Southwestern Ontario Information

If you’re driving south on Highway 401 from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the first county listed above that you’re going to hit is Oxford. The largest urban centre in this region is Woodstock, and it’s here that art aficionados can stroll through the Ross Butler Studio Agricultural Art Gallery. This studio is an ideal introduction to the tradition of farming that’s driven the economy of rural southwestern Ontario for hundreds of years. And, to add even more authenticity to the atmosphere, the gallery is actually located on the Butler family homestead and farm, which means patrons can peruse the "world’s leading livestock artist’s" works on the very land that inspired him.

Using Woodstock as a base, you can further branch out to Beachville, where tourists can entertain themselves at the Beachville District Museum (open year-round) that boasts an eclectic mix of exhibits that are structured around everything from mastodon bones, to limestone quarries, to baseball. About 35 minutes south of Beachville is Tillsonburg, home of the Annandale House National Historic Site. Built in the 1800s by the first mayor of Tillsonburg, Annandale House is a prime example of the Victorian style of architecture known as the Aesthetic Art Movement. Hand-painted ceilings, stained glass, and unbelievable craftsmanship are the design pillars of Annandale House, and for those who are interested in town history, the Tillsonburg Museum is located within the estate.

Lovers of the great outdoors can also enjoy themselves on the 18 walking trails to be found winding through Oxford County.  The Avon Trail, Borden Crescent Trail and Tillsonburg Golf Course Trails, Chesney Wilderness Area Trail, Embro Pond Conservation Area Trail, and Hickson Trail are some of the best places to get you started.

About an hour east of Oxford County sits Haldimand County, and the motto of this region promises "a grand experience." The fact that this is a play-on-words becomes clear when you realize the Canadian Heritage–designated Grand River flows through the towns of this county. And, indeed, one of the "must-sees" of this area is the Grand River Scenic Parkway Tour Route. As you drive it’s length, you will come across other sub-counties such as: Caledonia, a town with the unique distinction of a nine-span bridge (the only bridge of its type in Canada) that links the whole community; Hagersville, which puts on its infamous farmers’ market every Wednesday from April to October, and that has been an area institution since 1892; Jarvis, whose annual  Cornfest on the third weekend in August is always a hit; Selkirk, where the Wilson MacDonald  Memorial School Museum, the Canadian Drilling Rig Museum, and Cottonwood Mansion Museum are located; Cayuga, where you can find Ruthven Park, a national historic site that was a country estate and farm first settled in the 1830s; and Dunnville, where naturalists can enjoy the site of one of the largest expanses of wetlands in Ontario, as well as hike through the Byng Island Conservation Area and the Rock Point Provincial Park, or marvel at the view along Port Maitland’s pier.

A short drive to the west of Haldimand County will soon have you touring through Norfolk County, whose most well-known towns are Courtland, Delhi, Long Point, Port Dover, Port Rowan, Simcoe, Turkey Point, Waterford, and St. Williams. Points of interest along the way start in Simcoe, where the Eva Brook Donly Museum and Archives is host to over 300 years of Norfolk County history. And, if you’re in the area in October, a stop at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show is also a must. The Port Dover Harbour Museum, in Port Dover (located on the shores of Lake Erie), is also worth your time.

Farther southwest is the busy St. Williams area, where there is everything from the thrilling Long Point Eco-Adventures and South Coast Eco-Safari (both of which offer spectacular views of the Long Point World Biosphere), to Canada’s First Forestry Station, which explains the first conservation practices in Canada.

From St. Williams, it’s a painless jaunt to the relative metropolis of London. In less than two hours, you can be in the middle of this historical city whose beginnings are dated in 1793 when it was selected as the location of the future capital of Ontario. This early designation never came to fruition, but that didn’t stop London from developing into the culturally rich city that it is today. Thus, visitors here are sure to find a multitude of ways to wile away their time, and there’s no better place to start than at the Fanshawe Pioneer Village. This living-history museum mirrors the look of London between 1820 and 1920, with original structures such as farmhouses, churches, a school, an Orange Hall, the Denfield General Store and Post Office, the Harmer Sawmill, and the Caverhill Woodworking Shop. The early farming community of 19th-century London is also well-represented, which is only proper, considering that London eventually became one of the most successful wheat-producing regions in Canada.

History buffs will further enjoy the Banting House National Historic Site of Canada, which is where Sir Frederick Banting lived as the multi-talented artist, doctor, officer, and scientist who is credited with the discovery of insulin. The London Museum of Archeology and Museum London are yet more educational attractions worth your hard-earned dollar.

