My Hometown: Midland, Ontario
The picturesque and welcoming four-season town of Midland, Ontario rests at the heart of gorgeous Georgian Bay.
Midland is a quaint tourist town known as the Heart of Georgian Bay. It boasts (when not in a pandemic) many attractions such as the famous Butter Tart Festival, Martyrs’ Shrine, Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons, Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, Midland Cultural Centre, Little Lake Park and while you’re at it, why not take a tour of the more than 40 murals around town, just to mention a few places of interest.
Take a stroll along King Street downtown Midland and browse through a wide variety of boutiques, bakeries, art stores, to name a few, then continue to the Town Docks. Here you will have the opportunity to relax on the waterfront patio of the Boathouse Eatery with your favourite beverage and enjoy the view of sailboats gliding around Midland Bay.
Being truly a four-season town, not only can you enjoy the incredible golf courses in and around Midland such as Brooklea, Midland and Balm Beach; there are many other activities such as hiking and biking the 95 kilometres of Trans Canada Trail from Midland. Boating is a huge attraction for enthusiasts from all over as evidenced by the variety of boats docked each season here. Georgian Bay has amazing sandy beaches and crystal-clear water that is great for swimming, water-skiing, jet skiing, and the list goes on.
Summer isn’t the only season enjoyed here. Skiing is a big attraction for young and old alike and Mountainview Ski Centre is right here in Midland with 35 kilometres of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails throughout a breathtaking forested area. Thanks to Georgian Bay lake effect snow, Mountainview is the first to get snow and the last to lose it, according to the centre. If it’s downhill you are hooked on, then just a short drive from Midland will take you to Collingwood’s Blue Mountains, Mount St. Louis Moonstone or Snow Valley.
Many famous people were born here or have called Midland home. To name just a few are the Howards (Russ, Glenn & Scott), champion curlers; indie rock band Born Ruffians; Sarah Burke, world champion freestyle skier; former NHL hockey players Roy Conacher, Shayne Corson, Herb Drury, Wayne King, Alex McKendry, Mike Robitaille; and cross-country skier Angela Schmidt-Foster.
After moving back to Midland, I adopted a rescue dog, Charlie. He is a lovable Maltese Shih Tzu and accompanies me on my walks through the trails or just sitting at the waterfront for hours. It’s like a form of therapy just whiling the time away watching others enjoy a stroll at the docks and boats sailing in and out of the harbour. Or we might take a short trip to a local beach on those hot summer days to feel our feet in the soft sand, have a refreshing dip and even stay to watch the most amazing sunsets.
No matter the season or weather, Charlie keeps me out and about town enjoying our numerous walks each day. I’m thankful and blessed to live in such a wonderful town with so much to offer its residents and visitors. But don’t take my word for it, come see for yourself.
Next, check out the 10 places in Canada every Canadian needs to visit.
