The Welland Canal is one of the great engineering feats of the Great Lakes, lifting ocean-going ships and thousand-foot lakers over the Niagara Escarpment between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. This full-day route runs south along the canal, letting you shadow a single vessel as it works its way through the lock system, or simply park at each viewing point and wait for the next ship to appear. Check the daily ship schedule before you set out, dress for open water and wind, and keep your camera ready for the slow, mesmerizing spectacle of a giant hull rising or dropping between concrete walls.
The route
- St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre at Lock 3 — Start at the Lock 3 observation deck and museum to learn the canal's story before the first ship glides by.
- Welland Canal Twin Flight Locks (Locks 4, 5 & 6) — Watch vessels climb the escarpment in the dramatic stair-step of the twin flight locks, the canal's signature stretch.
- Lock 7 Viewing Complex — Grab a bite and settle in at the viewing complex as ships make their final lift over the crest of the escarpment.
- Lock 8 Gateway Park — See one of the world's longest locks in action at this Port Colborne park near the Lake Erie end of the canal.
- Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum — Wrap up with maritime exhibits and waterfront lore that tie the whole day of ship-watching together.