Port McNicoll: Trails and Local History

Discover Port McNicoll through a range of interests: a multi-use trail, insights into local history, and listed waterfront parks and beaches. The Tay Shore Trail runs through Tay and along the Trestle Trail to Port McNicoll. If you’re planning a family trip, you can consider whether time together on the trail, historical discoveries, or waterfront spots will shape your stay.

Exploring the Tay Shore Trail

The Tay Shore Trail is 18.5 km long, paved, and described as a multi-use trail. It is also registered as part of the Trans Canada Trail. Its length gives you a concrete reference point for planning your day; you can decide which section suits your plans based on what you want to do. The route runs through Tay and along the Trestle Trail to Port McNicoll.

The trail features information panels about the natural and historical aspects of Tay. So, in addition to the trail itself, nature and history are among the things you may encounter along the way. For families, this offers a topic for conversation: you can look at the information together and decide which subjects interest you most.

Discovering local history on foot

The Tay Heritage Committee has designated a historic district in Port McNicoll. There is also a map that can help you explore the local heritage on foot. A historical walking tour takes you through several points in the town’s history, including historic sites and houses. If you’re interested in the town’s history, you can choose between exploring with the map and following a tour of selected stops.

One specific stop on the historical walking tour is 556 Algoma Avenue. It is identified as the home of James McCannell Sr. and his family, who moved to the area in the late 19th century. The connection to a named family offers a personal way into the town’s history. On a walk focused on history, you can view the individual stops as offering different insights into Port McNicoll’s history, rather than reducing the tour to a single theme.

Waterfront parks and beaches

There are also specific place names to help you find waterfront parks and beaches: Patterson Park at 180 Patterson Road and Magnus Beach at 102 Grandview Road are listed among Port McNicoll’s waterfront parks and beaches. The names and addresses clearly distinguish the two listings. If you’d rather plan your trip around this theme than the trail or historical stops, you can consider these places as points of interest in their own right.

Which experiences will shape your trip?

Other places in this selection: Victoria Harbour, Wasaga Beach, Borden, Penetanguishene, Brechin, Stayner, Innisfil and Wymbolwood Beach.

For the broader travel overview: Simcoe County.