Windsor travel guide
Detroit skyline views, Little Italy and Motor City history
Canada's southernmost big city faces Detroit across the river, with long riverfront parks, Little Italy and old car-worker neighbourhoods. May to September is best. One or two days covers it, more if you cross into Detroit. Visa-exempt air travellers need an eTA, and crossing into Detroit means US entry rules too.
Windsor looks straight across the Detroit River at the Detroit skyline, and that view is the city's best asset. It is the southernmost big city in Canada, first settled by French farmers in 1748, and the Ambassador Bridge here carries about a quarter of all Canada-US trade. Cars built the place, which is why it calls itself Motor City Canada.
Follow the riverfront parkland east to Coventry Gardens, where the Peace Fountain floats in the river and is lit in colour on evenings from April to October. Walkerville holds the Hiram Walker distillery heritage. In Ford City, the birthplace of Ford of Canada, look for the murals and the Byzantine-style Orthodox churches built by immigrant car workers.
Food is the other draw. Erie Street is Little Italy, and Wyandotte Street East around Pillette Village has bistros and a British-style pub. Ouellette Avenue downtown stays lively late; at club closing time, keep clear of drunk crowds and ignore the touts offering free entry.
Explore Windsor by theme
Find your kind of trip: 24 travel themes, each with the packages in Windsor.
Windsor at a glance
The essentials first-time visitors ask about, in one place.
Explore more of Canada
Pick a place by travel style: beaches, nature, cities, heritage, hills.
Nothing in that category yet.
Top things to do in Windsor
A long riverfront, neighbourhoods built by car workers and plenty of good immigrant cooking.
No things to do in Windsor are listed yet. Browse all things to do
Best time to visit Windsor
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
The warmest corner of Ontario, with July highs near 28C; riverfront walks, the Peace Fountain after dark and patio dinners in Little Italy all depend on it.
Highs barely above freezing and a raw wind off the river; downtown restaurants and the casino carry the evenings.
The Peace Fountain at Coventry Gardens runs only from April to October.
Packages in Demand
A Journey to Remember
Tours, activities and day trips in and around this destination, with the details you need before booking.
No packages in Windsor are listed yet. Browse all packages
Create Your Custom-Made Trip to Windsor
Traveling to Windsor? Chat with a Local Travel Specialist in Windsor Who Can Help Organize Your Trip.
START HEREOur Travel Experts are Recommended by
Plan your trip
Practical answers before you go. Pick a topic.
Getting there
YQG's route 8, VIA to Walker Road or a hop over from Detroit Metro
Windsor International Airport (YQG), in the south-east of the city, has Air Canada flights to Toronto Pearson, Porter to Ottawa and seasonal sun routes; Transit Windsor route 8 runs into town. VIA Rail trains stop on Walker Road, and many travellers fly into Detroit Metro and cross the border. From the terminal, Transit Windsor's route 8 (Walkerville) runs to downtown, or a taxi does it in roughly 20 minutes. Many travellers instead use Detroit Metropolitan (DTW) in Romulus, Michigan, which has transatlantic and Asian routes; it is about 45 minutes to an hour by road, plus the border, and pre-booked shuttles and taxis make the crossing. Remember that you clear US immigration on arrival there and Canadian customs on the way into Windsor. By rail, VIA Rail runs several trains a day along the corridor from Toronto (4 to 4.5 hours) via London (under 2 hours), Chatham and Brantford to Windsor station at Riverside Drive and Walker Road, east of Caesars Windsor. Highway 401 starts here and runs all the way to Toronto.
- Windsor airport (YQG)
- Flights from Toronto Pearson and Ottawa; route 8 bus or about 20 minutes by taxi to downtown
- Detroit Metro (DTW)
- Wide range of routes, roughly an hour by road plus border checks
- VIA Rail
- Windsor station on Walker Road; about 2 hours from London, 4 to 4.5 from Toronto
- By car
- Highway 401 from Toronto, or from Michigan by the Ambassador Bridge, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel or the Gordie Howe International Bridge, open since July 2026
- Allow extra time at the Ambassador Bridge on weekday afternoons, when truck queues build on both sides.
Where to stay
Ouellette Avenue, Walkerville lofts or the Huron Church Road motels
Start in downtown Windsor on a first visit, because it is the one area that works without a car. Repeat visitors and drivers get better value in the Walkerville lofts in the east end or the motels along Huron Church Road, the approach to the Ambassador Bridge.
