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Please tell me about safe, historic, charming downtown areas with access to high quality groceries. Anywhere in Canada. Thank you!
This is kind of an odd question and I wonder if you could elaborate and let us know what is the point of it?
Do you want to know about municipalities that have safe, charming, historical down town areas or are you mostly wanting to know if there are high quality groceries available anywhere and everywhere in Canada?
Canada has a total of 5,162+ municipalities and I figure at least 85 - 90% of them have safe, historic, charming downtown areas with access to high quality groceries.
Many of those municipalities will each have multiples of safe, historic, charming downtown areas with access to high quality groceries.
Some of them do not have even remotely safe, historic, charming downtown areas but they still have access to high quality groceries.
And then there are some isolated municipalities that have all kinds of safety, charm and history but they have no access to any groceries at all within the municipality and the people who live there do a lot of hunting and foraging for food as well as growing their own food. In municipalities like that the people who live there usually need special delivery of groceries and other supplies flown in privately or they sometimes leave their municipality to go elsewhere for shopping and then they bring all their food and supplies back with them from some place else.
We live in vacation rentals, working remotely since 2014. We've been staying in each rental for 2-3 months, but now we are looking to reserve longer stays and ultimately find a place to settle (though not in a rush.) Since we are not Canadian citizens it looks like the longest time period we're allowed to be in Canada is 6 months per year. So we'd be looking for a 6 month rental arrangement (if we can't get a 6 month term, we could do 3 months in one vacation rental and then 3 months in another for example.) If we find a location we love, we'd work toward living in Canada permanently. To be clear, we are not the kind of people that assume or expect it would be easy to become permanent residents or citizens, and we have researched requirements, point system, etc. If we fall in love with an area but can not become permanent residents or citizens, we will settle for 6 months per year in that location. The company my husband works for does have employees in Canada and they have confirmed it would not be a problem for him to continue his remote work from Canada. I should probably note our budget - we would prefer to keep the monthly rent under $3500 but we can go a bit higher if necessary.
My question in the OP sums up what we are looking for in a location. We want to be in or near a safe, charming "downtown" area with shops, restaurants, etc. We like a well-kept, historic atmosphere. High quality groceries are very important to me. Sometimes tourist areas, for example, have incredibly charming downtowns, but good groceries are not a priority because most people are just visitors who will eat their meals in restaurants. One location that has caught my eye is Niagara on the Lake. It looks lovely but I would not be surprised if it's lacking a really fantastic grocery store. Kingston is another location that looks interesting, and seems like there are lots of grocery stores but I am not familiar with them so don't know how the organic selection is for example. Both of the locations I mentioned are obviously in Ontario, but we are not necessarily limiting our search to Ontario. We're open to anywhere in Canada that meets the criteria in the OP.
We live in vacation rentals, working remotely since 2014. We've been staying in each rental for 2-3 months, but now we are looking to reserve longer stays and ultimately find a place to settle (though not in a rush.) Since we are not Canadian citizens it looks like the longest time period we're allowed to be in Canada is 6 months per year. So we'd be looking for a 6 month rental arrangement (if we can't get a 6 month term, we could do 3 months in one vacation rental and then 3 months in another for example.) If we find a location we love, we'd work toward living in Canada permanently. To be clear, we are not the kind of people that assume or expect it would be easy to become permanent residents or citizens, and we have researched requirements, point system, etc. If we fall in love with an area but can not become permanent residents or citizens, we will settle for 6 months per year in that location. The company my husband works for does have employees in Canada and they have confirmed it would not be a problem for him to continue his remote work from Canada. I should probably note our budget - we would prefer to keep the monthly rent under $3500 but we can go a bit higher if necessary.
My question in the OP sums up what we are looking for in a location. We want to be in or near a safe, charming "downtown" area with shops, restaurants, etc. We like a well-kept, historic atmosphere. High quality groceries are very important to me. Sometimes tourist areas, for example, have incredibly charming downtowns, but good groceries are not a priority because most people are just visitors who will eat their meals in restaurants. One location that has caught my eye is Niagara on the Lake. It looks lovely but I would not be surprised if it's lacking a really fantastic grocery store. Kingston is another location that looks interesting, and seems like there are lots of grocery stores but I am not familiar with them so don't know how the organic selection is for example. Both of the locations I mentioned are obviously in Ontario, but we are not necessarily limiting our search to Ontario. We're open to anywhere in Canada that meets the criteria in the OP.
I can assure you Niagara-on-the-Lake would absolutely have an excellent grocery store or two and probably multiple farmer’s markets, considering it is a big foodie town, an important hub of the Niagara wine region and orchards that grow some of Canada’s best seasonal produce.
High Tea at the Prince of Wales is excellent and there are tons of great restaurants in and around the town. It is a charming place and sounds perfect for what you’re looking for. It ain’t cheap, though.
