Windsor, Ontario

Originally settled by the French in the mid-18th century, Windsor sits on the east bank of the Detroit River, overlooking the city of Detroit. Their histories merge in various ways, including both sharing a significant automobile industry. Heritage walking tours through Sandwich and Walkerville show off Windsor’s older districts and grander homes. Despite its industrial core, Windsor has some spectacular parks, particularly bordering the Detroit River. Between its French origins, its pivotal role as a terminus of the Underground Railroad for fleeing black slaves, and a large body of university students attending the University of Windsor, ...

Originally settled by the French in the mid-18th century, Windsor sits on the east bank of the Detroit River, overlooking the city of Detroit. Their histories merge in various ways, including both sharing a significant automobile industry. Heritage walking tours through Sandwich and Walkerville show off Windsor’s older districts and grander homes. Despite its industrial core, Windsor has some spectacular parks, particularly bordering the Detroit River. Between its French origins, its pivotal role as a terminus of the Underground Railroad for fleeing black slaves, and a large body of university students attending the University of Windsor, the city and its surroundings offer a diverse assortment of heritage buildings, distinct museums, fine dining and a lively nightlife that includes a glitzy casino. Places to visit within easy reach of Windsor are the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit and, in Canada, Pelee Island, where the national park is heaven for hardcore birders.

About the Expert

Joanna Ebbutt is the author or editor of three Insight Guides to Toronto and Canada, and coauthor of Off the Beaten Track: Western Canada. She has been writing about travel for three decades, including chasing the aurora borealis in Northern Ontario.