Parry Sound - 1000 Towns of Canada
Ontario · Georgian Bay
Parry Sound
Gateway to the 30,000 Islands — where hockey legends, harbour trails, and Georgian Bay sunsets meet. One of the easiest weekends from Toronto.
Photo by Divya Thakur – Parry Sound, Wikimedia Commons
Region:
Georgian Bay, Central Ontario
Known For:
Georgian Bay waterfront town | Bobby Orr Hall of Fame | Capital of 30,000 Islands | Tower Hill Lookout | Festival of the Sound | Island Queen harbour cruises | Historic downtown & marina
Best For:
Hockey history | Boating | Harbour walks | Scenic drives | Weekend escapes | Cottage country trips
Boat rides through 30,000 islands, sunsets over Georgian Bay, and a downtown small enough to walk in an evening — whether you’ve got a day or a week.
Most travellers come for the Island Queen cruise — three hours weaving through pine-covered islands you couldn’t make up. They stay for the harbour trail at golden hour, the view from Tower Hill, and dinners that taste better when you’ve been on the water all day. If hockey runs in the family, the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame is worth an hour. If it doesn’t, skip it for ice cream on the boardwalk.
Two and a half hours from Toronto. Most people stay one weekend and start planning the next.
DON’T MISS
- 30,000 islands
- Bobby Orr Hall
- Island Queen cruise
- Tower Hill
How long should you stay?
Pick your trip length below — we’ll plan around it.
A day
Driving through
Lunch by the harbour, the Island Queen cruise, and a stop at Tower Hill before you carry on north. Six hours, well spent.
DAY TRIP
A weekend
2 days · most travellers
Cruise the islands, walk the waterfront, and sleep close to the water. Saturday morning markets and a long Sunday breakfast before heading home.
MOST POPULAR
A long weekend
3 days · the full picture
Add a day at Killbear Provincial Park — the beaches, the rocky shoreline, the sunsets. Or kayak the inner islands at your own pace.
RECOMMENDED
A week
5–7 days · cottage country base
Use Parry Sound as your base for the wider Georgian Bay region: Killbear, the McCrae Lake portages, Pointe au Baril, and day trips to nearby small towns.
SLOW TRAVEL
- Georgian Bay waterfront
- Bobby Orr Hall of Fame
- 30,000 Islands
- Tower Hill Lookout
- Festival of the Sound
- Island Queen cruises
- Historic downtown & marina
- Killbear Provincial Park
Known For
Best For
- Hockey history
- Boating
- Harbour walks
- Scenic drives
- Weekend escapes
- Cottage country
Places to Visit
18 places
1
ArtSelfie Spot01
‘Trestle of Parry Sound’ by Tom Thomson
Compare the view of the famous trestle bridge with Thomson's 1914 painting at the Artist's Station on McIsaac Way.
★ 4.6McIsaac Way Visit page →
2
ArtSelfie Spot02
‘Parry Sound Harbour’ by Tom Thomson
Compare also the view of Parry Sound Harbour with a painting by Tom Thomson on the same visit in 1914.
★ 5.011A Salt Dock Rd Visit page →
3
Selfie Spot03
A 30-metre tower with 360° views of the harbour, the CP Rail trestle bridge, and Georgian Bay's islands stretching to the horizon.
★ 5.017 George St Visit page →
4
Famous Canadians04
Home Town of Hockey Legend Bobby Orr
The hockey legend grew up skating on Georgian Bay. The museum on Bay Street tells the full story of Parry Sound's most famous son.
★ 4.52 Bay Street Visit page →
5
Famous Canadians05
Home Town of Olympic Champion Megan Oldham
In February 2026, Megan Oldham stood at the top of the big air course at the Milano-Cortina Olympics
★ 5.02 Bay Street Visit page →
6
OutdoorSelfie Spot06
Rotary & Algonquin Regiment Waterfront Trail
6.5 km along the Georgian Bay shoreline — one of the best small-town walks in Ontario. Start at Bay Street near the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame.
★ 4.72 Bay Street Visit page →
7
Famous CanadiansHistory07
Honouring Canada's most decorated Indigenous soldier — a WWI hero from nearby Wasauksing First Nation. Bronze statue on Bay Street.
★ 5.02 Bay Street Visit page →
8
Outdoor08
The Natural Jewel of 30,000 Islands
The world’s largest freshwater archipelago. UNESCO designated the area in 2004 as the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve.
9 Bay St Visit page →
9
Selfie Spot09
The fountain is one of the most recognized landmarks in Parry Sound.
★ 5.026 James Street Visit page →
10
Art10
An annual 3-week long classical music festival that occurs from July to August.
★ 5.01 Avenue Road Visit page →
11
Art11
Bands on the Bay | Free Summer Concerts
Bands on the Bay performs in Summer at the Stockey Centre on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm.
★ 4.02 Bay Street Visit page →
12
Beach12
Parry Sound is proud to be the home of a Blue Flag certified beach known as Waubuno Beach.
★ 4.527 Prospect St Visit page →
13
Outdoor13
The town-owned dock at the waterfront is open to the public unless a cruise ship is in port.
★ 5.011 Bay St Visit page →
14
Selfie Spot14
Enjoy the spectacular view offered from the parkette on the roof of the Tony Agnello Water Filtration Plant.
★ 4.010 Salt Dock Rd Visit page →
15
Outdoor15
Killbear Provincial Park is located on Georgian Bay, near the town of Nobel.
