You may have heard of Beamsville, Ontario, or driven by it on the QEW highway on the way to Niagara Falls or Buffalo. It’s one of Niagara Region’s best kept secrets for those that want all the conveniences of modern living with access to scenic countryside, wineries and farm to table food.
So if you’re looking for a new home away from the city, or closer to good wine, here are 15 reasons to move to Beamsville Ontario.
1. Farm fresh food
Beamsville, Ontario is located in the Niagara Region which is between 41-degrees and 44-degrees North latitude. It’s an area that experiences moderate temperatures during the spring and summer seasons. This makes it the perfect location for many farmers who grow a variety of produce and fruit. Locals enjoy an active apple season, cherry-picking in July, and juicy peaches and sweet corn in August.
The moderating effects of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and the protective influence of the Niagara Escarpment, promote great air circulation, frost protection, and soils that deep and well-drained. It’s the perfect climate for farmers. Beamsville is a great home for anyone who appreciates farm-to-table food.
2. Amazing wineries nearby
Beamsville is in the heart of Ontario’s Bench wine country. Many the area wineries are award-winning. Niagara is on the same latitudinal band as Provence, the Chianti region of Italy, and California’s Mendocino Valley. This is why it’s also the perfect region for vineyards that make exceptional wines. There are over 88 wineries in the area. There are also craft breweries and spirit distillers. Some of the most popular wineries, breweries, and distillers in the area include:
- Angels Gate Winery
- Bench Brewing Company
- Calamus Winery
- Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers
- Fielding Estate Winery
- Featherstone Estate Winery
- Flat Rock Cellars
- The Good Earth Food and Wine Company
- Hidden Bench Estate Winery
- Leaning Post Winery
- London Born Wine Co.
- Malivoire Wine Company
- The Organized Crime Winery
- Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
- Redstone Winery
- Thirty Bench Wine Makers
3. Affordable housing
The median house price in Beamsville is $489,450. This is quite a bit less compared to the median house price in Toronto of $699,000 or nearby Grimsby at $534,450.
4. Short Toronto commute
Beamsville is only a one-hour commute via Queen Elizabeth Way to the city of Toronto.
5. Short Niagara commute
Beamsville is only a 29-minute commute to Niagara Falls and the U.S. border.
6. Rural living with city perks
Beamsville Ontario is a quaint community with many rural homes surrounded by farms and loads of green space. It also has a lovely downtown main street with boutiques run by local merchants. But it also shares many of the same perks city dwellers enjoy. It’s close big box stores like Costco, Real Canadian Superstore and Lowes.
7. Sense of community
The population of Beamsville is 11,834. Residents may enjoy a deeper sense of belonging to a community. Its easy to get to know the local hot spots, the merchants who run them, and anyone can join various local groups. The community only has a handful of schools, so parents also can get to know their kid’s teacher. There is a sense of connection and belonging, but also enough privacy so that anyone can be involved but also have their own space and privacy.
8. Great restaurants
Residents have many exceptional restaurant choices. They can eat at local hangouts like Smoke N’ Moonshine for authentic southern BBQ, August Restaurant for classic brunch, or Sassafraz where they can dig into an exquisite seafood tower. Or they can head to nearby Grimsby for other local choices at gastropub The Forty, Casa Toscana for authentic Italian, or The Judge & Jester for a classic English pub experience. There are also many fine dining restaurants at the wineries surrounding the area. Many of them serve farm-to-table gourmet cuisine. Locals can also head to familiar big brand restaurants like Kelseys or Turtle Jack’s.
9. Proximity to water
Beamsville sits along the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Many locals own kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and canoes. There are also several marinas along the nearby lakefront. Beamsville locals can easily take advantage of the lake in the summer months. The beaches are also a lot less crowded than in most cities.
10. Friendly schools
Beamsville has one public secondary school, Beamsville District Secondary School. It has two public elementary schools located in Beamsville, Senator Gibson Public School and Jacob Beam Public School. It also has two Catholic elementary schools and one private high school affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The schools are under the jursdiction of the Niargara Region school board. Since their are only a few schools residents benefit from an intimate learning environment.
11. Glorious green space
Any drive through Beamsville is quite scenic. The area is a surrounded by vineyards, farm land, and forests perfect that are perfect for adventure enthusiasts. The region is lush and green.
12. A hiker’s paradise
Hiking enthusiasts will not get bored in Beamsville. There are many trails along the escarpment that locals can explore. Some of the most popular ones include The Bruce Trail, Balls Falls, and Rockway Falls. There are also many local hiking groups that residents can join to make new friends, explore the region, and stay active.
13. A cyclist’s paradise
Beamsville has a bike shop. While passerby might wonder if a local specialty bike store could get enough businesses, residents know Beamsville is a prime biker’s paradise. Regular bike marathons run often and biking enthusiasts can join local groups.
14. Rich in history
Beamsville is rich in history, as it was an early Loyalist settlement. It was named after United Empire Loyalist Jacob Beam (1728-1812). Visitors can tour his two homes, as they both still stand in the town today. By 1869, Beamsville was a village with a population of 550 on the Great Western Railway. It’s also home to the first hockey players that ever used a hockey net. And in 1917, the Royal Flying Corps established a School of Aerial Fighting on the farmland immediately east of Beamsville. The building adjacent to the plaque there is an original hangar. Many of the homes in the area have a fascinating history and charming architectural traits too.
15. Quick trip across the border
Beamsville has an interchange on the QEW highway, making access south to the U.S. border or north to Hamilton and Toronto and easy journey. Residents can easily visit Buffalo for a day of shopping. They can also fly out of Buffalo Airport and often snag cheaper flights and shorter airport line-ups.