head east along the lake to explore durham region for the weekend!
This trip that includes visiting Lucy Maud Montegomery’s former home and Parkwood Estate, home of the McLaughlin family and the filming site for popular films such as X-men.
Learn about the Mennonite history of the region at St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market (9 a.m)
Spend the morning taking in the view of Lake Ontario at the Pickering Nautical Village .
Once you arrive, head over to the Open Studio Art Cafe to grab a cup of coffee and one of their baked goods. The cafe is a lively community hub, with open mic nights every Friday night as well as art classes and workshops. These include life drawing classes and sessions where you can draw from a live subject (or be drawn yourself!)
Afterwards, make your way to Millenium Square to enjoy the waterfront. It’s a popular spot for locals, with a marina nearby so you can see a collection of yachts and boats on the water. If you’re in the mood for a stroll, you can also walk on the Waterfront Trail , which goes across the shoreline of Lake Ontario and stretches all the way from Gros Cap in Sault Ste. Marie to Cornwall in Eastern Ontario.
11:00 am Get to know the history of Whitby & experience settler life in the 1800s
You probably drove along the 401 on your way east, but did you know that before the 401 there was a collection of other highways and roads connecting the towns across Canada?
As the task master for Whitby, Jabez Lynde, the patriarch of the Lynde family, helped develop the roads that were the early forebearers of ones you drive on today. Operated by the Whitby Historical Society, the Lynde House Museum is the oldest house in Durham region and a “living museum”, which means that you can walk through the house and see everything as it would have been like in the 19th century. The house was built in 1812 and used as a tavern and inn during the war of 1812, where it hosted many people including General Brock. Every room is the same size and layout in classic Georgian architecture style, but interesting furniture and items fill the house, including a square grand piano from 1868. After learning about settler life in the 1800s, pop by the gift shop and browse through items by local artists, artisans and authors.
Looking to see more art by local artists? Stop by Station Gallery , a public art gallery housed in a former train station. They have one gallery that specifically showcases community exhibitions. When you’re hungry, stroll over to family-owned restaurant Nice Bistro to try one of their savoury crepes, available only at lunch time. The restaurant serves Mediterrean-French cuisine and has been in business since 1993, with walls featuring artwork for sale from local artists. If you love
jazz, you’ll want to come back for one of their live jazz nights, which includes a three-course dinner for $45.
2:00 pm Learn about local art in Oshawa and explore the McLaughlin family home
Oshawa is known for having played a huge role in the automobile industry and for its hockey but it’s also a city where local art has flourished. The name of the city actually comes from the Ojibwa term “aaz haway”, which means “that point at the crossing of the stream where the canoe was exchanged for the trail.”
For fans of abstract art, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery is a must-see. Named after the founder of General Motors Canada, the gallery has the largest collection of works by Painters Eleven, a group of eleven artists who helped make abstract art popular in Canada. One of the group, Alexandra Luke (also known as Margaret McLaughlin) helped establish the gallery along with her husband Ewart McLaughlin.
The McLaughlin family had a big influence on Oshawa and their former residence, Parkwood Estate , is now a National Historic Site. The mansion was designed by Darling and Pearson, the architecture team responsible for buildings such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto General Hospital. But fans of X-men might do a double-take for another reason–the Parkwood Estate was used as the exterior of the Xaviar’s School for Gifted Children in the original X-men movie. It’s also been in Anne of Green Gables, Chicago, Murdoch Mysteries and countless other shows and movies. The estate offers multiple tours but make sure to check the website or call before planning a visit, since it’s a popular spot for filming. You never know who you might bump into in the area, so keep your eyes peeled!
5:00 pm Head up to picturesque Port Perry
OSHAWA IS KNOWN FOR HAVING PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY AND FOR ITS HOCKEY, BUT IT’S ALSO A CITY WHERE LOCAL ART HAS FLOURISHED
The name of the city actually comes from the Ojibwa term “aaz haway”, which means “that point at the crossing of the stream where the canoe was exchanged for the trail.” For fans of abstract art, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery is a must-see. Named a????er the founder of General Motors Canada, the gallery has the largest collection of works by Painters Eleven, a group of eleven artists who helped make abstract art popular in Canada. One of the group, Alexandra Luke (also known as Margaret McLaughlin) helped establish the gallery along with her husband Ewart McLaughlin.
The McLaughlin family had a big in influence on Oshawa and their former residence, Parkwood Estate , is now a National Historic Site. The mansion was designed by Darling and Pearson, the architecture team responsible for buildings such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto General Hospital. But fans o???? X-men might do a double-take for another reason–the Parkwood Estate was used as the exterior of the Xaviar’s School for Giifed Children in the original X-men movie. It’s also been in Anne of Green Gables, Chicago, Murdoch Mysteries and countless other shows and movies. The estate offers multiple tours but make sure to check the website or call before planning a visit, since it’s a popular spot for fiming. You never know who you might bump into in the area, so keep
your eyes peeled!
