Barrie is located in central Ontario along the shores of Lake Simcoe. Barrie has a historic downtown core and a beautiful waterfront.
Discover the bustling city nightlife on Dunlop Street. There are plenty of specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants and pubs that attract visitors to Barrie’s downtown.
There are endless amounts of recreational activities to do in Barrie, making it a wonderful and lively place to visit or live. Barrie also has a very active and vibrant arts scene. You can take in live theatre or discover art through taking part in a studio tour.
Barrie has numerous community centres and recreational hubs throughout the city to keep you active all year long.
From its beginnings Barrie was an Aboriginal transportation route that existed prior to European contact. The route linked all of the local waterways such as Kempenfelt Bay, Willow Creek, Lake Simcoe and the Nottawasga River. This area became known as the Nine Mile Portage.
It proved to be a very useful and strategic locale during the War of 1812. It became used as a supply depot for British forces.
The city got its name from Sir Robert Barrie, and was named in 1833. Sir Robert Barrie played an integral role in the Naval forces in Canada and frequently made use of the Nine Mile Portage to command forces through the area.
There is never a shortage of activities in and around Barrie.
Summer time activities include watercraft and boating rentals, beaches for swimming, picnic areas, hiking and walking trails, to name a few. For winter enthusiasts Barrie offers plenty of fun from skating, skiing and snowboarding, to snow tubing, dog sledding, and more. Barrie’s close proximity to Blue Mountain makes it a skier’s paradise.
If you enjoy arts and culture explore the city with Heritage Barrie walking tour, experience live theatre, visit a museum, or even discover Barrie through a Segway tour.
There are plenty of options for both indoor and outdoor activities for all ages. You can take the kids to indoor mini putt or even bowling. If you love the outdoors, there are plenty of parks and trails where you can explore and experience nature.
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