

Head for Nickel Beach. Sun, white sand and clean, warm water - the perfect summer combination. A great place to go swimming or wind-surfing.

Attend a summer performance at Showboat Festival Theatre, or a concert at the Roselawn Centre. Summer theatre at its best and non-stop entertainment throughout the years.

Get out your bike or rent one, or lace up your walking shoes or rollerblades, and explore the Port Colborne section of the Welland Canals Recreational Trail. Seven kilometres of paved paths following the Welland Canal.

Take the kids to Sherkston Shores Resort, the place where families come to play. Over 2 miles of sand beach, giant waterslide, mini-golf, tennis, picnic groves, water sport rentals, big screen theatre, and indoor arcade.

Learn about the architectural history of Port Colborne and the surrounding communities. Go on a self-guided walking tour of 33 homes, sites and properties located near the Downtown Business District and the Welland Canal. Afterwards, take a short drive west to Marshville Heritage Village in Wainfleet.

Hit the antique trail and find a hidden treasure. More than thirty outlets are located in town and along the Lake Erie shore.

Explore the lakes, streams, wetlands and woods of Mud Lake Conservation Area. A great spot for hiking, fishing, hunting, nature study and birdwatching. More than 60 species of birds and waterfowl have been identified at this location. Bring a fishing pole and try your luck at Largemouth Bass and pan fish.

Go western. Mount up and take a western trail ride around the woods, ponds and abandoned quarries in the Wainfleet Wetlands Conservation Area.

Check out our Calendar of Events, where you can find beach volleyball tournaments, international fishing tournaments, lobster dinners, antique power displays, horse pulls, saddle club shows, craft shows, classic car shows, fireworks displays, rowing regattas, old fashioned carnivals and parades - the entertainment is varied and non-stop throughout the summer and fall.

Take out your clubs and hit the links at one of four area golf courses. Located in tranquil countryside settings, these courses are well-suited to golfers of all levels. The Port Colborne Country Club defines Niagara country club golf. Whisky Run consists of three nines unique in design. Nearby Cherry Hill is a registered RCGA course that has hosted the Canadian Open. Coyote Golf & Country Club is geared more towards to the weekend and occasional golfer.

Grab a pole, charter a boat, and get ready for the challenge of some of the best Bass and Walleye fishing on the Great Lakes. The International 444 Walleye Tournament takes place in August. Boat docking, boat launch, and fish cleaning facilities at Sugarloaf Harbour marina and H.H. Knoll Park.

Try your hand at SCUBA diving and explore the waters of Lake Erie. More than 20 marine wrecks within a 20 mile radius. Lake schooners, barquentines and tugs from the 19th century can be found resting on the bottom of the Lake.

Explore the back roads and country lanes of the Lake Erie Shore by bike. Cycle west on the Long Beach Pedal, or east on the Ridgeway Ramble. Completion of the multi-use rail trail to Ridgeway in 2003 will allow easy access to the Friendship Trail and the Niagara Parkway Recreation Trail. More than 140 km of safe, off-road cycling on the Greater Niagara Circle Route.

Learn about your family's history. Genealogical research information available at the Historical and Marine Museum and at the Port Colborne Public Library.

Go rockhounding. The ancient Onondaga Escarpment passes through Port Colborne near the shores of Lake Erie. Local quarry sites contain an array of coral fossils extending back more than 380 million years.

Park your trailer, pitch a tent, or rent a cottage by the lake. Pleasure and tranquility at water's edge. The perfect spot for outdoor play.

Experience Canal Days! Port Colborne's signature event, this unique waterfront festival celebrates the community's marine heritage. Fun for the whole family, with everything from Tall Ship cruises to a Boat Parade of Lights and a spectacular fireworks display over the Welland Canal. Live musical entertainment, beer garden, carnival midway, food vendor, antique car show, kid's zone, charity duck race, and giant kite flying competition. The Port Colborne Museum hosts an annual arts & crafts show, marine displays and historical demonstrations.

Take in the sights at Sherkston Shores. Situated on the pristine shores of Lake Erie, Sherkston Shores is set in 550 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, scattered with hidden nature trails amongst century old forests in an area steeped in history. http://www.sherkston.com

Head to Roselawn Centre for the Living Arts. Showboat Festival Theatre hosts matinees Sundays, Thursdays and most Tuesdays throughout the summer.

Take a tour of the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum. See the 1901 Neff steam buggy, one of the first automobiles manufactured in Canada.

Take advantage of Centennial Pool. A great place to do some laps or give the kids a break from the road. Supervised facility.

Drop in at the Port Colborne Public Library. Listen to your favourite CD, rent a movie or use the free Internet service to contact friends and family back home. Traveling exhibits and works of local artists displayed in the atrium.

Build a sandcastle on the shores of Lake Erie.

Go swimming at Nickel Beach or Centennial Pool.

Try the Funworks Waterslide, or Arcade at Sherkston Shores Resort.

Join a cowboy cookout, take a pony ride, or let the kids explore the playground and petting zoo at Horseplay Niagara.

Enjoy a round of mini-putt golf at H.H. Knoll Park.

Go fishin'! The ponds, lakes and streams of Mud Lake Conservation Area and Sugarloaf Harbour Lagoon are great places to get a feel for a fishing rod.

Visit Melissa's playground and the splash pad at H.H. Knoll Park.

Head to the Port Colborne Public Library. There are books to read and special summer programs just for kids.

Explore the Lions Carnival, or the Midway and Kid's Zone play area during Canal Days.