Road Trip to Stratford

Stratford Ontario, a quaint little town couple of hours from Toronto, is perfect for a weekend getaway or an impromptu road trip. Theatre is what has always attracted us to Stratford, but once you are there the serene atmosphere by the river, beautiful gardens, and all the little retail shops and restaurants around town will surely keep everyone in the family busy.

The best way to explore downtown Stratford is by foot. There are plenty of paid and free parking lots, which makes it easy to explore some cool spots around town. You can get a map of the parking spaces from the Destination Stratford Visitor's Centre. Both our teens loved the self-guided free audio tours as much as we did. The audio tour taught us some cool facts and gave us an in-depth history of some of the spaces.

There are plenty of benches and picnic tables that made it convenient for us to take the time to appreciate the beautiful spaces. If you enjoy exploring gardens like we do, then you will appreciate the vast green spaces with beautiful well-maintained gardens by the river and the theatre.

The innovative chocolate trail is another awesome way to check out downtown Stratford. This trail gives a purpose to walk into different retail shops and restaurants with a goal to indulge in some awesome chocolate goodies! 

The Chocolate Trail passes are available all year long, and the treats that are part of the trail sometimes changes. With each trail pass we get six vouchers that can be redeemed at any of the twenty-two stops for unique treats that have some form of chocolate in it. The passes can be easily purchased online.

The weather was perfect for a walk along the Avon River while taking in the beautiful breeze and admiring the swans and ducks. We also walked through a neighbourhood closer to the theatres where we saw historic plaques hung in front of several homes that mention the year the building was built, as well as the name and occupation of the first occupant. It was neat to see historical home signs that appreciate the architecture and history of these buildings built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

After our tiresome but fun morning, everyone in the family opted to take a leisurely ride on the Juliet III boat, shaded from the sun while listening to instrumental music and enjoying the view of different homes, bridges, and parks. The scenery is awesome from the Avon River, also known as Lake Victoria. If you are up for an adventure instead of relaxing on a boat, you can rent a paddle boat, canoe or kayak at the Avon Boat Rentals.

Instead of the usual Stratford indoor theatre performances we love, this summer we had a different theatrical experience as we watched the play, Janet and Louise. 

This performance is part of the Here for Now theatre that brings local artists to create shows that can accommodate small, socially distanced audience under an open-air canopy by the Bruce Hotel.

This hour long play was impressively done with minimal props and two actors. The actors were really into their roles, engaging the audience with their captivating performance. It was easy to feel immersed in the story of two women who knew each other since they were young who meet up after several years at an art studio. The audience gets to know the characters really well, what they have been through, and the reason for their reunion. The ten different shows by Here for Now theatre focuses on stories of women.

We are glad that for a small town, there are lots of restaurant options to suit everyone's taste. In addition to patios, the Market Square by the City Hall has plenty of picnic tables and benches which makes it comfortable to sit outdoors and enjoy a meal. Keep in mind, some restaurants are closed on some days, so make sure to check ahead. Some also require early reservations and orders.

Although the pandemic is still ongoing, we felt at ease that everyone outdoors in Stratford maintained appropriate social distancing, there were a lot of spaces with sanitizers, and accessible public restrooms in common places such as the City Hall, Boathouse, and the Tourism office. 

Stratford, Ontario is a perfect getaway to enjoy with family or friends because there is something fun for everyone! 

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