★ 5.035 Killbear Park Rd Visit page →
16
Outdoor16
In 15 minutes from Parry Sound, you can find a unique place. Depot Harbour is the largest town in Ontario to have become a ghost town.
★ 3.63Depot Harbour ON Visit page →
17
OutdoorSelfie Spot17
An 8km trail that follows the final segment of J.R. Booth’s railroad (to Depot Harbour).
★ 5.0Rose Point Rd Visit page →
18
ArtShop18
This annual venue has been running since 1976 and has become one of the largest tourist destinations.
★ 5.027 Mary St Visit page →
Where to Eat
6 spots
Local favourites from breakfast to a quiet dinner by the water — chosen with input from people who live here.
19
A Parry Sound institution for 30+ years. Coffee, homemade soups, and a patio overlooking the harbour. The spot locals meet for breakfast before heading out on the water.
97A Bowes StBreakfast - Lunch - Dinner
20
Di Salvo’s Bella Cucina Italian Eatery
In October 2020, Carlo Di Salvo won the Diamond award for the best local chef.
105 James StreetLunch - Dinner
21
Located in Nobel ON, Norse Brewery is Parry Sound Area favourite brewery.
Parry Sound Industrial Park, 11 Ritchie Drive, Nobel
22
Named after Parry Sound’s trestle bridge, Trestle Brewing Company is an independently owned craft brewery located near the harbour.
9 Great North Rd
23
Grab a spot on the deck and let the Seguin River do the talking, with the Trestle Bridge framed right in front of you.
7 Great North Road, Parry Sound, ON
24
Cozy, harbourfront spot serving local seafood, including fish ’n’ chips, with burgers & steaks.
138 Snug Harbour Road, CarlingLunch - Dinner
25
We now have two locations to serve you: one in Sans Souci on Georgian Bay and another in the picturesque Harbour on Georgian Bay in Parry Sound.
9b Bay St
Where to Shop
6 spots
The independent shops and markets that give Parry Sound its character — good for browsing, souvenirs, or a rainy afternoon.
26
Welcome to Harbour Walk Shops at the Parry Sound Town Dock, where local artists showcase their treasures in charming dockside boutiques!
11 Bat ST
27
Made in Parry Sound is a group of people making and producing locally made products.
Downtown
28
Charlotte Stein and Alan Stein chose Parry Sound to open a book shop because they were cottagers
26 James Street
29
A book lover’s paradise! Over 180,000 used books to choose from.
15 James St
30
This “Native American Store of Goods” offers a “selection of native art and crafts – porcupine quill and birch bark baskets, native made leather moccasins, handcrafted pottery and jewellery, and so much more.
43 James St
31
A Homestead in the Countryside with a licensed and inspected kitchen where we produce lasagna, cabbage rolls and meat pies using our own beef and chicken.
6 Frontier Trail, McDougall
Where to Stay
options
A quick orientation to the kinds of places travellers usually stay — from in-town inns to cottage rentals on the bay. For availability and booking, visit the Town of Parry Sound’s tourism site.
Quick Facts
Population
0
From Toronto
0h
Year of incorporation
People of Parry Sound
Bobby Orr
The Greatest Defenceman in Hockey History
Megan Oldham
Olympic Freestyle Skiing Champion
A Perfect Day in Parry Sound
One way to spend a day — the order locals would tell a first-time visitor. Works best May through October.
If you only have a day, start with coffee on the water, end with a sunset cruise, and don’t skip Bobby Orr. Everything else is negotiable.
9:00
Coffee at Northern Perk
Grab a seat at one of the dockside tables and watch Georgian Bay wake up. Order a coffee and a pastry — they hold up fine if you'd rather carry them down the boardwalk toward the bandshell.
10:00
Walk the Waterfront Trail
Start at Bay Street and head along the Rotary & Algonquin Regiment Trail. You don't need to do all 6.5 km — the first 30 minutes gives you the best views.
11:30
Bobby Orr Hall of Fame
Even if you're not a hockey person, this tells the story of the town as much as the man. Budget 60–90 minutes.
1:00
Lunch — your pick
Bearly's for a pub patio, or grab sandwiches from Don's Bakery to eat at Tower Hill. Either works.
2:30
The Island Queen cruise — the 30,000 Islands
Three hours through the world's largest freshwater archipelago. This is the experience most visitors remember years later. Book ahead in July and August.
6:00
Sunset from Tower Hill
Climb the 30-metre tower for 360° views. On a clear evening you can see the sun drop behind the islands — one of those quiet, small-town moments that's hard to describe and hard to forget.
7:30
Dinner at the Log Cabin Inn
A short drive out of town. Reservation recommended. Georgian Bay fish if it's on the menu.
When to Visit
Parry Sound is a four-season town, but each season has a different personality.
Spring
April – May
Quiet streets, early fishing, and the harbour waking up. Some cruises and shops still closed — best for low-key weekends.
Summer Peak
June – August
Festival of the Sound, Island Queen cruises, Killbear beaches, long evenings on the water. Book accommodation well ahead.
Fall
September – October
Arguably the best time to visit. Cooler air, fewer crowds, and the 30,000 Islands framed in red and gold.
Winter
November – March
Snowmobile trails, ice fishing, and a quiet downtown. Not the busy season — but a real Canadian cottage-country winter if that’s what you’re after.