Stratford Festival: The Festival Theatre
The 1,833-seat thrust-stage theatre at 55 Queen Street that is the heart of the Stratford Festival. The theatre is dark from November until the season reopens in late April.
Ontario (Canada)
Stratford (Ontario)
Stratford is a small Ontario city on the Avon River that is home to the Stratford Festival, one of the largest classical repertory theatres in North America.
Four stages, the Festival, Avon, Tom Patterson and Studio theatres, put on Shakespeare, musicals and new Canadian plays from roughly April to the end of October, with some shows running into early November. Around the theatres you will find swans on Lake Victoria, the Shakespearean Gardens, the self-guided Chocolate Trail and Bacon and Ale Trail, a good art gallery and a farm-country museum, and the limestone town of St. Marys is a short drive away. This guide covers the theatres, both trails, the river and gardens, the farmers' market, a craft distillery, heritage buildings, St. Marys, Wildwood and Pinery Provincial Park, Gallery Stratford and the Stratford Perth Museum, plus eight hotels, most within walking distance of the stages. The season is the thing to plan around: the theatres are closed from November until late April, though the trails, gallery and downtown stay open.
Don't miss
Stratford Festival: The Festival Theatre
The 1,833-seat thrust-stage theatre at 55 Queen Street that is the heart of the Stratford Festival. The theatre is dark from November until the season reopens in late April.
Stratford Festival: Tom Patterson Theatre and Studio Theatre
The 600-seat lakeside theatre at 111 Lakeside Drive, with Lazaridis Hall beside it and the small Studio Theatre downtown. Dark outside the Festival season.
Stratford Festival: The Avon Theatre
The downtown proscenium-arch theatre at 99 Downie Street, with 1,077 seats and a name for lavish sets and family shows. It is dark outside the Festival season.
Avon River and Lake Victoria
The riverside parks, swans and paths that run past the theatres, with canoe and paddle-boat hire in the warm months. The paths are open year round, and boat hire is a warm-weather activity.
Things to do in Stratford (Ontario)
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Stratford Festival: The Avon Theatre
The downtown proscenium-arch theatre at 99 Downie Street, with 1,077 seats and a name for lavish sets and family shows. It is dark outside the Festival season.
Stratford Festival: Tom Patterson Theatre and Studio Theatre
The 600-seat lakeside theatre at 111 Lakeside Drive, with Lazaridis Hall beside it and the small Studio Theatre downtown. Dark outside the Festival season.
Stratford Chocolate Trail
A self-guided trail of chocolate treats at Stratford shops and cafes, paid for with a set of vouchers. It runs year round, so it works in November.
Stratford Bacon and Ale Trail
A self-guided trail built around pork and local brewing history, paid for with five vouchers. It runs year round.
FreeAvon River and Lake Victoria
The riverside parks, swans and paths that run past the theatres, with canoe and paddle-boat hire in the warm months. The paths are open year round, and boat hire is a warm-weather activity.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
FreeShakespearean Gardens
A riverside garden planted with flowers and herbs named in Shakespeare's plays, free to visit. In November it is dormant, and the best months are late spring to early autumn.
30 to 60 minutesDetails →
St. Marys, the Stonetown
A limestone small town between Stratford and London, with a heritage museum, a baseball hall of fame and a huge former quarry used for swimming in summer. Visit for the town, since the quarry is closed until June.
Gallery Stratford
The city's public art gallery at 54 Romeo Street South, with changing exhibitions and a free evening on the third Thursday of each month. It is open Wednesday to Sunday through the autumn.
Stratford Perth Museum
The local history museum just west of the city on Highway 8, open daily from 10 to 4 on its standing schedule. It is a good indoor stop when the theatres are dark.
Stratford Farmers' Market
One of Ontario's oldest farmers' markets, held year round on Saturday mornings at the Stratford Agriplex with more than 40 vendors. It is free to wander and good in any season.
