Ask a child what they remember about Niagara-on-the-Lake and the answer is rarely the Shaw Festival or the clock tower. It is the cone. NiagaraFallsLimo.net drives a lot of families up the Niagara Parkway for exactly that reason, and the plan below is what our desk tells parents who want COWS Niagara-on-the-Lake, a box of fudge and a jar of jam in one easy afternoon.
Old Town is small. Queen Street runs only a few blocks between the clock tower and the theatre end of town, which makes it ideal for little legs and terrible for parking on a warm Saturday. The sweets are close together, so the real planning is about when to arrive, where the car waits and what the children can carry.
Where is COWS in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and how do you get there from the Falls?
COWS Niagara-on-the-Lake is at 44 Queen Street in Old Town. From the Fallsview or Clifton Hill hotels it is about 22–25 km, usually 25–35 minutes by the QEW or the Niagara Parkway. NiagaraFallsLimo.net drops you on Queen Street and collects you there; the online booker shows a fixed fare before you pay.
The shop belongs to a Prince Edward Island company that has made ice cream since 1983 and runs 13 stores across Canada, with Niagara-on-the-Lake as its only Ontario location. COWS says its ice cream uses Prince Edward Island milk with 16% butterfat, fresh cream and real eggs, served in waffle cones made fresh. As of October 2026 the store lists 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; hours shift with the seasons, so check before a late visit.
COWS also sells its cow-pun T-shirts, plush toys and socks, which is why so many children leave holding a bag as well as a cone.
The sweet stops worth the walk
Queen Street is easy to cover in an hour if you know what you are looking for. These are the stops we hear about most from families.
- COWS, 44 Queen Street. Ice cream first, merchandise second. The line moves, but on summer weekends it can reach the pavement.
- Greaves Jams & Marmalades, 55 Queen Street. Established in 1927 and still stirring each batch by hand in open stainless-steel kettles, according to Greaves. The flagship store sits in a building that dates to about 1845. Small jars make easy gifts for teachers and grandparents.
- Fudge counters. Old Town has long had a fudge shop or two on Queen Street; Visit Niagara lists Maple Leaf Fudge among them, with fudge and brittle made in copper kettles and maple products on the shelves. Check current hours on the day, since smaller shops change their schedules outside summer.
- Laura Secord Homestead, Queenston. Not in Old Town, but on the way. The Niagara Parks homestead at 29 Queenston Street sells Laura Secord chocolates and ice cream and is seasonal, May to October. It was closed for the 2026 season by mid-October.
For a sweet family afternoon, a route that starts at the homestead in Queenston and finishes on Queen Street works well, because the Parkway runs right past both. Our journal post on shopping in Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake along Queen Street covers the non-sweet shops on the same blocks.
Timing the visit around the queue
The busiest windows are predictable. Summer weekends, long weekends and the hour after the Shaw Festival matinees let out all push more people onto a short street. Weekday mornings shortly after opening are calm. Rainy days in July can be surprisingly busy, because families who planned to be outdoors come into town instead.
A few habits help:
- Arrive before lunch, buy the jam and fudge first, and leave the ice cream for last so it does not melt in a bag.
- Agree a meeting point with older children. The clock tower at Queen and King is the obvious one.
- Give the chauffeur a pickup time about 15 minutes after you think you will be done. Old Town stretches every plan.
Check your fixed fare to Old Town
Where the car stops on Queen Street
Queen Street is a working main street with curbside parking that fills fast in summer. A chauffeured car does not need a space. We set you down at a safe kerbside spot near your first stop, then wait nearby or loop back at the agreed time. If your group is staying in town at one of the Niagara-on-the-Lake inns, such as the Prince of Wales Hotel at 6 Picton Street, you can simply walk to Queen Street and back.
With children, a short message to the reservations desk when you are ten minutes from finishing saves everyone a wait on a hot pavement. The chauffeur keeps cool water in the car and the boot clear for shopping bags.
Combining sweets with history, wine or the Falls
Few families drive to Niagara-on-the-Lake for ice cream alone. The sweet stop fits naturally with something else.
- Fort George. The Parks Canada site is a short walk from the east end of Queen Street. Musket and music demonstrations make it a good hour for school-age children. See our page on Fort George.
- Horse-drawn carriages. A carriage ride through the streets is a gentle add-on; our post on horse-drawn carriage rides in Niagara-on-the-Lake explains how pickups work.
- Wine country for the adults. Parents sometimes book a separate tasting afternoon on another day. On our Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries page you will find the estates and how a chauffeured day runs.
- The Floral Clock. It sits on the Niagara Parkway between the Falls and Queenston, and makes a five-minute photo stop on the drive north.
One rule matters whenever wine is in the picture: no drinking in our vehicles, including sealed bottles bought on the day being opened on the way home. Niagara Region's vehicle-for-hire by-law forbids drivers to permit alcohol consumption in the vehicle, and Ontario law requires liquor in a car to be unopened or packed away. Bottles go in the boot, sealed.
Getting there from the Falls: the two roads
From the Fallsview hotels or the Clifton Hill area, Old Town is about 22–25 km. The quick way runs up the QEW and across on Highway 55; the pretty way follows the Niagara Parkway along the river past the Floral Clock and Queenston Heights. Both usually take 25–35 minutes off-peak. On a summer weekend afternoon, add time for Queen Street itself, where traffic crawls.
