When on a getaway, the day typically begins with ‘What shall we do?’. In Stratford, you won’t be at a loss to keep your day busy. Even better, stay a couple of extra days and use Stratford as your home base to explore the scenic surrounding area. We’ve put together a list of our favourites so that you can get to the good experiences right away. If you’ve experienced something that we have left off the list, please let us know.

Walk around the beautiful new $70 Million Tom Patterson Theatre, but first checkout what the plan was of the visionaries here.

Events and Festivals

Anne Frank Guided Tour: March to September.

Stratford Chef School Classes: Spring/Summer/Fall. 

Revival House Music Concerts: Spring/Summer/Fall. 

Stratford Art in the Park: May 21-September 25.

The Stratford Blues and Ribfest: June 17-19.

Ask the New York Times:  July 16. 

Stratford Summer Music:  July 21-August 14. 

Here for Now Theatre: Spring/Summer/Fall. 

Monday Night Music: Spring/Summer.  

Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival:  September 10, 11.

Stratford Fall Fair:  September 22-25. 

The Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival: September 25.

30 Things to do in Stratford

The Stratford Blues and Ribfest: June 

Enjoy a cocktail at the Relic Lobby Bar

Throw a frisbee at the Stratford Festival Athletic Park

Tour Stratford Festival theatre’s costume warehouse

Hang out in the Market Square

Walk Stratford’s historical cemetery

Checkout the artists at Art in the Park

Tour Stratford’s Junction 56 Distillery

View the exhibits at Gallery Stratford, maybe take a class

Smell the flowers at Shakespearean Gardens

Shop Stratford’s curated department store; the Green Room

Walk or run around Lake Victoria

Pump it up at Stratford Crossfit

Strike a pose at Modo Yoga

Shop the Saturday and Sunday Farmers’ Markets

Bike/roller skate/skateboard/spectate at Stratford’s All Wheels Park

Swim the Lion’s outdoor pool

Take a horse drawn carriage ride with historians through the downtown

Ride the Avon River with Avon Boat Rentals

Taste craft local craft breweries; Black Swan and Jobsite

Hike TJ Dolan Conservation Area

Picnic at Tom Patterson Island

Massage/manicure/pedicure at Illume Spa

Cardio at the YMCA

Canoe Lake Victoria

Listen to some music at Revival House or Boar’s Head

Shop for fresh meat at Wild Hog, Stratford’s Country Market

Take a cooking class at Stratford Chef School

Search for a good read at Fanfare Books.

Toasted coconut and mango frozen yoghurt in a waffle cone are my favourites at Jenn and Larry’s.

Explore local neighbourhoods.

30 Things to do within an hour of Stratford:

Cool off in the St Marys Quarry.

Zipline the Elora Gorge.

Wakeboard/kayak Windmill Ecopark

Bike 25km  Wildwood Park

Check out Stratford Perth Museum.

Take in rural theatre in Blyth

Forage for fiddleheads with Peter Blush of Puck’s Plenty

Explore the Black Donnelly mystery in Lucan

Watch a movie at Shipka drive-in.

Visit The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St Marys

Fish the Maitland, Bayfield and Saugreen Rivers

Shop St Jacob’s Market.

Take in drag racing at Grand Bend

Tour of the Goderich Gaol, place of the last public execution in Canada.

Bike the 127 km Guelph to Goderich Rail Trail.

Travel to scenic Elora, the home of the Elora gorge and the Elora Quarry.

Be a kid at the Factory in London.

Visit the Quaint town of Bayfield on Lake Huron for the sunsets.

Beach it at Grand Bend, Bayfield or Ipperwash.

Ever heard of the television show, Mantracker? Try it at Conestogo River Horseback Adventures.

Tackle the Aqua Park at Windmill Eco Park.

Take a winery tour at Dark Horse.

Drive through Amish country and dine at Anna Mae’s

Visit St Marys, coffee at Flour Mill apres dip in Quarry

Take home some country cooking from Lynn Valley Farms

Enjoy everything maple at Blyth Creek Maple Farm. 

Bird watch at Mitchell Wetlands

Horseback riding at Home on the Range. 

Pick your own blueberries at TNT Berries

Hike Hullett Marsh or Morrison Da