Kingston is similar, but bigger. It is right near Prince Edward County, which is a lot like the Niagara Region with its orchards, vineyards, farmer’s markets, and amazing beaches.
There are many other towns that will suit your criteria, including (off the top of my head) Georgetown, Dundas, Collingwood, and the town with all the Mennonites…St. Something. Quebec’s Eastern Townships may also be nice, as well as the Ottawa Valley. Oh yeah, can’t forget Tobermory. Small and maybe lacking the grocery store you’re looking for, but very scenic and beautiful little town with lots of places to stay.
I can assure you Niagara-on-the-Lake would absolutely have an excellent grocery store or two and probably multiple farmer’s markets, considering it is a big foodie town, an important hub of the Niagara wine region and orchards that grow some of Canada’s best seasonal produce.
Niagara-on-the-Lake was my first thought when I read the OP's reasons for a "historic downtown and good groceries." It lies in one of Ontario's prime areas for fresh produce, especially fruit; and its vineyards have produced award-winning wines. The history of the area is amazing, with reminders of the War of 1812 everywhere. And the downtown is charming, with old buildings housing terrific restaurants and shops.
A group of friends and I used to sail across the lake from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake for some years, every summer, to spend a weekend. There was a supermarket we could get to on foot from the boat docks for things like a case of Coke or Pepsi, or bread and cold cuts for sandwiches; but there were markets and greengrocers with fresh produce easily accessible as well. Sometimes, we'd get a taxi and go a little bit out of town to roadside farmer's stands for fresh peaches, or head to a winery.
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Kingston is similar, but bigger. It is right near Prince Edward County, which is a lot like the Niagara Region with its orchards, vineyards, farmer’s markets, and amazing beaches.
Still in the same neighbourhood, the OP might want to look into Belleville, Picton, or Trenton. All have amazing access to Prince Edward County and its produce, and plenty of history too. Belleville, for example, was the jumping-off point for thousands of gallons of whisky destined for the US during Prohibition (the Corby Distillery was just north of the city, on the Moira River); and Trenton is a major RCAF base, with a museum detailing its history as a military base and town; as well as being a nice town in its own right.
Others in the area that might be suitable would include Port Hope, Stirling, Madoc, Cobourg, and Ivanhoe (home of the best cheddar cheese you will ever eat), though they all tend to be smaller than any place mentioned so far. Hastings County and Prince Edward County are among my favourite places in Ontario; and OP, you should definitely check them out.
I lived in St. John's 40 years ago, and there was never a downtown supermarket. A few Dommion stores before the 60s, all up in neighborhoods, then Sobeys came and anchored the first two malls. Only two other cities in Newfoundland has ovee 5,000. Few people could imagine needing something that couldn't be bought at a groc&conf a block away.
I don't recall a grocery in downtown Moncton in the 60s'
I'll spend some time researching the places suggested. I like to use google street view as a way to look around.
Thanks so much for the feedback about Niagara-on-the-Lake. I am still not sure about the grocery offerings there, but I see that it's close enough to St. Catharines that I could shop there if needed.
What grocery stores are considered the very best in Canada? I see Sobeys, Metro, Loblaws, Real Canadian.....
Niagara-on-the-Lake was my first thought when I read the OP's reasons for a "historic downtown and good groceries." It lies in one of Ontario's prime areas for fresh produce, especially fruit; and its vineyards have produced award-winning wines. The history of the area is amazing, with reminders of the War of 1812 everywhere. And the downtown is charming, with old buildings housing terrific restaurants and shops.
A group of friends and I used to sail across the lake from Toronto to Niagara-on-the-Lake for some years, every summer, to spend a weekend. There was a supermarket we could get to on foot from the boat docks for things like a case of Coke or Pepsi, or bread and cold cuts for sandwiches; but there were markets and greengrocers with fresh produce easily accessible as well. Sometimes, we'd get a taxi and go a little bit out of town to roadside farmer's stands for fresh peaches, or head to a winery.
Still in the same neighbourhood, the OP might want to look into Belleville, Picton, or Trenton. All have amazing access to Prince Edward County and its produce, and plenty of history too. Belleville, for example, was the jumping-off point for thousands of gallons of whisky destined for the US during Prohibition (the Corby Distillery was just north of the city, on the Moira River); and Trenton is a major RCAF base, with a museum detailing its history as a military base and town; as well as being a nice town in its own right.
Others in the area that might be suitable would include Port Hope, Stirling, Madoc, Cobourg, and Ivanhoe (home of the best cheddar cheese you will ever eat), though they all tend to be smaller than any place mentioned so far. Hastings County and Prince Edward County are among my favourite places in Ontario; and OP, you should definitely check them out.
