Discover the charm of St. Marys, Ontario. A picturesque small town that feels like stepping into a living museum. Known as “The Stonetown” for its beautiful limestone architecture, St. Marys is filled with historic buildings, scenic trails, and riverside views that invite you to slow down and explore.
I’ve always heard that St. Marys is such a charming town to visit, but I always viewed it as too far away. That was before I moved closer on the west side of Toronto, that I finally got the chance. And, then I returned, and returned again. Yes, its a pretty town in Ontario; and worth the drive.
I’ve created a self-guided walking tour through its downtown’s heritage streets where you can browse the local shops housed in 19th-century stone facades, and admire the lovingly restored century homes a few streets over. With its wide green spaces, graceful bridges, and small town charm, St. Marys makes for a perfect Ontario road trip stop.
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Explore Historic St. Marys on Foot
What makes St. Marys unique from other small towns in Ontario is its interesting Canadian history.
The best way to see some of these historical sites is to take a self-guided walking tour, like the one I’ve created for you.
It starts at the town’s border and beacon, the St. Marys Water Tower, built in 1899, at the corner of Queen and James Streets.
The St. Marys water tower is made entirely of local limestone and is considered one of the best examples of industrial architecture constructed during the turn of the century in southwestern Ontario. It greets you as you enter the town.
Walk a little less than a minute until you arrive at St. Marys Station, built in 1907. It’s made of glazed brownish stone known as Logan Brick. This station is designated as a National Heritage building. Today, it’s been restored and serves as an art gallery with rotating exhibits.
On the opposite of town sits the Grand Trunk Railway from 1858.
The Grand Trunk Railway, built entirely of limestone, was the town’s first station. It is considered the best preserved original GTR station in Ontario, and as such, is a National Historic Site.
Today, it houses a craft brewery called the Broken Rail Brewer.
To accommodate the Thames River and Trout Creek engineers were faced with a major challenge.
In the end, they erected two towering stone railway bridges – named Sarnia and London. The London Bridge still operates today, but the Sarnia Bridge has been repurposed into a popular walking and biking trail.
Make your way to Queen Street, which is the main street in St. Marys. Start near the top by the Town Hall, built in 1891.
The Romanesque Revival style architecture was built of local limestone with red sandstone as the contrasting elements for window arches and checkerboard effects in the façade. Its towering height makes it an important part of the town’s skyline.
Turn the corner onto Church Street and you will find St. Marys Library built in early 20th century.
The local limestone building was made possible due to a $10,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish American, was a very important industrialist and philanthropist in the 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in history.
Walk down the hill until you reach the four-arched bridge spanning the Thames River. It serves as the backdrop to the incredibly scenic Little Falls. An area where there are several very tiny waterfalls over the local limestone. It’s a pretty sight, especially seeing the abundance of lily pads floating on top of the calm waters.
In summer flower boxes spill over the railings making it an impressive spot to stop and take in the views.
Leave the downtow and head to St. Marys Museum found on Church Street South, which is maybe a 10-minute walk from the Victoria Bridge.
The former residence of George Tracy, one of the earlier settlers of the historic St Mary’s. The Georgian architecture, with its smooth, large blocks of limestone, looks especially grand as it sits in a prominent location atop a hill. Visit here to learn all about the history of this town through its archives, historical photos and stories.
James Carter House
The reason for getting off the downtown allows you to see some of the historical homes. One that caught my eye is called the James Carter house on Peel Street South.
The James Carter House is one of four mansions built by local businessman George Carter. By 1868, George Carter had acquired the town block encircled by Jones, Peel, Elgin and King Streets with intentions to build several homes for his family on this land.
His other homes can be found at 224 Jones Street East (1869), 217 Jones Street East (1875); and 236 Jones Street East (1881). The James Carter House is the most advanced and stately building of its time in St. Marys.
End of Your Self-Guided Walking Tour
Walk along Peel Street for 3 minutes to Queen Street, and you are back downtown.
My Favourite Things to Do in St Marys
After your self-guided walking tour, you will end in the charming downtown. So, let’s start here.
