DAY 4
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breakfast Tango Cafe & Grill go
At our final breakfast we discover the tango dance steps on the ceiling – hence the name. We fuel up with seasonal fresh fruit, just right poached egg served with an English.
9:30 am drive to Lake Huron to explore Bayfield and Goderich
noon arrive Bayfield go
We enter the broad inviting tree lined and flowered streets to reach the town square center piece – the 1882 Town Hall – and catch the-days-gone-by magic of the place. Jenna Ujiye and Tyler Hessel tour us through historic “downtown” (5 blocks) area. Many well preserved 19th century homes with charming architectural detail. Flowers everywhere in the landscape. Bayfield is quaint, rural but also a cultural metropolis offering gourmet dining, art galleries, and cosmopolitan style-boutiques. From May – October, lakeside housekeeping cottages on Bayfield Harbor, Lake Huron’s prettiest shore, are very popular and in demand. Hiking trails, golf, boating close by. At the end of town we check out Pioneer Park – great place for a picnic on the grass or a walk along the beach.
1 pm lunch Black Dog Village Pub & Bistro Bayfield go
At midday most bistro seats are filled but the pub portion has one. Located in the Historic District, the Black Dog has been lovingly restored. A seasonal menu features the best in quality local foods prepared with simplicity and style. Good list of VQA wines and draught beers with extraordinary selection of single malts. Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh, a true foodie, who co-owns with her husband, has authored 6 food/culture books. She stops by to say hello.
4 pm drive to Goderich go
We drive through this city steeped in historical charm and natural beauty of a lakeside location to get the layout. Goderich is proud of its reputation as Canada’s prettiest town, winner of multiple Communities In Bloom Awards. Many recreational choices here – marinas, parks, beaches, walking trails, cycling, golf, fishing, special events, port, museums and heritage architecture – so much to enjoy, so little time in which to do it. Under the lakebed, salt mining has been going on the last 50 years. Now 1,750 feet deep, the mine extends 2 miles into Lake Huron, and is 1.5 miles wide. The harbor is a key deep-water port on the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence seaway. Millions of tons of rock salt, grain and calcium are shipped from Port Goderich each year.
5 pm check-in Benmiller Inn & Spa Goderich go
A long winding tree shaded drive leads us through fern filled gardens. The inn sits sheltered in a wooded valley on the banks of the Maitland River. A handsome 175 year old woolen mill building comes into view. We enter through barn-like double doors. It is dark, reminiscent of an old style English men’s club with dark hued chunky leather chairs, amber lighting, beamed ceilings, fireplace, wood floors. This is an authentic Canadian country inn. Our room in the Gledhill House has double doors opening out onto a veranda overlooking the stream. Trees lining the water are reflected in the blue flow. Very peaceful. Sumptuous linens, feather top beds and quiet country comfort. A spa, tennis courts and trails to the Galls Reserve Conservation Area complete the package. Nearby golf and flyfishing. Wish we could do it all.
6 pm dinner Ivey Dining Room, Benmiller Inn & Spa go
Earlier in the day we arranged for a table with stream view and requested upholstered high back chairs for seating. Winner of the CAA 4 Diamond Award – service is impeccable, choices interesting and presentations attractive, not phony. Local farm products used to produce home cooking quality. Baking, sauces, preserves all made on site.
stay Benmiller Inn & Spa go
