Lost in Ontario: The perfect weekend getaway in Stratford

Can I let you in on a little secret? Rikki and I have been talking a lot about purchasing a home in the next couple of years and lately, the beautiful town of Stratford has been on the top of our list.

If you know me, you know that I am a sucker for small town charm and Stratford has all that and then some. It's basically the quintessential 'Hallmark movie' town with incredible restaurants, amazing shops and a world renowned theatre scene.

Yes, Stratford is the perfect little town, so much so that it's high on my list of future places to settle down in.

This past weekend I took a family trip along with my mother and two sisters who are also big fans of Stratford. Our visit was sponsored in part by Visit Stratford but of course all opinions are my own.

Here are my highlights!

Getting There
The drive from Toronto to Stratford is a little less than two hours and about 150 km depending on what part of the city you are coming from. You can simply take the 401 West and eventually merge onto highway 8.

Another option is to take the Via Rail Train to Stratford, but the timing is limited as there is currently only one train a day that departs from Stratford in the morning and on train a day that departs from Toronto in the early evening.

Stratford is definitely close enough for a day trip and until this recent trip, most of my visits to Stratford have been day trips. With that said, why not make a weekend of it to really take in all of the amazing things Stratford has to offer?

Where to Stay
There are so many great accomodation options in Stratford, some of which double up as restaurants like the Lofts@99, which is where we stayed during our visit.

These modern luxury lofts are located at the Bentley's Bar Inn and Restaurant which is located in the heart of downtown Stratford.

The bi-level lofts are beautifully decorated with fine art decor throughout. Each room comes equipped with a small kitchenette that includes a wet bar, fridge and microwave. They have complimentary wifi, flat screen TV's and a super cozy fireplace to curl up to after a long day of exploring the town (as shown above). Their tempurpedic mattress paired with high-end linens make it super hard to get out of bed in the morning! I cannot recommend this location enough. It's super spacious for a family or group of friends and very affordable. For more details on pricing and availability, click here.

Food and Drink

Stratford is known for having an incredible restaurant scene and every time I visit, I am blown away by all of the delicious options.

Here are the places we visited during our stay:

Braai House
Location: 34 Brunswick St Second Floor
Braai House is a true culinary experience. It's a South African inspired restaurant that focuses on open-fire cooking. I've been here once before and fell in love. They really took everything into consideration for the perfect dining experience and it shows not only with the food, but in all the little details. Everything is amazing: from the music, the lighting, the washrooms and of course the food! We had the “Taste of Braai” which is a two course family style meal that included this incredible, cooked to perfection tomahawk steak.

The Red Rabbit
Location: 64 Wellington St
I have heard a lot about The Red Rabbit bistro and it has incredible reviews so I was super excited to try it out. Each month, the restaurant launches a new menu theme and during our visit, the theme was 'Rediterranean Cruise' which was a fuzion of Spain, Morocco, Greece and Turkey. Wow! The owners and staff are incredibly friendly and are clearly passionate to do what they do making the culinary experience even that more enjoyable. My favourite dish was the paella which was absolutely delicious.

Revival House
Location: 70 Brunswick St
This beautiful and spacious restaurant is located inside an old church giving it a very unique atmosphere with beautiful decor. We went for their popular Sunday brunch and it was absolutely delicious. I had the classic eggs benedict with one of their delicious Prosecco cocktails.

Edison's Cafe Bar
Location: 46 Ontario Street
Edison's Cafe Bar is the perfect spot for incredible lattes and quick bites. Their avocado toast looks like a peace of art and tastes delicious. Fun fact: Thomas Edison once lived in the residences above the cafe in 1863, for his first job as a telegrapher. Maybe you'll dream up your next big idea while you're here!

Pretty Good Pizza
Location: 72 Wellington St
This pizza joint is new in Stratford and serves up naturally leavened, hand tossed pizzas.The pizzas are simple yet delicious and well...pretty damn good! I got a slice of pepperoni and it was delicious. Fun fact: My partner Rikki's brother designed all of the images in the shop along with the menu. Small world!

Things to Do:

Shop: WIlls & Prior
Location: 22 Wellington St.
There are so many cute shops in Stratford therefore it's hard to narrow down, but one of my favourites during my visit was Wills & Prior.

This home decor shop is so perfectly curated and will fulfill your wildest home decor dreams! It's one of those stores you walk into and want absolutely everything. You can get everything from bedding and furniture, to wall art and decor. It's a great shop and I can easily spend a fortune here.

Small-Mart
This small retro style shop reminds me of the 80’s and my childhood. They have all sorts of cool, funny knickknacks, awesome gift ideas and retro chocolate bars like Butterfinger! Definitely worth checking out!

Take a stroll on York Street
For beautiful architecture and to get that perfect shot for Instagram, visit York Street. It's cute and quaint and has a very European feel mixed with New York with its fire escapes. The buildings face the Avon river which gives this charming street so much character.

Chocolate Trail
Stratford is home to many incredible sweets shops, so naturally, they introduced the Chocolate Trail. You can purchase Chocolate Trail passes for $30 and enjoy a self-guided tour to several world-famous confectioners and bakeries. Each trail pass allows you to visit 6 stops, each providing you with a chocolate treat to enjoy.

It was hard to pick but we enjoyed the following locations and treats:

Rheo Thompson Candies (One of my favourite shops with the famous mint smoothies)
Treat provided at this location: 4 handmade creams, caramels, barks, or specialty chocolates.

The Livery Yard
Treat provided at this location: Rufino Espresso Ghirardelli chocolate Double Iced Mocha.

Chocolate Barr's Candies
Treat provided at this location: 3 handmade truffles chosen from over 12 flavours.

Jenn & Larry's Ice Cream Shoppe
Treat provided at this location: Hot Fudge sundae w/crushed chocolate covered brittle. Delicious!

Small-Mart General Mercantile
Treat provided at this location: Two retro chocolate bars.

Stratford Festival
You can't visit Stratford without enjoying one of the things it's most famous for, the Stratford Festival. Every year (prior to covid) hundreds of thousands of people visit from all over the world to watch incredible theatre productions with some of the best talent in the world.

As part of their safety precautions, the performances are currently being held underneath open-air canopies which makes you feel super safe. They are currently running a combination of plays and cabarets and we were thrilled to get our hands on tickets for the production of 'Why we tell the story', a celebration of Black musical theatre. To say I was blown away would be an understatement. On several occasions I had goosebumps and the singing was out of this world!

Boat Tour or stroll along the Avon River
Another thing you can't miss when visiting Stratford is the Avon River. Large, majestic swans are bountiful and it feels like you're in a whimsical fairytale. We went on a relaxing boat tour along the river which was super peaceful and enjoyable after an afternoon of lots of walking. We also enjoyed feeding the ducks and swans.

So there you have it! Stratford is truly and incredible place to visit and no matter how many times I go, there's always something new to discover. Every store and restaurant followed all of the covid safety precautions so we always felt safe everywhere we went. Every season in Stratford adds its own unique flair. Visiting in the summer is definitely a must but I can't wait to plan a visit during Christmas time, because I can only imagine how beautiful the decor looks in this perfect little town.

Have you been to Stratford? Comment below!