1 to 1.5 hoursDetails →
Junction 56 Distillery
A Stratford craft distillery making whiskey, gin and vodka, with a short guided tour and tasting on Saturdays and cocktail classes by arrangement. Book ahead by phone or email.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
The Queen’s Cue, Stratford, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Downtown Stratford, Ontario Street
A boutique hotel at 161 Ontario Street in an 1858 building, with 31 individually designed rooms, a pub, a tea room and a lobby bar. Three minutes from the Avon Theatre, it is the splurge pick.
Check rates →Best Western Plus The Arden Park Hotel
Ontario Street, near the Festival Theatre
A 144-room hotel at 552 Ontario Street, a short walk from the Festival Theatre, with a year-round indoor pool, a restaurant and free parking. It is the family mid-range pick.
Check rates →The Parlour Inn, an Ascend Collection Hotel
Downtown Stratford, Wellington Street
A character inn at 101 Wellington Street, three minutes from the Avon Theatre, with a restaurant and bar, jetted-tub rooms and free parking. It is the walkable mid-range pick.
Check rates →Mercer Hotel Downtown, BW Premier Collection
Downtown Stratford, Ontario Street
A downtown hotel at 104 Ontario Street with a restaurant, coffee shop and bar, five minutes from the Avon and Tom Patterson theatres. It has no elevator, and parking is a small nightly fee.
Check rates →
$$Foster’s Inn
Downtown Stratford, Downie Street
A Victorian inn at 111 Downie Street, two minutes from the Avon Theatre, with a restaurant and bar and no on-site parking. Often the lowest price of the five outside peak dates.
Check rates →
$$Bentley’s Inn
Downtown Stratford, Ontario Street
A downtown inn at 99 Ontario Street with bi-level loft rooms, fireplaces, an on-site restaurant and bar and free parking, two minutes from the Avon Theatre. It is the central, comfortable pick.
Check rates →Edison’s Inn
Downtown Stratford, Ontario Street
A small inn at 48 Ontario Street with three themed rooms, streaming TVs and espresso makers, five minutes from the Avon Theatre. It is the compact, design-minded pick for couples.
Check rates →Festival Courtyard Inn
East end of Ontario Street, a short drive from downtown
A motel-style inn at 1144 Ontario Street with an on-site restaurant and bar, free parking and a 24-hour front desk. It is the budget pick for drivers, a short drive from the Festival Theatre.
Check rates →Stratford (Ontario) guides
First Time in Stratford, Ontario: Seasons, What to Book, Getting Around and How Many Days
A practical primer for a first trip to Stratford, Ontario: the Festival season, what to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and where the theatres, trails, river and St. Marys fit.
Where to Stay in Stratford, Ontario: Downtown or Near the Festival Theatre
Where to stay in Stratford, Ontario: downtown near the Avon Theatre or on Ontario Street near the Festival Theatre, with eight hotels from a boutique splurge to a budget stay with free parking.
Three Days in Stratford, Ontario: A Plan for Theatre Season and the Quiet Months
A three-day itinerary for Stratford, Ontario, with one plan for the Festival season and one for the off-season, covering theatres, the river, markets, trails, St. Marys and where to eat.
Eating and Drinking in Stratford, Ontario: Trails, Markets, Pubs and Craft Spirits
A food and drink guide to Stratford, Ontario: the Chocolate Trail, the Bacon and Ale Trail, the farmers' market, a craft distillery, afternoon tea and pub dinners, with tips on timing around the theatres.
Best Time to Visit Stratford, Ontario: Seasons, Festival Dates and Quiet Months
When to visit Stratford, Ontario: the Festival season from April to October, summer crowds, autumn colour, winter trails and what stays open when the theatres are dark.
Day Trips from Stratford, Ontario: St. Marys, Wildwood, Pinery and Beyond
Day trips from Stratford, Ontario by car: the limestone town of St. Marys, Wildwood Conservation Area, Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron and the heritage walks and trails on your doorstep.
