Niagara breweries are the answer to a familiar planning problem: half the group wants a vineyard day and the other half would rather have a pint. Across Niagara wine country, between Clifton Hill and the Beamsville Bench, you will find brewpubs, a church turned taproom, a working teaching brewery and two distilleries, many of them a few minutes from the wineries. NiagaraFallsLimo.net builds mixed days around them, with one vehicle, one chauffeur who never drinks, and a fixed fare agreed before the first tasting. This page lists the stops we drive to, the distances between them and three routes that work.
Where are Niagara's craft breweries and distilleries, and how do you tour them safely?
Niagara's breweries and distilleries cluster on Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, along Niagara Stone Road in Virgil, in Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake and around Beamsville, from about 2 km to 38 km (24 mi) from Fallsview. NiagaraFallsLimo.net drives you between them on an hourly booking; the booker shows a fixed fare before you pay.
Everything below follows each venue's own website as of October 2026. Hours and offerings change, so check the week you go. Niagara Falls Tourism keeps a broader wineries and breweries listing if you want more options.
Niagara breweries in Niagara Falls: a brewpub on Clifton Hill
Niagara Brewing Company, 4915-A Clifton Hill, brews in-house and serves a rotating tap list with a kitchen menu, right on the "Street of Fun". It also runs a second taproom inside the Fallsview Casino Resort. For Falls Avenue and Clifton Hill hotel guests this is a walk, not a drive; from the Fallsview towers it is about 1.7 km (1 mi), three to five minutes by car down the hill. Our Clifton Hill guide covers the rest of the strip, and the Fallsview Casino Resort page explains drop-off at the casino. Guests must be 19 or older to buy alcohol in Ontario.
In Virgil and along Niagara Stone Road
Niagara Stone Road, the main wine road through the village of Virgil, is also Niagara's beer road.
- Niagara Oast House Brewers, 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, among the vineyards. Beers such as its Barnraiser Country Ale and saison, Patina Pizza on site, a barrel program and an event space called The Hayloft.
- Silversmith Brewing Company's "The Church", 1523 Niagara Stone Rd, a taproom in a building that dates back to the 1890s, with a kitchen and Sunday brunch. Its listed brewery address is in Etobicoke, so think of Virgil as the place to drink it rather than watch it being made.
- Wayne Gretzky Estates, 1219 Niagara Stone Rd, a winery and distillery under one roof. According to its Wine Country Ontario listing, it pours VQA wines alongside whiskies distilled on site, offers tours and cocktail classes, takes tastings on a walk-in basis, and runs a seasonal outdoor skating rink in winter, weather permitting.
These three sit within a couple of kilometres of each other, beside Trius, Jackson-Triggs and Stratus, which is why mixed beer-and-wine days work so well here. See our Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries guide for the vineyard side.
In Old Town Niagara-on-the-Lake
The Exchange Brewery, 7 Queen St, is the town's downtown brewery. It focuses on American-style ales and sour and Belgian-style beers, some made with local fruit, pours from two serving counters of eight taps each, and has a kitchen and an upper-level patio over Simcoe Park in season. It sits a short walk from the Shaw Festival theatres, so it is a natural pre-theatre stop; see our Shaw Festival guide.
At Niagara College: a teaching winery, brewery and distillery
NC Craft, 135 Taylor Rd in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is Niagara College's teaching winery, brewery and distillery, where students and professional makers produce wine, beer, spirits and cider together. The store and tasting room are open to the public, with tours listed among its experiences. It sits close to the Outlet Collection at Niagara on the same road, so shoppers and tasters can split up and meet again in one short hop. From Fallsview it is about 13 km (8 mi), roughly 15–20 minutes.
On the Beamsville Bench, in the Town of Lincoln
- Bench Brewing Company, 3991 King St, Lincoln, with a taproom and Hop Shop open seven days, an event venue called Fieldstone, and beer, wine and cider on the list.
- Dillon's Small Batch Distillers, 4833 Tufford Rd, which makes rye whisky, gin, vodka and bitters in copper pot stills from local ingredients, and offers guided tours and tastings in its Distillery & Sipping Room.
Malivoire winery is only about 1.3 km from Bench Brewing, and Dillon's is about 5 km further, so a short "Bench spirits loop" fits easily into half a day. Our Twenty Valley and Beamsville Bench guide maps the wineries around them.
Distances between the stops
| Leg | Distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Fallsview hotels → Niagara Brewing Co., Clifton Hill | about 1.7 km (1 mi) | 3–5 min |
| Fallsview hotels → NC Craft, Taylor Rd | about 13 km (8 mi) | 15–20 min |
| Fallsview hotels → Niagara Oast House, Virgil | about 20 km (13 mi) | 25–30 min |
| Old Town clock tower → Niagara Oast House | about 3.5 km (2 mi) | 5–8 min |
| Niagara Oast House → NC Craft | about 13 km (8 mi) | 15–20 min |
| Fallsview hotels → Bench Brewing, Lincoln | about 38 km (24 mi) | 35–45 min |
| Bench Brewing → Dillon's Distillers | about 6.5 km (4 mi), via Malivoire | 10–15 min |
| Toronto Pearson (YYZ) → Beamsville | about 89 km (55 mi) | 1 h 05 – 1 h 25 off-peak |
Coming from the airport? A transfer from Toronto Pearson can end at a taproom rather than a hotel lobby if your luggage fits the vehicle.
Three routes that work
1. The Niagara-on-the-Lake ale trail (about 5 hours). Start at The Exchange in Old Town as it opens, continue to The Church in Virgil for lunch, then Niagara Oast House and finish at Wayne Gretzky Estates, where the whisky drinkers and wine drinkers both find something. Add one winery if the group wants.