After you have exhausted the indoor venues, London invites you to also experience its outdoor spaces, which are abundant.  Firstly, there’s Victoria Park, which is considered by many to be one of the most important designed landscapes of the 19th century. Located in the middle of London’s downtown core, this 15-acre park has been a hub for festivals and events since 1874.
Moving into the west of downtown’s streets, you’ll also find the Fork of the Thames, which is home to formal gardens, as well as other interconnected park areas that include the Peace Garden, Ivey Park, and Harris Park.

Springbank Park is yet another sight to behold, and this urban green space has been the property of London since 1874. A wonderful example of city parkland in Canada, Springbank is home to a natural forest, formal gardens, lookout points, picnic areas, and the popular family attraction, Storybook Gardens.

Less than 40 minutes south of London is Elgin County, whose largest city is St. Thomas. Infused with railroad history, St. Thomas was first settled in 1810, and quickly grew to be a central location for large railway companies that preferred to use this town as a shortcut when shipping goods between Buffalo and Detroit. Named the Railway Capital of Canada, St. Thomas is still proud of its railroading history, and visitors to the area can find proof of this at the Railway Museum (one of the last operational locomotive shops in North America), the Railway City Brewing Company, and the Canada Southern Railway Station that was completed in 1873, and that is the only existing railway station in Ontario that was built in the Italianate style.

While touring St. Thomas’ railroad museums, you might also notice a large 38-tonne elephant statue. This iteration of Jumbo "The King of Elephants" exists because on September 15, 1885, Jumbo was hit by a train as he was returning to his circus car. Thought to be the largest elephant ever held captive, Jumbo’s international legacy lives on in St. Thomas.

Besides railroads, Elgin County is famous for its multitude of wilderness trails that are connected to the Trans Canada Trail, which is the longest recreational trail in the world. Tourists can also drive the Talbot Trail, which follows a scenic route that brings motorists along the shores of Lake Erie, from St. Thomas to Windsor. Along the way, travellers might be interested in pulling off Highway 3 to check out Port Stanley, a popular beach and boardwalk area, and the Rodney Jail, in Rodney, that was built in 1890 and consists of only two tiny cells, making it the oldest, smallest jail in North America.

West of Elgin County is Middlesex County, and it’s here that you’ll find the town of Strathroy-Caradoc, where the historic village of Ska-Nah-Doht is located. This re-created 1,000-year-old Iroquois settlement is a glimpse into the region’s ancient First Nations history, and is the focal point of the Longwoods Road Conservation Area. North of Strathroy-Caradoc is Lucan-Biddulph, where a large portion of Irish immigrants settled during the 19th century. Among them was the notorious Donnelly family, and visitors to the town can explore that history further at the Lucan & Area Heritage and Donnelly Museum that’s found on Lucan’s Main Street.

Close by is the Middlesex Centre sub-county, where, in Delaware, car-racing fans can take in the laps at the local Delaware Speedway from April through September. Racing of another kind, however, is the seasonal highlight in the nearby Ilderton. Each year, the 158-year-old Fall Fair organizes its Calf Scramble, Mutton Bustin, and Lawn Mower races, as well as celebrates Middlesex County’s agricultural history and lifestyle.

Travelling farther west along Highway 402, tourists will hit the Sarnia-Lambton area that’s otherwise known as "Blue Water Country." Sarnia, which is located on Lake Huron, is connected to the U.S. by way of the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, one of the busiest border crossings in North America. However, besides the "blue waters" of the lake, Sarnia residents also enjoy the St. Clair River, which draws boaters and encourages boat cruises.

Additionally, this international border town is the successful host of many popular festivals, and these include the annual Bayfest, Snowfest, the Sarnia Supreme Highland Games, and the Mackinac Boat Race. And if these outdoor events appeal to you, it’s recommended that you take the hour-long drive north into Lambton Shores, where the Pinery Provincial Park is located. Boasting close to 1,000 campsites in three campgrounds on more than 6,000 acres, this park is a haven for nature lovers of all abilities. Walkers, hikers, and cross-country skiers will all find their fun while traversing Pinery Park’s well-marked trails.
About 10 minutes away from the park is the Lambton Heritage Museum, and while this site is interesting in its own right, what’s also fascinating is that if you stand behind the museum during key migration periods in the spring, you will likely have the chance to observe Arctic tundra swans as they stop on their way north for the summer. In fact, bird-watching is popular in the area, period, as well deer-spotting in Pinery Provincial Park.
Also not to be missed is Kettle Point, approximately half an hour southwest of Pinery Park. Kettle Point is one of only two places in the world where a 350-million-year-old shale outcrop has created "kettles," which are truly best seen rather than described!
If Sarnia is your "base camp" while in the Lambton region, after checking out the Pinery Park area, it’s well worth your while to head south again to Central Lambton, where you’ll find the Oil Museum of Canada, in Oil Springs. This aptly named historical institution marks the site of the first commercial oil well in North America, and surrounding towns such as Petrolia are also rife with oil-drilling history. Petrolia Discovery, for instance, boasts a 19th-century oilfield that’s still pumping its oil using original methods from the 1800s.
Other attractions in the area include: the Munro Honey & Meadery, which one of Ontario’s only producers of mead (and is where you can also buy honey wine); the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, which originally opened in 1889 as Victoria Hall; and the annual Brigden Fair, which has been held on Thanksgiving weekend since 1850.

