24 Hours in Stratford, Ontario

We’re so lucky to have so many charming small towns within driving distance of where we live. Here’s how we spent a lovely 24 hours during a quick trip to Stratford, Ontario.

Stratford is such a lovely little town to escape to when you’re looking for a quick getaway. When I heard that the Stratford Festival was putting on Anne of Green Gables this year, I just had to book tickets for Kennedy and me. We took it as an opportunity to stay overnight and visit some of the beautiful little shops, cafes, restaurants, and parks that line the streets of the cozy, walkable downtown area. If you’re from Ontario and you’ve never had the chance to spend some time in Stratford, I highly recommend it. Here’s what we did during our quick visit recently.

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Getting to Stratford, ON

The drive to Stratford is just under two hours from where we are in Southwestern Ontario, and it’s about the same from Toronto. Nestled in the rolling hills of Perth County, you’ll find that the drive in consists mostly of quiet country roads that take you past green meadows and quaint little villages. Downtown Stratford can be quite busy during the warmer months of spring and summer, but parking is fairly easy to find in several municipal parking lots in the downtown area.

Where We Stayed

Chris and I previously stayed at the Windsor Hotel and knew it was in an excellent central location for walking around town, so that’s where we stayed this time as well. The hotel is located in an old historical building, but the rooms have been lightly renovated and updated with modern furnishings, while still maintaining all their old charm and quirks. You will definitely find old, squeaky floorboards, original moldings, and tiny tiled bathrooms, which I find to be delightful, but which are certainly quite different than the modern, big box hotels that you might be used to. I almost feel like I’m staying in an old house that’s been turned into a museum, but all the furnishings have been swapped out for beautiful modern ones when I’m there. Also, the beds are extremely comfortable, which is the most important thing. I should note that many of the rooms on the upper floors can be accessed only by a staircase, so if an elevator is important to you, be sure to make appropriate inquiries when booking a stay at this hotel.

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Where We Ate

We kept our eating pretty casual, but we did visit two really great cafes in town that I would say are essential stops any time you’re in Stratford.

The original Balzac’s location is such a gem, with pressed tin walls, moldings, and ceiling, beautiful tiled floors, and charming French-inspired cafe tables inside and out. I have always appreciated that Balzac’s offers a variety of sweet treats to fit all dietary needs, so anyone can experience the simple joy of sitting in a cafe with a warm drink and a little pastry on a quiet afternoon. It was lightly raining while we were there, and we sat at the counter in the front window and watched the people passing by on the sidewalk with their umbrellas and raincoats. I’m not sure I could ever imagine a more cozy scene.

For breakfast the next day, we visited another cafe that I’ve wanted to check out for quite a while, The Ashborne Cafe. Here, they serve the most delicious baked goods, all gluten-free and without refined sugar, so very much in line with a lot of the baking I’ve been doing. They also have really healthy smoothies and quite a few other herbal and adaptogenic add-ins for all your typical cafe favorites. This cafe is a modern gem, decorated all in black, white, and wood tones, with all their pastries displayed behind a glass pastry case and cute glass domes.

What We Did

Seeing a Play at The Stratford Festival

The main purpose of our trip was, of course, to see Anne of Green Gables, which was being shown at the Avon Theatre. This was my first time visiting this theatre, and I found it to be such a beautiful old-fashioned theatre with its plush red seats, opulent moldings, and giant crystal chandelier. It was cozy, but comfortable, and although we were up in the balcony, we felt like we were right up front and had a perfect view.

The story itself was so well-told, funny and poignant, with moments to make sure people of all ages were entertained and engaged. We were there on a weeknight, so although this is technically a children’s play, it was mostly an older crowd, with a few kids here and there. Clearly, like me, there were many who read the book growing up and had to go see the play when they saw it was coming to the Stratford Festival this year.

Other Things to Do in Downtown Stratford

We also spent a little bit of time popping into some of the cute shops in Downtown Stratford for a little bit of shopping, and of course, we had to take a few moments to admire the many beautiful parks and gardens along the river.

The Shakespearean Gardens were in peak tulip bloom, so they were quite impressive. I missed seeing these gardens on our last trip, but I’d love to see how they look during the summer months. They seemed to have quite an impressive peony collection, which was just about to bloom. If you love gardens, the massive garden outside the Festival Theatre is not to be missed. I’ve seen it during the summer, and I was so impressed by how interesting and colourful it was during the spring months as well. Such an inspiring place for gardeners to visit. We took a walk down by the river from our hotel, admired the swans and the scenery, then ended up at the Festival theatre to see the gardens, and it was the perfect morning walk.

Shopping in Stratford is such a fun experience, with lots of little shops full of unique and hard-to-find items, as well as beautiful home stores to inspire your next home decor project.

Rheo Thompson Candies is a must-visit stop for anyone spending time in Stratford. This beautiful, spacious shop had walls covered in every type of fancy chocolate imaginable, including their famous Mint Smoothies. Of course, we had to pick up a few treats to take home.

Watson’s Chelsea Bazaar was a favorite spot this trip, with lots of amusing finds. They also had my Emma Bridgewater robin mug that I’ve been hoping to find, so I was so happy.

Wills & Prior is a long-time favorite, and I’ve ordered things for my home from them quite a few times, but this was my first time stopping in to their shop, and it did not disappoint. I was amazed by how spacious the shop was, and they had everything you could need from home decor to bath and body products to custom furniture pieces. The whole place was really just pure eye candy, and I highly recommend it for any home decor enthusiast who loves to find that one special piece to add to their home.

Have you visited Stratford to see a play? What other sites and stops did you enjoy while you were there?

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