Visit Guelph Guide 2022

Guelph

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Support local.

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Guelph

The covered bridge between Royal City Park and York Road Park is lit up every night between dusk and 11 p.m. for #GLOWguelph.

Design & illustrations: Ellyn Lusis, el vetica design elveticadesign.com

Call us biased, but we think Guelph is one of those special places that everyone needs to visit.

Commonly known as The Royal City, Guelph is adorned with culinary gems, cultural diamonds and treasured trails, in the heart of southern Ontario. There is something for absolutely everyone to fall in love with.

From where to sleep, to where to eat, and of course all the things to do, the 2022 Visit Guelph guide has everything lined up for you to plan a week-long adventure or weekend getaway in Guelph.

Whether you’re just passing through, or sticking around for a while, we welcome you to share in our love of Guelph. We’re sure you’ll agree there is truly no better place to visit, live, work and play!

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Guelph acknowledges the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

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From time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have been the stewards of this land. Present-day Guelph is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Anishinaabek Nations, specifically the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. In 1784, through Between the Lakes Treaty No. 3, the Mississaugas ceded 3,000,000 acres of land between Lakes Huron, Ontario and Erie to the British Crown, opening up the lands for European settlement.

Territorial Acknowledgement We acknowledge Guelph is situated on treaty land that is steeped in rich indigenous history and home to many First Nations, Inuit and Métis people today.

As a City we have a responsibility for the stewardship of the land on which we live, work and visit.

We acknowledge the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation of the Anishinaabek Peoples on whose traditional territory Guelph is situated on.

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With settlement came colonial policies and practices intended to exploit, assimilate and eradicate Indigenous Peoples. As a country, we are now learning about, and coming to terms with, this troubling history. Today, Guelph remains home to thousands of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and to non-Indigenous settlers from around the world. Guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, our community is working to strengthen our relationships with the Original Peoples as we move forward together in the search for collective truth and healing.

National Celebration of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples: June 21, 2022

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Field to fork Field to fork is more than just a trend in Guelph – it’s a philosophy that runs deep through our community’s history.

From our year-round Farmers’ Market, that has been a community cornerstone for over 190 years, to the flavourful and vibrant culinary scene with verified local offerings, we take supporting and serving local seriously. Drawing inspiration from all things Guelph-Wellington, you’ll find local love carefully crafted through the delicious offerings of our chefs, baristas and brewers across the city. There’s something for every foodie, coffee connoisseur and sweet tooth in Guelph’s culinary scene.

Other Top Picks not to be missed: The Vienna 28 Macdonell St theviennarestaurant.com

York Rd Kitchen 648 York Rd yorkrd.ca

Na-Ha Thai 471 York Rd nahathaikitchen.ca

Baker Street Station 76 Baker St bakerstreetstation.ca

Buon Gusto 69 Wyndham St N buongusto.ca

Cusina Mediterranean Bistro 160 Kortright Rd W #5 https://cusinabistro.ca *top picks established from online reviews

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Certified Restaurants: Atmosphere Café 24 Carden St atmospherecafe.squarespace.com Artisanale 214 Woolwich St artisanale.ca

Park Eatery 294 Woolwich St parkeatery.ca

Borealis Grille and Bar 1388 Gordon St borealisgrille.ca

Pressed for Time Paninis 113 Macdonell St pressedfortimepaninis.ca

Earth to Table: Bread Bar 105 Gordon St breadbar.ca

The Wooly Pub 176 Woolwich St thewoolypub.ca

Miijidaa Café + Bistro Guelph 37 Quebec St miijidaa.ca

TasteReal certified recognizes local businesses committed to sourcing locally grown and made food and drink.

Feast On® is a certification program that recognizes businesses committed to sourcing Ontario grown and made food and drink.

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Guelph brings a new meaning to brew-tiful.

We can’t mention our thriving local culinary scene without giving a big shout out to the craft breweries, distilleries, and cafes that make Guelph a destination for those who seek a well-crafted drink wherever they go. They say our local ground water is the secret ingredient to what makes our brewing industry as tasty as it is – but it’s also the people!

Did you know that the first mayor was also one of Canada’s most successful brewers, and had the vigor to protest prohibition (and even find some creative ways around it)?

And did you know that Guelph is home to one of Canada’s oldest microbreweries? Or that Guelph has a locally owned fair-trade coffee roastery in the heart of downtown?

Brew-tiful is right!

