Explore

There is so much to explore in our region. Browse the sections below to learn more about our communities

Our Cities & Towns

Windsor-Essex County has something for everyone!

Our region is commonly referred to as Windsor-Essex, Windsor and Essex County and even #YQG! It is made up of the City of Windsor, the County of Essex – and it’s seven municipalities – and Pelee Island. Windsor-Essex provides the chance to see both urban and rural life. Take some time to learn about each area to see what one is best for you and your family. We believe that you will find the right community to call “home.”

People immigrate to Windsor-Essex County from all over the world, making our communities very multicultural. This can be seen in the number of languages, religions and ethnicities that exist in our region.

Watch this video to learn why Windsor-Essex is such a great place to live, work and play!

Location

Windsor-Essex and Pelee Island is a region made up of the City of Windsor, the County of Essex – and its seven municipalities – along with Pelee Island.

Windsor-Essex County is the southernmost region in Canada, connected to the United States by the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

Windsor-Essex is part of an international urban area of over 4 million people centered around Detroit, Michigan. Windsor is located just south of Detroit. Residents enjoy the big-city amenities that Detroit offers by crossing the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Over 5 thousand Windsor-Essex residents cross the border every day to go to work in the Detroit metropolitan area. Windsor-Essex County is the southernmost region in Canada.

Our region is conveniently located within close proximity to other large urban areas:

  • 350km from Toronto
  • 400km from Chicago
  • 800km from Ottawa
  • 900km from New York City

To read more about the advantages of our location in the middle of the Great Lakes region of North America, go to the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation website.

Festivals & Events

Windsor-Essex County has many festivals and events throughout the year.

Many of our festivals have been selected as part of the top 100 festivals in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario. There are many websites that can help you stay up to date on the festivals and events that are happening in our region:

There is always something to do in Windsor-Essex. Whether you are interested in cultural events, art, food, physical activity, sports or nature, be sure to visit Windsorite.ca for upcoming events and activities. Events may take place in local parks, restaurants, wineries and communities across the region.

Food

Chef preparing food. Photo by Eiliv-Sonas Aceron on Unsplash.

Windsor-Essex County is a region that is made up of many different cultures. The local cultures that exist in our community are reflected in our local restaurants and grocery stores.

Windsoreats.com and Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island both have great information to discover some of the dining and food options in Windsor-Essex.

Restaurants

Windsor-Essex has a variety of locally owned restaurants that represent cultures such as Mexican, Russian, Ethiopian, African, Asian, Vietnamese, Hungarian, Thai, Indian, Caribbean, and Italian.

Grocery Stores

We also have many grocery stores that have foods that represent the cultural communities in their local neighbourhoods. These grocery stores cater to the dining needs of the community. Some of the cultures that are represented include Indian, Oriental and Asian.A farmer’s market sign

Furthermore, some of our local grocery stores have recognized the need for specific cultures to be represented in their food products, and have included these types of foods on their shelves.

Farmer’s Markets

In the summer months Windsor-Essex has many Farmer’s Markets in our different communities. These markets are a great way to buy fresh and local produce as well as support our farmers while doing so. By going to them you can get connected and learn more about the Windsor-Essex community.

Parks & Trails

Windsor-Essex County has many different parks and trails for you and your family to use. There are different activities you can do at these parks during different seasons of the year. You can use these websites to learn more about where these parks are located and what is offered at each location:

Weather

Windsor-Essex County is well-known for its great weather!

Windsor-Essex experiences 115 days per year where the high temperature is between 20°C and 29°C, more than any other city in Canada. We also enjoy the warmest autumn in all of Canada.

We have 4 different seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.

  • Winter (December – March)
    It is the coldest time of the year with temperatures that generally stay below 0 degrees Celsius. With the colder temperatures comes snow and ice. During these months you will want to make sure that you dress warmly with winter boots, a winter coat, mittens, a scarf and a winter hat. The winter weather sometimes causes school bus cancellations and the snow means that you will have to shovel your driveway.
  • Spring (April – May)
    The weather starts to warm during the spring months and there is often a lot of rain. You will not need the winter clothing to keep you warm, but you may need to have some water-proof shoes, an umbrella and a spring jacket.
  • Summer (June – September)
    This is the warmest time of year in Windsor-Essex. Temperatures range from 20°C to over 30°C. Many people use pools during these months and a lot of people have air conditioning on. It is important that you wear sunscreen during the day to protect your skin from the powerful sun. You will also want to make sure that you drink a lot of water and keep hydrated. The radio and television may share warnings about the heat and/or the smog.
  • Fall lasts from (October-November)
    During fall the weather starts to get cool again. The leaves on the trees change colours and will start falling from the trees. This season may be rainy, and sometimes will even have a bit of snow. You may need your umbrella and your warm winter clothing for different parts of the season.