- Downtown
- Riverfront parks, Ouellette Avenue bars and Caesars Windsor; noisy on weekend nights when the clubs empty
- Walkerville
- Older streets around the Hiram Walker distillery and close to the VIA station, mostly guesthouses and rentals
- Huron Church Road
- Motels near the Ambassador Bridge, practical for an early border crossing but bleak on foot
- Division Road and the south end
- Chain hotels near the airport and Devonshire Mall; you will drive everywhere
Getting around
Transit Windsor smart cards and the riverfront trail on two wheels
Drive in Windsor for most trips, since the city was built on making cars. Downtown, the riverfront and Little Italy are walkable from each other, but Ford City, Old Sandwich Town and Pillette Village are spread along the river. Transit Windsor buses take smart cards, and the riverfront trail suits cyclists. Transit Windsor runs about 18 bus routes; pay with exact change, because drivers give none and do not take cards, or load rides or day passes onto a smart card. A cash fare includes one transfer within two hours. The flattest and most pleasant way to see the waterfront is by bike: a paved trail runs along the riverside parks east and west of downtown.
- Transit Windsor
- About 18 routes; exact cash or a smart card, transfers within two hours
- Riverfront trail
- Paved path through the downtown parks towards Coventry Gardens and Old Sandwich Town
- Taxi and car hire
- The practical way to string together Ford City, Walkerville and Sandwich
- Bicycles are banned inside Coventry Gardens; lock up at the edge and walk in.
Know before you go
What makes Windsor worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- The Detroit skyline at dusk from the riverfront parks, as the lights come on across the water.
- Old Sandwich Town, founded in 1797 and one of Ontario's oldest settlements, in the west end.
- A long lunch on Erie Street, the spine of Windsor's Little Italy.
Good to know
- Carry a passport for the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel to Detroit, and allow for border queues.
- Touts work downtown late at night, offering free club entry; walk on, and travel in a group after closing time.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Windsor, month by month
Windsor's summers are some of Canada's warmest and most humid; averages are from Windsor Airport.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for Windsor Airport (Environment Canada, via Wikipedia).
Riverside Drive from Old Sandwich Town to Ford City
Riverside Drive is Windsor's sightseeing route, running west to east along the Detroit River. Start in Old Sandwich Town, settled in 1797 and one of Ontario's oldest communities, under the Ambassador Bridge, walk the downtown riverfront parks, and continue east to Ford City and the Peace Fountain with the Detroit skyline across the water.
Start in the west, at Old Sandwich Town, where Riverside Drive turns into Sandwich Street. Settled in 1797, it is one of the oldest communities in Ontario, and a handful of early brick and frame buildings survive along the main street in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge. Walk underneath the bridge approach to feel the scale of the truck traffic that crosses it every day.
Drive or cycle east along the riverfront parks towards downtown in the late morning. The sculpture lawns and paths here give the clearest view of the Detroit skyline, with the Renaissance Center straight across the water. Have lunch a few blocks inland on Erie Street, Windsor's Little Italy, between Goyeau and Moy Avenues.
In the afternoon, carry on east to Walkerville, which grew up as a company town around the Hiram Walker distillery and still has some of the city's handsomest streets. Then cut south to Ford City, where the first Ford of Canada plant opened; look for the murals on the buildings and the domed Orthodox churches built by Eastern European workers. Finish at Coventry Gardens and Reaume Park on Riverside Drive East. From April to October the Charles Brooks Peace Fountain sends water about 21 m into the air from the river, lit in changing colours after dark, with Belle Isle on the far bank.
Windsor-style pizza, Erie Street espresso and Lebanese grills
Windsor's food starts with its own pizza: shredded pepperoni, canned mushrooms and a heavy layer of mozzarella on a thin, crisp base, sold by family pizzerias in every neighbourhood. Erie Street, the heart of Little Italy, has the espresso bars, and the city's large Lebanese community runs grills serving shawarma and kebabs.
Locals will tell you about the pizza before anything else. Windsor-style pizza comes with shredded pepperoni, canned mushrooms and a heavy layer of mozzarella on a thin, crisp base, and every neighbourhood has a family pizzeria that claims to do it best. Order a large and judge for yourself.
Erie Street, the core of Little Italy, is the sit-down street: trattorias, bakeries, gelato and espresso bars with patio tables from late spring. The Italian community here goes back generations, and so do some of the restaurants. Food shops along the same stretch sell cured meats and cheese for a riverside picnic.
