Port Stanley is a village of about 2,100 people (2016) in Elgin County, Southwestern Ontario.

Understand

View of Port Stanley from the harbour

Port Stanley has a large sheltered harbour that supported trade in coal and wood between Southwestern Ontario and the United States. Today, most of these facilities are dormant, but a commercial freshwater fishery operates from the harbour.

History

The site of Port Stanley was part of an important early route from Lake Erie to other inland waterways for a succession of explorers and travellers of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was an important landing point and camping spot. Adrien Jolliet, brother of Louis Jolliet, landed at this location in 1669 during the first exploration of the Great Lakes by Europeans. Other notable visitors included François Dollier de Casson and René de Bréhant de Galinée (1670), Jean-Baptiste Céloron de Blainville (1749) and Sir William Johnson (1761). In commemoration of this role, a site bounded by Bridge, Main and Colbourne Streets was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1923, and was marked with a cairn.

A settlement named Kettle Creek was founded here in 1812 by Lieutenant-Colonel John Bostwick. Around 1824, it was renamed Port Stanley after Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, who had visited nearby Port Talbot. Lord Stanley later became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the father of Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, Governor General of Canada, ice hockey enthusiast and donor of the first Stanley Cup in 1893,

Get in

Port Stanley is 42 km south of London. Take Highway 401 to exit 177A and head south on Col. Talbot Rd. (Highway 4) towards St. Thomas. After passing St. Thomas, continue south for another 15 km to reach Port Stanley.

Parking on east side of the harbour is free. Parking on west side is free from October 1 to April 30, otherwise the parking is $4/hr up to a maximum of $20.

Get around

• Dockside Cabs, +1 519-782-3855

See

• 1 Port Stanley Beach. A large sandy beach (updated Jan 2022)
• 2 Port Stanley Festival Theatre, 302 Bridge St, ☏ +1 519-782-4353. Great summer theatre in the former town hall building on Bridge Street. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 Port Stanley Lighthouse, William Street. At the end of a long, refurbished pier. It makes for a nice walk, and there is a beautiful view of the shoreline from the end. (updated Jul 2018)
• The Stork Club - Big Band Museum and Hall of Fame, 302 Bridge Street, ☏ +1 519-782-4563. Call to inquire. (updated Jul 2018)
• Lifting bridge across Kettle Creek

Do

• Enjoy small town village life, leave the car parked, all amenities within walking distance.
• 1 Port Stanley Terminal Rail, 309 Bridge St (near the King George lift bridge in the centre of town), ☏ +1 519-782-3730, toll-free: +1-877-244-4478. Excursion service Jul Aug: W-Su 11AM, 1PM & 2:30PM; Jun Sep Oct: Sa Su and holiday M 11AM, 1PM & 2:30PM; special trips in Apr May Nov Dec. This heritage railway operates a tourist train between St. Thomas, Ontario and Port Stanley using a portion of the former London and Port Stanley Railway line. It uses four historic diesel electric locomotives from the 1940s and 1950s and nine passenger cars. Adults $15, child (2-14) $9 tax included. (updated Jan 2022)

Buy

• 1 Art Emporium Port Stanley, 177 Main Street, ☏ +1 226-658-1888, ​info@artemporium.ca. Jun to early Sep: W-M 11AM-5PM; winter: Sa Su 11AM-4PM. The work of 40 local and regional artists in a large well-lit gallery. The gallery artists work in many media from painting to sculpture, pottery, photography, glass, textiles, encaustic and more. The Gift Boutique offers a wide assortment of high-quality hand-crafted items. (updated Jan 2022)
• 2 Moore Water Gardens, 4683 Sunset Rd, ☏ +1 519-782-4052, toll-free: +1 800-728-6324. Mar Aug Sep: M-F 9AM-5PM; Apr to mid-Jul M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM; mid- to late Jul: M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa noon-4PM; Oct to Feb: M-F open by chance or by appointment. specializing in waterlilies and aquatic plants. (updated Jul 2018)

Eat

Fresh Lake Erie Perch is featured on every menu in town.

• 1 SoLo on Main, 187 Main St, ☏ +1 226-658-0999. M-Th noon-3PM and 5-9PM, F SA noon-10PM, Su noon-8PM. Dishes made in house with fresh local ingredients. Mains $22-37. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Kettle Creek Inn, 216 Joseph St, ☏ +1 519-782-3388. Daily 11:30AM-8:30PM. Intimate dining inside, or al fresco dining on the patio. Mains $15-48. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 The Buccaneer, 128 William St (at the Port Stanley Beach Hotel), ☏ +1 519-266-4068. Daily 8AM-8PM. Seafood. On the beach. (updated Jul 2018)
• 4 The Art & Soul Cafe, 291 Bridge Street, ☏ +1 519-782-9987, artandsoulcafe.portstanley@gmail.com. Daily 8AM-4PM. Pastries, salads, paninis. (updated Jul 2018)
• 5 Main Street Taqueria, #3, 208 Main St, ☏ +1 226-658-8226. Authentic tacos. (updated Jan 2022)
• 6 Mackies, 124 William St (walking distance from the Port Stanley beach), ☏ +1 519-782-4390, mackies1911@rogers.com. 11AM-7PM. Fast food restaurant serving hamburgers, hot dogs, poutine, chicken nuggets, chilli, french fries, onion rings, orangeade, ice cream options, and includes an arcade. Main items $2-6. (updated Jul 2023)

Drink

• 1 GT's on the Beach, 350 Edith Cavell Blvd, ☏ +1 519-782-4555. May-Sep 11AM-11PM (to 1AM if there's a band). A 400-seat patio right on the main beach. 8 beach volleyball courts, locally caught Lake Erie Perch, live music weekends. Mains $13-19. (updated Jan 2022)
• 2 Barnacles Beerhouse and Eatery, 170 William Street, ☏ +1 519-782 7272, barnaclesbeerhouse@hotmail.com. M Tu 3PM-midnight, W Th noon-1AM, F-l Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-midnight. (updated Jul 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Kettle Creek Inn, 216 Joseph Street, ☏ +1 519-782 3388, toll-free: +1-866-414-0417, information@kettlecreekinn.com. Custom beds, fluffy duvets, cable flat screen televisions, DVD, radios, free high speed wireless internet, coffee makers, fridges and irons & ironing boards. All suites have private balconies and five of the rooms have either porches or seating off the courtyard. From $165. (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 Inn on the Harbour, 202 Main St, ☏ +1 519-782 7623, bookings@innontheharbour.net. Rooms, suites, apartments available. From $169. (updated Oct 2018)
• 3 Eagles Rest, 140 Brayside Street (eastern side of Port Stanley at Lake Eerie, off Harrison Road.), ☏ +1 519-670 2894. Deck, sunroom, High Definition Satellite TV, selection of DVDs, WiFi and BBQ available. From $128. (updated Oct 2018)

Go next

Routes through Port Stanley

London ← becomes ← St. Thomas ←

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