Barrie in a day
A one-day plan for Barrie: the Spirit Catcher on Kempenfelt Bay and the MacLaren Art Centre downtown first, then Sunnidale Park, the Simcoe County Museum and Horseshoe Resort. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Barrie in 1 day
Day 1
MacLaren Art Centre
Public art gallery downtown in a former family home with a modern wing, showing contemporary and historical Canadian art.
Spirit Catcher Must see
Large steel sculpture by Ron Baird with wing-like feathers, first shown at Expo 86, by Kempenfelt Bay on the waterfront.
Sunnidale Park
Barrie's largest municipal park, mixing open lawns, gardens and natural woodland with walking trails.
Simcoe County Museum
Regional history museum in Minesing, just north of Barrie, with indoor galleries and historic buildings on a large site.
Horseshoe Resort Must see
Year-round resort in the Horseshoe Valley north of Barrie with skiing, golf, mountain biking and a hotel.
Watch: Barrie in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Barrie
Summer, June to August, is the best time for the Kempenfelt Bay waterfront and beaches, and Kempenfest fills the waterfront on the August long weekend. Winter, December to March, is cold and snowy and brings skiing at the nearby resorts. Autumn colours peak around early October.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Barrie on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Barrie on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Barrie on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Canada from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Barrie
- GO Transit trains on the Barrie line run from Toronto's Union Station to Barrie, with stations near the waterfront.
- The ski season at Horseshoe Resort usually runs from December to March; check snow conditions before driving up.
- The Simcoe County Museum in Minesing and Horseshoe Resort are outside the city to the north, so a car is the easiest way to reach them.
- The Kempenfelt Bay waterfront has a long lakeside path linking Centennial Beach, the marina and Heritage Park.
- Horseshoe Resort also offers summer activities such as golf, mountain biking and a treetop trekking course.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Horseshoe Resort: Misskatewiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MacLaren Art Centre: Colin Old, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Simcoe County Museum: Magnolia677, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Spirit Catcher: Colin Old, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
