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Windsor Tour

Tour Overview

Detroit-Windsor Tunnel -- Transport Canada Windsor, Ontario is our friendly Canadian sister city to the south across the Detroit River. That's right, it's Detroit the only major city in Canada where entering the United States actually requires traveling north! Just a few-minute drive via the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, Windsor is a great destination to add to your list of things to do while in the Detroit area. In addition to a safe and walkable downtown with an abundance of history, culture, shopping, dining, and nightlife, Windsor offers some of the best views of the Detroit skyline and river freighters.

Travel Tips

1. Due to increased post-9/11 security, wait times at the bridge and tunnel can vary (check the bridge and tunnel websites below for up-to-date traffic reports).

2. Make sure to bring proof of citizenship. A passport or a combination of birth certificate and government-issued photo identification (driver's license) is required.

3. Don’t' forget to stop at the duty free shops located on both sides of the border for some great deals.

4. Check the exchange rate before you go -- Windsor can be a true bargain at the right time!

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Resources & Links

Ambassador Bridge [A]

3400 West Lafayette Blvd., Detroit

Website

Completed in 1929, the Ambassador Bridge is the longest international suspension bridge in the world and a majestic symbol of the strong bond between Detroit and Windsor. It is also the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume (more than 25% of all merchandise trade between the United States and Canada crosses the bridge). Start your journey to Windsor with a trip across this impressive structure.

Historic Sandwich Towne [B]

Between Sandwich Street and the University of Windsor

Founded in 1789, Olde Sandwich Towne was the first urban settlement in Windsor and the first significant migration of English-speaking people into the area. Sandwich developed over the following decades as the seat of government and the courts for the County of Essex. It still retains a number of buildings from this era of historical significance and which exemplify the neo-classical and Georgian styles of architecture prevalent during the first half of the 19^th century. Of particular historic significance is the Mackenzie Hall courthouse built in 1855 and the Sandwich First Baptist Church, an important gathering place for fugitive slaves that escaped the south via the Underground Railroad.

Odette Sculpture Park [C]

Between Huron Church Road & Church Street, Windsor

Website

This unique park offers visitors the opportunity to view over 31 large-scale, internationally recognized sculptures by world-renowned artists in a fabulous outdoor setting. Odette Sculpture Park is located on the shores of the Detroit River in the Ambassador and Centennial Parks. The park is free, open year-round, and parking is abundant. Continuing east along the shoreline brings you to Dieppe Park, in the heart of Windsor, and the spot that affords the best view of the Detroit skyline. The Art Gallery of Windsor is also located here and downtown is just steps away.

Downtown [D]

Vicinity of Oulette and University Avenues, Windsor

Website

Windsor has all the big city amenities in a relatively small and accessible footprint. The downtown area is highly walkable and offers an abundance of museums, galleries, theatres, shops, and restaurants. An acclaimed bar scene and the exciting Caesars Windsor Casino are highlights of Windsor's nightlife and entertainment options. Not far out of the downtown area is the huge Devonshire Mall and the recently added Windsor Crossing Premium Outlets. A visit to the downtown area alone could easily capture you for an entire day!

Hiram Walker Brand Center [E]

2072 Riverside Drive East, Windsor

Website

The Brand Center is located within the Canadian Club company's beautiful world headquarters built in 1894 by Hiram Walker. Known as the Whisky Palace for its impeccable exterior design and ornate interior, it is one of the last remaining fragments of the Walker empire. Opened in 1894 along the east riverfront, the building is an outstanding example of Italian Renaissance architecture. The street façade and other features, external and internal, were copied from a variety of European palaces and grand houses. Hiram Walker worked here as did his sons and grandsons. Visitors can tour the building, discover the company's origins, and learn about the Canadian Club whisky-making process.

Ford City [F]

Bordered by Drouillard Road on the West, Westminster on the East, & Tecumseh Road on the South

Website

The prosperity that accompanied the dawn of the automotive age in the early 1900s was not confined to Detroit. In 1904, Ford Motor Company of Canada was founded in this former French parish known as Notre Dame du Lac located on the east side of the city. Ford's Canadian headquarters eventually moved to Oakville, Ontario, but the impact on the area and the historical significance remained. The area's rich history is featured in a number of outdoor murals found throughout the city.

Detroit-Windsor Tunnel [G]

465 Goyeau Street, Windsor

Website

On your way into Windsor you had the opportunity to travel above the Detroit River. Now is your chance to travel under it! Opened for traffic in 1930, the mile-long Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is the only underwater international vehicular border crossing in the world and the second busiest border crossing between the United States and Canada behind the Ambassador Bridge. The tunnel is considered an engineering marvel with its construction involving the dredging of over 700,000 tons of earth from the river bottom and the installation of over 250,000 tiles to line the tunnel walls.