Local Attractions
DISCOVER
Your next adventure starts here... in the Heart of Georgian Bay.
Visitors to the area will need lots of time to explore all the many tourism opportunities in the area.
If you are flying in to visit, 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.
Huronia Airport is a major gateway to the Heart of Georgian Bay and the 30,000 islands which cover over 15,000 square kms — 5,834 square miles — 1.5 million ha — 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 Brûlé 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. Explore some of the GREAT PLACES below and the HEART OF GEORGIAN BAY website for a full listing of amenities in North Simcoe and nearby.
North Simcoe is also home to a wide range of parklands with playgrounds, baseball fields, tennis courts, linked pathways and waterfront trails with picnic areas and benches with free parking. Numerous marinas and municipal town docks provide full services and boat launching facilities. Home to great beaches, fishing areas, many local golf clubs and inland lakes.
Factoids
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
An extension of the longest freshwater beach in the world
— Tiny Beaches
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the largest freshwater marina in Canada
— Wye Heritage Marina
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the largest collection of Group of Seven north of the GTA
— Huronia Museum
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the largest Butter Tart Festival in Canada
— Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of Ontario’s Longest-Running Winter Carnival
— Penetanguishene Winterama
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the National shrine to the Canadian Martyrs
— Martyrs’ Shrine
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of Festivals & Events Ontario top 100
— First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
— Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival
— Pumpkinferno at Discovery Harbour
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the only Edwardian passenger steamship in the world
— S.S. Keewatin
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of one of Ontario’s oldest general stores
— Penetanguishene Centennial Museum & Archives
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of the oldest European settlement in Ontario
— Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of a provincially and federally significant wildlife sanctuary
— Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of a provincial park
— Awenda Provincial Park
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of a national park
— Georgian Bay Islands National Park
The Heart of Georgian Bay is…
Home of three destination Ontario Signature experiences
— S.S. Keewatin
— Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival
— Sainte-Marie among the Hurons
