Prescott

Historic Walking Tour

Many towns boast an historic walking tour but few tours live up to the hype. But even non-history buffs will be impressed by the tour in Prescott, Ontario, Canada. This town is proud of its Heritage Walking Tour for good reason. It features impressive homes, churches, and military fortifications from Prescott’s years gone by.

Highlights of the charming Heritage Walking Tour include Fort Wellington, restored to its original 1846 year of establishment; the Stockade Barracks and Hospital Museum, the oldest surviving military building in the province of Ontario; and Duffy’s Hotel, a former tavern in the 1840s. Visiting the historic sites is particularly rewarding in the summer under the shade of the town’s tree-lined streets.

History isn’t the only attraction of this town of 4,000 residents. Among the annual events of note in Prescott is the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, held in July and August. Sunday evenings are filled with music and entertainment, thanks to the free summer Sunday concerts at the Prescott outdoor amphitheater. Boating enthusiasts will enjoy the 148-slip marina that opens each May. Winter visitors can partake in miles of snowmobile trails as well as the Prescott Frost Festival, an ode to skating and sled dog racing.

Even though it’s a small community, Prescott has an 18-hole golf course open to the public and features some of the best lodging and bed and breakfasts in the region. Many visitors and locals alike come to Prescott for the Farmer’s Market, open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Prescott in a Day:

Breakfast in Prescott could begin with a muffin or Danish from Piccolo Café Plus, a little coffee shop in town. Chat with the locals and then head out on a walking tour of the historic downtown sites. After lunch, play 18 holes at the golf course. Grab a snack at the Farmer’s Market before finishing off the day with dinner at a restaurant of your choice.