You made some really great points about Niagara-on-the-Lake - it really would probably be the perfect choice for this poster’s requirements, with proximity to so many other great sites. It’s probably my favorite small town in Ontario for all the reasons you mentioned.
You are absolutely right about Belleville. It would probably suit their described criteria better than Kingston, which is a pretty busy university town that doesn’t really have a small-town feel to it. I also love Prince Edward County and the Peninsula. Gorgeous countryside, the best beach I’ve been to outside the Caribbean - a long stretch of white sand and bathtub-warm water on a shallow sandbar that extends a long ways out into the lake. It’s just a great, relaxed place to swim without many of the hazards of ocean beaches and other Great Lake beaches with deeper, colder water, and stronger currents. Madoc is a neat little town I often pass through on the way to cottage country, but I don’t know if it has much to offer a visitor staying more than a day or two. It is a good jumping-off point for adventures up north, but if that’s what the poster is after, I would recommend they simply rent a cottage on a lake (Weslemkoon is my favorite in that part of Cottage Country) or go camping. Port Hope is also nice.
Another nice town is Cambridge, but it’s not near the water. It’s also close to the larger city of Kitchener, where you will have a great selection of grocery stores. The countryside in Southern Ontario is very pretty, but like any other farming area, it can get boring pretty fast if you don’t explore and take time to learn about all the things you can do in the area.
The town I couldn’t remember in my last point is St. Jacob’s. It has a large Mennonite community who sell some of the best organic produce and meat I’ve ever eaten in a giant four-season farmer’s market. I bought a chicken there a few years back - cost about $40 - and it looked nothing like the store bought variety - even from the best sources, like a butcher at the St. Lawrence Market. It wasn’t all plump with meat. It looked the way a store-bought chicken probably looked 50 or 60 years ago before industrial farming “standardized” the awful chicken we buy nowadays. Anyhow, it didn’t have the giant breasts of a grocery store chicken, but I cut it up and barbecued the breasts, thighs, drumsticks. It came with the gizzard, heart, and other organs in a small bag, and I was so sad there was only the one heart to eat. It was and is the most delicious chicken I have ever eaten. It made me realize that most of us don’t know how chicken is supposed to taste. It was so juicy and flavorful. That’s pretty much the same with all the produce and meat sold there. It’s grown the way it used to be.
So, you’ve got lots of options and I hope you come for a visit. Southern Ontario is really underrated as a travel destination. Besides Toronto and Niagara Falls, it has 1. beautiful lakes and beaches, 2. countryside with rich soil that grows excellent produce, and 3. pockets of the broadleaf forest that used to cover all of Southern Ontario, including a hiking trail that can take you from the Niagara River to Lake Huron and the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. There are 4. dozens of river valleys and forested ravines with hiking trails to help you explore them. At the same time, head northeast and you will hit 5. the edge of the Canadian Shield, with its countless glacial lakes, mixed broadleaf/needle forests that marks the beginning of the boreal forest, and Algonquin Provincial Park. This whole area is a wonder that few outside of Southern Ontario know about. We call it “up north” or “cottage country,” and many city dwellers spend their summers there in cottages, or just visit and rent a cottage or camp. The attractions offered here are too numerous to discuss here, but a 2-3-hour drive from Toronto takes you to a completely different landscape and lifestyle that is easy to fall in love with.
There are so many amazing landscapes and things to do in Southern Ontario, but I’m not going to go beyond those four because it’s outside the scope of this thread. There are other threads that detail all the wonderful attractions Southern Ontario offers to travelers. My point is that you will have a great time if you choose to come here. Just try not to anchor yourself in one place for too long because there are so many places worth visiting and experiencing. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a great little town, and a perfect home base to explore the Niagara region, but try to spend some time in Belleville to experience Prince Edward County and the Thousand Islands. Unfortunately, the towns “up north” are not so charming as in other parts of the province, but you don’t want to stay in a town anyways. The best place to stay is in a cottage on a lake, where you can swim, barbecue, have nightly bonfires, listen to the loons call, spend the day paddle boarding or canoeing and exploring the islands and bays of the lake, fishing, and napping in a hammock. Up north is really a paradise in the summer.
So, yeah…that was longer than I meant for it to be, but I hope it times you am idea of just how much there is to see and do in Southern Ontario. No matter where you choose to stay, there is so much to see and do.
Up north is wonderful in the winter, too, to some of us. Something else you forgot, especially for those of us who lived most of our lives in light pollution areas, is the night sky. Winter or summer, I could go out around 11 pm or later (bundling up in the cold months, of course) and just stare at the sky.
But yes, summer is wonderful, and the call of a loon will always quicken my heart. Last summer the pair on the bay of the lake where I stayed had two babies. I watched them grow. It was a tough summer in other ways because of the illness of my loved one, and watching the baby loons grow up eased some of the pain. Great circle of life and all that.
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