Take a walk

Six walks that fit around a curtain. The lines join real places. They are not a surveyed trail, and they are not a reason to miss the opening.

See every shop on the Downtown Map

• Avon River and Lake Victoria

  1.8 km along the line · about 23 minutes · Start: Market Square, in front of City Hall

  Swans are on the Avon when the city has them out. People call the park circuit a loop. This line is only the south-shore way from Market Square out to the Festival Theatre. It does not cross back on the north bank, and it does not cut a path across the lake.

  Step-free. Not confirmed as step-free. The park paths are the city paths; this guide does not promise a curb-free loop.

  Best time. Before a matinee, if you are already downtown. Too long for an intermission.

  This walk meets a Stratford Al Fresco zone. Drinks must be bought from a restaurant in the program, not from home or the LCBO, and enjoyed only inside the signed area. Gold circles are the named zones near this walk. A circle is a place-marker, not the signed boundary.

• Shakespearean Gardens

  0.3 km along the line · about 5 minutes · Start: The gardens themselves, 15 Huron Street

  No official loop length is published on the pages checked for this guide. The map shows the gardens, beside the Huron Street Bridge, and the walk back to Market Square.

  Step-free. Not confirmed as step-free.

  Best time. Before a matinee at the Avon, or after a Tom Patterson show if the gap is long.

• Downtown heritage and City Hall

  0.9 km along the line · about 11 minutes · Start: Stratford City Hall, Market Square

  City Hall, the Avon and the Studio. A downtown circuit, not a park trail.

  Step-free. Downtown sidewalks. Not confirmed as fully step-free.

  Best time. Before a matinee at the Avon or the Studio, or after the show.

  This walk meets a Stratford Al Fresco zone. Drinks must be bought from a restaurant in the program, not from home or the LCBO, and enjoyed only inside the signed area. Gold circles are the named zones near this walk. A circle is a place-marker, not the signed boundary.

• Festival Theatre to Tom Patterson, along the river

  0.9 km along the line · about 11 minutes · Start: Festival Theatre, 55 Queen Street

  West from the Festival Theatre along the water to the Tom Patterson. Upper Queen's Park is the next card, not a detour on this one. The line joins the two houses and the island. It is not a surveyed path.

  Step-free. Park paths beside the river. Not confirmed as step-free the whole way.

  Best time. Before the curtain if one show is at each house. Too far to start at intermission.

  This walk meets a Stratford Al Fresco zone. Drinks must be bought from a restaurant in the program, not from home or the LCBO, and enjoyed only inside the signed area. Gold circles are the named zones near this walk. A circle is a place-marker, not the signed boundary.

• Upper Queen's Park

  0.2 km along the line · about 5 minutes · Start: Upper Queen's Park, beside the Festival Theatre

  The playground is here. This is the east end of the south-shore Al Fresco parkland.

  Step-free. Park paths and a playground. Not confirmed as step-free.

  Best time. Before a Festival Theatre matinee, or after the show. Stay on the grounds if you only have an intermission.

  This walk meets a Stratford Al Fresco zone. Drinks must be bought from a restaurant in the program, not from home or the LCBO, and enjoyed only inside the signed area. Gold circles are the named zones near this walk. A circle is a place-marker, not the signed boundary.

• T.J. Dolan trail

  Start only · Start: The trail parking on John Street North

  Ontario Trails describes loops from 0.3 km to 4.4 km. This map marks the start only.

  The map marks the published John Street parking point. It is not a surveyed path through the woods.

  Step-free. Not step-free. It is a natural-area trail, and the north side of the river can be wet.

  Best time. After a matinee, not during intermission. It sits on the west edge of town.

Memorial Gardens is one of the signed Al Fresco areas. It is named here and not pinned, because the page we checked did not publish a coordinate.