Skip to content
Voykit

Major city · Canada

StratfordStratford, Ontario

Go for one night if you have a Festival ticket; two nights if you want the river walk and a day trip. Without a show, Stratford is a half-day stop.

Stratford is a small city in Perth County, about 1.5 hours west of Toronto by car, built around the Stratford Festival — North America's largest classical repertory theatre, running April to October. Outside show season the town is quiet: the Avon River park, a few galleries and the museum carry a short visit. Most travellers come for a performance, sleep downtown, and leave the next morning.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep (Festival season, warm); late Sep–Oct for fall colour
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, −10 °C (14 °F) nights, most theatres dark)
Airports
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) · Region of Waterloo International (YKF) · London International (YXU)
Nights
1–2

About Stratford

Stratford is a city in Southwestern Ontario, home to about 33,000 people as of 2021, and serves as the seat of Perth County. It is best known for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, which presents Shakespearean, classical and musical theatre and has drawn international attention. The surrounding countryside is given over to mixed farming, dairying and hog production. The city also counts musicians Loreena McKennitt and Justin Bieber among its hometown names.

The area was home to the Anishinaabe, Attiwonderonk (Neutral) and Haudenosaunee peoples before European settlement. Immigrants from England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany arrived from the 1820s, mostly in the 1830s and 1840s, and most took up farming. The downtown core holds bookstores, clothing boutiques, toy stores and craft stores along Ontario, Wellington and Downie Streets, and the Avon River park system runs through the city.

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Stratford: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices

See

What is worth your time in Stratford.

  • Stratford Festival — North America's largest classical repertory theatre, drawing more than 600,000 visitors a year before COVID-19 and staging Shakespeare alongside other classical and contemporary works.
  • Festival Theatre — One of four Festival venues, at 55 Queen Street.
  • Tom Patterson Theatre — A Festival venue at 111 Lakeside Drive.
  • Avon Theatre — A Festival venue at 99 Downie Street.
  • Stratford-Perth Museum — A community museum covering the cultural heritage of Stratford and Perth County, open daily 10AM-4PM.

Do

  • Walk the shaded path around the Avon River lake, with benches for picnicking and swans, ducks and geese to see.
  • Rent a canoe or pedal boat from the York Street Visitors Kiosk.
  • Take a Festival tour, such as the Set Changeover Experience or the Festival Treasures Tour of the costume warehouse, from mid-June to late October.
  • Follow the self-guided Stratford's Bacon & Ale Trail, with five vouchers for bacon or ale treats from participating businesses.

Eat and drink

Specialities of this place.

  • Perth County pork — Hog production is part of the area's farming economy, and the Bacon & Ale Trail covers Stratford's pork and brewing history.
  • Balzac's Coffee — Coffee, espresso drinks, pastries, pre-made sandwiches and homemade ice cream on Ontario Street.
  • Bentley's Inn Bar and Restaurant — Pub food including shepherd's pie and daily specials, described as good for post-theatre fare.
  • Bijou Restaurant — Modern French cooking with a menu that changes daily.

Customs

  • The city is known as the hometown of musicians Loreena McKennitt and Justin Bieber; the tourism website offers an audio guide to places Bieber used to hang out, though schools are not open for tours.
  • The downtown stores generally open seven days a week during the theatre season, mostly 9:30AM to 5:30PM, with many staying open until 8PM on Fridays.
  • Pre-theatre meals call for a reservation.

Events

  • Stratford Festival season — Plays and musicals run across the Festival, Tom Patterson, Avon and Studio theatres; the 2023 playbill featured 14 plays and musicals.April to October
  • Stratford Summer Music Festival — An annual multi-week concert series in outdoor and indoor venues around town, with a mix of free and ticketed events.July and August
  • Art In The Park — An outdoor gallery of regional artists' work on Lakeside Drive, open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 10AM-5PM, weather permitting.Late May to late September
Emergency numbers for Stratford911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Stratford, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and pastry$5–9 (≈ US$4–7)
  • Sit-down mealSplurge dinner main$44–60 (≈ US$35–45)
  • BeerDraught beer in a pub$8–10 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)In-town taxi flat rate$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum adult entry$10 (≈ US$8)
  • Budget bedFamily room or suite (up to 4), a night, per roomC$200 (≈ US$150)
  • Mid-range bedHotel or inn double room, a night, per roomC$180 (≈ US$140)
  • High-end bedHotel or inn double room, a night, per roomC$320 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$280 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Stratford Festival theatreAvon River park and swansPerth County pork and brewingJustin Bieber's hometown
Airports
YYZ Toronto Pearson International (No rail link to Stratford; Stratford Airporter shuttle, about 2 h, or drive Highway 401 to Kitchener then Highways 7/8.) · YKF Region of Waterloo International (Kitchener) (Closest airport; about 45 min by car. Check onward bus or taxi options.) · YXU London International (About 1 h by car; PC Connect and FlixBus run from London.)

Map of Stratford

Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.

St. MarysWoodstockIngersollWaterloo, OntarioSt. JacobsLucanKitchenerElmira

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

  • Stratford
  • Basic guide

Directions in Google Maps · Apple Maps

Guides nearby

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    −3°C (27°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    −1°C (30°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    4°C (38°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    18°C (65°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    24°C (74°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    26°C (78°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    25°C (76°F)

  9. Sep

    Best*

    21°C (69°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    13°C (56°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    6°C (43°F)

  12. Dec

    not flagged

    0°C (32°F)

Best: Jun–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (26°C (78°F)), coolest Jan (−9°C (15°F) low), wettest Jan (15 rain days), driest Jun (11). Averages, not a forecast.

