Leamington (Ontario)

Leamington is a municipality of about 28,000 people (2016) in Essex County, Ontario, and the southern-most city in Canada.

Understand

Leamington lies on the 42nd northern parallel, the same latitude as Chicago, Boston, the northern border of California, Rome, and Zaragoza. It borders Point Pelee National Park and Lake Erie. The climate is milder than cities further north, like Toronto.

It is billed as the "Tomato Capital of Canada". In 1908, the H. J. Heinz company came to Leamington, bringing many jobs to the area and contributing to Leamington's growth. The factory operated until 2014 and employed 740 people. Tomato juice and tomato paste maker Highbury Canco still employs a few hundred at the former Heinz facility, which still processes much of Leamington's local tomato crop.

History

The community was named after Royal Leamington Spa in England, after having been called "Gainesville" or "Gainesborough" for local mill owner William Gaines, and before that, Wilkinson Corners.

It was a crossroads hamlet with about 300 residents, and was known for its lumber products rather than its tomatoes. There were several docks, and fish were plentiful in Lake Erie, so much so that sturgeon could be speared from the shore, and fish was the cheapest food available. Leamington once had many tobacco farms, but now they are virtually nonexistent.

Get in

By boat

• The MV Jiimaan. The largest passenger ferry along the Lake Erie route to Pelee Island, to the foot of Jackson St., Sandusky, Ohio. From Leamington, Canada, Kingsville Govt. Dock and Pelee Island.

Marinas

• Leamington Marina 249 Sherk St. Loran Coordinates: North 420 100/West 823 600, [phone]

By car

• Leamington is 50 km southeast of Windsor (Ontario) along Highway 3.

By plane

• Leamington Airport (TC-LID: CLM2) is an general aviation airstrip with no scheduled flights, 2.5 nautical miles (5 km) east of Leamington. The closest scheduled service is in Windsor.

Get around

If arriving by ferry, some rental agencies will pick you up and deliver you to the dock. Ask first.

Car rentals

• 🌍 Enterprise Rent a Car, 215 Talbot St. W, ☎ [phone]. 

By bus

• Leamington Transit. One regular route with accessible vehicles M-Sa 9AM–5PM that passes the Leamington District Memorial Hospital, Leamington Library, high schools, cultural wedding halls, police/fire station, public information booth, Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex and the town hall. The "Erie Summer Route" runs up and down Erie Street between Wilkinson Drive and the Marina/Waterfront area F-Su and holidays mid-May to early Sep. Adults $2.00, seniors (60 and over) $1.75, students (over 12) $1.50, children (12 and under), $1.00. (updated Aug 2018)

See

• 🌍 Leamington Arts Centre, 72 Talbot St W, ☎ [phone]. Tu 10AM-4:30PM, W-F 10AM-5PM, Sa noon-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM. A hub for the arts in Leamington and Windsor-Essex Region offering up to 40 exhibitions each year, artist markets, arts and crafts shows, film nights, and educational arts programs. Free. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Essex Kent Mennonite Historical Society, 31 Pickwick Dr, ☎ [phone]. M-F 9AM-noon. The Heritage Centre contains many artifacts which include photographs, documents, books, magazines, journals, and many personal and household items related to the Mennonites in Essex and Kent Counties. (updated Aug 2018)

Do

• 🌍 Thiessen Orchards, 400 Talbot Rd E, ☎ [phone]. Open in the autumn from early Sep: daily 10AM-5:30PM. Fun acre, corn maze, mini golf, haunted barn. Weekends offer a bouncy castle, barrel train, and face painting. “Play All Day” Combo Pass for $20. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 The Leamington Fair, 194 Erie St N, N8H 3A4 (fairgrounds are at the Leamington Raceway), ☎ [phone]. Summer. $7, Children under 12 free. (updated Jun 2017)

Parks

• 🌍 Point Pelee National Park, 1118 Pointe Pelee Dr, ☎ [phone]. Canada's smallest national park (15 km²), extending into Lake Erie, it is known for its many species of butterflies, some of which are found nowhere else in Canada. It is also well known as a birdwatching location. The word pelée is French for 'bald'. 
• 🌍 Hillman Marsh Conservation Area, 1826 Mersea 2 Road, ☎ [phone]. With 5 km of trails around marshland habitat, Hillman Marsh is adjacent to Lake Erie and features walking trails, a nature centre, washrooms and viewing towers. A birding trail borders 87 acres (35 hectares) of unique Shorebird Habitat where water levels are actively managed to create mudflats, providing outstanding viewing opportunities. $6 per car payable at the self-serve entry gate. (updated Aug 2018)

Birding

Leamington is on the north shore of Lake Erie and is home to Point Pelee National Park, a major site for migrating birds especially in the autumn. As such, it plays host to many birdwatchers from Canada, the United States, and all around the world. The region is also known for the migration of monarch butterflies, which congregate in the fall at Point Pelee before making their way across Lake Erie on their route to winter quarters in central Mexico.

