A Secret Summer

What a Summer it’s been! Plenty of warm, sunny days, with just enough rainfall to keep things from getting crispy. Cruise ships glided into the Welland Canal as we welcomed both local visitors and those from far away. Concerts in the park, Canada Day fireworks, Ridgefest, Derby Days in Crystal Beach, Marshville Heritage Festival, and Port Colborne’s ever-popular Canal Days once again kept eyes wide open and feet stomping throughout the area. Beaches up and down Niagara’s South Coast were never lonely places to be, where those bearing excited, smiling faces – furry or otherwise – left their imprints along the sandy shoreline. Yes, the buzz of Summer could be felt throughout the region… until recently, that is.

As if a switch were flipped in time to welcome Labour Day Weekend, temperatures suddenly cooled off and visitors dispersed. The streets, trails and beaches of Fort Erie, Port Colborne and Wainfleet now lay quiet, their calm silence filled with the echoes of another summer gone by.

But wait a minute! Is Summer really over?

Sure, school’s back, and yes, things are less crowded, but is that proper evidence of a change of season?

A quick double-check of the calendar followed by a triple-check online has confirmed that Summer, in fact, is not over just yet. We still have a few weeks to go before that officially happens.

Does this mean what I think it does?

Yes! There’s still time to enjoy all that the Summer season has to offer, only with fewer people about. A summer for Autumn lovers, you could say.

The beaches lay virtually undisturbed, their sandy terrain bespeckled with far fewer footprints than in recent months. Restaurants and bars remain open for business, with plenty of space available on their patios for an afternoon tipple or evening meal. And the lake! With the bustle of school holidays behind us, good ol’ Lake Erie, currently the warmest of the Great Lakes at a comfortable 22°C (71.6°F), calmly and peacefully awaits its glassy surface to be broken by those eager for a late Summer’s dip.

Let’s paint a picture together for a moment. You pack your bags for a few days away and venture to Niagara’s South Coast with your favourite companions. There’s no shortage of accommodation available, so you have your pick of where to lay your head in any one of our snazzy lakeside towns.

A morning bike ride, walk or run along one of our beautiful trails has left you tired and sweaty in the mid-twenty-degree heat. So, you make your way to the closest beach for an afternoon swim and siesta in the sun.

Later, recharged and ravenous, you return to your hotel room or BnB to give your newly bronzed beach bod a scrub, slide into some evening attire and make your way to a nearby restaurant for some delicious local cuisine. But don’t forget a sweater. You might need one now that the evenings are clear, cool and comfortable.

After filling your boots with some fresh fish and local vino, you stroll along the beach, sand in your toes and stars overhead, taking in the moon’s reflection as it dances off the shimmering surface of that afternoon’s natural bath.

That’s when it hits you. You’ve discovered a little secret. A Secret Summer – those two to three weeks between the Summer break finishing and the Summer season coming to an end. With plenty to do and few to compete with while doing it, you’ve stumbled upon your own little private season. And what a place to enjoy it in!

“If Summer was but one day, this would be its enchanting evening.”

Want to see Niagara Falls? Or perhaps spend an afternoon wine tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake? No problem! They’re just up the road. With Niagara’s dazzling southern coastline as your base, you can nip off to join the hubbub of the surrounding areas before returning to our quiet little hidden paradise to savour the remnants of this lovely season at your own pace.

Think about it. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? But Secret Summer won’t last forever. If you think too long, you’ll miss out and have to wait until next year. Just go for it. Grab your things, head to Niagara’s South Coast, and enjoy Secret Summer with us. We’ll be happy to have you.

Stay tuned and follow us on social media for updates on when the next part of this series will be released. And visit us soon! You’ll be glad you did.

– Mike Bilodeau