According to Rick Lohr, a longtime resident of this Mayberry-like village of 2,000: "It's a dead-end. You're either coming or going when you visit us."
"This is a wonderful place to live with a great group of people," the yacht-owner added.
And he is right. Youngstown (northofthefalls.com) is an eclectic mix of farmers, business owners, artists, sailors and retirees. It's a place where you can "chill" and hide from the world.
When I visited on a sunny afternoon, the main street -- called Main St. and consisting of about 10 unique stores -- was as busy as it gets. You have to step inside Artworks for truly one-of-a kind art. And don't pass up The Dory for specialty sailing items. No need to be a sailor to enjoy the whimsical items.
On the Niagara River shoreline behind Main St. is the impressive Youngstown Yacht Club. During the last weekend of July Youngstown takes on a resort-like atmosphere as hundreds of yachts flock to the harbour for the Level Regatta, one of the largest freshwater sailing competitions in the world. The sunset from the shoreline will take your breath away at any time of the year.
Anchoring one end of Main St. is the historic Ontario House, aka the Stone Jug. Established in 1842, the massive four-storey stone building with four chimneys and walls more than half a metre thick has always been a watering hole. You almost need a flashlight when you enter through the front doors of this very dark and very cool century-old bar.
When I arrived, Bill Copping -- a Canadian who moved here 17 years ago -- was sitting at the bar.
"Regulars like it this way." he told me. "We'd be upset if the owners made changes."
If the walls of this old place could talk, they could write volumes. No one knows how long the large Moose head (similar to the one in the TV commercials for Montana's restaurant) has been hanging on the wall above the well-used shuffle board game. The moose has no name; it's simply called moose.
Also on Main St. are a few fine eating spots. I tried the Youngstown Village Diner for breakfast, where a reasonably priced meal was delivered with casual care. There was no shortage of customers, and many like myself, sat on the patio. It offered a million dollar view of the yacht club as you looked across the Niagara River into Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Across the road from the diner is the Irish Rose, where I had lunch. Freshly made sandwiches are served with a bowl of soup (shrimp and corn is their specialty) and a pickle spear for around $7.
Another interesting place is historic Old Fort Niagara (open year round) on the outskirts of town. This national historic landmark was restored between 1926 and 1934 and still stands watch on a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario. From July 24 to July 25, there will a War of 1812 Encampment with a night battle taking place at 7 p.m. on the 25th. See oldfortniagara.org or call 716-745-7611.
In Youngstown there are a few places to stay for the night. I checked out Lakeview Motel and Cottage (lakeviewmotelandcottage.com) across from Lake Ontario. Chris and Wally Nowacki, originally from Hamilton, visited the area in 2003 and like the old Remington commercial guy, they liked the place so much they bought it at a public auction.
"It's nothing like it was when we first bought it," Chris said. We've done extensive renovations, additions and remodelling to make this a gracious place to stay." The motel and cottages are on 4.5 scenic hectares and it isn't unusual to see wildlife, including deer, hawks, eagles, fox and wild turkeys, outside your door.
Before you leave
Walk or drive the tree-lined streets, where you'll see handsome Victorian homes along the Niagara River with bell towers, gables, steeples and cupolas. One nice touch is the colourfully painted fire hydrants (volunteers do it each year) that add even more appeal to this lovely community.
Getting there
Cross over the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge at the Niagara border and take the Robert Moses Parkway north for about 30 minutes. GPS users can punch in 2000 Lake Rd., Youngstown, N.Y.
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