With history, culture, nature and lots of recreational activities, Guelph doesn't lack for exciting things to see and do. Explore old limestone buildings, hike woodland trails, canoe down rivers and visit wineries.
Start your vacation with a tour of some of Guelph’s old buildings. Stop by the twin-towered Church of Our Lady, a neo-gothic structure from the late 19th century. Appreciate the renaissance style of the imposing Old City Hall, another 19th-century building. At McCrae House, learn about the life of John McCrae. The doctor and soldier wrote one of the most famous World War I poems, In Flanders Fields. See more history at the Wellington County Museum and Archives, a former refuge for the poor.
Wherever you are in Guelph, you are never too far away from the great outdoors. Enjoy the gardens, parks and trails around beautiful Guelph Lake and listen to the birds while walking through the Arboretum at the University of Guelph. Hike the Bruce Trail and go canoeing on the Eramosa and Speed Rivers Explore Riverside Park with its trail system that follows the Speed River to Guelph Lake. Camp, fish, hike and ski in Grand River Parks.
If you are in the mood for shopping, Guelph has lots of options, particularly in its malls. Spend hours among the shops, craft and specialty stores, cafés and bistros of Stone Road Mall and Old Quebec Street Mall. Search for antiques at the open-air Aberfoyle Antique Market, and buy locally grown produce at any of the farmers’ markets.
Sample more local produce with a tour of nearby wineries and a visit to the Wellington Brewery, one of the oldest independent microbreweries in Canada.
In addition to Guelph’s many bars and restaurants, the River Run Center is a good option for your evening’s entertainment. Here you can watch a play, musical or concert. There are also occasionally open-air concerts at the downtown Market Square.
Guelph and its cultural, historical and natural attractions are located on the Speed River in Wellington County, about a 1-hour drive from Toronto.