2. The Bench spirits loop (about 4–5 hours). Bench Brewing, a Gamay stop at Malivoire, then Dillon's for a distillery tour. Best from Toronto, Hamilton or a Bench inn; from Niagara Falls allow about 40 minutes each way.
3. A Falls evening (2–3 hours). Dinner and a flight at Niagara Brewing Company on Clifton Hill, then on to the Fallsview Casino Resort or back to your hotel. Short distances, but the chauffeur removes the uphill walk and the queue at the taxi rank. Our Niagara Falls nightlife guide has more evening ideas.
The rules: no open drinks in the vehicle
Craft-beer days come with a question we hear every week: can we bring a can for the road? The answer is no. Niagara Region's vehicle-for-hire By-law 2021-58 says a licensed driver must not permit the consumption of any alcohol in the vehicle, and Ontario's Liquor Licence and Control Act requires any liquor in a vehicle to be sealed or packed away. So:
- Drink at the venue. That is what the taprooms are for.
- Sealed cans, bottles and growlers ride in the trunk or cargo area.
- The chauffeur never drinks. That is the whole point of booking one.
If you are taking whisky or beer across the border, check the limits on our duty-free and declarations page first.
Vehicles for brewery and distillery days
Every class is "or similar", confirmed at booking.
- Two to three people: a Standard Sedan, or a Mercedes-Benz E/S-Class for two.
- Up to six: a Standard SUV or Executive Black SUV, with room for cases and growlers.
- Up to twelve: the Executive Sprinter (carry-on space only), or the Party Bus (up to 12) for birthdays and stag days, availability confirmed at booking. Drinking on board is not permitted in either.
- Up to sixteen: a Stretch SUV Limousine, availability confirmed at booking.
Stag and stagette groups often combine breweries with Clifton Hill; see our bachelor and bachelorette limo page and the party bus page.
Touring Niagara breweries: the options compared
| Mode | Door-to-door time | Cost note | Purchases | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | Fine on Clifton Hill and in Old Town only | Free | What you can carry | One brewery near your hotel |
| Rideshare app | Quick in town; variable in Virgil and Lincoln | Surge pricing on weekends | Car trunk | Two stops, two people |
| Local taxi | Book each leg | Metered | Car trunk | A single return trip |
| Driving yourself | Direct | Fuel and parking | Full trunk | Never with a tasting driver |
| Private chauffeur, NiagaraFallsLimo.net | Your route; car waits at each stop | Fixed fare via booker | Trunk space for cases | Groups, mixed beer-wine-spirits days |
Our honest verdict: if you are staying on Falls Avenue and just want a pint at Niagara Brewing Company, walk. A rideshare is fine between two Old Town stops. Once you plan three or more venues in Virgil or on the Bench, travel as a group or want to buy by the case, a pre-booked chauffeur is the safer, simpler choice, and you will not stand in a farm parking lot waiting for a car. The chauffeur vs taxi vs rideshare guide goes further.
Who a brewery and distillery day suits
Individuals who prefer beer to wine get a focused half-day in a sedan, often ending at a winery for a partner who joins later. Couples split a day between a distillery tour and a winery lunch. Families with adult children like Wayne Gretzky Estates because it suits several tastes at once; younger children can come along with booster seats from the booker, though tasting is 19+. Groups of friends book a Sprinter for the ale trail; see group trips to Niagara.
How to book this in 3 steps
- Starting point. Enter your hotel, terminal or address, the date and start time, and choose "By the hour" so the car stays with you (flight number if it is an airport pickup).
- Vehicle. Compare the classes; the fixed fare is shown for each.
- Details and payment. Add passengers, bags, any child seats and extras, pay securely and keep the confirmation. Send us your venue list and we put it in a sensible order.
For more on changes and cancellations, see how to book a limo, or read about the time-based hourly chauffeur service.
Frequently asked questions
Are there breweries in Niagara Falls?
Yes. Niagara Brewing Company brews on Clifton Hill at 4915-A Clifton Hill and has a second taproom at the Fallsview Casino Resort. More craft breweries sit in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Lincoln, about 20–40 km away.
What is the best brewery tour in Niagara?
It depends on your taste. For a vineyard setting, Niagara Oast House in Virgil; for a downtown taproom, The Exchange in Old Town; for a working teaching facility, NC Craft at Niagara College. A chauffeured day lets you combine three or four.
Can you tour a distillery in Niagara?
Yes. Dillon's Small Batch Distillers in Lincoln offers guided tours and tastings, Wayne Gretzky Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake offers tours and cocktail classes, and NC Craft lists tours among its experiences. Check each site for current times.
Can we drink beer in the limo between breweries?
No. Niagara Region's by-law forbids the driver from permitting alcohol consumption in the vehicle, and Ontario law requires liquor in a vehicle to be sealed or packed away. Sealed purchases travel in the trunk.
What is the drinking age in Niagara?
19, as in the rest of Ontario. Breweries and distilleries ask for photo ID. Visitors from the US, where the minimum age is 21, can taste in Ontario from 19.
Can we mix wineries and breweries in one day?
Easily. Niagara Oast House, The Church and Wayne Gretzky Estates are minutes from Trius and Jackson-Triggs, and Bench Brewing is next to Malivoire. Our one-day wine tour itinerary shows how to pace a mixed day.
How much does a Niagara brewery tour by chauffeur cost?
It depends on the vehicle, hours and starting point. The booker shows the fixed all-in fare for your exact day before payment. Tastings, tours and purchases are paid at each venue.
