Photo by Feranmi Ogundeko on Unsplash

Brock University is located in St. Catharines, a diverse city, with lots do do. There is never a dull moment in The Garden City. There are a variety of exciting experiences just a few minutes away from the University. 

1. Visit the Pen Centre 

Home to over 180 stores, the Pen Centre is the largest shopping mall in the Niagara Region, according to thepencentre.com. It has discount stores such as Dollarama and Winners which are ideal for every student, grocery stores like Zehrs and Walmart, clothing stores such as American Eagle and Old Navy, a movie theatre and even a ‘Fit4less gym open 24-hours has all the needs and wants a student can imagine. The Pen Centre is located at 221 Glendale Avenue, just (maybe put the actual bus route in here)from Brock University’s main campus. The many stores inside employ hundreds of Brock students each year. 

2. Take a walk down Downtown St. Catharines

Known as St Catharines’ central business district and the heart of the city, Downtown St. Catharines is an ideal place for any student to spend their downtime. It is where the St. Catharines Bus Terminal is located which makes travelling to and from downtown very easy. 

Additionally, home to the St Catharines’ Public Library and the Meridian Centre, which holds a variety of sports and theatrical events including a Brock’s arts campus located in its forefront in the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. That is certainly not all Downtown St Catharines has to offer, the downtown coreis home to loads of bars, restaurants, gyms, a talent agency and even student housing made for students. More information can be found on the municipality’s official website promoting the downtown area 

3. Take a hike  

Activities such as Hiking can be easily done in many of St Catharines’ parks. St Catharines is home to many hiking trails such as Canal Valley, Green Ribbon Trail, Burgoyne woods, Goose Island and many more. Some of the trails can be accessed from Brock University; such as Bruce trail; which is right outside of the Alumni Field. A google maps satellite view search can help give a quick glance to where each trail leads and how long said trail may be. Decew falls, located at 2714 Decew Road,. is a 22-meter plunge waterfall.. It is a local tourist attraction and an ideal place for a student to relax.  

4. Explore the St. Catharines Museum 

The St Catharines museum is a very significant part of the city. It perfectly depicts the History of St Catharines with walls filled with a variety of stories covering black history in St Catharines to the origins of lacrosse in the city andthat’s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to that, the St. Catharines’ museum has a lock viewing platform from which you can watch ships elevate, descend and go by. It also has a park and picnic area as well as a cycling trail going right through it called the welland canals trail. It being only one bus ride from the St. Catharines bus terminal means you have no excuse to visit it at least once.

5. Enjoy Lakeside Park Beach 

Lakeside Park Beach is a local favourite.”. It can make the perfect relaxation spot. The beach isn’t the park’s only attraction. The park is equipped with two volleyball courts, a snack bar, picnic area, carousel, playground and more. Lakeside Park Beach is only a 16 minute drive away from Brock University’s main campus. Travelling by bus from Brock University’s main campus requires two bus rides.  

These are just a few of the manyoptions when it comes to  activities to do in your downtime in the city of St Catharines. There are, of course, many more things to do in the Niagara Region as a whole including visiting Niagara Falls and Clifton Hill, which are major tourist promenades. 

With this much to do, the fun truly never ends while residing in St Catharines, Ontario.