Dublin, Ireland
What better place to celebrate an Irish holiday than, Ireland. Last year, an estimated 500,000 festive folks flocked to the city to celebrate the holiday and enjoy a few pints from the Emerald Isle. Dublin travelers can also pay a visit to the Guinness brewery to enjoy a fine beer straight from the brewer or watch some of the city’s historical buildings light up in festive colors for the Greening of the City.

Florence, Italy
It may not seem like your typical St. Patrick’s Day destination, but from March 17 through March 22, Florence honors the patron saint of Ireland with a ‘Festa Irlandese,’ or Irish Festival. During this festival, the city offers an Italian spin on the holiday while hosting pub crawls, live music and of course, alcohol. And those interested in the ultimate Irish pub experience can head to Finnegan’s, which is said to be the only Irish-owned pub in Florence.

London, England
Many of the cities on this list have St. Patrick’s Day Parades. In fact, London’s celebration draw over 100,000 guests each year. But London also hosts a holiday festival at Trafalgar Square that’s full of Irish traditions, like music and dance, which are perfect for families and free to experience. In addition, London offers more authentic Irish-owned pubs than any other city outside of the Emerald Isle, so folks can enjoy some of Europe’s finest — and oldest — Irish whiskeys and beers.

New York, New York
New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade has been running for over 250 years, and much like its Thanksgiving Day parade, it’s a doozy and is known internationally. While other celebrations would be ecstatic just to draw crowds of 100,000, New York’s parade has been known to feature over 150,000 marchers alone. Visitors can visit the many Irish pubs, partake in a walking tour of former “Little Ireland” or even create Irish-inspired crafts over in Central Park.

San Francisco, California
As home to one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Western United States, San Francisco offers an eclectic mix of cultural festivities, night life and crowds of enthusiastic locals. Folks can attend the St. Patrick’s Day-themed Night Life event at the California Academy of Science the Thursday before the holiday weekend, check out the famous Market Street parade or pay a visit to San Francisco’s Irish Cultural Center, which hosts its annual “Greenfest Block Party” with Irish cultural activities, music and dancing.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
In March, Buenos Aires boasts near-perfect weather, and when you take into account it has the fifth largest Irish community globally, there may be no better time than the present to pay a visit to Argentina. With narrow streets and its very own city-wide parade, Buenos Aires offers an authentic experience, as well as a crowded, rambunctious city geography that lends itself to international festivals.

Boston, Massachusetts
As home to a thriving and Irish pub scene and the Celtic-influenced punk rock group Dropkick Murphys, Boston is a prime spot for celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. Every year, the city holds one of the biggest parades and boasts party after party at one of their many vibrant pubs. Visitors can also walk along the city’s Irish Heritage Trail, which begins at the Rose Kennedy Garden and ends near Fenway Park, to experience firsthand the rich Irish background behind some of the city’s most famous historical areas.

Chicago, Illinois
Besides offering delicious deep-dish pizza and wonderful views of Lake Michigan, the Windy City is home to one of the most spectacular St. Patrick’s Day displays in the world. Every year, thousands of festive Mid-Westerners take the train downtown to celebrate the holiday and witness the dyeing of the Chicago River. Using over 40 pounds of environmentally friendly coloring, the river stays green for an entire day, providing the perfect backdrop for the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Newfoundland, Canada
Newfoundland is a historically Irish locale, with immigrants from the Emerald Isle reaching the small island off the coast of Canada back in the 17th century. One of the island’s main city centers, it is now known as the “Irish Loop”, as an area of such rich heritage, Newfoundland has declared St. Patrick’s Day a public holiday — making it only one of two cities outside of Ireland to do so. Because of its deep ties to the Irish culture, Newfoundland is the perfect place for visitors who want to enjoy some traditional Irish dishes and wash them down with a nice pint afterwards.

Sydney, Australia
Australia boasts a gigantic St. Patrick’s Day Parade of its own, complete with an overarching narrative and themed floats, but it might be most notable for its party scene. On St. Patty’s, the Sydney pubs and bars stay open until the early hours, serving up traditional Irish music. Those more grandiose party appetites can also check out the St. Patrick’s Day Booze Cruise, which sails through Sydney harbor for three crazy hours of holiday celebration.

Niagara on the Lake Icewine Festival Tours:

Celebrate Niagara Ice Wine Festival – A Shimmer of Gold  – Poured Daily, Celebrated Annually with Niagara Airbus Driver Guided Tours.  Pricing includes Discovery Pass.

Choose your week –  January 15-17, 22-24,29-31 , 2016

Pickup and Drop off at any Niagara or Downtown Toronto Hotel.

Niagara on the Lake Tour pricing, from Niagara with DiscoveryPASS is $ 85.00 and without DiscoveryPASS is $ 45.00.

From Toronto with DiscoveryPASS is $130.00 and without DiscoveryPASS is $ 90.00

Start  your day off at the Niagara College Teaching Winery!

