Windsor Riverfront
Windsor, ON
For fantastic Detroit skyline views without stepping foot in Detroit—or even in the US, for that matter—head to the Windsor Riverfront. The 3.1-mile (5-kilometer) paved trail is a popular walking and biking path for locals and visitors to the Southern Ontario City, running along the Detroit River with parks along the way.
The basics
In addition to being a lovely place to get some outdoor exercise, the Windsor Riverfront is dotted with parks and gardens. These include the Joan and Clifford Hatch Wildflower Garden, the Bert Weeks Memorial Gardens with a waterfall fountain, the Dieppe Gardens, where you’ll see war memorial monuments, and the Odette Sculpture Park.
Most travelers visit the sight independently. Popular tourist activities in Windsor include boat and jet-skiing tours on the Detroit River, as well as scavenger-hunt adventures, which may take you to the riverfront.
Things to know before you go
- There’s no entry fee to the trail.
- You’ll find plenty of places to sit along the trail if you’d rather enjoy the views than take an urban hike.
- The Windsor Riverfront is a multiuse trail, so pedestrians should watch out for cyclists, and vice versa.
How to get there
The Windsor Riverfront runs from the base of the Ambassador Bridge in the west to the Hiram Walker and Sons Distillery, on the intersection with Walker Street, in the east. There’s an international airport in Windsor, so it’s easy to reach. If you have the legal right to enter both the US and Canada, you can easily drive here or catch a bus from Detroit, though you’ll need to cross an international border checkpoint.
When to get there
The trail is always open, but some of the parks and gardens along the riverfront are seasonal. Be sure to visit when the weather’s pleasant—this area experiences very cold and snowy winters, so being outside for too long then can be uncomfortable. On the other hand, this is a good place to get some warming exercise and see the ice on the Detroit River.
Winter in Windsor
The Windsor Riverfront is an ideal destination when the weather’s fine, but if you happen to be in Windsor between October and April, you may prefer to do something inside. Top indoor attractions include the Canadian Aviation Museum (beside Windsor Airport), Walkerville Brewery, the 16th-century-English-style Willistead Manor, and Adventure Bay Family Water Park.
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