After leaving Sarnia-Lambton to head toward Windsor, you will first encounter Chatham-Kent, which is famous for its regional connections to the Underground Railroad. For instance, in North Buxton, tourists can stop in at the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum, which honours the settlement built here by former slaves. Additionally, in Dresden, amateur and professional historians alike will enjoy the Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site, where the infamous black slave Reverend Josiah Henderson was instrumental in his work with the Underground Railroad. Chatham-Kent’s black history is celebrated in its entirety, however, during Emancipation Day at Uncle Tom’s Cabin in August, and during the Buxton Homecoming at the Buxton National Historic Site each Labour Day weekend.
Other annual celebrations in Chatham-Kent are in honour of this region’s second claim to fame— automotive festivals. The county has been named Canada’s Classic Car Capital, and if you need proof, you only have to check out downtown Chatham’s Retrofest, the Wallaceburg Antique Motor and Boat Outing (WAMBO), and Bothwell’s Car Show that’s also one of Canada’s largest day-long car shows, with more than 1,200 vehicles on display.
In addition to its passion for classic cars, Chatham-Kent is also known for its region’s outdoor adventures. Birders can have a literal field day at Rondeau Provincial Park, Wheatly Provincial Park, the Blenheim Lagoon, or the St. Clair National Wildlife Area. Such ornithological thrills are made possible by this county’s warm climate and its protected parklands that are in a Carolinian forest that attracts southern birds that simply don’t travel any farther north. Examples of birds that can be spotted in the aforementioned wildlife locations include the endangered prothonotary warbler, and the rare little blue heron and Mississippi kite, as well as numerous geese, ducks, and swans.

Last but not least in southwestern Ontario is the Windsor area, which encompasses both Essex and Pelee Island. Located just over an hour west of Chatham-Kent, Windsor is situated along the Detroit River, which, of course, also borders the city of Detroit.
Windsor’s designation as a border-city-along-water has caused it to be involved in many efforts of dubious distinction throughout the years, the most famous of which is most likely the Prohibition of the 1920s and early 1930s. About 75% of the alcohol consumed in the U.S. during Prohibition was smuggled into the country courtesy of the waterways that run between Windsor and Detroit, and the islands that sit in the river between Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair provided the perfect hideouts. Add into that the facts that the river is narrow, many people owned private boathouses and docks, and there were underground tunnels that connected them, and it’s no wonder that some of the biggest homes in Windsor were built by the leading rum-runners of the Prohibition.
The War of 1812 was also broke out just down the road from Windsor, in Amherstburg, and the original earthworks and restored barracks of Fort Malden can still be toured today.
If the fort is your forte, so to speak, you will surely enjoy the history to be found at the Canadian Transportation Museum & Heritage Village in Kingsville. While the transportation museum houses such items as horse- and oxen-drawn carts, a 1904 Mitchell horse-drawn hearse, fire trucks, Ford Model Ts and As, and hot rods, the heritage village boasts a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, a barbershop, a train station, and log homes.
Art and architecture is also present in the Windsor area, and if you venture from Kingsville, back up Highway 3 to the city, you will find the Art Gallery of Windsor, which has a collection of over 3,000 pieces that reflect Canada’s heritage from, approximately, 1750, to the present day. Of interest, as well, is the Odette Sculpture Park, which is "a museum without walls" that lines the Detroit River between Huron Church Road and Church Street in Windsor. The Odette Park is made up of 31 large-scale, internationally recognized contemporary sculptures that were created by world-renowned artists, and it’s a fantastic way to soak in some local culture while also taking a scenic walk along the river.
However, if something more glitzy is what you’re after, don’t miss the Caesars Windsor Casino. Try your luck at poker, slots, table games, midi baccarat, and more, and then take in a show at the Colosseum, where no seat is more than 225 feet from the stage. You can also enjoy a delicious meal at Artist Café, Augustus Café, Legends Sports Bar, Market Buffet, Neros, or Pronto Café, and then relax in your on-site room at the only four-diamond hotel in downtown Windsor.

After sight-seeing through the Windsor area, a great way to top off any trip to southwestern Ontario is to visit to Point Pelee National Park, which is the southernmost point of mainland Canada. A voyage across Lake Erie to Pelee Island is also engaging, as it’s here that you can check out the eclectic Kite Museum, the delicious Pelee Island Winery, and the informative Pelee Island Heritage Centre.