Barrie

Barrie is a city of about 141,000 people (2023) at the end of Kempenfelt Bay on Lake Simcoe in Southern Ontario. Watersports and boating on the bay bring visitors from all over Ontario. An intersection in Barrie, Ontario (2022) - downtown

Introduction to Barrie

Barrie has emerged as a popular tourist destination in Central Ontario, known as "The Gateway to Cottage Country" and is easily accessed by all forms of transportation. In the winter months, Barrie flocks with skiers and snowboarders as they attempt the slopes at nearby hills Snow Valley, Horseshoe Resort, Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Blue Mountain. Barrie also has several festivals and other events held in the downtown during the same season. Throughout the humid summer months, Barrie transforms into a city of gardens as visitors and local residents alike jump to the waterfront to bask on the beaches, swim in the waters and boat in the lake. The city's historic downtown core also comes to life in the warmer months as shops, restaurants and boutiques all flourish with people.

Ontario Travel Information Centre - Barrie 21 Mapleview Dr E - Opening Hours: Daily 8AM Monday - 8PM - Centre offers customized trip planning, lodging reservations and attraction ticket sales, discount coupon books, special promotional packages, free travel brochures for all of Ontario, boutique gift shops and souvenirs, free Ontario road maps, free Wi-Fi service, washrooms, picnic and play facilities and pet-friendly facilities.

History

At its inception, Barrie was an establishment of houses and warehouses at the foot of the Nine Mile Portage from Kempenfelt Bay to Fort Willow, an Indigenous People transportation route that existed centuries before Europeans arrived in Simcoe County. The portage linked Kempenfelt Bay through Willow Creek, connecting Lake Simcoe to the Nottawasaga River which flows into Georgian Bay off Lake Huron.

Barrie played an integral role in the War of 1812. During the war and the city became a supply depot for British forces and in addition and the Nine Mile Portage was adopted by the British military as a key piece of their supply line which provided a strategic path for communication, personnel and vital supplies and equipment to and from Fort Willow and Georgian Bay/Lake Huron. Today and the Nine Mile Portage is marked by signs along roads in Barrie and in Springwater Township. The scenic path from Memorial Plaza to Fort Willow is accessible to visitors year-round.

The city was named in 1833 after Sir Robert Barrie, who was in charge of the naval forces in Canada and frequently commanded forces through the city and along the Nine Mile Portage.

Barrie was also the final destination for a branch of the Underground Railroad. In the mid-19th century, this network of secret routes allowed many American slaves to enter Barrie and the surrounding area. This contributed to the development (and name) of nearby Shanty Bay.

In the midst of World War I, dedicated residents of Barrie helped to hastily construct Canadian Forces Base Borden (CFB Borden) as a means of additional support and to serve as a major training centre of Canadian Expeditionary Force battalions. The base has become the largest Canadian Forces Base in the nation, playing a paramount role through the remainder of the war and throughout history.

On 31 May 1985, an F4 tornado struck Barrie, touching down in Essa Township, less than 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) southwest of Highway 400 and the Barrie city limits. It caused devastating damage in the subdivisions within its immediate path. It was one of the most violent and deadliest tornadoes in Canadian history, claiming the lives of 8 within the city and injuring over 155 people.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Barrie's emergence as a bedroom community for the city of Toronto grew in prominence and its economy would be wrapped around the education, health care, information technology and service sectors.

Weather in Barrie

Being is in the climatically deterrent snowbelt region of southern Ontario, Barrie is notorious for its deluging snow squalls in the winter. In the summer, its position within a convergence of breezes originating from the surrounding Great Lakes can provoke intense thunderstorms, some of which defying severe limits. Barrie's climate is fairly seasonal, with average January minimums of −12.4 °C (9.7 °F) and average July highs of 26.3 °C (79.3 °F).

Travel to Barrie

How to travel to Barrie by car

Take the Highway 400 north from Toronto. Barrie is 95 kilometers away and has 5 highway exits. There is also a small airport on the north end of town which serves light aircraft. Drivers leave Barrie at the junction of Highway 400 and Highway 11 and for many this interchange can be perceived as the beginning of Northern Ontario or the gateway to cottage country.

Travel by train to Barrie

GO Transit runs rush-hour, peak direction GO train service between Allandale Waterfront GO station in Barrie and Union Station in Toronto. There is also a [ summer weekend service with a few GO trains running between Toronto and Barrie, oriented more to Barrie residents visiting Toronto. You could also take a GO train or GO bus from Union Station in Toronto to Aurora and transfer there to a GO bus to the downtown Barrie Transit Terminal.

Travel by Bus

 Greyhound Canada runs buses from Barrie to Toronto in the morning and in the reverse direction in late afternoon.

Fly to Barrie

Barrie is about 87 kilometers (54 mi) from the Toronto Pearson International Airport and 167 kilometers (104 mi) from the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.

