Travels With Stacey

We have been to many small towns and seen many different shops.  My favourite location is Huntsville since there is a great variety of shops, and I have been even tempted to go back to do my Christmas shopping here.

The further north in Ontario you travel, the more you see about The Group of Seven. Tom Thompson and A.Y. Jackson are the most prominent of them. There is even a touring route that follows some of the Seven’s locations.  At Northern Ontario Travel is a map and an app that will take you to several locations where these artists painted the scenery. Huntsville has become an excellent location to see some reproductions of this famous Canadian artist group.

Within a reasonable walking distance in the downtown core of Huntsville, you can view 33 replica paintings mounted on various buildings. The area is relatively flat, but there were a few hills that we had to contend with.  Since everything is fairly close together, there is little chance of getting lost.  We had done this tour in the winter, and when it was time to warm up, there were many shops with great merchandise to peruse.  

During a repeat trip in the summer, we were presented with a rare moment when we found a new mural in the midst of being created. I naturally was excited by this discovery and cannot wait to see the completed visit the next time we return.

The mural tour starts at the Huntsville Festival of the Arts.  I have created a Google Map that features the location of these art pieces and many other murals in Ontario and Quebec.  Since murals are now becoming an increasingly popular way to beautify a neighbourhood, this map will be updated regularly when more are discovered.

Mural walking tours are a great way to see a neighbourhood, visit a few shops and experience the outdoors.  Plus, it is entirely free.