Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Port Hope sits at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, about 109 kilometres east of Toronto. It is best known for a downtown that is widely regarded as the best preserved nineteenth century main street in Ontario, and it adds a lakefront, a river and a large forest.
Walton Street
The Capitol Theatre
Port Hope Town Hall
John Street buildings
+5 more places
Slow growth between 1881 and 1951 meant that much of the town's original architecture survived, and Port Hope now has over 270 heritage designated buildings.
The setting adds to the appeal, with a harbour, public beaches, a salmon and trout river and trails nearby. It works for a day from Toronto, though a night or two lets you see it at a gentler pace.
Walton Street is the main commercial street, and about fifty heritage buildings are concentrated between 1 and 201 Walton Street. The downtown is known for antiques and specialty shopping, so give yourself at least two hours.
The Capitol Theatre is an atmospheric theatre styled as a medieval courtyard. Photo: Yoho2001 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
On Queen Street, this old movie theatre is one of the last atmospheric theatres in Canada, with walls and ceiling painted to look like a medieval courtyard and clouds projected overhead.
Port Hope Town Hall was built between 1851 and 1853 and has a clock in its cupola. Photo: XeresNelro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Built between 1851 and 1853, the town hall on Queen Street has a clock in its rooftop cupola and a classic look. It is a short stop on the way between Walton Street and the river.
The former Bank of Upper Canada on John Street dates from about 1857 and is Italianate in style. Photo: William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
John Street holds the former Midland Hotel, built about 1855 to serve railway passengers, and the former Bank of Upper Canada from about 1857, an Italianate building almost square in shape. Both are best admired from outside.
The Port Hope station opened in 1856 for the Grand Trunk Railway and was restored in 1985. Photo: Quist, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
The Port Hope station opened in 1856 for the Grand Trunk Railway and has been carefully restored. Nearby at the harbour, the little 1850s Station building on Hayward Street was moved from its first site.
King Street east of the river has about a dozen heritage houses. Photo: Mhsheikholeslami, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
East of the Ganaraska River, King Street is a quiet residential street with about a dozen heritage houses, including a Gothic cottage, a Second Empire duplex and a house built as an inn around 1800.
The Ganaraska River is known to anglers for its annual salmon and trout runs. Photo: Mykola Swarnyk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The river that runs through town is well known to anglers for annual salmon and trout runs and has caused historic floods, the latest in 1980. The town used to mark that flood each April with a boat race down the river.
West Beach and East Beach give Port Hope access to Lake Ontario. Photo: Clarise Samuels, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Port Hope has two lake beaches. West Beach has parking at the end of Marsh Street, and East Beach has parking at the bottom of King Street.
The Ganaraska Forest Centre is among the area's heritage and outdoor attractions. Photo: Magnolia677, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
North of town, the Ganaraska Forest has hiking and outdoor recreation and is listed among the municipality's heritage and cultural attractions. Check the forest centre's current trail information before you go.
Port Hope lies at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Photo: Robert Taylor from Stirling, ON, Canada, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The Port Hope Drive-In, built in 1952, is among the oldest Canadian drive-ins still operating. The farmers' market runs from May to October, and festivals include the All Canadian Jazz Festival, the Hibernate and Cultivate music events and the fall fair.
Port Hope's food scene is made of small cafés, bakeries and restaurants around Walton and Queen Streets, plus the farmers' market from May to October. Start with butter tarts, the pastry with a gooey filling that Ontario bakeries take seriously, and try more than one version.
Look for peameal bacon, the cornmeal-coated back bacon that is rarely found outside southern Ontario, often served in a sandwich. Ontario is also known for maple syrup, which is easy to buy at market stalls and shops as a souvenir.
Popular dishes to try in Port Hope
Downtown Port Hope is the best base because Walton Street, the theatre, restaurants and the harbour are all within a short walk.
King Street, east of the river, is a quiet residential area with heritage houses and an easy walk to East Beach. It suits travelers who want calm evenings and a more neighborhood feel.
Cobourg, about ten minutes east along Lake Ontario, offers more choice and a wider range of rooms, so it works well for larger groups and during busy events.
Where to stay in Port Hope
Late spring through early autumn is the best period for walking downtown, using the beaches and visiting the farmers' market, which runs from May to October. Summer is busiest.
Spring is a good time to watch the river and salmon and trout, and in autumn the forest is attractive and the fall fair takes place. December brings the Christmas and Santa Claus Parade with the Festival of Trees and a candlelight walk.
By car, take Highway 401 to exit 464 at Ontario Street for the main access, or exit 461 at County Road 2 and Toronto Road. The town is roughly 100 kilometres east of downtown Toronto and about 85 kilometres west of Belleville.
VIA Rail stops at the restored Port Hope station on the Toronto to Montréal corridor, but service is limited, with weekday trains oriented to commuters, so check the current schedule before planning a day trip.
Park downtown and walk Walton Street, stopping at the Capitol Theatre and the town hall. After lunch, explore John Street and the station and harbour, then visit the farmers' market if it is open.
Spend the morning on King Street and along the Ganaraska River, then go to West Beach or East Beach.
WISERMAP PLACEPort Hope: photos, reviews & things to doSee traveler photos and reviews, or share your own →
Gananoque, Ontario
Tobermory, Ontario
Bayfield, Ontario
Sudbury, Ontario
Mississauga, Ontario
Agawa Canyon, Ontario