Get Around in Barrie

Barrie is served by an efficient bus service and several taxi companies. It takes no more than about 20 minutes in good weather to trip from anywhere to anywhere else in Barrie. There are also many bicycle and walking trails. Warning: avoid driving on Bayfield street (Highway 26, Highway 27) on weekends and statutory holidays. All vehicle traffic from Toronto to and from Wasaga Beach and other beach destinations on Georgian Bay (during summertime) or Horseshoe Ski Resort (in winter) goes through this street and it could get quite congested.

What to See

The city of Barrie is on the shore of Kempenfelt Bay, a part of Lake Simcoe and is the largest city in Simcoe County.

MacLaren Art Centre 37 Mulcaster Street - at the junction of Mulcaster and Collier Streets ☎ +1 705-721-9696 Opening Hours: Gallery and the shop: Monday to Friday 10AM Monday - 5PM, Saturday Sunday 10AM Monday - 4PM; café Monday to Friday 7AM Monday - 4:30PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 4PM Sunday 10AM Monday - 4PM. All are open West to 7PM. Closed statutory holidays Suggested donation of $5 MacLaren Art Centre - Regional public art gallery for Barrie and the County of Simcoe and the surrounding area. A permanent collection of 27,408 works of art held in trust for the public and presents a year-round programme of exhibitions, education activities and special events.

Kempenfest Barrie's Waterfront - Opening Hours: First weekend in August - Over 350 arts and crafts exhibitors. The antique show 40 exhibitors from all over Ontario. Local musicians and entertainers during the day plus Indie Rock concerts Saturday and Sunday night (tickets for evening show $10-35). Traveling theme park and the Tim Hortons Family Centre and arts and crafts demonstrations for kids.

A great waterfront and park.

Spiritcatcher barrie wide - Ron Baird's The Spirit Catcher (1986), installed along the waterfront in Barrie

Ron Baird's Spirit Catcher, 24 Maple Ave near the bay. A 21-metre-high sculpture moved from the Expo '86 grounds in Vancouver in 1987, it has since become a principal facet in the Barrie city skyline and tourism.

Muslim Travel Tips

Barrie is within easy reach of many of Ontario's major ski resorts. Visitors to the area should really visit at least one of these to enjoy some of the area's most popular winter activities.

Sunnidale Park, at Sunnidale Road & Cundles Road West, is a less expensive alternative. It has a great toboggan hill, an arboretum and there is a public skating rink close to the downtown which includes a heated changeroom and washroom facilities.
In the summer, Barrie's beautifully landscaped lakefront parks are a popular destination for Toronto visitors seeking a break from city life. These parks include walking and bicycle trails, a fountain park, three public beaches and free parking.
Many seasonal festivals occur in the lakefront parks and the downtown area.

Ardagh Bluffs 159 Summerset Dr - in Barrie's south end, between Ardagh Road and Mapleview Drive, west of Essa Road - Over 17 kilometers of recreational trails and an area of acre 518. Four main trail systems are identified by coloured squares and several secondary and tertiary trails identified by triangles and circles.

Shopping in Barrie

There are three major commercial centres in Barrie. The oldest is the downtown near the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. North of thit is Bayfield Street's Golden Mile which consists of three major malls and numerous other retail outlets which include local and international retailers. It is a major shopping destination for area tourists. The third commercial centre is on the south end of town near the exit to Mapleview Drive. Thit is the newest of the three and is a very large shopping complex where individual retailers are accessible from common parking areas.

Georgian Mall 509 Bayfield Street - Opening Hours: Tu–F 9:30AM–9PM, Saturday 9:30AM–6PM, Sunday 11AM–5PM - 150 stores.

Barrie Antiques Centre 272 Innisfil Street - ☎ +1 705-726-1663 Opening Hours: Daily 10AM Monday - 5PM, closed only on Dec 25 and Jan 1 - ft[sup2[/sup 23,000 of antiques and collectables. Purchases are tax-free every Tuesday.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Barrie

There are interesting restaurants, including a number of Italian, Indian, Middle-eastern and Asian restaurants, in the downtown near Kempenfelt Bay.

Il Buco Ristorante - 31 Dunlop Street E, #101 - ☎ +1 705-735-9595 Opening Hours: Tu–F lunch & dinner, Saturday Sunday dinner only Dinner: Pastas $17-22, mains $20-40 - Authentically Italian dishes made with fresh ingredients.

Grilled Cheese Social Eatery 53 Dunlop Street E - ☎ +1 705-252-5937 Opening Hours: Daily 11AM Monday - 4PM - Grilled Cheese sandwiches, soup & salad for men who have bushy beards and plaid shirts and for women with quirky eyeglasses and butterfly tattoos. Non-conformists are also welcome.