Coffee

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Brother’s Brewing 15 Wyndham St N Unit A brothersbrewingcompany.ca Fixed Gear Brewing 20 Alma St S 355 Elmira Rd N Unit 135 fixedgearbrewing.com Royal City Brewery 199 Victoria Rd S royalcitybrew.ca Wellington Brewery 950 Woodlawn Rd W wellingtonbrewery.ca

special nod to other crafty local drink makers:

Hitchhiker Lemonade hitchhikercompany.com Laza Hibiscus Beverages 74 Ontario St lazafandb.com Gin Mill 107 Wyndham St N Ginmillgastro.ca

Sleeman Brewing 551 Clair Rd W sleemanbreweries.ca

Planet Bean Coffee 2 Wyndham St N 259 Grange Rd planetbeancoffee.com

Distilleries

Dixon’s Distillery 355 Elmira Rd N Unit 106 dixonsdistilledspirits.com

Lost Aviator Coffee Co 404 York Rd lostaviatorcoffee.com

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Beer

Spring Mill Distillery 43 Arthur St S springmilldistillery.com

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BUON GUSTO buongusto.ca

Guelph Shops While exploring the historic downtown or one of our unique neighbourhoods, whose streets are lined with independent shops, we encourage you to find three to five special items from local sellers, artisans, and makers to remind you of your trip to Guelph. Then, be sure to share the hashtag #Shop3to5toThrive on social and tag us @GuelphShops

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PARK EATERY parkeatery.ca Restaurant and grocery in Exhibition Park neighbourhood, offering a selection of local beers, wines and organic fairtrade coffee & teas alongside artisan sodas and milkshakes.

Did you know that locally-owned businesses invest more into the local economy through local labour, local taxes, and spend more time on community events that give us all something worth celebrating? When you shop with local love, you shop for and with our community.

SUGO ON SURREY

Find everything you need and more at GuelphShops.ca

sugoguelph.com

BLISS DOUGH

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Made with genuine Italian and local ingredients, Buon Gusto is a taste of Italy without the plane ticket.

blissdough.com Bliss Dough offers safe-toeat, edible cookie dough in a variety of flavours with vegan and gluten-friendly options available.

Sugo on Surrey is a casual-fine dining restaurant with Italian influence, using local suppliers who are as close to home as possible.

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#GuelphShops #G #G #GuelphShops

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Here are a few shops that shouldn’t be missed on your next shopping adventure through the city:

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Outpost 175 Woolwich St outpostvintage.com

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Consign Your Curves 54 Elizabeth St consignyourcurves.com

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When you choose thrift shopping, you choose to reduce waste so that fewer clothes and other textiles end up in the landfill. The good news is that our thrift culture is second to none with some of the best independently owned thrift shops that attract visitors from far and wide.

Smitten Apparel 259 Grange Rd smittenapparel.ca

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When people talk about Guelph, they often remark on how green it is. While they may be referring to our over 1000 hectares of park and open space, they’re most likely referring to the environmental consciousness we pride ourselves on. And of course, that means the way we shop, too!

Eramosa Rd

Guelph gets thrifty

Value Village, Style Encore and Plato’s Closet found on Silvercreek Parkway N

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Wild Rose Consignment 23 Macdonell St thewildrose.ca The Patch 31 Wyndham St N @thepatchguelph The Attic 35 Harvard Rd Unit 11 facebook.com/theatticguelph/

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Guelph gets active Guelph is a city to be explored! You can take in the scenery and beauty of Guelph by foot, bike, and even by canoe or kayak. Guelph is home to over 70km of trails and 1000 hectares of parklands and open spaces - and this doesn’t even include the popular Guelph Lake Conservation Area!

• Royal Recreational Trail

Looking for those insta-worthy outdoor shots? Here are a few of our favourite spots: 1. Preservation Park is filled with wildlife and boasts a cute (and functional!) wooden boardwalk

• GORBA

2. View from your kayak or canoe on the Speed River

• Speed River Paddling

3. Riverside Park – particularly in the winter!

* Continue reading the guide for a variety of Walking Tours available!

4. Heffernan Bridge from the Speed River Trail 5. The Old Growth forest at Ignatius Jesuit Centre 6. Guelph Lake - from the top of the dam to the island, you’re bound to get a great shot 7. The Covered Bridge - and especially at night! #GLOWguelph

Keep exploring beyond Guelph!

The G2G Rail Trail is 132km trail that runs from Guelph to Goderich (encompassing The Kissing Bridge Trail). gtgrailtrail.com

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Guelph gets Creative Guelph is a city that get’s the creative juices flowing and encourages you to explore your creativity. From comedy shows at River Run Centre, to live music and dinning at Manhattans and even an interactive drop-in pottery studio, Guelph is the perfect creative escape.

MANHATTANS 951 Gordon St manhattans.ca Manhattans pizza bistro and music club is an independently owned neighbourhood restaurant boasting a unique and delicious dining experience that features live music almost every night of the week.

