Susanne It was now late afternoon and I decided to catch a rest for a couple of hours. I drove to my new home for the next two days: the Kilpatrick Manor Bed and Breakfast. Located on Second Street, not far from Niagara Fall’s train station, I drove up to a beautiful Victorian mansion and met Nance Kilpatrick, who together with her husband Kevin, runs this impressive bed and breakfast.
Nance Kilpatrick from Kilpatrick Manor B&B
Nance showed me to my room for the next two nights: the luxuriously decorated Hunniford Room, featuring a large king-size bed with a sitting area, a fireplace, a high-definition television and a phenomenal private bathroom with full-body jets. Slippers and bathrobes were waiting inside the antique armoire. No doubt I was going to be comfortable here! I just wanted to fall into the imposing king-size bed and relax in the softness of the high-quality linens.
The dining room
Nancy was gracious to give me an entire tour of the house which included the two other guest rooms and their magnificent bathrooms. Nance then sat down with me for an interview. I am always interested in learning the story of bed and breakfast owners, because just as each B&B is unique, so are the owners. Nance and Kevin’s story and their international hospitality experiences are indeed special, and this young couple is truly passionate about providing the best possible guest experience that they can. Their upscale bed and breakfast has enjoyed great success since its beginnings two years ago, and Kevin, a professional chef, will soon start offering catering services as well. Kilpatrick Manor is also a favourite for romantic getaways and offers special getaway packages that include romantic massages. Nance and I spent a good hour and a half chatting before I had to rush to my next activity for the day.
One of the luxurious bedrooms
My last stop of another intense day of explorations was the famous “Oh Canada Eh?” Dinner Theatre. This theatre company has two locations: one in Niagara Falls and one in the Canadian Rockies, more specifically in Canmore, Alberta. Since 1994, when the Niagara Falls location opened, “Oh Canada Eh?” has put on more than 3100 performances. It has been voted “Attraction of the Year” a total of six times since its inception and has done road shows in Toronto, Buffalo, Cleveland and even as far away as Palm Beach.
Sleeping accommodations for a princess…
This dinner theatre performs a variety of shows, including “The Rocky Horror Show” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”. The longest running performance is the “Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show”, which features a variety of Canadian icons, including singing Mounties, lumberjacks, a hockey player and many other typically Canadian characters.
Ready to enjoy tonight’s performance, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”, I sat down at my table inside the large, chalet-like building. The hearty dinner featuring French Canadian split pea soup, roast beef, Atlantic haddock, roasted chicken with roasted potatoes, vegetables and salad was very tasty and filling, and I enjoyed my conversation with my neighbours at the table: a retired couple from Brampton who took their granddaughter on a special trip to Niagara Falls. Over maple chocolate cake they told me that they regularly book outings in Niagara Falls with their grandkids since there are so many things to do for young children.
The rustic, chalet-like Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Theatre
After dinner the entire cast of the Peanuts came to life and re-enacted a day in the life of Charlie Brown. Enthusiastic performances and great singing by young actors and great costumes evoked all the famous characters – Charlie Brown himself, Lucy, Schroeder, Linus, Sally and Snoopy. Ultimately, Charlie’s quest for what it means to be a good man is resolved – simply trying your best and making the most out of what life gives you. The entire audience, old and young, could relate and had a good time, and their enthusiastic applause confirmed it.
Another day full of new impressions had passed and Niagara Falls had shown its multi-faceted face to me. As I fell asleep, wrapped into the soft linens at the Kilpatrick Manor, I was thinking that I had only one more full-day left in Niagara Falls, and this day would be dedicated to exploring one of the most popular tourist areas in this town: Clifton Hill…
