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MapThere are plenty of activities to keep you busy in town, but Stratford is also a good base for exploring this area of Ontario. Visit Mennonite country, stroll on the shores of Lake Huron, go tubing on the Grand River in the Elora Gorge - this page lists a few of the plentiful options.

Three Epicurean Treks
These three suggested itineraries get you out to enjoy the food and wine produced in the area and include:
  • Savour the Countryside Trek
  • A Rural Market Sampler Trek
  • Traditional Artisan Trek
Click here to download a PDF text listing of the itineraries.
Click here to dowload a map to accompany the text.

Visit Mennonite Communities: Millbank & Milverton
Best Time to go: April to October. Millbank is about a half-hour drive from Stratford.

Sample Itinerary:
9:30 am
Travel to Millbank where there is a large settlement of Mennonites.
10:00 am
First stop is the Mennonite Information Centre: Discover why some Amish and Mennonites still drive horse and buggies, use distinctive style of clothes and worship in their homes. A forty minute video presentation, followed by a question and answer period with a Mennonite pastor, will introduce you to the world of the "Simple People" in Perth County.
11:30 am
It's time for lunch at Anna Mae's Bakery and Restaurant. Traditional country meals (including "Broasted" chicken) await you along with a wide selection of fresh baked pies and breads.
1:00 pm
Travel to Quilts Galore. Here you will be welcomed into a Mennonite home and see first hand how a Mennonite family lives. View a selection of home made quilts and supplies for sale. Learn about this cherished tradition and how it has been passed through the generations. Watch for the miniature horses as you drive in the laneway.
2:30 pm
Travel to the Harness Maker's Shop in Milverton where you will see how a Mennonite family makes harnesses and has developed a business with clients around the world.
4:00 pm
Depart Milverton with a better understanding of a people who live and work differently from others around them.
- info courtesy www.visitperth.ca


Shakespeare to the Shoreline - Self-Guided Drive
The Shakespeare to the Shoreline routes pass through charming communites, from the Hamlet of Shakespeare to the east of Stratford on Highway #8 to the shoreline villages along Lake Huron. Find your way off the beaten track and discover your favourite sites and stops, shops and accommodations, from historic inns to welcoming bed and breakfast homes.

Castle Kilbride in Wilmot Township
Castle Kilbride was built in Baden in 1877 by James Livingston and named after his birthplace in Scotland. It dominates its surroundings with its clean Italianate design capped by a towering belvedere. Its attractive external appearance, however, is overshadowed by its amazing interior decor, which in its own right classifies it as artistry of international significance.
About a half-hour drive from Stratford. Click here for map showing driving directions.

Ontario Maze at Newton
From the Stratford Public Library's WebWatch Newsletter: "If you've ever felt, even for a moment, like "accidentally losing your children on purpose", then drive to Newton, Ontario, where you really can lose your children - safely - in a 45 acre corn maze! Located on Road 128, between Milverton and Millbank, Ontario Maze (designed and owned by Nelly and Ernst Hofer, two award-winning illustrators of children's books) also offers a straw museum, educational exhibits and games, mini golf, and picnic facilities."

Shakespeare
Distance: 12 km, Google Map
  • Lots of Antique Stores & Specialty Shops
  • The British Touch, a great little store with British food items (fancy some Marmite crisps?) and gifts.
  • Shakespeare Pies & Farm Gate Outlet, Large variety of fruit & meat pies. Hormone free organic local beef, pork & chicken.

St. Marys
Distance: 20 km, Google Map
Bayfield
Distance: 70 km, Google Map
  • Nice vistas of Lake Huron
  • Walk on the beach
  • Visit its charming Main St.
  • The Black Dog Pub - our favorite place to eat in Bayfield.
Blyth
Distance: 70 km, Google Map
Goderich
Distance: 75 km, Google Map
Elora
Distance: 75 km, Google Map


519 305-1313   49 Huron St., Stratford, Ontario N5A 5S4