* only part of the month (early, mid or late).

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Stratford: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−3°C (27°F)

−9°C (15°F)

15 rd

Feb

−1°C (30°F)

−9°C (16°F)

12 rd

Mar

4°C (38°F)

−5°C (23°F)

12 rd

Apr

11°C (52°F)

2°C (35°F)

12 rd

May

18°C (65°F)

7°C (45°F)

12 rd

Jun

24°C (74°F)

12°C (54°F)

11 rd

Jul

26°C (78°F)

15°C (58°F)

11 rd

Aug

25°C (76°F)

14°C (56°F)

11 rd

Sep

21°C (69°F)

10°C (50°F)

12 rd

Oct

13°C (56°F)

5°C (40°F)

13 rd

Nov

6°C (43°F)

0°C (32°F)

14 rd

Dec

0°C (32°F)

−6°C (22°F)

15 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable: downtown to the Festival Theatre is about 15 minutes on foot along the river. Stratford Transit runs six routes Monday–Saturday roughly 8:00–22:00 from the Downie Street terminal; Sunday service is on-demand by phone or app. Taxis are plentiful and charge a flat in-town rate. A car helps for the museum and day trips.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

St. Marys

go

Door to door: About 45 min

VIA Rail from Stratford station, about 15 min, or 20 min by car on Highway 7

Small stone town with the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and a quarry swimming hole.

Wildwood Conservation Area

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car west on Highway 7, about 15 min

Reservoir, campground and walking trails; no public transport.

London, Ontario

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

FlixBus or PC Connect from Stratford, or 1 h by car on Highway 7

Bigger city for museums, food and onward rail.

Toronto

overnight

Door to door: About 3 h

GO Transit train, about 2 h 40 min, or VIA Rail; limited daily departures

Too far for a comfortable same-day return around a show.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown core (Ontario, Downie and Wellington streets)

Walk to the Avon, Studio and Tom Patterson theatres and to most restaurants. Book early for Festival weekends.

Near the Festival Theatre (Queen Street / Lakeside Drive)

Quietest for the main stage; 10–15 min walk to downtown.

Highway 8 and Ontario Street strip

Motels and chain hotels with parking; 20–30 min walk or a short taxi to the centre.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
$150–230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
$250 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel or inn double room1 × 1 night × C$180C$180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$160C$320
Stratford Airporter, Toronto Pearson to Stratford, one person2 × C$129 · group rates fall per headC$258
Stratford Transit day of rides2 × C$8C$16
Festival theatre tour, per person2 × C$15 · mid-June to late OctoberC$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$85
Trip total≈ C$470 per person per day, bed includedC$939≈ US$700

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; Festival tickets and travel to Stratford excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and pastry$5–9 (≈ US$4–7)
Pub main (burger, pasta, pizza)$17–27 (≈ US$13–20)
Splurge dinner main$44–60 (≈ US$35–45)
Draught beer in a pub$8–10 (≈ US$6–8)
In-town taxi flat rate$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)
Museum adult entry$10 (≈ US$8)
Festival theatre tour$15 (≈ US$11)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Stratford is a low-crime small city; the real risks are winter ice, deer and cyclists on the river paths at dusk, and driving Highway 7/8 after a late show. Keep to lit streets downtown at night.
  • Festival tickets sell out months ahead for popular titles: book on the official Festival site, not resale.
  • Pre-theatre dinner tables fill from about 17:30: reserve.
  • GO Transit trains between Toronto and Stratford run limited weekday and weekend trips, and Stratford station has no Presto readers or ticket machines — buy an e-ticket on your phone before boarding.
  • Winter nights drop below −10 °C (14 °F) and pavements ice over; most Festival venues are dark from November to March.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

StratfordStratford, Ontario

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Stratford; the US consulate-general is in Toronto. Most countries' missions are in Ottawa, with consulates in Toronto.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Stratford Airporter, YYZ to Stratford: $129 (≈ US$95) for one person, about 2 h
  • VIA Rail Stratford to Toronto: about $30–60 (≈ US$25–45), about 2 h (check)
  • GO Transit Stratford to Toronto: about $20–25 (≈ US$15–19) e-ticket, about 2 h 40 min (check)
  • In-town taxi flat rate: $10–15 (≈ US$8–11)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Excuse me — Excuse me
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the theatre? — Where is the theatre?
  • A table for two, please — A table for two, please
  • Where is the washroom? — Where is the toilet?

English is the working language; no phrasebook needed. Tipping 15–20% at restaurants and bars, 10–15% for taxis.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Stratford. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep (Festival season, warm); late Sep–Oct for fall colour · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, −10 °C nights, most theatres dark) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YYZ, YKF and YXU: shuttle and rail options field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: downtown Ontario Street, the Avon River and Shakespearean Gardens, the Festival Theatre and Lakeside Drive, the museum and Highway 8 strip.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Festival theatres, Stratford-Perth Museum, Gallery Stratford, Art in the Park) and eat pages with last orders and pre-theatre seating times.
  4. Festival-night fixtures so gates A–D can go green: sold-out shows, late trains and winter closures.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources

Ask about Stratford

Loading…

Was this useful?