Stroll the Downtown
A walk through the historic streets offers a first-hand look at the stunning limestone architecture and vibrant downtown core.
What makes St. Marys feel so visually different from many Ontario towns is the sheer amount of limestone architecture throughout the community. Bridges, churches, civic buildings, homes, storefronts, and even the water tower all seem connected through the same warm grey stone that gives the town its nickname: The Stone Town.
Take a stroll along Queen Street, full of cute specialty shops and cafés. Some of my favourite stores to visit are The Chocolate Factory, Millie’s Kitchen, The Floor Mill and Bungalow.
Go to the Farmers Market
One of my favourite things to do on a Saturday morning is go to a Farmers’ Market. If I’m daytripping, I skip my hometown and head to the local one I’m visiting.
St. Marys is a fun one to visit. First, it’s set up in the most idyllic setting by the Thames River in The Flats, or Milt Dunnell Field.
And, it not only features your typical farming produce and baked goods, but also some cute lifestyle vendors and even someone from St. Mary’s Museum.
I had a lovely chat and the Museum Curator happily shared some interesting St Marys history and fun facts about her hometown:
- The town of St. Marys was founded in 1842 by a group of settlers led by Thomas Ingersoll, who named it after the nearby St. Marys River
- Arthur Meighen, Canada’s 9th Prime Minister, is buried in St. Marys Cemetery
- Timothy Eaton, of the Eaton’s department store fame, opened his first retail business here and in the nearby village of Kirkton
She also boasted about the town’s Stonetown Heritage Festival, a family-friendly fun event that honours the town’s past. Held in the middle of July weekend, this festival features a vendor’s market, food, live music and a fireworks show.
Visit the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
If you are a baseball fan, you’ll want to visit the museum dedicated to preserving Canada’s baseball heritage, dating back to 1838.
The museum was moved from Toronto to St. Marys in the late 1990s.
Why St. Marys, you might be wondering? The first recorded game of baseball in North America took place in Beachville, not far from St. Marys on June 4, 1838.
The game appeared in Sporting Life magazine and was written by St. Marys native Adam Ford, who was the town’s mayor and doctor.
Head to the Nature Trails
Enjoy the more than 25 km of trails perfect for walking, running and biking. The most popular ones follow the Thames River and the Grand Trunk trail of the old railway. Check out the trail map and explore one for your next visit.
Cool Off at the St. Marys Quarry
Be sure to visit Canada’s largest outdoor freshwater swimming pool.
The St Marys quarry dates back to the mid-1800s. When the former limestone quarry closed in the 1920s, it was converted into a public swimming area. It includes cliff jumping, SUP boarding, and beach volleyball.
Paddle down the Thames River
Explore the 5 km of paddling routes on the Thames River and Trout Creek waterways.
St. Marys offers a free kayak loan program through Yak Shack; reservations are a must, making it accessible for anyone to enjoy. How can you say no to that? This makes paddling one of the best things to do in St. Marys.
Is St. Marys Worth the Road Trip?
As the slogan reads on its water tower, “St. Marys, The Town Worth Living In”, it offers locals and its visitors alike a lot of interesting history as well as things to do. But what makes this town extra special is its people.
The limestone buildings, riverside trails, railway bridges, and slower pace give the town a very different personality from many of Ontario’s better-known destinations.
I also think part of the appeal is that St. Marys still feels a little under the radar. You won’t notice the crowds of visitors like you will find in Niagara-on-the-Lake or Elora with its dramatic gorge and busier downtown atmosphere.
The potential drawback might be its location. St. Marys is located in Perth County at the junction of the Thames River and Trout Creek in southwestern Ontario.
To reach it from Toronto, it’s about a 2-hour drive. But it is conveniently located 20 minutes southwest of everyone’s favourite theatre town of Stratford. I recommend making it a weekend, allowing you to visit this town, and if you continue west to Lake Huron, in under an hour, you will arrive at the charming beach town of Bayfield and Canada’s prettiest town of Goderich.
That’s also why I love the idea behind Guess Where Trips. Their themed Ontario road trips are built around discovering small towns, scenic drives, hidden gems, cafés, and slower experiences you might never have planned yourself.
