Lying across the river from Detroit, Michigan, Windsor is a hub of manufacturing and international trade and also makes a convenient entrance point into the province for some U.S. citizens.
The main attraction that draws visitors to Windsor is Casino Windsor, which does booming business with its slots and gaming tables. The waterfront is also a draw: The International Peace Fountain floats in the Detroit River, and the promenade at Dieppe Gardens is a good place to view the Detroit skyline. River cruises depart from the gardens.
Other Windsor attractions include Jackson Park (fantastic summer rose gardens), the Hiram Walker Distillery Tour (home of Canadian Club whiskey) and the Art Gallery of Windsor.
Visitors interested in African-American history may want to retrace the footsteps of those who escaped into Canada via the Underground Railroad in the 1800s. Sandwich Baptist Church, erected in Windsor in 1821, was the first Baptist church built by freed slaves. Nearby Amherstburg is home to the North American Black Historical Museum and Cultural Centre, which chronicles the slaves' journey to freedom. Also in Amherstburg is Fort Malden National Historic Park, site of a fortress that played a large role in the War of 1812. The park contains restored barracks and a museum with artifacts from the British and U.S. armies that occupied the fort.
The International Freedom Festival—a two-week celebration honoring the birth of both Canada and the U.S.—takes place in Windsor and Detroit in late June and early July. The fireworks display is one of the largest in North America: It's typically held on a weeknight in the last week of June.
Point Pelee National Park (35 mi/55 km southeast of Windsor) is a large stretch of sand and marsh extending into Lake Erie and the southernmost point in all of Canada. This is a great place to see migrating birds and monarch butterflies on their way north or south. The park offers an interpretive center, nature trails, a boardwalk and miles/kilometers of beaches. There are more opportunities for birding at Holiday Beach Conservation Area, Jack Miners Bird Sanctuary and Pelee Island, which lies south of Point Pelee in Lake Erie. The island is also popular for fishing and winery tours. 230 mi/370 km southwest of Toronto.