Lazy Tulip Cafe - 29 Maple Ave - between Dunlop & Simcoe Street ☎ +1 705-252-0910 Opening 8:30AM - 4 PM, Saturday Sunday 9AM - 4PM - "A quaint, mindful, independently owned cafe in the heart of downtown Barrie with a focus on real food and conscious eating." Vegetarian and gluten-free options and locally raised meats. Sandwiches, soups, baked goods, Sauces, quiche and baked french toast. Their coffee is fair-trade and organic. Not a place for those who eat fake food unconsciously.

The Farmhouse Restaurant 268 Bradford Street - near the lakefront ☎ +1 705-737-0522 Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 11AM Monday - 10PM, Friday 11AM Monday - 11PM, Saturday 8AM Monday - 11PM, Sunday 8AM Monday - 10PM Burgers and sandwiches $18, mains $25-42 - Farm-fresh comfort food.

Much of Barrie's nightlife is centred on the 5-block area where Dunlop and Bayfield Streets meet in the downtown Core. Many lounges and pubs feature live music on weekends. Clubs like The Roxx and SkyBank caters to the college Crowd. The Queens is in a historic hotel and features two bars in one. Further down Dunlop those wishing for a more laid-back night should try Monsoon, where overstuffed leather furniture, martinis and sushi set the mood. Many other pubs and bars dot Dunlop Street including the Simcoe Hotel a flatiron building which features a more varied and somewhat rougher crowd. Those wishing to venture just off of Dunlop may venture into The Ranch, a warehouse-style country bar featuring a mechanical bull.

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery - 107 Dunlop Street East - ☎ +1 705-721-8989 Opening Hours: Shop: daily 11AM Monday - 6PM; tours: Monday to Friday 2PM, Saturday Sunday 1PM, 2PM, 3PM, 4PM; tap room: Sunday - Tuesday 11AM Monday - 10PM; West Thursday 11AM Monday - 11PM; Friday Saturday 11AM to midnight - Unique and excellent local craft brewery in Downtown Barrie that offers free tours and sample tastings overlooking the turquoise Kempenfelt Bay. Tap room offers fresh food & 16 lines of unique brews.

Heritage Estate Grapes & Cidery 421 Penetanguishene Road - ☎ +1 705-797-1919 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday noon-6PM, Saturday noon-5PM - Artisanal ciders, boutique soft drinks and sangrias. All products are made on-site using no additives or preservatives.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Barrie

Barrie - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Barrie, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Barrie. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Barrie and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Barrie. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Barrie. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Barrie: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Barrie.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Barrie: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Barrie, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Barrie.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Barrie, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Barrie, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Barrie and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Barrie, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Barrie, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Barrie without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Barrie is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Barrie.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Barrie is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Barrie, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Barrie Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Barrie

eHalal Group Barrie is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Barrie. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Barrie.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Barrie ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

For those seeking a comfortable and modern living space, our condos are an excellent choice. Starting at US$ 350,000 and these condominium units offer contemporary designs, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient locations within Barrie. Each condo is thoughtfully designed to incorporate halal-friendly features and amenities, ensuring a seamless integration of Islamic values into everyday living.

If you are looking for a more spacious option, our houses are perfect for you. Starting at US$ 650,000, our houses provide ample living space, privacy, and a range of customizable features to meet your specific requirements. These houses are located in well-established neighborhoods in Barrie, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and Islamic values.

For those seeking luxury and exclusivity, our luxury villas in Barrie are the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Starting at US$ 1.5 million and these villas offer a lavish lifestyle with private amenities, breathtaking views, and meticulous attention to detail. Each luxury villa is meticulously designed to provide a serene and halal environment, allowing you to enjoy the finest living experience while adhering to your Islamic principles. For further details please email us at info@ehalal.io

Ramadan Celebrations in Barrie

Ramadan 2025 in Barrie

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Visitor lodging in Barrie includes chain hotels like the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn, near Highway 400, as well as some Bed and Breakfasts and executive apartments.

Carriage Ridge Resort 90 Highland Drive - ☎ +1-866-553-8902 Shanty Bay. A resort that reminds you why it's called a vacation. Condo suites at hotel rates.

Monte Carlo Inn Barrie Suites 81 Hart Dr - ☎ +1 705-996-0190 +1-888-734-0070 From $100 - Free wireless and wired high-speed internet, digital movie systems on LCD TVs, work desks with ergonomic chairs, coffee makers, iron and iron boards and multi spray rain shower heads, fitness facilities.

The Yellow Door Manor - 25 Bluejay Dr - +1-8000 YELLOW $60-100 - Free Wi-Fi, smart TVs, en suite bathrooms, designer fixtures and rainforest shower. Free gourmet coffee and fresh fruit for guests.

Barrie Summer Hostel at Georgian Green 140 Bell Farm Road - ☎ +1 705-735-0772 +1 705 739-8615 - Open from May to August. Beds start from $20 per day.

News & References

Go Next

Drivers leave Barrie at the junction of Highway 400 and Highway 11 and for many this interchange can be perceived as the beginning of Northern Ontario or the gateway to cottage country.