Windsor's cooking goes well beyond Italian. A large Lebanese community runs bakeries and grills for shawarma and manakish, and the city has Vietnamese pho shops (Mini Restaurant on University Avenue West is a few blocks from downtown), Ethiopian and Caribbean kitchens, and Mexican food served late into the night at Acapulco Delight on Pelissier Street. Out east on Wyandotte Street, Pillette Village has small bistros, and Thompson House pours British-style pints with pub dishes to match.
Travelers are asking
No questions yet about Windsor. Ask the community or our travel team, and the answer will show here once it is published.
Our travel desk answers questions about Windsor
How we research our Windsor travel guide
Border rules at the Ambassador Bridge and tunnel matter for many Windsor visitors, so alongside the City of Windsor, Destination Canada and the eTA page we keep an eye on crossing requirements.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of WindsorGovernment of CanadaDestination Canada
See all 3 sources
Before You Go...
Discover Trips & Info
A Travel Network Connection Travelers and locals
Incredible Event & Festival, Don't Miss!
Most Popular Event & Festival of Windsor
Festivals and events in this destination, with dates, venues and ticket details where available.
No upcoming festivals or events in Windsor are listed right now. Browse all events
Memorable Experiences
Where to Go (& NOT Go) In Windsor!
Roaming the World one Adventure at a Time: Travel Tales, Tips, and Inspiration for wanderlusters.
Subscriber
Popular car hire destinations
Explore more options to hire a car for cheap
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Windsor.
Visa & documents
Yes. Both are international crossings with US and Canadian border checks, so carry a passport or other accepted travel document and allow for queues.
Getting there
About 4 to 4.5 hours, with stops including London, Chatham and Brantford. From London alone it is under 2 hours.
Windsor International Airport (YQG), in the south-east of the city, has Air Canada flights to Toronto Pearson, Porter to Ottawa and seasonal sun routes; Transit Windsor route 8 runs into town. VIA Rail trains stop on Walker Road, and many travellers fly into Detroit Metro and cross the border. From the terminal, Transit Windsor's route 8 (Walkerville) runs to downtown, or a taxi does it in roughly 20 minutes.
Health & safety
The downtown core is well policed and generally safe. The real hazards are drunk crowds at closing time and touts offering free club entry, so walk on and stay in a group.
General
YQG is closer but has only a handful of routes, chiefly Toronto Pearson and Ottawa. DTW in Romulus has far more routes and is about an hour away by road, plus the border.
Shredded pepperoni, canned mushrooms and a generous layer of mozzarella on a thin crust. Almost every local pizzeria makes its own version.
Erie Street between Goyeau Avenue and Moy Avenue, with restaurants, cafés and boutiques. It sits a short walk south-east of downtown.
It is possible by bus or bike, but they sit at opposite ends of the city. A car or taxi lets you see both in a single day.
The song's 'south Detroit' is actually Windsor, which lies south of Detroit across the river. Steve Perry later admitted he picked the phrase for its sound.
Anywhere in the downtown riverfront parks, opposite the Renaissance Center, or further east at Reaume Park and the Pillette Dock.
Drive in Windsor for most trips, since the city was built on making cars. Downtown, the riverfront and Little Italy are walkable from each other, but Ford City, Old Sandwich Town and Pillette Village are spread along the river. Transit Windsor buses take smart cards, and the riverfront trail suits cyclists.
Windsor is best known for:
- The Detroit skyline at dusk from the riverfront parks, as the lights come on across the water
- Old Sandwich Town, founded in 1797 and one of Ontario's oldest settlements, in the west end
- A long lunch on Erie Street, the spine of Windsor's Little Italy
Timing & weather
April to October. It floats in the Detroit River off Reaume Park and is lit in colour after dark.
The best time to visit Windsor is May to Sep. Riverfront weather, patios on Erie Street and the Peace Fountain lit at night.
- Best overall: May - September (The warmest corner of Ontario, with July highs near 28C; riverfront walks, the Peace Fountain after dark and patio dinners in Little Italy all depend on it)
- Winter: December - February (Highs barely above freezing and a raw wind off the river; downtown restaurants and the casino carry the evenings)
July is the warmest month in Windsor, with average highs of 28°C, and January the coolest, with lows of -7°C. July is the wettest month, at about 99 mm of rain; February is the driest. Windsor's summers are some of Canada's warmest and most humid; averages are from Windsor Airport.
