One of Ontario’s top towns to visit is Port Dover. It’s lovely and serene, makes for a fantastic visit, and is just far enough from home to feel like a mini-vacation. Port Dover is a great option if you want to take a short day trip nearby to a charming tiny town.
1. Try your hand at mini golf in Arbortown
Arbortown Mini-Golf is a terrific way to work up an appetite if you plan to spend the whole day in Port Dover. It’s a terrific place for a date or a family outing, and it’s conveniently located.
There are 18 holes, which will keep you entertained for at least an hour, and the cost is fairly affordable ($6 for children, elders, and students and $7 for adults).
2. Have a look at the Port Dover Harbour Museum
The Port Dover Harbour Museum is one site that shouldn’t be missed. The museum display, which is devoted to the history of Port Dover’s fishing industry, is partially housed in an authentic fisherman’s shanty.
Shipwrecks, rum running, shipbuilding, and lakeside living are all included in displays. The wheelhouse of the 1912 freighter and the 1932 tugboat should not be missed.
3. Go to the beach
For families, Port Dover is fantastic! Kids can play here safely because of the accessible sand beach. The pier is an excellent place to go fishing or watch the passing ships.
You may also access this beach, didn’t you know? It has mats, which makes it simpler for people in wheelchairs or strollers! Check out Ontario Parks’ Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Provincial Park, and other nearby parks if you’re in the region and want to unwind on a beach!
4. Spend time around Powell Park
A gazebo, benches, and plenty of parking are available in Powell Park, which is a few blocks away from the main drag. On the grassy areas, you’ll see lots of families relaxing, having picnics, and playing.
Here is the perfect area to pause and take a peaceful break away from the masses, given the limits we currently face, which are always changing.
5. Explore specialized stores
There are several interesting and lovely shops in Port Dover that are worth exploring. For foreign and Canadian cheeses like Sweetgrass Buffalo Gouda, Maple Smoked Cheddar, Tennessee Whiskey cheese, and Coconut Gouda, stop by the Dover Cheese Store. Plus, a whole lot more. You can purchase chocolates, oils, and cheese platters to enjoy at home as well!
For cool and unique items you won’t find anywhere else, stop into the Grand Trunk Station, a beachy gift and home décor store! Here is the spot for you if you enjoy the nautical motif! You have to visit the store to see for yourself how unique it is since words just can’t truly do it justice.
6. See the lighthouse at Port Dover
For a close-up view of the lighthouse, make sure to stroll down the pier. In 1877, this lighthouse was constructed. One was constructed earlier, in 1845, but it was destroyed by fire unintentionally. Due to this, the lighthouse keeper decided to mount two enormous globe lamps on poles throughout the rest of the season in order to safely guide ships to land!
7. Go for a boat ride
Two boat charters are available for a 60–90 minute sail around the harbor so you can experience Port Dover from a unique perspective. Nomada Charters offers a cheap cruise that travels the Lynn River and enters the Black Creek Natural Reserve for $14 for adults and $10 for children (3 and under are free).
Straight from the Port Dover pier, Rogue Tiger Sail Charters offers sailing trips on Lake Erie. A 1978 Formosa Ketch sailboat named “Rogue Tiger” has been featured in a lot of publications! The cost per participant is $25, only for children aged 6 and up.
8. Discover the local wineries
The Frisky Beaver is within a five-minute drive from town if you wish to explore a few good wineries while in Port Dover. Bonnieheath Estate Lavender & Winery boasts the most wonderful lavender field in the summer, which they harvest and distill for essential oils for just four weeks from mid-June to mid-July.
You can find a special assortment of wines, ciders, and lavender goods even if you visit at any other time of the year! Only 12 minutes outside of town is Concession Rd Brewing Company, where you can get an amazing beer if wine isn’t your thing.
9. Visit the Lighthouse Festival Theatre to see a play
Seeing a show at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre is a fantastic way to cap off your day in Port Dover!
Also, they collaborate with neighborhood eateries to provide dinner and show packages for incredibly low prices! You can also reserve a getaway package that includes lodging at either the charming bed and breakfast Five Blocks North or the Erie Beach Hotel!
Plans for any shows are presently on hold, but any updates will be announced here. It draws 40,000 people each summer.
