My Favourite Digital Nomad Destination – Niagara On The Lake, Canada
The digital nomad life where you can work and travel to countries around the world, used to be something only a small percentage of people used to take advantage of before the pandemic. Now, probably you have met at least one person in real life who does this as well as many people you may see on Instagram.
There are so many beautiful destinations around the world that are a perfect place for a digital nomad to live and work, whether you work for a remote company or you’re self-employed or a freelancer.
I would have to say that my favourite destination for digital nomads has to be Niagara-on-the-lake, Canada. I’ve spent so much time here in different seasons and it has so much to offer if you’re a digital nomad.
Niagara-on-the-lake, Canada needs more credit in being a hotspot for digital nomads because now is a perfect time to go there because they offer a lot more today. If you are interested in making this your next digital nomad destination, then keep reading to find out why.
1. Canada has introduced an official Digital Nomad Visa
This is very exciting because as a tourist you were limited on how long you could stay based on your citizenship. Now the digital nomad visa allows you to stay on this visa for 180 days and it is renewable for 6 months at a time. The Canadian government allows you during this time to get a sponsored job with a Canadian company where you would be able to bring your skills to a Canadian employer by applying for a temporary work permit or even permanent residence.
You can learn more here. If you want to apply for it, read and apply here.
2. Your money can stretch further
Canada is not the cheapest country but every $1 CAD is worth $0.73 USD, €0.68 EUR and ￡0.59 GBP. So if you make any of those currencies, then you get more for your money in Canada.
Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to check out some videos I made on things to do and travel guides for Niagara-on-the-lake.
3. Reliable high-speed Internet
Having a strong internet connection in critical for a digital nomad to be able to work properly. There are a lot of amazing coworking spaces and cafes you can work at and your condo or AirBnB will have a strong connection.
My favourite cafes to work at in Niagara-on-the-lake: Junction Coffee Bar, Balzac's Coffee Roasters, and of course Starbucks.
4. Friendly kind and hospitable people
Canadians are some of the most friendly people especially in smaller towns like Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario. They are helpful and patient and will help to make your time here much more enjoyable.
5. Incredible food
Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario is a foodie heaven because there are so many amazing restaurants and dishes to try and almost all the restaurants are farm-to-table and use local produce that is also seasonal to make your meals so delicious and healthy. Any restaurant in this cozy cute town will be amazing. I highly recommend to also eat lunch or dinner at some of the local wineries here.
6. Historic, picturesque Town with a Vibrant culture and lots to do
Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario has a very long history. It was founded by German Mennonites and is the most beautiful town that looks like something out of a movie (many movies were filmed here), the war of 1812 was fought here with the Americans and is a great place to get away from the big cities to allow you to enjoy beautiful scenery while you work to help make you more creative.
After your work you can enjoy a horse and carriage ride, nature walk, hiking down the Niagara gorge to the Niagara river, Ghost Walks tours (yes it is the most haunted town in North America), visiting the famous Niagara Falls and of course doing some wine tastings. Niagara-on-the-lake is the wine growing and production capital of Canada and here you can try some world-famous Ice Wine that is produced only here and Germany. There are hundreds of wineries here that you can go visit on your own or do a tour on a bus or a bicycle. There are also several brewerys here as well.
There are other beautiful hikes and waterfalls you can go to that are very close to Niagara.
7. Close to Toronto and Buffalo, nY
You are only about 1.5 hours driving into the big city of Toronto for Blue Jays or Raptors games, shopping or site seeing. You can either rent a car or take the GO Train into the city. It’s very convenient because the Go Train is frequent on weekends and you can even get an express train that takes you into Union Station which is walking distance to almost all the main places to visit in the city like the CN tower, Rogers center and the famous Royal York hotel and connects you to the metro system.
You are even closer to cross the border into Buffalo, NY. This is a great option if you want to fly into the Buffalo Intrantional Airport instead of Toronto Pearson International Airport because it sometimes can be cheaper.
8. Easy to get around
The best option to get around if you don't want to use Uber because Uber is not a frequent as in Toronto, is either a bicycle with a bike share service like Zoom Bike Share or NRT OnDemand. Which is like Uber Pool with other riders, picks you up at your desired location in a small 6-7 seater van and drops you off at your desired location but it is the cost of public transit ($3/4 one way)! You can download the app or learn more on their website.
If you want to make Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario, Canada your next digital nomad destination, you will hopefully love it as much as I do.
What if I told you that you have the opportunity to win a one-month remote work retreat in beautiful Mexico City, Mexico?
Yes you can and it is so easy to participate in this amazing contest that SafetyWing is doing in collaboration with Selina CoLive space.
So what is a workcation? It is an all-expenses paid one month stay that allows you to live and work in the beautiful Mexico City, Mexico.
What’s included?
· Round-trip flights to Mexico City (up to USD$2000 fare coverage)
· A month-long stay at Selina CoLive, a dream co-living and co-working space
· Nomad Insurance for the duration of your trip
What do you have to do?
Simply use my referral link to create a SafetyWing account or log in to your existing account to enter. You don’t need to buy any travel insurance, just create an account or log in to your existing account to enter by 9am PST of May 16th 2024 by using my link here in order to be entered in the draw.
If you don’t win this time around, you can enter into this draw every time SafetyWing holds this contest. Remember when logging in or creating your account you have to do it by using my link here in order for you to be entered in the draw.
What happens next?
Once you enter, you will get an email to confirm your entry.
The winner will be announced at random on May 16th, 2024 and they will announce the next month’s destination for the contest.
Women working at a market in downtown Mexico City, serving food
Mexico City is vibrant and a cultural hub in Mexico City. You will be staying in a nice cozy room at Selina CoLive, a premier co-living and co-working space. They offer high-speed Wi-Fi, wellness classes, and a rooftop with regular events. It is perfectly set up for you to relax and be productive. When you’re not working, you can go off to explore Mexico City's rich culture with nearby food tours, urban green spaces, cultural landmarks, and lively nightlife.
If you want to learn more and enter, check out my link here.
Good luck and happy travels!
~ Asya