Our route page for Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake has more on the two roads and what you see on each. Many parents take the Parkway north and the highway back, so the children see the river once and sleep on the faster road home.
Public transit exists too. The WEGO Niagara-on-the-Lake shuttle connects with Niagara Parks' WEGO buses at the Floral Clock, and is included in 24- and 48-hour WEGO passes, as described on the Niagara Parks WEGO page. It is a reasonable choice for a couple with no luggage and time to spare. With a stroller, a toddler and three shopping bags, the transfers become the hard part.
Chauffeur vs rideshare vs taxi for this trip
| Option | Door-to-door time from the Falls | Cost note | Space for strollers and bags | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private chauffeur | About 25–35 min, no transfers | Fixed fare via booker, quoted before you book | Boot kept clear; child seats on request | Families, grandparents, groups of up to 12 |
| Rideshare | About 25–35 min if a car is nearby | App pricing, surge at busy times | Depends on the car that arrives; no child seats | Two adults travelling light |
| Taxi | About 25–35 min | Metered | Varies; ask about seats | A one-way hop at a quiet hour |
| WEGO buses | Longer, with a transfer at the Floral Clock | Published pass price on Niagara Parks site | Your lap and your hands | Couples on a WEGO pass |
| Driving yourself | About 25–35 min plus parking | Fuel and paid parking | Your own car | Families who already have car seats installed |
Our honest verdict: two adults with a light bag can take a rideshare to Old Town and back without trouble on a weekday. The problem is the return, because cars are scarcer in Niagara-on-the-Lake late in the afternoon, and no rideshare will bring a booster seat. A pre-booked chauffeur wins for families with young children, for grandparents who do not want to stand at the kerb, and for any group bigger than four. Our guide to chauffeur vs taxi vs rideshare explains the trade-offs in more detail.
Booking it with NiagaraFallsLimo.net in 3 steps
- Set the stops. Enter your hotel as pickup and "44 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake" as the drop-off, or switch the booker to "By the hour" if you want the car to stay with you for Queenston, Old Town and the Floral Clock.
- Pick the vehicle. A Standard SUV (Suburban or Yukon XL or similar) seats up to six with room for shopping; an Executive Sprinter takes up to 12 for a family reunion. Each class shows its fixed fare.
- Add the details. Passenger count, child, toddler or booster seats, and anything else, then pay securely. Confirmation arrives by email.
The hourly chauffeur service suits an afternoon with three or four stops better than separate one-way trips. Our step-by-step booking guide walks through each screen if this is your first time.
Reserve your family's car to Queen Street
Who this outing suits
Families get the most from it: the street is short, the treats are easy wins and the car handles seats and bags. Couples can pair a cone with a quiet dinner in Old Town and an evening at the theatre. Individuals on a solo trip often fold it into a heritage morning at Fort George. Groups such as reunions or school-age birthday outings work well in a Sprinter, with a set meeting time at the clock tower. More on travelling with children is on our families page.
Taking sweets home
Fudge travels well; ice cream does not. Jams in glass jars are fine in checked luggage if wrapped, and small jars make tidy carry-on gifts within airline liquid rules for gels. If you are flying out of Pearson the same day, ask the chauffeur to keep a cool spot in the cabin for anything chocolate. For more ideas, see our souvenirs and shopping guide and the journal post on maple syrup and icewine gifts to take home from Niagara.
Price my ride to Niagara-on-the-Lake
Frequently asked questions
What is the address of COWS in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
COWS Niagara-on-the-Lake is at 44 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, in the middle of Old Town. As of October 2026 it opens at 10 a.m. daily, closing at 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hours change with the season, so check the COWS locations page on the day.
How long is the line at COWS?
There is no official figure, and it varies a lot. Weekday mornings are usually short. Summer weekends, long weekends and the time after theatre matinees bring longer lines that can reach the pavement. Buy your other treats first and leave the ice cream until the end of your visit.
How far is Niagara-on-the-Lake from Niagara Falls?
Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake is about 22–25 km from the Fallsview and Clifton Hill hotels, usually 25–35 minutes by car off-peak. The QEW and Highway 55 is the faster road; the Niagara Parkway along the river is slower but passes the Floral Clock and Queenston Heights.
Can a chauffeur wait while we shop on Queen Street?
Yes. Book "By the hour" in the online booker and the car stays with you between stops, waiting nearby or looping back at an agreed time. For a simple there-and-back trip, book two one-way transfers with a pickup time. Either way, the booker shows the fixed fare before you pay.
Do you provide child seats for a trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake?
Yes. Child, toddler and booster seats are options in the booker. Ontario's rules call for a booster for children under eight who weigh 18–36 kg and are under 145 cm, so tell us each child's age and size when you book and the right seat will be fitted before pickup.
Is there a fudge shop in Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake?
Queen Street has long had fudge counters, and Visit Niagara lists Maple Leaf Fudge with fudge and brittle made in copper kettles and maple products for sale. Smaller shops change hours outside summer, so check their listing before you go. Greaves Jams at 55 Queen Street is another sweet stop.
Can we bring wine back in the car after the sweet stop?
Yes, sealed and packed in the boot. Nobody drinks in our vehicles: Niagara Region's by-law forbids drivers to allow alcohol consumption, and Ontario law requires liquor in a car to be unopened or packed away. A sealed bottle bought in town travels home safely that way.
