Parks and the outdoors in Windsor

25 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Windsor.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Adventure Bay Family Water Park
Water park with six different water slide attractions and a wave pool.
Do
Big Time Entertainment
former Springz Trampoline and Amusement Park
Describing itself as the largest gaming centre in Southwestern Ontario, here you can for instance play arcade games, drive go-karts or throw axes at targets.
See
Caesars Windsor
Windsor Casino
Very large casino and popular among residents and tourists because the Canadian government does not tax any winnings. The casino exchanges US dollars to Canadian dollars at a low rate (it is therefore advised to exchange your money elsewhere). Absolutely no one under 19 is allowed on the casino floor; however, those under 19 are allowed to stay in the Augustus (new) Tower. Those who are under 22 will need to show an additional piece of identification (such as a school ID or a debit card) upon entering. It also has a free barrier-less multi-storey car park in a very central location that can come in useful as a free parking spot for overnight visitors in other hotels that charges $20+/night (probably hard to enforce who constitutes a visitor or not!).
Do
Colio Estate Wines
In 1980, Colio Estate Wines was granted the first winery licence since Prohibition in a region that was once the largest grape growing area in the country. The of vineyards in Colchester, Ontario are at the same latitude as Northern California and the Tuscany region in Italy. The vine-friendly soils, southwest winds, southern exposure to the lake and one of the longest growing seasons in the country are unique attributes. Tours are daily at 2PM. Open most holidays. Tours $3 per person - groups welcome by appointment.
Mon-Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 11AM-5PM
Do
Coventry Gardens & Reaume Park
Pillette Park
A showplace and tourist attraction, Reaume Park and Coventry Gardens includes the Pillette Dock (a favourite fishing spot) with a grand northern view of the Detroit skyline and its largest park, Belle Isle, as the spectacular Charles Brooks Peace Fountain floats on the Detroit River spouting water in the air from April to October with radiant coloured evening illuminations. Coventry Gardens is elegantly maintained, with hanging gardens, trees, flowerbeds, tarmac and brick paths, and this park also contains a restaurant and restroom, but bicycles are not allowed in the park, due to its large attendance of pedestrians and tight curves.
free + free parking + free overflow parking
Do
Dieppe Gardens
At the northern-most base of Ouellette Ave., Windsor's centermost street, overlooking the Detroit River and skyline.
free
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Peche Island City Park
Only accessible by boat, this island park is fun for picnics and exploration, at the mouth of Detroit River and Lake St. Clair.
free
See
Pillette Village
Pillette Road Village or Pillette Vintage Village
A small community between historic Walkerville and their hipsters to the west and the sleepy Olde Riverside suburbs to the east. Most of the commercial buildings from George Avenue to Thompson Boulevard are on Wyandotte Street or Pillette Road spreading outward from that intersection, leading up to the spectacular Coventry Gardens & Reaume Park, just a block away. Pillette Village features several restaurants and several vintage stores, unique enterprises, convenience, bowling, and common franchises (McDonald's, Subway, Shoppers, etc.) and utilities.
Free parking except Wyandotte Street has parking meters
Do
Queen Elizabeth II Sunken Gardens in Jackson Park
A sunken gardens (i.e., garden dug slightly below the surroundings so water flows down to the plants), with flowers, rocks, and a former reflecting pool.
free
See
Spirit of Windsor Engine 5588
Dubbed the Spirit of Windsor, retired Pacific type 4-6-2 steam locomotive 5588 is on static display within Dieppe Gardens.
Do
Taste of Tecumseh Festival
Taste of Tecumseh
The Taste of Tecumseh Festival takes place at Lakewood Park. This two-day event features delectable tastes and unique talents, all at a beautiful waterfront setting nestled on Lake St. Clair in the Town of Tecumseh, Ontario. Sample culinary delights, taste a variety of distinctive award-winning wines, get hoppy with craft beer, and enjoy live entertainment from talented performers.
A mid-June weekend Sat Sun 5PM-1AM$15
See
Walkerville
Incorporated in 1890, the town was founded by Hiram Walker, owner and producer of Canadian Club Whisky. Walker planned it as a 'model town’ (originally called 'Walker's Town') that would be the envy of both the region and the continent. He established a distillery on the Detroit River, diversifying the business by growing grain, milling flour, and raising cattle and hogs. Later, the town supported other major industries, notably automotive manufacturing.
See
Willistead Manor
A beautiful 36-room mansion in the middle of a park, the mansion was built by Edward Chandler Walker for his older brother, Willis Walker.
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Willistead Park
Willistead Manor
Willistead Park is located in the Walkerville neighbourhood, just east of downtown Windsor. The park contains the old Willistead Manor, a mansion built from 1904 to 1906. Most of the houses that border the park across the streets are stylized in industrial revolution-England style, with rounded windows and row-houses with steep roofs. Every year, this park hosts "Art In The Park", in June, a large and very popular arts and crafts show.
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Windsor Emancipation Celebration Festival
An enormous celebration of Freedom, held on the first weekend in August Emancipation Celebration was once the largest outdoor celebration of its kind in all of North America. It boasted colourful parades that made its way from the riverfront into Jackson Park celebration grounds, Miss Sepia Pageants, talent contest, concerts, family reunion picnics and community wide barbecues. In fact these cross-border celebrations drew the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. George Washington Carver, Jesse Owens, Diana Ross, Joe Louis, Eleanor Roosevelt and many other world renowned dignitaries annually to appear as guest speakers or simply to join the revelry of freedom. At its peak Emancipation celebration had over 250,000 in attendance.
Free/$5 for concerts/shows
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Windsor Sculpture Park
Odette Sculpture Park
Touted as a "museum without walls" Windsor Sculpture Park is a 3.5-km park with over 30 sculptures dotting the park. All along Windsor's southern banks of the Detroit River from the base of the Ambassador Bridge (starting in Assumption Park at Huron Church Road) blending into Centennial Park on to Church Street where the park further continues as Dieppe Gardens at Ouellette Avenue and even further along Riverside Drive East. The park features large-scale contemporary sculptures for public viewing. There are 32 sculptures in the park, and the collection continues to develop every year through private donations.
Admission: free, parking: metered
Do
Windsor Spitfires hockey
The extremely popular local junior hockey team was Canadian champions in 2009 and 2010. They play at the WFCU Centre in Forest Glade. Tickets can be hard to come by; buy tickets well in advance.
Do Not mapped
Ganatchio Trail
Stretching from Windsor into Tecumseh, provides an excellent way for bikers, roller bladers, or the casual pedestrian to enjoy the afternoon.
free
Do Not mapped
Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival
An enormous celebration of both Canada's Canada Day, held on July 1st, and America's Independence Day, held on July 4th. The festival, which began in 1959, evolved into the current pair of events (Windsor Summer Fest and Detroit River Days) in 2007.
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Belle River Sunsplash Festival
Lakeview Park, Belle River
JulyFree
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Devonwood Bike Trail
13.4 km
free
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Russell Street Neighbourhood Trail
16.6 km.
free
Do Not mapped
Grand Marais Trail
11.3 km.
free
Do Not mapped
Little River Extension
Little River Bike Trail or Little River Parkway
7.5 km.
free
Do Not mapped
Riverfront Bike Trail
The Roy A. Battagello River Walk Bike Trail
5.17 km.
free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Windsor (CC BY-SA 4.0).