Set along the shores of southern Georgian Bay, this experience combines historic sites, spiritual landmarks, and one of Canada’s most scenic cruising regions. The tour centres on the town of Midland, located on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, approximately 150 kilometres north of Toronto.

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The day begins with a visit to Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, a world-renowned reconstructed 17th-century mission that illustrates the interaction between French Jesuit missionaries and the Wendat Nation more than 370 years ago. Visitors step into a carefully recreated historical setting, where costumed interpreters demonstrate aspects of daily life, technology, and culture of both Indigenous peoples and Europeans in the 1600s. The visit concludes at the Sainte-Marie Museum, an engaging interactive space featuring exhibits, soundscapes, and audiovisual presentations that place the site within a broader historical context. Themes include the Age of Exploration, New France, the fur trade, canoe travel, archaeology, and original artifacts excavated from the site.

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We then visit the Martyrs’ Shrine, one of Canada’s most important pilgrimage sites, commemorating the eight Jesuit Saints who lived and worked in the region during the 17th century. Set on beautifully landscaped grounds, the site includes the Shrine Church, Martyrs’ Hall, and an Education Centre. The church’s distinctive inverted canoe-shaped interior and its hilltop setting make it a prominent landmark visible from afar.

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A highlight of the day is a two-and-a-half-hour cruise through Georgian Bay’s famous 30,000 Islands. Gliding through clear waters, tourists enjoy views of windswept pines, rugged granite shores, sheltered bays, and countless islands—part of one of the largest freshwater archipelagos in the world. This dramatic landscape inspired many works by members of Canada’s Group of Seven, who painted extensively in the region.

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The tour concludes with time in downtown Midland, known for its relaxed atmosphere, cafés, antique shops, and local restaurants. A walk along King Street also serves as a visit to an open-air art gallery, featuring approximately forty murals by local artist Fred Lenz, each illustrating scenes from the region’s history. From the harbour area, tourists can view the massive outdoor mural depicting Sainte-Marie among the Hurons as it appeared in the 1640s—recognized as the largest outdoor historical mural in North America—before the return journey to Toronto.

 

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12-13 hours

 

Price:

• Minivan (1–5 people) $2090

• Passenger van (6–13 people) $2990

• Minibus or coach — price upon request

 

Additional cost per person (Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, Martyrs’ Shrine, and 30,000 Islands Cruise — included in the tour):

 

Adult: $90

Senior (65+): $80

Child (3–12): $55