Laura Secord Homestead and Queenston Village: A Heritage Afternoon

In 1813, with American troops occupying the Niagara frontier, a Queenston woman set out on foot to warn the British of a planned surprise attack. Niagara Parks gives the distance she walked as 32 kilometres. The house she left from, the Laura Secord Homestead at 29 Queenston Street, is still standing in the village of Queenston, a few minutes below Brock's Monument and the Niagara Escarpment.

It is a small site, which is exactly why it suits a relaxed afternoon. This guide is written with older travellers in mind: short walks, places to sit, a car waiting at the curb, and a sensible pairing of nearby stops. NiagaraFallsLimo.net drives this as a half-day from the Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Is the Laura Secord Homestead open, and how far is it from Niagara Falls?

The season matters more than anything else here. Niagara Parks lists the homestead as seasonal, May to October, and says it is now closed for the season, with spring updates to come. If you are visiting between November and April, the house itself is shut, but the village, the monument grounds at Queenston Heights and the riverside are still there to see from the outside. We suggest a winter version near the end of this post.

From the Fallsview hotels the drive is about 12.5 km (8 mi) down the Niagara Parkway or the Stanley Avenue side, usually 15 to 20 minutes. From Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake it is about 11 km (7 mi), roughly 15 minutes along the river.

The story the house tells

The homestead's tour is built around one family and one decision. According to Niagara Parks:

• Laura Secord lived in the house from 1803 to 1835.
• The home was ransacked during the Battle of Queenston Heights in 1812.
• In 1813, after American forces occupied Niagara, she walked 32 km to warn British soldiers at DeCew House.
• The British, with Haudenosaunee and Caughnawaga warriors, then defeated the Americans, taking more than 500 prisoners and two field cannon.

The house was furnished in 1971 by the Laura Secord Candy Company and given to Niagara Parks in 1998. Visitors see the family's bedroom and the kitchen where Secord is believed to have overheard the plans. Costumed guides lead tours of about 45 minutes.

That length is the right size for older visitors. There is no long standing in queues, the rooms are small and close together, and the story has a clear beginning and end.

Practical notes for an easy visit

From the Niagara Parks listing:

• Parking is free, though with a chauffeured car you will not need it; the driver can drop you right at the entrance on Queenston Street.
• The site is partially accessible. If anyone in your party uses a wheelchair or walker, call ahead to ask which rooms are reachable, and add the wheelchair option to your booking.
• Ice cream, light refreshments and Laura Secord chocolates are sold on site, along with souvenirs. A snack bar is listed.

The chocolates are a fitting souvenir, since the candy company took its name from her. Our souvenirs and shopping guide has other ideas for things to bring home.

Plan a Queenston afternoon

Around the corner: the Mackenzie Printery

At 1 Queenston Street, a short walk from the homestead, the Mackenzie Printery occupies the restored home of William Lyon Mackenzie, the newspaper publisher and later rebel leader. Niagara Parks says its centrepiece, the Louis Roy Press, is the oldest wooden press in Canada and printed Upper Canada's first newspaper, the Upper Canada Gazette, as well as early laws including the 1793 Act Against Slavery. The museum has a working linotype and eight operating heritage presses, and visitors can try setting type by hand.

It is also seasonal, May to October, and closed for winter as of late October. When both are open, they make a natural pair: the homestead for the War of 1812, the printery for the decades of argument that followed.

Up the hill: Queenston Heights and Brock's Monument

Directly above the village, Queenston Heights Park sits on the edge of the escarpment, with trails, picnic pavilions and the Landscape of Nations Memorial, according to Niagara Parks. The park is also the southern end of the Bruce Trail.

Brock's Monument rises 56 m (185 ft), with 235 steps to the top. It is the resting place of Major General Sir Isaac Brock and Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell, who were killed in the 1812 battle fought on these heights. The Friends of Fort George, who run the site for Parks Canada, note that monument hours are shifting for the rest of the 2026 season while Parks Canada does work there.