Another important natural area near Leamington is the wetland at Hillman Marsh, 6 km east of the town.

Diving

• 🌍 Pelee Passage Area (Lake Erie). The area has the highest density of shipwrecks in all the Great Lakes due to treacherous reefs, sudden storms and heavy ship traffic. Shipwrecks of the Pelee Passage are unique time capsules. 40-75 feet under water are many remarkable archaeological treasures, that are largely undiscovered. (updated Oct 2018)

Buy

• Pelee Wings Nature Store and Kayak Shop, 636 Point Pelee Dr, ☎ [phone]. A must-see and visit for birders and naturalists, kayakers and canoeists. 

Eat

• 🌍 Jose’s Bar & Grill, 221 Talbot St. W, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 11AM–1AM, Su 11AM–midnight. Fun place. One of the few places where you can have a drink and something to eat also on a Monday night off season. Mains $18-33, pastas $16-21, burgers and sandwiches $15-18, stir-fry and Tex-Mex $12-24. 
• 🌍 Thirteen at the Inn restaurant, 388 Erie St. S (Seacliffe Inn), ☎ [phone]. 5AM-9PM, closed Su M. Fresh Lake Erie Perch offered, fresh local vegetables always on menu. Good basic steaks & seafood, with in-house desserts and appetizers. 
• 🌍 Sherman’s Station, 119 Erie St. N, ☎ [phone]. Daily 8AM-2PM. Family restaurant with all-day breakfast. 
• 🌍 Joey’s Only, 245 Talbot St. W, ☎ [phone]. Su M W Th 11AM-8:30PM, Tu F Sa 11AM-9PM. Fish and seafood. 
• 🌍 Paula's Fish Place, 857 Point Pelee Drive, ☎ [phone]. Daily 11:30AM-10PM. Specializes in fresh Lake Erie Yellow Perch & Pickerel, battered or you can have it grilled in lemon & herbs. 
• 🌍 Family Kitchen, 73 Erie Street South, ☎ [phone]. 6AM-2PM, Su 8AM-2PM. All day Mennonite, Mexican, Canadian breakfast. $13. (updated Oct 2018)

Drink

Sleep

Hotels

• 🌍 Quality Inn Leamington, 279 Erie Street South, ☎ [phone]. 100% smoke-free and pet-free. Standard rooms offer a 32" LCD flat screen television while the King Business class rooms feature a 42” LED flat screen television. All rooms feature workspace, outlets, ergonomic desk chair, refrigerator, microwave, single-cup coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board. From $150. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Best Western Plus, 566 Bevel Line Rd, ☎ [phone]. Pet-friendly rooms available. Renovated rooms with 42-inch LED TVs, a bistro, a children's play area, a rock climbing wall and a water park. CAA/AAA discount. From $180. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Days Inn, 201 Erie Street North, ☎ [phone]. Free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, indoor pool, sauna and hot tub. Accessible and non-smoking rooms are available. From $135. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Seacliffe Inn, 388 Erie Street South, ☎ [phone]. Check-out: 11AM. $180. (updated Oct 2018)

Bed & Breakfast

• By The Marina B&B, 19 Cheyene Court, ☎ [phone]. Handmade quilts, air-conditioned, Wireless Internet, no smoking, no pets. From $115. (updated Aug 2018)

Camping

• 🌍 Campers Cove Campground, 21097 Campers Cove Rd, Wheatley, ☎ [phone]. 1200 ft of clean sandy beach. Laundromat, playground, horsehide pitch, volleyball, basketball, badminton, soccer, croquet. Per night: water/electric (30A) $51.50, water/electric & sewer (30A) $58.50, pull through (30A/50A) $69.00; cabin/night Su-Th $88, F Sa $97, holiday weekends $105; premium cabin/night Su-Th $145, F Sa $155, holiday weekend $165. (updated Aug 2018)
• 🌍 Sturgeon Woods Campground and Marina, 1129 Mersea Road C, Point Pelee, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Indoor interactive spray pool and outdoor swimming pool included in price. (updated Aug 2018)

Stay safe

• 🌍 Leamington District Memorial Hospital, 194 Talbot Street West, ☎ [phone]. (updated Oct 2018)

Connect

Wireless Internet at the Marina. Free.

Go next

• Kingsville 13 km west.
• Pelee Island
• Visit Ohio, Sandusky and Cedar Point, by ferry.
• Windsor 53 km/33 mi NW

Routes through Leamington

Windsor ← Kingsville ←

W  E

→ becomes CR 3 → Niagara Region