Visitors to the area will need lots of time to explore all the many
tourism opportunities in the area. Visit the LINKS page for
a complete listing of community services, facilities and attractions.
If you are flying in to visit, then you may also wish to call ahead and have a taxi ready or
rent a car to meet your flight for
a tour of the area or a short trip to either Midland or Penetanguishene.
We are a major gateway to Georgian Bay and the 30,000 islands which covers over 15,000 square km (5,834
square miles or 1.5 million ha or 3.7 million acres).
The area was first inhabited by the Huron people (or Ouendat as they called
themselves) over 500 years ago and was the heartland of the Huron nation. In
1610, Samuel de Champlain sent Etienne Brule to live with the Huron to
learn about their language and culture. Champlain journeyed to the area in 1615.
In 1793, John Graves Simcoe recognized the area with the establishment of a naval
base in Penetanguishene Bay.
Today the area is a thriving region offering numerous amenities as well as an array of
recreational activities and tourist attractions such as:
 | Sainte Marie Among the Hurons, a recreated, 17th
century French Jesuit mission headquarters |
| Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre |
| King's Wharf Theatre - home of the Drayton Festival Theatre
|
| Discovery Harbour - a recreated naval and military base with
Tall Ships. |
| The Martyr’s
Shrine |
| The New North Simcoe Recreational Complex and the Brian Orser Arena
|
| Curling Clubs in both Midland and Penetanguishene |
| A YMCA with Indoor swimming pool, fitness and gymnasium
facilities |
| Huronia Museum, and a Converted turn-of-the-Century General Store
functioning as
Penetanguishene's Museum and Sports Hall of Fame |
| Awenda Park, one of the largest Provincial Parks in Southern Ontario
|
| The largest outdoor collection of murals in Canada |
| A wide range of other parklands with playgrounds, baseball
fields, tennis courts and linked pathways and waterfront
trails with picnic areas, benches
with free parking |
| Numerous marinas and municipal town docks providing full
services and boat launching facilities |
| Great beaches and fishing areas, many local golf clubs,
inland lakes and Tiny Marsh |