For older travellers, the honest advice is: enjoy the monument from the grounds. The 235 steps are a real climb, and the view from the lawn and the escarpment edge is fine on its own. The car can drive you up the hill and park close by, so nobody walks the slope from the village. Our sibling post on Queenston Heights and Brock's Monument covers the climb for those who want it.

An easy-paced afternoon plan

This plan keeps walking short and seats close by.

1. 1:00 p.m. Pickup at your hotel in Fallsview or Old Town.
2. 1:20 Drop at the Laura Secord Homestead. Guided tour, then ice cream from the shop.
3. 2:30 A short walk to the Mackenzie Printery, or the car moves you there if anyone prefers.
4. 3:30 Drive up to Queenston Heights. Sit by the monument, look out over the river and Lewiston on the far bank.
5. 4:15 Riverside drive north along the parkway past orchards and vineyards.
6. 4:45 Tea, an early dinner or a winery visit near Niagara-on-the-Lake, or straight back to your hotel.

That is about four hours with no rushing. It fits a grandparents' afternoon while the rest of the family is on Clifton Hill, and it fits a couple who have done the Falls and want something quieter. The Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake route page explains the rest of the drive north, and our Fort George page covers the next heritage stop if you have energy left.

The winter version, and a connection in Niagara Falls

Between November and April, when the homestead and printery are shut, there is still a Laura Secord afternoon to be had. Her grave is at Drummond Hill Cemetery, 6110 Lundy's Lane in Niagara Falls, the site of the Battle of Lundy's Lane on July 25, 1814, according to the City of Niagara Falls. The cemetery has a monument at her gravesite.

A few minutes away, the Niagara Falls History Museum on Ferry Street is open year-round except Mondays and has a War of 1812 gallery. Our post on the Niagara Falls History Museum on Lundy's Lane gives the details. Pair the two, then drive past Queenston Heights to see the monument against a winter sky.

A border footnote

The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge lands at the edge of the village. If your trip continues into New York, or you are coming over from Lewiston, it is the closest crossing, and every passenger needs their own valid documents. Our Lewiston-Queenston Bridge page explains the lanes and the toll, which is collected only when entering Canada.

Booking it with NiagaraFallsLimo.net in 3 steps

The afternoon is booked through the online booker, and the attractions hub lists Niagara Parks heritage sites nearby. Visitors flying in can start straight from Toronto Pearson, about 120 km away.

1. Choose "By the hour". Set your hotel as pickup and the Laura Secord Homestead, 29 Queenston Street, as the first stop, with your date and a start time inside the site's opening hours.
2. Pick a comfortable car. A Standard Sedan seats up to three with easy entry; a Standard SUV takes up to six with room for a folded walker. Each class shows its fixed fare.
3. Note any mobility needs. Add the wheelchair option, ask for drop-offs at each entrance, and list your planned stops. Pay securely; your confirmation arrives by email.

Our accessible transportation page explains the wheelchair option, and the private tour page covers days we plan for you.

Chauffeur vs rideshare vs taxi for this trip

The honest verdict: a mobile couple can use the WEGO along the parkway and walk the last stretch, and a rideshare will get you from the Falls to the homestead easily. The weak point is getting back from a quiet village of a few streets when you are ready to leave. For older travellers, a car that waits and moves them up the hill to the monument turns a tiring afternoon into a comfortable one. More in our chauffeur vs taxi vs rideshare guide.

Who this afternoon suits

Seniors and grandparents are the heart of it: short tours, free seating, ice cream and a story with a beginning and an end. Couples who enjoy history get a quiet half-day away from the crowds. Families with school-age children can treat it as a living history lesson, especially if a child is studying the War of 1812. Individuals interested in Canadian history can add Fort George and make a full day. Read how we plan for couples, and see our Niagara Parkway scenic drive and Fort George and Old Town heritage tour for longer days.