Our communities
Lewiston
Where the Niagara leaves its gorge and history begins
A little history
Lewiston sits where the Niagara River leaves its gorge at the foot of the escarpment, a natural landing for travelers and traders. The French built a trading post here in 1720. Surveyors laid out streets and lots in 1805 and named the place "Lewis Town" after New York Governor Morgan Lewis. American troops set out from here for the Battle of Queenston Heights on October 13, 1812. On December 19, 1813, British forces burned the village, and Tuscarora neighbors are remembered for helping residents escape. The Town of Lewiston was formed from the Town of Cambria in 1818.
Before the Civil War, Lewiston was a last stop on the Underground Railroad, where freedom seekers crossed the river to Canada. The Freedom Crossing Monument, dedicated in 2009, honors them. The Frontier House, a hotel built in the 1820s, still stands. Today the village of about one square mile is the town's center for shops, services and culture. The wider town includes Niagara University (founded 1856), Artpark, orchards, wineries and the Tuscarora Reservation.
🍕 Pizza & Wings in Lewiston
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Hustler's Tavern
A cocktail bar and restaurant on Center Street in Lewiston, famous for Detroit-style pizza and hand-crafted cocktails. It's named for Catherine Hustler, whose tavern, the story goes, gave the cocktail its name.
🍽️ Food & Drink in Lewiston
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DiCamillo Bakery, Lewiston
The Center Street location of the century-old family bakery: homemade donuts, fresh bread baked daily, Scaletta loaves, biscotti and sponge candy.
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The Griffon Gastropub, Lewiston
A big, always-busy gastropub right on the Niagara River in Lewiston, with a riverside patio, live bands and events all summer, and hand-dipped chicken fingers people drive in for.
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The Village Bake Shoppe
A made-from-scratch bakery on Center Street in historic Lewiston since 1993, steps from the Niagara River. Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cheesecakes, pies and breakfast treats.
🌊 Things to Do in Lewiston
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Artpark Concerts
Summer concerts in the Artpark amphitheater above the Niagara Gorge in Lewiston, plus free family programs.
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Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours
A 45-minute jet boat ride from Lewiston up the lower river into the Class V rapids at Devil's Hole. Choose soaked or dry.
⏱️ 45 minutes -
Bella Rose Vineyard & Winery
A 57-acre Lewiston estate on the Niagara Escarpment, with wine flights, 10 rotating craft beer taps and a small snack menu.
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Castellani Art Museum
Niagara's only visual arts museum, at Niagara University, with modern art, Niagara Falls–themed works and regional folk art.
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Niagara Power Vista
A free, hands-on visitor center about hydropower, with 50+ exhibits and gorge views, at the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston.
🆓 Free
🥾 State Parks & Hiking in Lewiston
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Artpark State Park
Gorge trails and river fishing in Lewiston, plus summer concerts at the Artpark amphitheater.
🥾 Moderate -
Joseph Davis State Park
Flat nature trails, fishing ponds and two disc golf courses on the lower Niagara River, with a car-top boat launch for kayaks.
🥾 Easy