The Lonely Planet - Canada guide book (April 2005) recently selected Southampton as their favourite beach destination on the Lake Huron coast and the whole Bruce - Grey county area.

Cultural: A coastal heritage town, Southampton offers a walking tour past the homes of Great Lakes captains, sailors and fisherman. The Bruce County Museum features a marine heritage gallery and traces the important furniture manufacturing in the area. Four theatres and dinner theatres within 20 minutes of Southampton provide a variety of live entertainment.

Light House Tour: Over 50 known shipwrecks surround Chantry Island and its imperial tower, a testament to the rocky shoals and deadly storms that make this area one of the most treacherous in the Great Lakes. Chantry Island was fist lit on April 1, 1859. Home to over 10,000 pairs of mating birds; Chantry Island is a Canadian Wildlife Service migratory bird sanctuary. The local Marine Heritage Society offers lighthouse tours. Over 25,000 volunteer hours have brought life back to the recently restored Keeper's Home and historic gardens. In addition, visit the excavation site of the oldest known shipwreck on the great lakes. To find out more about Chantry Island click here for the largest web site in the world dedicated to a lighthouse.  

Galleries & Art School: Southampton is home to The Southampton Art School, one of the oldest, most respected summer art schools in Ontario. With an enrolment of over 800 and classes from March to November the school has enriched the lives and enhanced the skills of thousands of students - from young beginners to seasoned professionals. Summer fine art classes and programs cover a variety of interests from culinary arts to bird carving and painting, willow garden structures and sign making. Fabric art includes quilting classes, colourful knitting and rug hooking. And, the ever-popular water colour classes are offered weekly. Quaint shops and galleries feature well-known local artisans.

Restaurants: For a small community, Southampton has a remarkable selection of restaurants. We have menus from these local restaurants to help you plan where to eat.

The following is a list of restaurants and their phone numbers... all are within walking
distance of Southampton’s main street:. 


Duffy's - fish & chips .........................................................   797-5972

Elk and Finch .................................................................... 797-2835
Gerry's - fast food, on the beach .......................................  . 797-5665
Grosvenor's - fine dining, reservations required .....................   797-1226 
(Selected as an Ontario 'Superstar' restaurant by the LCBO Food & Drink Magazine)
Highview Restaurant - family restaurant ........................... ....  797-2199
Roberto's - pizzeria ...........................................................   797-3787
Stop 21 - Chinese food ......................................................   797-3930
Walker House - pub food plus ...........................................   . 797-2772

Beyond Southampton: If by chance you exhaust the things to do and see in Southampton, or if you're simply swept away with the desire to explore  Bruce County, some of the most popular sites are within comfortable driving distance from Southampton.