Kincardine (Ontario)

The economy of Kincardine has been dominated by the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant since the 1970s.
There is also a thriving tourist industry, centred on its sandy beaches and Scottish cultural tradition.

Kincardine Municipal Airport serves charter flights and private pilots.
The Kincardine Yacht Club is a busy marina serving mainly recreational boaters.

By bus

There are buses daily from Toronto, London and Owen Sound offered by Can-ar Coach
Grey-Bruce Airbus (+1-800-361-0393) offers eight trips a day from Toronto Pearson International Airport ($81 one way, $154 return) (July 2018).

By car

Kincardine is a small town located on the eastern shore of Lake Huron. Most people arrive here by car, from the east on highway 9, or from the north and south on Highway 21.
In the winter, blowing and drifting snow frequently causes dangerous driving conditions. Occasionally conditions require the highway to be closed to traffic. Check the weather forecast , road conditions and road closures before leaving. Make sure your car tires are in good condition, and travel with clothes appropriate to the weather.

Most people get around Kincardine by car, bike or foot. There are no public buses, but there are several taxi services.

• ABC Taxi

  phone: +1 519-396-0111

• Kin Taxi

  phone: +1 519-396-3411

• Freds Cab

  phone: +1 519-396-7717

The icon for the town is the lighthouse, which is painted on the watertower seen from the highways, as you come into town. The lighthouse is one block west of Queen Street (the main street). Inside the lighthouse is a Maritine Museum . Across the street is the Paddy Walker House Museum. A Phantom Piper plays from the top of the lighthouse at sunset.

Kincardine is a very popular tourist destination in the summer. There are events such as the Kincardine Summer Music Festival, the Kincardine Scottish Festival, Cruise Nights (Classic Cars) and Fishing Derbies planned almost every weekend.
Unique to the town, is the Saturday night pipeband parade. The Kincardine Scottish assemble at Victoria Park and parade down Queen Street, playing bagpipes and drums, followed by a crowd. At the end of the street, they take a brief break, and parade back to the park (followed by the crowd). Some nights, they are joined by visiting pipebands.
During July and August the Bluewater Summer Theatre presents plays. During the winter the amateur Kincardine Theatre Guild presents plays using the same facilities. The Kincardine Legion organizes regular bingos, dances and community dinners.
Most people come here to enjoy the lake. The water is clean and there are lengthy stretches of easily accessible beach for swimming or sitting in the sun and the fresh lake air.
There are four golf courses nearby:

• Ainsdale Golf Course

• Black Horse Golf Course

• Kincardine Golf & Country Club

• Somerhill Golf Club

Kincardine has an extensive network of walking trails.
Kincardine tourism information can be found at Kincardine Tourist Info or the Bruce County Tourism pages. Remnants of the wreck of the ship "Anna Maria" can be seen at Station Beach.

Pine River Cheese & Butter Cooperative

Fresh cheese and discount "trim ends" are available for purchase from the factory store which is open every day during the summer. Fresh chesse curds every Wednesday.

Fincher's

Toys, games, jigsaw puzzles, hobbies, children's books, Playmobil toys, Webkinz.

• Bean's Bistro

  phone: +1 519 396-4777
  address: 728 Queen Street, Kincardine
  Great local coffeehouse without the franchise-feel of big chain coffeehouses. Offering light breakfast and lunch fare as well as great, individually hand-prepared regular and specialty coffees, teas, fair trade.

Mid-range

• The Erie Belle

  phone: +1 519 396-4331
  address: 259 Harbour Street
  Regular visitors to Kincardine always stop in the Erie Belle for deep-fried fish and lots and lots of chips.

• Bruce Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 519 396-5100
  address: 750 Queen St
  Every town in Ontario used to have a hotel. This was Kincardine's, which is why local people occasionally refer to it as "the Bruce Inn". The Canada South Blues Society puts on regular concerts here.

• Gilley's Feed Lot Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 519-396-7423
  address: 832 Queen St

• Jean's Family Restaurant

  phone: +1 519 396-1900
  address: 1120 Sutton St
  A good place to go for breakfast.

• Knotty Pine Restaurant

  phone: +1 519 396-3132
  address: 507 Broadway Street
  Chinese and Canadian cuisine.

• New Seasons Tavern & Restaurant

  phone: +1 519 396-2323
  address: 722 Queen St
  Chinese buffet on Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.

• Victoria Park Restaurant

  phone: +1 519-396-8001
  address: 335 Durham Market Square

• Watercress Bistro

  phone: +1 519 396-5727
  address: 829 Queen St

Splurge

• Harbour Street Brasserie

  phone: +1 519-396-6000
  address: 217 Harbour Street

Most bars and pubs offer food (see Eat above) as well as drink. The following usually have a large selection of draft beer.

• The Erie Belle

  phone: +1 519-396-4331
  address: 259 Harbour Street

• Hawg's Breath Saloon and Deli

  phone: +1 519 396-6565
  address: 894 Queen Street
  Eat the peanuts and throw the shells on the floor!

In the summer, the hotels, motels and cottages are frequently full.

Hotels

• Inn at the Harbour

  phone: +1 519 396-3311
  address: 249 Harbour Street
  Friendly clean hotel with spacious room. Free Wi-fi. 3rd and 4th floor rooms have access to a balcony.

• Best Western Governor's Inn

  phone: +1 519 396-8242
  address: 791 Durham St

• Sutton Park Inn

  phone: +1 519-396-3444
  address: 1126 Sutton St

Motels

• Kincardinite Motel

  phone: +1 519-396-7511
  address: 319 Kincardine Ave

• Lakeview Motel

  phone: +1 519-396-3301
  address: 378 Queen St

• Maple Leaf Inn

  phone: +1 519-396-5888
  address: 481 Broadway St

• Save Inn Motel

  phone: +1 519-396-5454
  address: 1111 Sutton St

• Southsider Motel

  phone: +1 519-396-3159
  address: 354 Queen St

Campgrounds

• Aintree Trailer Park

  address: 2435 Huron Concession 12 Rd

• Bluewater Trailer Park

  phone: +1 519-396-8698
  address: 847 Saugeen Street
  Great location right across from Dunsmoor Park and the beach.

• Green Acres Campground

  phone: +1 519-395-2808
  address: Aintree Road

Larger nearby towns are Goderich (~ 30 minutes by car south), Walkerton (~ 30 minutes east), Port Elgin (~ 30 minutes north), Southampton 40 minutes north
The nearest major centres are London (2 hours south-west), Kitchener (1hr 30 min hours east) or Owen Sound (1hr 15min north)