Leisure Travel Ideas:
Day trips or extended vacations
Each month and more frequently,
we will provide leisure travel ideas of
Weird, Wacky and Wonderful Places to visit on your next time-out.
History,
Charm
and Panoramic
Views
North America's smallest
jail
is in charming Canadian village
 You might expect to look in the United States to find North America's
smallest jail, but it's actually in a small town situated 1-1/2 hours
northwest of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.
Proudly
calling itself "One of the ten prettiest towns in Canada", Creemore offers
a uniqueness that's becoming increasingly difficult to find as development
and industry take over the countryside.
Arising out of the beautiful scenery,
Creemore takes you back to quieter times when people took time to relax at
a sidewalk patio for a drink and chat with old friends and meet new ones.
There are several interesting sites here
including a new fountain surrounded by dancing children. And off course,
there's the 'lock-up'.
Erected in 1892, the jail pictured above
holds two cells and a narrow hallway beside them for the jailer to bring
them their food. A window added natural light for the prisoners by day.
Perhaps Creemore is better known for its
microbrewery.
Every year,
Creemore Springs Brewery
hosts
the
Copper Kettle
Festival, a main street party that is much like an old-time village fair. Events include a farmer's market, a beer garden with live music, activities for the kids, hayrides, and of
course a tour of the brewery itself. This year, the festival will be held
on Saturday, August 27, 2005.
You’ll also find local festivals
and other special reasons, like the
Purple Hills Studio Tour,
to visit.
The area offers several bed and
breakfast establishments, arts and crafts studios and shops, and a
sizeable number of Antique stores.
How to Get There:
Creemore is located west of Barrie and
Highway 400 on Airport Road.
From Toronto: via Airport Road
and County Road 9
Time: 90 minutes.
The
Creemore
Village
website has maps and more information.
 While
you're in the area, be sure to take a tour of the great countryside.
You'll discover lots of surprises like this one.
Continue to travel east on Highway 9 to
Highway 42. Turn north and keep your eyes open for this panoramic view of
Georgian Bay, the city of Collingwood and the vacation hotspot, Wasaga
Beach. You'll see it on your right hand side. It will pop up several times
as you travel up and down the hills along this road.
Coming up this season...
Military Reenactments attract many
participants and
inquisitive people If you haven't been to a
military re-enactment, you're missing out on
some unique events. Participants are people who have made history their
favorite pastime, and they take it extremely seriously.
One of my
favorite battles of all time was held at Fort Wellington in 1990. This
fort is in Prescott, Ontario, a small town of about 5,000 people that sits
on the St. Lawrence River across from Ogdensburg, New York.
That year, organizers said about 3,000 reenactors,
including the cavalry and tall ships, participated in the 3-day event as
part of the 10-day Loyalist Days celebrations that are held every summer.
This is the largest military pageant in Canada and it draws some of the
best reenactors from Canada and the United States.
You'll be surprised how many family
activities Prescott runs.
There's the "Shadows of the Fort" - an annual theatrical
program held at Fort Wellington in the summer. Visitors are transported
back in time during a lively walk through the fort buildings and the
grounds. Characters from times past recreate moments in the fort's former
occupants. Reservations are required and they go quickly. More details
will be provided as the season approaches.
The
town's United Way always comes up with some interesting challenges to
raise money for its non-profit members. In 2003, it was the Ultimate
Survivor Challenge that had teams compete in an array of events: tug of
war, volleyball, swimming, relays and obstacle courses.
If you enjoy nostalgia, you won't want to miss the town's
classic car show run every summer by the St. Lawrence Valley Car Club.
Harbour Days held every spring offers a wealth of
activities over three days, including a farmer's market, sidewalk sale,
Rotary Barbecue, family activities and a special event. In 2003, it was a
Medieval Fair. Watch this spot for details of the upcoming season's
activities. If you'd like to check what's going on
in the town right now, you can do a search on their events page:
http://www.prescott.ca/newsevents/index.asp.
Historic Row House, (circa 1830s)
Prescott, Ontario, Canada
The mighty St. Lawrence River runs behind
this building. Fort Wellington is in the
distance, just beyond the white building. |
History Abounds in Prescott
Prescott is a haven for history buffs. The town
consists of many historic buildings depicting a time when the St.
Lawrence River was the livelihood of residents.
Businesses include the forwarding trade, river
merchants, military facilities (Fort Wellington, Stockade Barracks
and Hospital), the mercantile block and farmer's market that still
operates today. |
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