A Lake Erie north shore road trip: From beaches to vines

Did you know Canada’s southernmost point is at the same latitude as Rome, northern Portugal, and the California-Oregon border? It’s no wonder the Lake Erie north shore is lined with sandy beaches, temperate Carolinian forests, and one of Ontario’s premier wine regions! To explore this for yourself, start planning your Lake Erie road trip. Here, we recommend a route that starts in Windsor and traces along some of the finest waterfront vistas Southwest Ontario has to offer.

We’ve gathered the information in this article on things to do along Lake Erie over multiple visits. The most detailed was a road trip from Windsor to London along the Lake Erie shores hosted by Ontario’s Southwest and Destination Ontario.

Our most recent visit to Windsor and Essex County was sponsored by Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.

We’ve also arranged visits to some destinations along this route on our own. (These last ones are usually the places where we’re missing pictures because we were too busy hanging with friends during our stays. We look forward to adding more images as we revisit these great spots.)

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Lake Erie north shore road trip: What to know before you go

This article currently covers the portion of the Lake Erie north shore that runs from Windsor to Port Stanley, Ontario. As we complete more research, we later plan to add the section between Port Stanley and Fort Erie including Long Point Provincial Park, Haldimand County, and Port Colborne.

While Ontario Highway 3 and some municipal roads that were once part of it form the main route across the Lake Erie north shore, there are long sections where it diverts away from the shoreline. In those areas, we’ve highlighted alternate routes in the Lake Erie north shore road trip map above that offer greater access to scenery and important destinations.

A straight drive from Windsor to Port Stanley on the suggested route above takes approximately three and a half hours to complete. To thoroughly explore this region’s many great parks, towns, villages, and destinations, we recommend dedicating at least three days and two nights.

In this article, we explain the route beginning in Windsor and traveling eastbound. If you’d prefer to start in Port Stanley and travel westbound, head to the bottom of this article and work your way back to the top.

Windsor is Southern Ontario’s border city

With its position directly across the river from Detroit, Windsor is the first point of entry for many travelers driving into Canada from the United States. It’s also the largest city in Essex County, Canada’s southernmost region.

One of Windsor’s biggest attractions is Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino, which hosts plenty of live music as well as table gaming. But the city is also home to some surprising destinations for those who enjoy spending time outdoors.

The Ojibway Prairie Complex is a collection of six preserved natural areas located just 10 minutes from the city’s downtown core. It’s home to more than 4000 species, and 160 of those are considered rare. This is one of the more popular birding destinations in Windsor and Essex County and is a great place to spot migratory birds as well as Windsor’s official bird, the tufted titmouse.

Peche Island is a very popular spot, especially in the summer. Located on the Detroit River where it meets Lake St. Clair, this island was owned by whiskey magnate Hiram Walker in the late 19th century. Today, the City of Windsor maintains its beaches and walking trails for public use. Boat access is available for a small fee, or you can explore it with your own canoe and kayak via a launch at Kayak Cove Beach, just east of Lakeview Park Marina.

If you’re traveling in Windsor with kids, be sure to check out Adventure Bay Family Water Park. This indoor water park has five water slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, water cannons, and much more. It’s operated by the City of Windsor and is one of the area’s most fun family-friendly destinations.

Amherstburg is home to history on the Detroit River

At the southern end of the Detroit River where it meets Lake Erie, Amherstburg has stood for more than two centuries. The town is well-known for its bustling downtown shopping district on Richmond Street, as well as Fort Malden National Historic Site.

As one of British North America’s most important strongholds, Fort Malden (formerly Fort Amherstburg) was built in 1795 to defend the colony from potential invasion from the Americans. It played a critical role during the War of 1812 as the site where Sir Isaac Brock met with Tecumseh — a Shawnee Chief who backed resistance to American expansion — to plan the Siege of Detroit.

Today, Fort Malden National Historic Site protects the remnants of the fort’s later iterations. It also houses a museum discussing the site’s role in the War of 1812 and the Upper Canada Rebellion. Cannon and musket firing demonstrations take place in the parade square, and the soldier’s barracks, heritage cookhouse, and pensioner’s cottage offer glimpses into how people lived on the Detroit River’s shorelines more than two centuries ago.  

