Caledon is a town of 66,500 people (2016), large in size and mostly rural, in the Peel region of the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The Niagara Escarpment and the Credit River run through the town, and there are many areas of natural beauty. Within Caledon is found the village of Bolton, whose historic centre stretches a few blocks on King Road and Queen Street. The village of Belfountain is quite pretty, with older-style wood buildings all around.

Understand

Caledon is a developing urban area although it remains primarily rural. It consists of an amalgamation of a number of urban areas, villages, and hamlets; its major urban centre is Bolton on its eastern side adjacent to York Region.

History

By 1869, Belfountain was a village with a population of 100 in the Township of Caledon County Peel. It was established on the Credit River. There were stagecoaches to Erin and Georgetown.

Caledon was likely named by settlers who came from the area around Caledon, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

Get in

• GO Transit bus # 37 from Brampton Bus Terminal, 6 times a day, 50 min, $8.25 cash fare ($7.33 with a Presto card).
• By car, it is about 60 km from downtown Toronto.

Get around

The town is quite rural, so it has no universal transit system, though the Bolton area has a small local bus line running M-F.

Taxi service is available in the Bolton area.

See

Caledon does not have any municipally-owned heritage attractions; its stories are told and its records are stored by the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives in downtown Brampton.

Do

• 1 Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. (updated Jul 2015)
• 2 Cheltenham Badlands (The Erosion) (Old Baseline Road, north of Cheltenham on the Bruce Trail). visit during daylight. Amazing red rolling landscape. free entrance. 

Cheltenham Badlands

Fountain at Belfountain

• 3 Belfountain Conservation Area, 10 Credit St. Open daily Apr to late-Oct: 8AM-7PM, with later hours in summer (open until 9PM). An excellent nature area that was converted from an old property that was developed at the turn of the century. There are hiking trails that can get quite rugged for the unprepared, although most of the area has easy trails. The conservation area has a number of natural features, such as rapids, the river, and man-made features including the eponymous Bell Fountain and a cave carved into the rock. $5/3 (adult/child). (updated Nov 2016)

A view from inside the cave at the Belfountain conservation area

Eat

• Chef Talk Bistro, 334 Queen Street South, ☏ +1 905-857-6578, cheftalkbistro@rogers.com. Nice little place for lunch or dinner in Bolton, about 1 km south of the historical centre. Lunch is noon-3PM. 
• 1 Villa Caledon Inn, 16626 Airport Road, Caledon East, ☏ +1 905 584-0033. Tu W 3PM-9:30PM; Th F 3PM-10:30PM; Sa noon-10:30PM; Su noon-8:30PM. Cosy inn. Great patio dining area in green surroundings. $20 mains. (updated Jul 2016)
• 2 The Belfountain Village Store and Higher Ground Coffee. A nice atmosphere of wooden-building tourist charm. They have standard coffee shop offerings, including lattes, Italian sodas, and baked goods. (updated Jul 2015)
• 3 Belfountain Inn, 791 Forks of the Credit Rd, ☏ +1 519 927-9219. W-Su noon-close, dinner from 5PM. Cozy fine dining in gorgeous surroundings. Great atmosphere. $30-35 mains. (updated Jul 2015)
• 4 Cool Scoops Original Ice Cream Parlour, 815 Forks of the Credit Rd. (updated Nov 2017)
• 5 Spirit Tree, 1137 Boston Mills Road, ☏ +1 905-838-2530. W-Su 10AM-5PM. Bakery and cidery with good bistro menu. $15 for a one-hour tour and guided cider tasting Sa Su 2PM. (updated Jun 2018)
• 6 Bistro Riviere, 82 Main Street, Erin (Downtown Erin), ☏ +1 519 833-1121. Big patio, live music on summer weekends. (updated Jul 2015)

Drink

• The Toby Jug, Allan Drive (Hwy 50 and Allan Drive), ☏ +1 905-857-7494. In Bolton. Best place for miles to get a good pint! 

Sleep

• 1 Hampton Inn & Suites Bolton, 12700 Hwy 50, Bolton, ☏ +1 905-857-9990. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. The only large (and chain) hotel in Caledon. Indoor pool, fitness center, free Wi-fi and free hot breakfast. $160-205 in summer. (updated Nov 2016)
• 2 Millcroft Inn & Spa, 55 John St, Alton, ☏ +1 519-941-8111, toll-free: +1-800-383-3976. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Boutique hotel in a renovated textile mill with extensive grounds that include the old millpond and Shaws Creek Falls. Rooms are furnished with antique decor and include a sitting area and flat screen TV. There is also a spa (with outdoor hot springs pool), restaurant, fitness centre, bike rentals and other activities on the grounds including bocce ball, walking trails and volleyball. From $200. (updated Nov 2016)

Go next

Routes through Caledon

END ←	N  S	→ Brampton → Mississauga → to Hamilton
Owen Sound ← Orangeville ←	N  S	→ END