If you happen to be looking for something to do on a hot summer day and don't have a lot of money (which is often the case for me, with 3 kids!), look no further than Stratford's parks.
What I love about driving to Stratford with the kids is not only the fact that it is a relatively short drive from New Hamburg, but there are many potential stops along the way. Keep in mind, many of these do require money, but not a lot. A couple of my favourites are The Pork Shoppe in Shakespeare and Shakespeare Pies. There are also some renowned antique stores in Shakespeare that many tourists frequent on or from their way to the Festival City. It doesn't hurt to look!
Now back to the parks...on a hot summer day, taking the kids to any one of Stratford's parks along the river is a great idea and here's why. First of all, there are plenty of old and beautiful trees around to provide lots of shade for the kids. After all, with all that running around, being in the sun the entire time will wear the kids out a little TOO quickly!
Many of the parks are close to refreshment like water,juice and of course, ice cream or popsicles! Yummy and not a bad bribe if you happen to need one...The playground equipment also tends to provide enough excitement for the kids to wear them out and that IS what we want as parents. The way I see it, the whole scenario is a win-win situation. An outing that uses up the kids' energy, makes them happy (and myself, I might add), and it's inexpensive...unless you need to bribe the kids A LOT...but that's another issue...
Yes, Stratford is a very nice place to visit with the kids. There are tons of playgrounds, not just in the river parks, plus just walking or biking can be fun too, especially for the trips down memory lane. We haven't done it as much as we used to; seems lately we're travelling more now fruther and further away. Going to Mackinac Island area next week... it's been about 15 years since we've been there. We have hotel in St. Ignace on Lake Huron with a lake view balcony. We're going horseback riding and touring the Grand Hotel on the island... should be fun. But it isn't the same as Stratford. Working here diminishes its lustre I guess.
ReplyDeleteYour Bro' ;)
Is it nice to live there? We have a small family and are seriously considering moving from our small town in alberta to stratford. We have no connections and no job as of yet ( My hubby has applied at a few construction companies- he is a journeyman.) But we found it ( Our goal is Ontario) researched and it seems to call to us. What do you think if you were a person who did not do well with change- is it worth the changes? Are the people nice? Are there safe sitter options? How do we get connected? Is it expensive to live in?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info!
Do you have an e-mail address? I'm producing a comedy show in Stratford on Oct. 13th and I'd love to see it featured on your blog.
ReplyDeleteLet me know!
Brie Watson
brianne.watson@gmail.com