Ontario Travel: A Hamilton Harbour Tour, Downtown Guelph and

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• published: 13 Oct 2009
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During this recession year I have curtailed my international travel assignments and decided to ramp up my coverage of local destinations instead. The concept of staycations definitely has its merits and I have been checking out local happenings in Toronto and neat places in Ontario when time has allowed. I have been realizing that my immediate surroundings offer plenty of excellent travel and entertainment opportunities. So on Sunday, September 13, 2009 I packed two of my friends into my car and we went for a little Ontario driving tour. Heading west from Toronto we made stops at several picturesque spots along Lake Ontario, including Port Credit in Mississauga, as well as Old Oakville and Bronte in Oakville, one of Canadas most affluent cities. From here we continued on scenic Lakeshore Drive into Burlington and from there into the adjacent city of Hamilton. After a brief stop to look at Dundurn Castle, one of Hamiltons historic landmarks, we headed down to the Pier 4 area and took in the scenic vistas of Hamilton Harbour. At 11:30 am, after some mechanical problems, we finally got underway in our tour aboard the Hamiltonian tour boat. The captain slowed down the boat in various locations to explain local landmarks to us. Hamiltons Waterfront has been redeveloped in recent years and includes scenic Bayfront Park, the redeveloped Pier 4 area and a beautiful 7.5 km wide waterfront trail that connects Hamilton Harbour with Cootes Paradise through the Desjardins Canal. Following this enjoyable outing on the scenic Hamilton Harbour we headed north on Highway 6 into the City of Guelph. Guelph, with its population of roughly 115,000 people, is consistently selected as one of Canadas best cities to live in. Driving in from the south we saw a beautiful riverside park and stopped our car to have a picnic which we enjoyed on the scenic shores of the Speed River. A few steps east is The Boathouse Tea Room, which has a great waterfront location on the Speed River, The Boathouse offers all sorts of snacks, ice cream and even an authentic British high tea experience. You can even rent a kayak or a canoe next door and enjoy the serenity of the Speed River. Steps away is the Guelph Covered Bridge, constructed in 1992, and one of only two covered bridges in Ontario. From here we drove into town and made a stop at one of Guelphs main attractions: the hilltop Church of Our Lady Immaculate, an impressive Gothic Revival Cathedral that was designed by Irish architect Joseph Connolly and constructed between 1877 and 1888. Built of solid local limestone, this cathedral features two imposing square towers that are modeled after the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, and were not completed until 1926. We entered the church and were impressed by the brilliant stained-glass windows, sculptures and frescoes that adorn this impressive structure. We then went on to explore downtown Guelph which is distinguished by an extensive collection of historic limestone architecture. We went down to the riverfront where we saw the River Run Centre, Guelphs premiere performing arts centre. From here we snaked our way back up into the town to check out the Old Quebec Street Shoppes, an attractive indoor shopping environment that features a variety of retailers along a street front on the actual former Quebec Street that is now covered by a skylight roof. Leaving Guelph behind, we drove through rolling Ontario farmlands into the scenic village of Elora whose historic location on the Grand River dates back to 1832. We walked along the scenic downtown shops to the Elora Mill Inn, the only 5-story mill left in Ontario which today continues as an upscale country inn and restaurant. In the waterfall outside the mill, a single limestone outcropping called the Tooth of Time, stands guard against the onslaught of water. Elora is definitely one of the prettiest villages in Ontario, with its combination of historic architecture and scenic countryside. I am planning to head back there in the near future.