Try out some EPIC wine touring

On Canada’s southernmost shores, you’ll find Canada’s southernmost wine region! Here in EPIC Wine Country — EPIC stands for Essex Pelee Island Coast — you’ll find more than a dozen wineries taking advantage of Canada’s warmest and sunniest landscapes. While they’re spread out across much of southern Essex County, most of them are located along the Lake Erie shoreline between Amherstburg and Kingsville.

Some of our favourite wineries in this region include Colio Estate Wines, Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards, Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW), Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery, and Muscedere Vineyards.

Remember, drinking and road tripping don’t mix. If you plan to enjoy wine tastings, please ensure you have a designated driver.

Colchester is a quiet beach town

If you’re looking for a beautiful beach and a small-town feel, head to Colchester. Everything is walking distance apart in this lakefront community, and Colchester Beach is a great spot for taking in a sunset. (Note this shallow beach warms up early in the summer, but it is sometimes closed to swimming due to water quality later in the season.)

The Grove Motel is one of Colchester’s highlights. Every room in this mid-century modern-style motel is decorated with a different theme. In our camping-themed room, the carpet looked like grass, the beds were recessed into the floor to create the feel of sleeping on the ground, and the ceiling was lined with tiny lights that looked like stars!

This was a big hit with the teenagers in our group, as was the games room and the on-site café. Whether you want a home base for a beach getaway or one of the most central locations around for some EPIC wine touring, the Grove Motel is a fantastic spot.

Check out the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village

Windsor has long been one of Canada’s primary hubs for the automotive industry, a history that’s celebrated at the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village.

At its rural location northwest of Kingsville, you’ll find two distinct museums. The Canadian Transportation Museum is lined from wall to wall with a wide variety of historic cars, from a Ford Model T to a 1992 Dodge Viper, an 1893 Shamrock that may be the first car ever registered in Canada, and the first commercial vehicle to cross the nearby Ambassador Bridge when it opened in 1929.

In the Heritage Village, explore 15 important historical buildings that have been collected here from all over Essex County. These include a heritage schoolhouse, a general store, a train station, numerous small businesses and cabins, and the home of Jack Miner, a prominent conservationist who lived nearby just outside Kingsville.

The site also houses the Emergency Medical Services Museum, which holds Canada’s largest collection of historic ambulances, as well as a motorcycle museum and a 1950s-style diner. To better understand and learn from the displays, be sure to take the guided tours if they’re available during your visit.

Kingsville is great for foodies and birders alike

Return to the Lake Erie shoreline and continue east to reach Kingsville, Canada’s southernmost town. If you love to eat, Kingsville is the destination for you! With more than a dozen locations in town dedicated to food and drink, from restaurants to breweries and coffee shops to gourmet grocers, there’s a great meal in Kingsville for everyone.

Kingsville was also home to Jack Miner, who was one of the most important bird migration experts of the early 20th century. Through his research tagging ducks and geese at his homestead north of town, Miner mapped out key migration patterns and became one of the pioneers of conservationism in North America. Today, his lands remain a nature reserve as the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary, and many businesses in town are named after birds as a nod to his contributions.

The Goose Kitchen + Bar is a great spot for some laid back yet upscale homestyle fare and has quaint rooms upstairs at Inn31 for overnight stays.

On the town’s picturesque main street, the Banded Goose Brewing Company slings craft brews in an energetic space that hosts live music on weekend. In the morning, head down the street to the Red Lantern Coffee Company for a fantastic cup of coffee and a pastry. On the outskirts of town, Lee & Maria’s has been selling local produce since 1978, including some grown on its family-owned farm, alongside other gourmet provisions.

Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens is another fascinating destination. This quirky spot between Kingsville and Leamington somehow successfully combines a garden centre packed with unique tropical plants, an amusement hall with an arcade and petting farm, and a restaurant serving famous broasted chicken that brings people in from miles around!

Leamington is the Tomato Capital of Canada

Continue east along the shores of Lake Erie to reach Leamington. This municipality earned the title of Tomato Capital of Canada through more than a century of history as a tomato processing hub, most notably for Heinz before the company left the town in 2014. Today, in addition to the area’s many farms, Leamington is home to the largest commercial greenhouse operations in North America.

This agricultural hub has attracted hundreds of Mexican farm workers and their families, and they’ve created a clear influence on Leamington’s culture and food where Mexican restaurants and shops line the downtown core. Cancunsito is a local favourite that offers up authentic Cancun-style Mexican dishes in its vibrant dining room.

