Barrie travel guide
Kempenfelt Bay beaches, the Spirit Catcher and ski hills on the doorstep
A Lake Simcoe city 90 km north of Toronto, with public beaches on Kempenfelt Bay and ski hills nearby. Come from June to September for the water, or January to March for skiing. One day covers the waterfront and downtown. Visa-exempt visitors arriving by air need an eTA for Canada.
Barrie wraps around the end of Kempenfelt Bay, an arm of Lake Simcoe, about 90 km north of Toronto up Highway 400. For many Ontarians it marks the start of cottage country. The town began as a British supply depot in the War of 1812, at the foot of the Nine Mile Portage, and today it is a commuter city with a long public waterfront and a lively downtown.
The lakeshore is the reason to stop. Three public beaches, a fountain park and paths for walking and cycling line the bay. Above the water stands the Spirit Catcher, a 21 m sculpture by Ron Baird that was moved here from Vancouver's Expo 86 site in 1987. A short walk up on Mulcaster Street, the MacLaren Art Centre draws on a collection of more than 27,000 works.
In winter the crowd changes. Skiers pass through on the way to Snow Valley, Horseshoe Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Blue Mountain. Avoid Bayfield Street on weekends and holidays. It carries the traffic heading for Wasaga Beach in summer and Horseshoe in winter. Nightlife centres on the few blocks where Dunlop and Bayfield meet, with live music in the pubs at weekends.
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Top things to do in Barrie
Bay beaches, an Expo 86 sculpture, a regional gallery and trails at the edge of town.
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Best time to visit Barrie
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
July averages 26 C by day and 15 C at night, warm enough to swim off the bay beaches; September is slightly wetter, at about 94 mm.
Days hover around -3 C in January with nights near -12 C; the hills north and west of town run their lifts and Lake Simcoe freezes for ice fishing.
Avoid Bayfield Street on summer and ski-season weekends, when it fills with traffic bound for Wasaga Beach and Horseshoe.
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Getting there
Allandale Waterfront GO, Ontario Northland and the 400 north
Fly into Toronto Pearson and drive Highway 400 north, about an hour unless it is a summer Friday. The GO Barrie line runs from Union to Allandale Waterfront GO, 2 km from downtown, mainly at weekday rush hour; otherwise take GO to Aurora and change to a bus. Ontario Northland coaches also stop at Allandale.
- GO Barrie line
- Union Station to Allandale Waterfront GO, mostly rush-hour trains
- GO bus via Aurora
- The fallback when no direct train runs
- Ontario Northland
- Coaches stop at the Allandale terminal on the way north
- Highway 400
- About 95 km from Toronto, with five exits into the city
- Show your GO ticket or Presto card to the Barrie Transit driver within 30 minutes of your train for one free connecting ride.
- Barrie South GO station is no use for downtown.
Where to stay
Dunlop Street by the bay or Hart Drive off the 400
Downtown and the waterfront suit a summer weekend, close to the beaches, the MacLaren gallery and Dunlop Street bars, though noisy on weekend nights. Chain hotels off Highway 400 on Hart Drive suit ski trips, and resorts in Oro-Medonte and Horseshoe Valley sit near the slopes; a few B&Bs fill older central streets.
- Downtown and the waterfront
- Walk to the beaches, the MacLaren and the Dunlop Street bars; noisy on Friday and Saturday nights
- Highway 400 exits
- Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn and the Monte Carlo Inn on Hart Drive; easy for the hills, a drive from the lake
- Oro-Medonte and Horseshoe Valley
- Suite resorts such as Carriage Ridge near the slopes; quiet and car-dependent
- Bed and breakfasts
- A few in the older streets near the centre, the most personal option
Getting around
Barrie Transit from the Downtown Mini Hub and the bayfront trail
Walk or cycle the paved trail along Kempenfelt Bay from Allandale past the Spirit Catcher and beaches. Barrie Transit runs about a dozen routes from the Downtown Mini Hub and Allandale, but Presto and GO tickets are not accepted, so carry Barrie Transit fare. Bayfield Street jams on summer and ski weekends; drive to Ardagh Bluffs.
- Barrie Transit
- About a dozen routes from the Downtown Mini Hub and Allandale
- Waterfront trail
- Allandale station to the downtown beaches, about 2 km
- Car
- Needed for the ski hills and Ardagh Bluffs
- Taxi
- Several local firms; book ahead on ski weekends
Know before you go
What makes Barrie worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- The Spirit Catcher on the waterfront, 21 m high and best seen against the bay late in the day.
- Ardagh Bluffs in the south end, with more than 17 km of colour-coded trails.
- Sunnidale Park in winter, for its toboggan hill and outdoor skating rink.
Good to know
- GO trains are limited, mostly weekday rush hour and weekend middays, so check the timetable before planning a day trip.
- Show your GO ticket or Presto card to get one free Barrie Transit ride to or from the station.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Barrie, month by month
Barrie's January nights average about −12°C, and July highs reach around 26°C. September brings the most rain, about 94 mm.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Barrie Water Pollution Control Centre (Environment and Climate Change Canada, via Wikipedia).
Allandale station to the Spirit Catcher, then the Ardagh Bluffs
Come up on a morning GO train and step off at Allandale Waterfront, the old railway station beside the bay. From there the waterfront trail runs about 2 km into town along Kempenfelt Bay. Stop at Ron Baird's Spirit Catcher, the steel sculpture that once stood at Expo 86 in Vancouver, and look back across the water to the wooded far shore.
