Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach

Subject: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Mike Strobel
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 11:43 AM

Hey Everyone, I'll admit it......I hate driving in busy traffic and fast roads. So with that said, I am looking to dive to Wasaga Beach ( 90 minutes N/W of Toronto ) but I would like to stay off of the QEW and/or the 401. Any suggestions on alternate routes would be really appreciated. Thankyou. Oh, yea, I'm driving from Rochester, New York ( near Buffalo ).

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Peter T.
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:17 AM

Dear Mike, I am relly sorry I have not got a map with me, so this is from memory, but to get to Wasaga Beach staying off the QEW and the 401 will require some fairly long detours (though pretty). My suggestion, for what it is worth, would be to take the QEW and the 401 to Toronto, then take the 400 north about halfway to Barrie, and then get off (there is a turn just at Canada's Wonderland -- you can't miss its disgustingness) and go north on the road that goes alongside the 400 to the east (I think it is 29) which is a nice drive. If you don't take the 400 it will be a lot longer than 90 minutes!!!
The roundabout route would be to head north along the Niagara Escarpment when you get to Canada (I don't know the road number, it may be highway 2) and head for Guelph and Elora (which is a pretty town, and a good place to stop for lunch). You could then follow the Grand River north for awhile. Then you need to head over to Collingwood. There are some nice drives around Creemore (Canadian beer country) and through the Beaver Valley towards Duntroon. When you get to Collingwood, Wasaga Beach is not far away. If you follow the line of the escarpment, you will get most of the pretty country. If you feel like hiking, the Bruce Trail goes the length of the escarpment -- and there are one or two very easy trails about 10 minutes drive from Wasaga beach in the Pretty River Valley.
I can give you lots more information if you need it, but I was worried about your deadline. If you aren't going for another day or two, I can get you chapter and verse.
Yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Tony Burns
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 10:58 AM

Mike, when are you going to Wasaga? If you are there next weekend (July 10-11) are you aware of the Collingwood Celtic Continuum festival less than half an hour away?

Gail and I will be there.

More information at http://www.georgian.net/celtic/

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Mike Strobel
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:04 AM

Dear Peter T., Thankyou for the additional directions to Wasaga. This will surely offer some options in the route planning. We will not be leaving till the end of July-99. Thanks again Pete. Regards, Mike

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Mike Strobel
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:12 AM

Dear Tony, Thanks for the heads -up on the Celtic festival................however,we aren't leaving for Wasaga till the end of July. Mike

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Peter T.
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:13 AM

Mike, I'll post a bit more, when I get a map in my hands. I have spent a lot of time in the area (and on the roads)
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Tony Burns
Date: 02 Jul 99 - 11:23 AM

End of July? Our current favourite Ontario summer festival is the Celtic Roots Festival in Goderich August 6-8.

More on that at http://www.celticfestival.on.ca/

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 12:33 PM

Dear Mike, Let me clean all that up. As I said, the most interesting routes are along the escarpment and the Grand River. From Rochester, the easiest starting route is probably 20 (which starts at the border as 420, as far as I can tell). this turns into 53 around Hamilton. There is a bit of a mess around Hamilton, but if you want to swing around, you could go into Bantford and take 24 north or brave the mess and take 8 into Cambridge/Kitchener. You could then essentially take 24 all the way to Collingwood with no trouble. It is a nice road, with lots of jags. A wider route (up highway 6) would give you a chance to see Elora and Fergus, which are very nice towns. Many of these northern Southern Ontario towns were very rich at the turn of the century, before the great environ mental collapse from overcutting trees and various other factors killed them. They were preserved in stone until the 1960's when gas got cheap. Anyway, if you go up 6, you should eventually drift over the 24. At the small town of Maple Valley you should go northeast on 62, so that you can see Devil's Glen (not as spectacular as the name suggests, quiet, pretty, and the Pretty River Valley). 24 will then take you into Collingwood, and a right turn on 92 will take you to Wasaga Beach.
If you want to go the fast route until near the end, take the QEW, the 401, and the 400 until you get to the Nobleton or Bondhead turnoffs, and go north on Highway 27, turning left at the Angus Road (90) and heading up to Wasaga Beach on the small 10 road. It is almost as fast as the 400, and much prettier.
Special supplement: The 4 best restaurants in the area: Chez Michel, Craigleith; C.C.'s on Main Street in Thornbury (these first two are in small towns which are a left turn when you hit Collingwood (more or less straight ahead is the water), the Georgian Renaissance in Collingwood, and the Purple Hills Bistro in Creemore (on 24 as you come north). The last one is pretty pricey, the others are reasonable.
Lastly, if you want a nice hike, there is a road that leads west (and east) from 24 slightly south of a village called Nottawa (the last village before you hit Collingwood going north), number 33. If you take 33 a mile west of 24, it starts going through a valley, and a small river flows along the left. At some point there will be small signs to the Bruce Trail, and usually a small line or clump of parked cars. There is a long lovely trail up the hillside, winding through old orchards, dense woods, the occasional lake, and so on. The trail is marked with directional slashes and signs. This is the trail that goes all along the Escarpment. You can have a very nice 3-4 hour hike here.
Enjoy!
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Driving Directions To Wasaga Beach
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Jul 99 - 12:38 PM

sorry about the typos. It is a hot Saturday. I think the road numbers are right at least!!!
yours, Peter T.