TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL | Top 10,000 Places to Visit in Canada
The page created by Zahra Hussain | McGill University | Photo by Google Street View
The great thing about Tillsonburg is that even if you can’t arrange a visit right now, you can always visit it through song! The song by Canadian music legend Stompin’ Tom Connors looks back on his experience visiting the song while he was hitchhiking across Canada. Although it might not necessarily capture modern-day Tillsonburg, it’s a fun and humorous trip down memory lane!
Listen to the song here: Tillsonburg – Stompin’ Tom Connors
Photo: https://www.stompintom.com/index.php/photo-album/
Located at the Otter Valley Playhouse, Theatre Tillsonburg is a 35-year-old theatre run by and for the local community. The theatre runs at least three productions annually and hosts workshops, camps, and other theatre projects.
Their community projects include a Teen Theatre program and a Theatre Summer Camp for kids aged 5-12 that is meant to show them the ins and outs of theatre, from designing sets to performing on stage. Their 2022-2023 shows include ‘The After Lunch Set,’ ‘Knickers,’ ‘Halfway There,’ and ‘Stag and Doe,’ but if you’re planning on dropping by, you can always check the website to see which performances you can attend!
Photos: Google Street View; https://www.theatretillsonburg.com/
Whether you’re a fan of hiking and biking, you should take a trip to the scenic Carroll Trail in Tillsonburg. The 5km long trail crosses through a golf course and contains many beautiful bridges.
The trail also captures a moment in the town’s history through a railroad trestle from the 1880s. If you’re lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of some animal life, including fish, otters, and deer, among others. The trail is not far away from the main town, but with the serene views and surrounding wildlife, it’s sure to make you feel like you’ve left the modern world and embarked on a journey through nature!
Photos: https://www.tourismoxford.ca/
National Historic Site
Annandale National Historic Site (NHS) is home to a beautiful 1880’s mansion built by the town’s first Mayor, E.D. Tillson, and a community museum boasting more than 18,000 artifacts from Tillsonburg’s past.
Photo: Colincan, CC BY-SA 3.0
June, Father’s Day weekend
George Tillson, the founder of Tillsonburg, once said he’d return as a turtle to see how his town was developing. A few years after his death, a large turtle showed up on the banks of Otter Creek near the Tillson homestead. The townspeople lovingly named the turtle George and took it for a tour of Downtown.
Since then, Tillsonburg has celebrated its slow and steady rise in a three-day festival every June.
Turtlefest is Tillsonburg’s biggest community festival. Held every Father’s Day weekend, this three-day event encourages people from all over Ontario to come out of their shell and experience small-town living at its finest.
Seeing the golf course through the Carroll Trail may have left you in the mood to golf, in which case, The Bridges at Tillsonburg should be your next stop! The golf course, founded in 1925, was turned into a 12-hole, par 48 courses in 2022. The course’s proximity to Big Otter Creek makes a great view not just for golfing but for events.
The course offers multiple outdoor wedding backdrops, and the course clubhouse has space for 150 guests. The course also offers custom hall decorations, banquet and catering facilities, and an open bar, fulfilling all the requirements for a beautiful and intimate wedding celebration!
Photos: https://thebridgesattillsonburg.com
Simply Secondhand is what it says: a simple second-hand shop selling anything from shoes to furniture. The 15,000-square feet store is full of used and new items for a reduced price, including furniture, electronics, glassware, clothing, jewelry, and more. Check their social media pages or drop by to see what they currently have in their selection!
Photo: Simply Secondhand, Facebook
Bre’s Fresh Market is a family-owned venture by Bre and her husband, Kyle. The market sells several fresh crops, including raspberries, pumpkins, squash, beans, sweet corn, broccoli, and cauliflower. The crops are sorted by availability on their website, so you can always check if your item of interest is being sold.
The market also sells food products made by local vendors, such as ‘Aunt Lena’s Preserves,’ ‘Hunts’ Honey,’ and ‘Luke’s Tortilla Chips.’ To cool down after a long day of shopping for summer produce, you should pick up an ice cream treat from the locally made ‘Shaw’s Ice Cream’!
Photo: https://bresfreshmarket.com/
Indigo Lounge is a two-fold business focused on one goal: enhancing your health. The cafe and wellness centre focuses on using natural, healthy and organically sourced materials both in their food and in their shop products. The body products are chemical-free and environmentally conscious, and the ingredients for their menu are bought from local sellers.
As a part of their healing focus, the lounge offers a range of therapeutic services, including but not limited to psychotherapy, acupuncture, life coaching, and massage therapy. The centre also offers numerous fitness and relaxation classes, including different types of yoga, a meditation program, and a bootcamp. No matter which service of theirs you decide to try, Indigo Lounge is a step towards a happier you!
Photo: https://www.tourismoxford.ca/
For a true Southern (albeit Southern Ontario) experience, stop by Coyle’s Country Store, a farmhouse-style store selling baking items, nuts, candy, one-of-a-kind giftware, and custom-designed gift baskets. The store was initially opened in 1899 in Kinglake, Ontario, but moved to Tillsonburg in 1924.
The Coyle’s Factory Outlets were first established in the 1970s, and after another move, the current store runs on a 25,000-square feet facility. Their baking items include dried beans & legumes, baking mixes, jams, rice, glace fruit, and baking chocolate, among many others. If you can come by, try their famous Coyle’s Fresh Made Fudge, made onsite and in flavours including Salted Nut Roll, Maple Walnut, Cookies n’ Cream, Vanilla Fudge with Butterfinger, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and many, many more!
Photos: https://www.coylescountrystore.com/
