Pick up locations and times: 

 

8:15 am

Dufferin & Wilson - Costco Plaza, LCBO parking lot

675 Wilson Ave

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8:30 am

Sheppard West Subway Station, Passenger Pick-Up/Drop Of 

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A one day excursion to Midland, located 150 km north of Toronto on the shore of Georgian Bay, includes visiting Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, Martyrs Shrine, town of Penetanguishene, Midland downtown, and the 30,000 Islands cruise.

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Sainte-Marie among the Hurons Mission, located in the beautiful Southern Georgian Bay area, is the world-renowned reconstruction that  illustrates the interaction of the French and Wendat nations. 

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Visitors to Sainte-Marie among the Hurons can marvel at a world that existed over 370 years ago. As you explore the historic site you'll sense the challenges faced by those who founded and worked at this famous mission. Throughout the summer, active demonstrations by historically-costumed staff provide insight into 17th century European and Native culture, lifestyle, and technology. These include 17th century fire-starting, historic clothing and medicine, native games, 17th century music, historic cooking, and more.

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Today visitors may view some original structural remains which include bastion walls and three stone fireplaces which represent some of the most significant masonry remains in North America. Exploring the European compound at Sainte-Marie puts you in touch with technology used four centuries ago. The Blacksmith shop was originally staffed by a Jesuit lay brother. This "man of iron" fascinated the visiting natives as he executed his craft. Iron was scarce due to the difficulty in transporting it by canoe and so was used sparingly. Because coal was not available, Sainte-Marie's blacksmith would have often relied on wood embers for his forge making the heating of metal a challenging task. Items that were manufactured at Sainte-Marie included nails, hinges, spikes and small structural items.

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After touring the historic site, the Sainte-Marie Museum provides a wonderful conclusion to the visitor experience. As you explore this interactive museum you'll discover superb exhibits, sound effects, and audio-visual presentations that position the Sainte-Marie story in a global context. Themes include Voyages of Discovery, 17th century France, New France and the Fur Trade, the role of the Canoe, Archaeology, Reconstruction, and fascinating original artifacts excavated from Sainte-Marie.

 

The world-renowned Martyrs' Shrine honours the eight Jesuit Saints who lived, worked, and died here over three and a half centuries ago, celebrating the significant contributions they made to the introduction of Christianity into aboriginal culture as well as the founding of the Province of Ontario and the nation of Canada.

This historic and holy site includes the famous Shrine Church, the Martyrs’ Hall and Education Centre, and 75 pleasantly landscaped acres.  Within the Church are the relics of the Martyrs St. Jean de Brébeuf, St. Gabriel Lalemant, and St. Charles Garnier, while the grounds are home to beautiful walkways, monuments, and altars. The elegant temple building, located on a hill, can be seen for kilometers. The inverted canoe-shaped interior is striking. The Martyrs’ Shrine welcomes over a hundred thousand people every year. 

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During a trip to Penetanguishene you will visit Penetanguishene Rotary Champlain Wendat Park located along the waterfront of Penetang Harbour. The area has a legacy walkway, observation deck and the statue of The Meeting. It shows Champlain and the Huron-Wendat chief of the village of Toanché, Aenon, holding a wampum in a canoe. A notable feature of the statue is that it presents the French and First Nation chiefs on an equal footing, face to face. 

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At the entrance to the Park, a monument is erected in honor of the legendary Huron Giant Kitchikewana. This statue celebrates the tri-cultural heritage of Penetanguishene. The statue includes a circle, which represents eternity, enclosure and perfect unity, and feathers symbolizing courage, peace and fidelity.

The carved stone marks the "Gateway to Georgian Bay". 

 

Then you will experience Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands cruise. Enjoy the sparkling water, windswept pines and rocky grandeur among one of the world's largest concentrations of islands. The cruise lasts two and a half hours and will admire amazing views of the coasts, islands and bays. Canadian artists, members of the famous Group of Seven, created many of their works  in these places.

 

You will spend some time in Midland downtown with its cozy coffee shops, antique stores, restaurants and cafes. A stroll along King Street is also a visit to a unique open-air art gallery. The local artist Fred Lenz created about forty works on the walls. Each of these paintings is a historical illustration of the city and region. Sailing from the pier, you can take a good look at Huron Native and Jesuit Priest at Sainte-Marie,  the largest outdoor historical mural in North America.  It displays Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons as it would look like in the 1640's.

 

Drop off locations and times:

 

8:00 pm 

Sheppard West Subway Station, Passenger Pick-Up/Drop Of 

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8:15 pm

Dufferin & Wilson - Costco Plaza, LCBO parking lot

675 Wilson Ave 

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