PLAY WITH CLAY

RIVER RUN CENTRE 35 Woolwich St riverrun.ca Guelph’s premier performance venue welcomes back audiences and artists. River Run Centre has planned a full lineup of music, comedy, and dance for you! Visit riverrun.ca/events to see a full listing of What’s On at River Run Centre.

2 Wyndham St N playwithclay.ca Play with Clay is an interactive drop-in pottery studio where guests of all ages can indulge in pottery painting, handbuilding, and wheel throwing, as well as drop-in ceramic projects. Play with Clay also offers more structured AdultWorkshops, Kids Camps and 8 week pottery classes.

JIMMY JAZZ 48 Macdonell St jimmyjazz519.ca Jimmy Jazz is the heart of live music in downtown Guelph. Grab a drink and take in a show. Jimmy Jazz is a live music venue that always has something on the go. From trivia, karaoke, to live music, there is always something to see.

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CHILDRENS ART FACTORY 37 Yarmouth St thechildrensartfactory.com Founded in Guelph in 2011, Children’s Art Factory (CAF) is a drop-in art studio for children. Children’s Art Factory values and encourages collaboration with children over instruction.

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Finding the Arts in Guelph Written by Marie Zimmerman from Hillside

There’s such a groundswell of musical aspiration and talent in Guelph that it is not surprising that superb musicians, singers, and festivals cluster here, helping to make Guelph the City of Song, a cherished place for fiddling, riffing, songwriting, jamming, and just belting it out. For 35 years, Hillside has contributed to the musical culture of Guelph alongside numerous other people and organizations who work to celebrate creative expression. Like so many lighthouses that cannot be hidden, the arts in Guelph are everywhere. They help mark our way. And they remind us that the search for light and the creation of light are profoundly dignified pursuits.

Guelph Celebrates!

As one of those lighthouses, Hillside doesn’t just stand there shining. It runs two festivals—one in the summer and one, Hillside Inside, in the winter- as well as year-round activities. As you’ll see at our festivals, each initiative—whether artistic, social, spiritual, or environmental—is designed to promote creative transformation and care of the earth, be that through songwriting courses, through performances by indie, Indigenous, and world musicians, through washing dishes for thousands, through workshops in dance, dispute-resolution, or the didgeridoo: we’re here in Guelph to create a more vibrant world.

The Hillside summer festival began in 1984 around the kitchen tables and campfires of Guelph musicians who had connections to environmental activism and aspirations for creating a community music event that would promote creativity as a conduit for social and cultural change.

HILLSID HILLSIDE

Don’t miss Hillside Inside February 9-11 and Hillside Festival July 13-15 in Guelph, hillsidefestival.ca

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Community gathers at the Guelph Film Festival Written by Carolyn from the Guelph Film Festival

In early November, as the nights start to get dark early, the community gathers at the Guelph Film Festival for 9 days of documentaries.

The Festival started in 1984, which makes it one of the oldest doc fests in the world. In the era of giant film festivals we buck the trend by staying intentionally small - it’s ‘a spirit of Guelph’ thing, where community building is king. A small film festival feels like a secret, an experience of something special shared with those around you.

Along with the docs, we have animated films for kids, the Pocket Films which lead you through downtown finding short films in unusual venues, and this year we are starting the Taste-Reel series, pairing local food with films.

Each of our films is built into an event with the film as the cornerstone. We connect different groups and promote local initiatives that are making the world a better place. You leave the Guelph Film Festival both informed and inspired… and hopefully with a few more friends than you had before.

Don’t miss the Guelph Film Festival November 2-10, get all the details at guelphfilmfestival.ca

History of Heritage Hall (83 Essex Street) and the Guelph Black Heritage Society Written by Denise Francis

The Guelph Black Heritage Society was formed after the British Methodist Episcopal (BME) Church at 83 Essex Street, was listed for sale in November 2011. This historical stone church was built in 1880 by formerly enslaved Black individuals and their descendants who reached Canada via the famed Underground Railroad. The building has been renamed Heritage Hall and is the only Black focused and Black owned facility in Wellington County.

The Heritage Hall is a resource and a beacon for our community. We host programming and events, while also providing meeting space for community groups. Our programming includes our #ChangeStartsNow Education Initiative which provides educational programming on Black history and culture as well as relevant resources on diversity, discrimination and anti-racism.

Our mandate is to preserve the Heritage Hall as a cultural heritage building, representing the historical, present, and continued influence of the Black community on the quality of life in Guelph, Wellington and across the county. We raise awareness in Guelph of both local (Guelph and Wellington County) and national Black heritage as well as addressing social issues of importance to Black Canadian communities. www.guelphblackheritage.ca

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Guelph Gets Historic The Guelph Civic Museum showcases Guelph’s history through permanent and changing exhibits, a fun and interactive families gallery, and special events and activities. The museum is home to collection of over 30,000 artifacts that bring Guelph’s past to life.