Time for you to be the Judge !  Tempt your taste buds with two delicious hor d’oeuvres pared with  the Delectable Dean’s List Savant and find out for yourself whether Icewine is best pared with Sweet or Savoury

Next…off to Chateau Des Charmes Winery

Imagine serving up Pork Belly Taco with apple onion slaw alongside their delicious  2014 Vidal Icewine.   A liquid Gold paring not to be missed

We then make our way to Ravine Vineyards

You will visit the Woodruff House for an exceptionally spiced paring. Enjoy Chef Ross Midgleys Homemade Spicy Chicken Meatball in a Mole’ sauce with Rossco’s Corn Bread, perfectly paired with the 2013  Vidal Ice Wine.

From here  you will have Fee time in Niagara on the Lake,   voted the prettiest Town in Canada! You can browse  or  shop in the boutiques or free time for lunch.

Finally end your day with  the 2014 Canadian Winery of the year for a taste of Peller’s award winning and world –renowned Cabernet Franc Ice Wine as you roast their famous Icewine Marshmallows over an open fire.

In 1827, Thomas Barnett began offering tourists a tour “Behind the Sheet” which included a walking tour to the base of the Horseshoe Falls and along a short ledge behind the falling water.

In 1887, the Niagara Falls – Queen Victoria Park Commission decided that the circular staircase leading to the “Behind the Sheet” tour at the base of the Horseshoe Falls should be replaced with a hydraulic lift.

During the spring of 1889, a major rock fall at the center of the Horseshoe Falls, diminished the flow of water over the Falls along the Canadian shore.

On June 6th 1893, the Zybach and Brundage Company were granted an exclusive ten year lease to operate the hydraulic lift, the Under the Falls attraction and photography business at the Table Rock.

In 1902, as part of the pipeline & powerhouse agreement, the Ontario Power Company agreed to build a 244 m tunnel behind the Horseshoe Falls. They were also required to construct an elevator to connect to this tunnel and provide free power for the elevator. In exchange the Ontario Power Company would take over the existing hydraulic lift to take its employees to and from their new power generating station at the base of the Falls.

The initial tunnel was built by the Ontario Power Company. By 1903, the new elevator and tunnel had been completed and ready for the tourist season. As a result, a 55 m long extension was made to the tunnel extending under the Horseshoe Falls.

In 1932, a commemorative plaque was erected to mark the site of the original Table Rock House which stood since being erected by Saul Davis in 1853. An inspection of the scenic tunnels revealed that gorge erosion had rendered the tunnels unsafe. The tunnel wall thickness had diminished to only 1.7 m between the tunnel and the gorge wall. A new tunnel was bored 18.3 m back from the former tunnel. The new tunnel was lined with concrete and electrically lighted.

In 1951, an outdoor observation platform was built at the end of a branch of the old tunnel. The Table Rock House and the starting point for this tunnel trip was the oldest building in the park. Thus, the Parks Commissioners decided to build a modern Table Rock House, which was located only a short distance south of the old Table Rock structure. This new building would allowed a full view of the Horseshoe Falls.

During 1916 as a result of WWI, the Table Rock House was closed and the military barricaded Queen Victoria Park from the Refectory to Dufferin Islands in order to protect the power generating stations. During the winter of 1916 – 1917, Table Rock House was used as headquarters for the Canadian Army. Bunk houses were built as were guard houses at the entrances to Queen Victoria Park.

Construction of the new table Rock building began in September of 1925. The architectural firm Findlay & Foulis of Sault St. Marie designed the new Table Rock House. The location of the new building required the construction of a branch tunnel to connect to the main tunnel leading to the Horseshoe Falls. The Table Rock and the Scenic Tunnels were closed to the public.

In 1963, extensive alterations were made to the Table Rock House. Again in 1989 a restoration project was started at table rock and completed in 1993.

In 2007, Table Rock finished its renovations for the newest attraction, Niagara’s Fury.

The American occupation of Niagara began on May 27, 1813, and lasted until December 10th when they withdrew to Fort Niagara. Despite American promises of security for lives and property, American forces plundered and harassed town residents. As well, fighting continued as small bands of British soldiers, militia and native warriors frequently attacked American outposts and, sometimes, even penetrated into the town. On the evening of December 10th as the British forces approached the old town from Four Mile Creek, they could see the orange glow in the sky.

By the time they entered the town, as W. Hamilton Merritt recorded in his journal, Nothing but heaps of coals, and streets of furniture that the inhabitants were fortunate enough to get out of their Houses, met the Eye in all Directions. He explained that he was confident that he had the authorization from his superiors to withdraw to the American side and burn the town, thus denying the British troops any shelter during the approaching winter.

Outgunned on the lakes and suffering set backs on land, the Americans started a fleet to counter the British ships. The Americans eventually took control on all the lakes except Lake Ontario. It was on Lake Ontario that the building of massive ships reached its zenith. This floating monster was one of the most heavily armed ships in the world and the Americans scrambled to build a more powerful 130 gun ship the USS New Orleans. However, there was one major problem with launching huge ships on Lake Ontario at the end of the War of 1812 there were no canals and these great ships could not leave Lake Ontario.