Things To Do In Elora

Ontario On A Day Trip:

Attractions, Inns &
Restaurants
By: Christopher Rudder

Published: May 10, 2022 1 Comment

Day Trips, Wellington County

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One of the many small villages in rural Ontario

is Elora, located along the gorgeous Grand
River in Southern Ontario. It’s a charming
destination for a day trip from Toronto. There
are so many things to do in Elora Ontario, for
every type of traveller. One of the famous
Group of Seven painters, A.J. Casson, called
Elora “Ontario’s Most Beautiful Village.” I have
to agree, and at some point, I was even
beginning to feel like I was in a small town in
Italy.

If you love the outdoors, there are parks and

extreme activities like river tubing, zip-lining,
and hiking. For the shopaholic, you’ll love the
authentic, original Mom & Pop shops in the
Elora downtown area – trust us, these days,
it’s all about supporting local businesses. Our
foodie friends have numerous places to eat,
from fine dining to cute cafes. Lastly, if you
love art, you can visit several galleries or make
your own art at one of the many art classes.

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No matter why you’re visiting Elora, you’ll

find something to do!

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Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for
GPS-assisted travel directions to the
attractions featured in this article.

Elora Town History

Elora is known for its 19th-century
limestone construction and the Elora
Gorge.

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The first visitors were Roman Catholic

missionaries who arrived in the 1600s.
They attempted to turn the Indigenous
People into Christians.

The early European settlers arrived in 1817

Born in Ayrshire, Scotland, Captain William

Gilkison bought 14,000 acres and chose
the area near the Grand River’s falls as the
location for Elora.

Mr. Gilkison named the village after his

brother’s ship, which the Ellora Caves
inspired in Maharashtra, India – A World
Heritage Site.

The Elora Mill – A five-storey grist mill that

was built in 1832. In the 1970s, it became
the Elora Mill Inn. After a 27 million
renovation, the Elora Mill Hotel and Spa
opened in July 2018 and featured 30
rooms and a restaurant.

Where Is Elora, Ontario?

The Village of Elora is in the popular province
of Ontario in Canada. Elora’s population is only
just upwards of 3000 people, giving this small
village a quaint and quiet atmosphere that if
you’re like me will love that small-town feel.
I’m still trying to understand Ontario’s
confusing makeup of towns, townships,
counties, regions and municipalities so forgive
me. What I do know is that Elora is located in
the township of Centre Wellington in Ontario’s,
Wellington County. The Township of Centre
Wellington also includes the Town of Fergus
and the Townships of Nichol, Pilkington, West
Garafraxa, and part of Eramosa.

Elora to Toronto

By Car

A day trip from Elora to Toronto will take you

just over ninety minutes on the road,
depending on if you take your car, rent a car
or catch a ride on the bus. You can also catch
the train to Elora from Toronto. You can read
below about the train and bus schedules to
and from Elora.

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Parking In Elora

Parking is free on all city streets. Finding prime

parking spots during the summer can be
harder than finding them during the rest of the
year.

By Bus

Taking public transportation to Elora is quite a

challenge. Greyhound buses do run there, but
very infrequently and, if coming from Toronto,
you would have to wait for a transfer bus in
Guelph.

Elora is such a small town; thus, bus service is

quite limited. You can buy a bus ticket at
Busbuster to reach Guelph. The earliest trip is
around 6:45 am which will take about an hour
and twenty-five minutes to get to Guelph.

From Elora to Guelph, you may book your bus

ride online or reach them here at 1-855-566-
2378. The earliest departure time is around 10
am and there may only be one bus per day –
this is usually the case. Due to the COVID19
crisis, it is always best to ask Kasper
Transportation for the updated arrival and
departure schedule.

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By Train

Trains run from Toronto to Guelph, but you

would have to wait for the bus to Elora. You
may buy your ticket via Train Buster. There are
currently three schedules of departure: 8:18
am, 4:02 pm, and 4:19 pm. Booking the
earliest time for departure means you’ll have
to pay the highest amount compared to the
other two afternoons.

The train trip from Toronto to Guelph takes

about an hour.

Places To Eat In Elora

Elora is filled with charming little places to dine
out, from cute breakfast and coffee shops to
the more refined local inn restaurants. I’ve
covered the best breakfast, lunch, and dinner
places in Elora to help you find the best dining
experience, so let’s start with breakfast.

