The sweet side of Southern Ontario
Enjoy the warm welcome of Southern Ontario, with flights from Thunder Bay to Windsor.
This industrious city has manufactured everything from automobiles to alcohol. Now, Windsor produces some of the finest entertainment in Southern Ontario. From the glamourous gaming of the Caesars Windsor Casino to the hockey and concerts of the WFCU Centre, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in Windsor.
Windsor’s work-hard, play-hard attitude is far from new. During Prohibition, Windsor smuggled alcohol over the border to America. Taste this illicit past with a tour of the Canadian Club Brand Centre, before sipping on samples of this famous whisky. Canadian Club founder Hiram Walker’s other beverage venture, the Walkerville Brewery, also offers tours and tastings of its historic and hoppy beers.
Windsor’s history is on display in the city’s heritage houses. Willistead Manor’s gorgeous grounds serve as a popular public park. Both the François Baby House and Duff Baby House are now home to exhibits for Windsor’s Community Museum. With more historic buildings spread throughout the city, there are plenty of windows into Windsor’s past.
Mackenzie Hall combines 150-year-old architecture with cutting edge culture. This former jail and courthouse now serves the city as a space for the performing arts and art exhibitions. The Art Gallery of Windsor resides in a striking modern structure, containing a collection of over 4,000 works.
Enjoy art in the outdoors in the Windsor Sculpture Park, which runs alongside the Detroit River. In the midst of the river, Peche Island houses history in harmony with nature. Here, you’ll find the ruins of Hiram Walker’s summer home, surrounded by towering trees, and scenic waterfront views.
Whether you spend your trip amidst Windsor’s natural beauty, or its heritage, you’re sure to be enchanted by this Southern Ontario city before you return to Thunder Bay.
Belle Isle Park, Detroit
An island escape
Explore the other side of the border during your trip from Thunder Bay to Windsor, with a visit to Detroit’s Belle Isle Park.
Located in the middle of the Detroit River, Belle Isle Park is visible from Windsor’s waterfront. To get to this idyllic green space, you’ll need to cross the speedy Detroit Windsor Tunnel, or the scenic Ambassador Bridge into Michigan. Once you’ve reached Detroit, you can explore the city’s urban amenities, before taking MacArthur Bridge onto the beautiful Belle Isle Park.
Called the “Jewel of Detroit”, Belle Isle Park spans 982 acres. In the 1880s, Frederick Law Olmstead designed a plan for the park. While Olmstead’s outline was too ambitious, some elements were incorporated, including the rolling wooded area that covers a third of the island.
Aside from 230 acres of wooded wetlands, Belle Isle has plenty of other stunning natural features. From the shores that surround the green space to the inland lakes covering half the island, a variety of landscapes span the park.
As you explore the park’s outdoors, keep an eye out for the wildlife that make their homes in Belle Isle. Migrating waterfowl, great horned owls, and the occasional opossum are just some of the island’s animal inhabitants.
If you don’t manage to spot these creatures while wandering through the park, head to the Belle Isle Nature Zoo, which focuses on Michigan’s wildlife. More underwater wildlife lives in the Belle Isle Aquarium. One of America’s oldest aquariums, this Detroit institution opened in 1904. In addition to fish found in the waters surrounding the park, this aquarium also houses more exotic underwater species.
After admiring the aquarium’s Great Lakes exhibits, explore more aquatic attractions at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. This museum is dedicated to explaining the importance of the Great Lakes and their relation to Detroit’s development. Maritime artifacts surround the building, including the anchor of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on Lake Superior in 1975.
Before you leave the island, make a stop at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. This 100-year-old greenhouse grows tropical trees, cactuses, and ferns. No matter what time of year you travel from Thunder Bay to Windsor, you’ll find nature in bloom in this historic conservatory.
Riverside
Where Windsor’s waterfront shines
Spend some time riverside during your trip from Thunder Bay, with a visit to Windsor’s Riverside neighbourhood.
One of the best ways to start your visit to Riverside is with a walk along the waterfront. At Coventry Garden, you can enjoy views of the sparkling Detroit River while exploring the park’s amazing amenities. From the fishing pier, to the floating Peace Fountain, there are plenty of ways to relax outdoors in Coventry Gardens.
Beyond the light displays and 70-foot spray produced by the Peace Fountain, more amazing Riverside attractions await in the midst of the water’s waves. While Peche Island can only be reached by boat, this intriguing island is worth the trip. Take the trails to find lush trees growing among the ruins of Windsor whisky baron Hiram Walker’s incomplete cottage.
Landlubbers can stay on the mainland and explore the paths of the Little River Corridor. This green space offers access between Riverside Drive and Forest Glade, letting you explore nature as you traverse the Riverside neighbourhood.
If you find yourself working up an appetite after all that walking, take a seat at the table of Riverside’s restaurants. Lauzon Road is where you’ll find many of Riverside’s eateries. Pick from a variety of pizza places and grab a slice of Windsor’s favourite food as you take a bite out of this tasty neighbourhood.
Once you’ve refueled, make your way to the Tecumseh Mall to shop Windsor’s retail offerings. Stocked with over 60 stores, this mall has something for every sense of style.
When the sun goes down, get a seat at the WFCU Centre to catch the Windsor Spitfires take to the ice. Get fired up and cheer on this OHL team with Windsor’s hometown crowd.
Whether your visit to Riverside takes you to the seclusion of Peche Island, or the chic shops of the Tecumseh Mall, a day in this waterfront Windsor neighbourhood will be a highlight of your trip from Thunder Bay.
How to get to Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT)
Porter’s check-in desk is located in departures, near security checkpoint A.
Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT) is about 5 km / 3 mi from downtown Thunder Bay.
Transportation to Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT)
Please allow sufficient time to drop off your car rental before your departing flight.
Taxis from downtown cost about $30 CAD. Car service costs about $85 CAD.
Several hotels offer complimentary shuttle bus service to the airport.
Take the Thunder Bay Transit 3 Memorial / Airport bus to the airport stop. The fare is $2.65 CAD.
Thunder Bay International Airport Parking
Driving to Thunder Bay International Airport? The airport provides 100 short term spaces at $3.25 per hour and 50 cents for each additional 10 minutes, and 400 long term spaces at $14 per day or $98 per week.
The information and figures above are for reference only, and may not be current. Please visit each airport's website for up-to-date details.
Landing in Windsor
Windsor International Airport (YQG) is about 10 km / 6 mi from downtown Windsor.
Transportation
Car rental services are available across from the domestic baggage claim area of Windsor International Airport (YQG).
Taxis to downtown cost about $25 CAD. Car service costs about $35 CAD.
Take the Transit Windsor 8 Walkerville bus from the stop at the Windsor International Transit Terminal. The fare is $3.00 CAD.
The information and figures above are for reference only, and may not be current. Please visit each airport's website for up-to-date details.
Flights may be operated by Porter Airlines (Canada) Ltd or Porter Airlines Inc.