Turn inland to the MacLaren Art Centre at Mulcaster and Collier streets, the regional gallery with a collection of more than 27,000 works; it stays open until 7pm on Wednesdays, and its cafe makes an easy coffee stop. Lunch at Il Buco on Dunlop Street East, which cooks fresh Italian food and opens for lunch Tuesday to Friday.
On a summer afternoon, claim a spot at one of the three city beaches and swim in the bay. Out of season, or if you have a car, drive to Ardagh Bluffs in the south end, where 17 km of trails wind through 210 hectares of forest and ravines; the coloured squares mark the main loops. In winter the bluffs are good on snowshoes, and Sunnidale Park's toboggan hill keeps children busy.
Finish downtown where Dunlop and Bayfield meet. The Queens, in an old hotel, has two bars under one roof, and several pubs book live bands at weekends.
Lake Simcoe perch, Holland Marsh greens and Dunlop Street dinners
Order pan-fried perch from Lake Simcoe, one of Ontario's busiest fisheries for yellow perch, whitefish and lake trout; in winter, ice-fishing huts rent by the day on the frozen bay. South of Barrie, the drained Holland Marsh grows carrots, onions and salad greens sold at farm stands. Downtown near the bay has the widest choice.
Barrie sits between two of Ontario's food landscapes. To the south, the drained Holland Marsh around Bradford grows a large share of the province's carrots, onions and salad vegetables, and farm stands along the back roads sell them in late summer and autumn. On the doorstep, Lake Simcoe is one of Ontario's busiest fisheries, for yellow perch, whitefish and lake trout; in winter, huts appear on the frozen bay and outfitters rent them by the day. Pan-fried perch is the dish to look for on pub menus around the lake.
Downtown, near the bay, has the widest choice, with Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian kitchens within a few blocks of each other. Il Buco on Dunlop Street East is the pick for a proper Italian dinner, built on fresh ingredients; it serves dinner only on Saturdays and closes Sundays and Mondays. For breakfast or lunch, the Lazy Tulip Cafe on Cundles Road East bakes its own goods and cooks with local meat, with vegetarian and gluten-free options; it closes at 3pm.
Evenings centre on the five blocks where Dunlop and Bayfield meet. The college crowd fills The Roxx and SkyBank, while the older bars in the historic Queens hotel are calmer. Most pubs add live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
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How we research our Barrie travel guide
GO times, Barrie Transit rules and waterfront details were checked with the city website and Destination Canada.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Barrie.
General
Mainly in the weekday rush hours in the peak direction, plus some midday weekend trips. Check the timetable, or use a GO bus with a change in Aurora.
Yes. Barrie has three public beaches on the bay, a fountain park and shoreline paths, at their best in July and August.
Ron Baird made the 21 m steel piece for Expo 86 in Vancouver; it was moved to Barrie's bayfront in 1987 and has become the city's emblem.
The five blocks where Dunlop and Bayfield streets meet. The Roxx and SkyBank draw students, and The Queens has two bars inside a historic hotel.
More than 17 km of trails over about 210 hectares in the south end, colour-coded by squares, triangles and circles. Park off Mapleton Avenue.
Yes. It carries Highways 26 and 27 and fills with cars heading for Wasaga Beach in summer and Horseshoe in winter.
In a cold winter, yes. Huts go up on the frozen bay and outfitters rent them; only go out where operators say the ice is safe.
The regional public gallery for Barrie and Simcoe County, at Mulcaster and Collier streets, holding more than 27,000 works with a cafe and late opening on Wednesdays.
Walk or cycle the paved trail along Kempenfelt Bay from Allandale past the Spirit Catcher and beaches. Barrie Transit runs about a dozen routes from the Downtown Mini Hub and Allandale, but Presto and GO tickets are not accepted, so carry Barrie Transit fare. Bayfield Street jams on summer and ski weekends; drive to Ardagh Bluffs.
Getting there
Horseshoe Resort and Snow Valley are the closest, Mount St. Louis Moonstone is a little further north, and Blue Mountain near Collingwood makes a full day out.
About an hour in light traffic. Friday afternoons in summer and ski season can add a lot more.
Fly into Toronto Pearson and drive Highway 400 north, about an hour unless it is a summer Friday. The GO Barrie line runs from Union to Allandale Waterfront GO, 2 km from downtown, mainly at weekday rush hour; otherwise take GO to Aurora and change to a bus. Ontario Northland coaches also stop at Allandale.
Timing & weather
The best time to visit Barrie is Jun to Sep. Swimming at the three bay beaches and patios open downtown.
- Beach and patio months: June - September (July averages 26 C by day and 15 C at night, warm enough to swim off the bay beaches; September is slightly wetter, at about 94 mm)
- Snow belt season: January - March (Days hover around -3 C in January with nights near -12 C; the hills north and west of town run their lifts and Lake Simcoe freezes for ice fishing)
Visa & documents
Visa-exempt travelers, including citizens of the UK, the EU and Australia, need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or through Canada. US citizens need only a passport. Other nationalities need a visitor visa.
Health & safety
Canada's main risks are natural: wildlife, summer wildfires and extreme winter cold. Store food properly in bear country, check wildfire and road conditions before summer drives, and carry winter gear when driving in snow. Call 911 for police, fire or ambulance anywhere in the country.
