East of Port Colborne and south of Niagara Falls is the town of Fort Erie, where the Niagara River leaks out of Lake Erie. Across from Buffalo, New York, it’s connected to the US by the Peace Bridge. The main drawcard here is the historic, star-shaped Fort Erie , a key player in the War of 1812, and ‘Canada’s bloodiest battlefield.’ Also known as the Old Stone Fort, it was first built in 1764. The US seized it in 1814 before retreating. Inside there’s a museum and immaculate, uniformed soldiers performing authentic military drills. Take the worthwhile guided tour (every 30 minutes), included in the admission.