Located at 52 Norfolk St

SHOP locapl sho h guelp Gift cards available!

McCrae House is the birth place of John McCrae (1872-1918), doctor, soldier and author of “In Flanders Fields.”

Located at 108 Water St

Support local.

Commit to buying 3 to 5 items locally, online and #shop3to5tothrive

GuelphShops.ca

Plan your visit at Guelph Museums, visit guelphmuseums.ca for more information.

Visit Locomotive 6167, Canada’s “most photographed locomotive.” Between 1960 and 1964, it carried about 40,000 passengers on popular pleasure trips throughout Ontario.

Located at 52 Norfolk St guelphmuseums.ca/venue/locomotive-6167/

CELEBRATE LOCAL. LOVE LOCAL.

LOVE DOWNTOWN GUELPH. With so many amazing businesses and friendly faces, it’s no wonder we absolutely love our downtown Guelph community.

Offering everything from delicious food, an abundance of services and a whole lot of fun, there is so much to celebrate.

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Where to Stay

Pet Friendly

Adjoining Rooms

Kitchenette

Pool

Fitness Area

Free Wi-Fi

Meeting Space

Comfort Inn Guelph

480 Silvercreek Pkwy N 519-763-1900 comfortinn.com/hotel-guelph-canada-cn267

Days Inn Guelph daysinnguelph.com 785 Gordon Street 519-822-9112

Delta Guelph Hotel & Conference Centre deltaguelph.ca 50 Stone Road West 519-780-3700

*Restaurant/Lounge

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott marriott.com/ykffi 35 Cowan Place 519-763-2339

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton guelphsuites.hamptoninn.com 725 Imperial Road N 519-821-2144

Holiday Inn Express & Suites hiexpress.com/guelphon 540 Silvercreek Pkwy N 519-824-2400

Norfolk Guest House norfolkguesthouse.ca 102 Eramosa Rd 519-767-1095

Staybridge Suites

staybridge.com/guelphontario 11 Corporate Court 519-767-3300

Western Hotel Executive Suites westernhotelsuites.com 72 Macdonell Street 1-844-937-8123 22

*Restaurant/Lounge visitguelphwellington.ca

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Tours and Transportation Guelph is an active city and always on the move. We’re a bicycle-friendly community, and experiencing Guelph by bike is one of the best ways to discover the scenes and sites. Guelph has many bike lanes, shared lane spaces and a network of trails connecting our neighbourhoods.

Check out our online Guelph Cycling Map at Guelph.ca/bike for a detailed list of trails, lanes and bike-friendly routes to navigate our city on two wheels -- or even three. Plus, our buses are equipped with bike racks so that you can stow and go from place to place, at your convenience.

Guelph Central Station (79 Carden St) is the hub for all public transportation in and to Guelph. Guelph Transit connects the city with many route options to get you where you need to be. The routes are easy to follow and always available online.

Woodlawn Memorial Park

woodlawnmemorialpark.ca Self-guided tours

Try a variety of self-guided tours that take you through the 80 acres of Woodlawn Memorial Park’s 160 year-old history, notable art, and people of interest.

U of G Historical Campus Walk

uoguelph.ca/historicaltour Self-guided tour

Explore the University of Guelph’s history and visit significant buildings that bear the names of those who have made invaluable contributions to the development of the University.

Taste Detours

tastedetours.ca Year-round and private bookings

Local Culinary Food & Drink tasting tours with a heritage twist. Join them on a customized tour or one of their year-round adventures.

Historical Walking Tour

guelpharts.ca Select Sundays, April to October

Join the Guelph Arts Council on one of six different walking tours that offer unique opportunities to learn about Guelph’s heritage while viewing beautiful architectural and natural features of the city.

Ghost Walk of Guelph

GUELPHGUELPH TRANSITTRANSIT guelph.ca/transit guelph.ca/transit

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#GuelphShops #GuelphShops

#GuelphShops #GuelphShops

GO TRANSIT GO TRANSIT gotransit.com gotransit.com VIA RAILVIA RAIL viarail.caviarail.ca

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ghostwalkofguelph.com Select weekends and private bookings

Looking for a goosebump-inducing tour of Guelph’s dark corners?

The Ghost Walk of Guelph is a one-hour walking tour that explores the Royal City’s haunted past.

Jaywalking Guelph

jaywalkingguelph.weebly.com Select dates and private bookings Intimate and personal storytelling tours featuring unusual tales of Guelph’s past – told where they happened.

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#ExploreGuelph