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Breakfast in Elora

Looking for an excellent spot to grab a

continental breakfast or an elaborate a la carte
menu with all your favourite morning meal
options? Read up on some of our favourite
breakfast spots in Elora below:

The Lost and Found Cafe

The Lost and Found Cafe showcases a

European vibe in Elora. This cafe is an
excellent stop if you visit for a hike around
Elora Gorge because they’re near each other.
For health-conscious guests, they have
organic, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian
options.

The coffee they serve is some of the best in

Ontario. You have three options to hang out
here: an outdoor area, an indoor space, and a
cute loft with a shelf full of books. According
to previous customers, the most
recommended order here is gluten-free
quiche, matcha latte in almond milk, and the
smoked salmon bagel.

Address: 45 West Mill St, Elora, Centre

Wellington, Ontario Canada
Website | Facebook | Contact Number: +1
226-384-5400
Price Range: $$-$$$
Mon: 9am-4pm | Wed-Fri: 9am-4pm | Sat-
Sun: 10pm-5pm

The Wild Tart

The Wild Tart is a European patisserie offering

the finest cafe-style dining, exquisite
afternoon teas, bubbles, cocktails, and a daily
take-out counter to startup your day, located
in the heart of beautiful Elora. After enjoying
Elora Gorge Falls, it may be an excellent idea
to visit this restaurant.

They also offer a full vegan afternoon tea

option, including finger sandwiches, cakes,
and pastries. If you’re looking for an authentic
European cafe with a beautiful patio and
indoor space, this is the place to be.

Address: 61 Metcalfe St, Elora, Centre

Wellington, Ontario N0B 1S0 Canada
Website | Facebook | Contact Number: (226)
384-8278
Price Range: $$-$$$
Sun: 10am-5pm | Mon-Tue: Closed | Wed-
Thu: 12pm-5pm | Fri-Sat: 10am-8pm

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The Elora Cafe

A little further up the main street from the

Elora downtown is The Elora Cafe. It’s difficult
to miss it with its bright yellow sign. Grab a
Montreal Bagal or Avacado Toast to go along
with your coffee, or grab a Vegan Wrap or
Avacado Turkey Bacon sandwich to take with
you on your hike.

Address: 1175 Geddes St #1, Elora, ON N0B

1S0
Website | Contact: (226) 337-4433
Mon – Fri: 6:30 – 4 | Sat & Sun: 9 – 5

Wreckless Eric

Despite the name Eric, which may be reckless,

their coffee, food and catering services are
not. The baristas will pour you a cup of one of
their four fair trade organic coffee, loose leaf
teas, local beer or a signature cocktail. Beer
and cocktails in the morning? Well, hell, it’s
Wreckless Eric.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, the chef

makes everything from scratch. Using only the
best, fresh ingredients and products, the food
can be described as “a new twist on old
classics” – Bowls, Burritos, Salads and Gluten-
free Treats.

Address: 90 Metcalfe st. Elora, Ontario N0B

1S0
Website | Contact Number: (226) 369-0261
Mon – Fri: 6-4 | Sat-Sun: 8-4

Elora Things To Do Outdoors

The Grand River cuts through Elora like a
knife. On one end you can walk along the
river’s edge, then further down the river has
gouged out the rock to make a steep gorge.
There are spots you can do some rock
climbing and even ice climbing in the winter.

Bissell Park

Bissell Park is a small city park in Elora,

Ontario, near the banks of the Grand River. It is
home to the annual Riverfest music festival
and the weekly Elora Farmers Market. The
park features a large wooden boardwalk that
extends along the length of the park and
contains a playground, picnic tables, and
benches.

Elora Centre Green Space & The

Tall Man Statue

This tiny park in the middle of a bustling street

corner (Metcalfe and West Mill Street) wasn’t
always a park. In fact, it was once a gas
station. With its big shady trees and Muskoka
chairs, this sanctuary is the perfect place to
take a break from shopping, grab a sweet
snack, or people watch. There are several
interesting sculptures here but The Tall Man
sculpture was created by artist Scott
McNichol, and its actually named, “Who’s in
Charge”.

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What To Do In Elora? Elora

Gorge Activities
Despite its small population, there are plenty
of things to do in Elora, from cultural
attractions to farmers’ markets. Now that
breakfast is out of the way it’s time to explore