Cured Craft Brewing Company is also located downtown. This great spot offers craft beers, traditional pub-style fare, and a popular three-season patio. The meats used in Cured Craft’s dishes are sourced from Bradt’s Butcher Block, located directly across the street. Now that’s local!

Leamington is also the departure point for the Pelee Island ferry that connects it with the mainland.

Point Pelee National Park is the southernmost point of mainland Canada

Just east of Leamington, Point Pelee National Park extends on a peninsula into Lake Erie to form the southernmost point of mainland Canada.

It’s a cool thing to stand at the end of the point with all of Canada’s expanse stretching outward in front of you. But that’s far from the only reason to visit this gem of a park, which is open to visitors year-round.

In the spring, its location along bird migration routes makes it a prime destination for bird watching. In the autumn, monarch butterflies rest on the trees before making their way southbound to overwinter in Mexico. And that’s on top of Point Pelee’s 20 kilometres of beautiful beaches, and some of the region’s best canoeing and kayaking routes through the park’s marsh, one of the largest that remains in the Great Lakes.

Explore the many things to do at Point Pelee National Park >

Wheatley is an important freshwater fishing port

As you head eastbound from Point Pelee National Park, you’ll leave Essex County and enter Chatham-Kent. The first community you’ll enter here is Wheatley, one of the primary freshwater fishing ports on the Great Lakes. You’ll find numerous small fishing businesses here selling their fresh wares. One of them, Taylor Fish Company, operates a fish and chip truck where they fry up that day’s catch of pickerel and perch. (Note the food truck is cash only.)

Wheatley is also surrounded by parks. The best known is Wheatley Provincial Park, the southernmost serviced park in the Ontario Parks system. It’s popular for its wooded campgrounds, trails with great birdwatching opportunities, a pair of paddling loops, and ready-to-fish programs for kids. The park also has a Hallowe’en tradition where campers decorate their campsites for some spooky fun!

Hillman Marsh Conservation Area and Two Creeks Conservation Area are some of the additional parks nearby.

East of Wheatley, the Talbot Trail is the main thoroughfare as it follows the Lake Erie coastline. This road is named Colonel Thomas Talbot, who established this route as a settlement road in the 1820s. Enjoy a 45-minute stretch of waterfront views dotted with farmers’ fields and small waterfront villages as you continue to your next destination.

Erieau and Rondeau Provincial Park form two major Lake Erie peninsulas

The village of Erieau sits on its very own peninsula in Lake Erie. It’s the quintessential summer lakeside village with accessible beaches, ice cream shops, a brewery at Bayside Brewing Company, a small shopping district, and Molly & OJ’s, a happening spot for fresh Lake Erie fish and chips.

The other side of Rondeau Bay is sheltered by another peninsula, which is home to Rondeau Provincial Park. This popular year-round park transitions between being a birding hotspot in the spring to a beach and paddling destination in the summer and an ice fishing and winter hiking playground during the colder months.

From here, you’ll drive another hour on the rural roads of the Talbot Trail to reach Port Stanley.

Port Stanley is Lake Erie beach life at its finest

Port Stanley is another idyllic beach town on Lake Erie. Long Beach and the Port Stanley Pier are wonderful places to while away sunny summer days. And when you’re looking for a bite to eat, GT’s on the Beach serves a wide variety of pub classics to suit all tastes on its expansive beachside outdoor patio.

In the town’s main shopping district, you’ll find Broderick’s ice cream shop, the Candy Gram candy store with retro selections and a cotton candy machine, and all sorts of stores selling everything from new and vintage clothing to gourmet foods, housewares, antiques, and kitschy beach gear. We had another great meal at Two Forks on Bridge Street.

If you’re looking for an overnight stay, check out the Inn on the Harbour. It feels more like a large but cozy bed and breakfast than a hotel, and many rooms have fantastic views of Port Stanley Harbour.

From Port Stanley, you can turn northbound and pass through St. Thomas as you head toward London and back to Highway 401, or you can continue following the Talbot Trail to the east. As we have more opportunities to explore, we plan to continue this road trip onward to destinations such as Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point, Port Dover, Port Colborne, and Fort Erie.

Explore more Ontario road trips >