Visit Windsor Essex This Holiday Season
Twinkling Lights & Santa Sightings. Bold Red & Blue Skies. City Streets & Country Getaways. Holiday Markets & Christmas Cocktails. W.E. have it all in Windsor Essex!Β Plan a road trip to Windsor Essex this holiday season!
WE’RE EASY TO GET TO!
By plane, train, or automobile, we’re easy to get to!
Windsor International Airport Your Quick Gateway (YQG), is conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown Windsor. The airport offers frequent service to and from Toronto in under an hour with Porter Airlines, Air Canada Jazz, and seasonally with WestJet. Upon arrival, transportation to and from the airport is easy with major rental car, taxi and public transit just steps from the luggage terminal. For more details visit yqg.ca
With trains operating 4 times daily between Windsor and Toronto, riders can sit back and relax (with wifi) and travel with comfort and ease.Β VIA Rail provides intercity passengers with fast, convenient and affordable service, downtown-to-downtown between Canadaβs largest business centres.Β Upon arriving at the Windsor Via Rail terminal, you will find yourself steps away from the Walkerville district and walking distance to exceptional food, drink and entertainment.Β The station is centrally located and an easy transfer to a taxi or car service will get you to where you need to be!
Looking to be on your own schedule or have the flexibility to explore more than one Windsor Essex neighbourhoods or towns?Β A short four hour drive down the 401 will have you here in no time.Β Windsor Essex boasts plenty of free or low cost parking options for you once you are here so having your vehicle will certainly not impede on your budget while offering you the freedom to explore everything from authentic cuisine in Leamington and perfectly instagrammable coffee shops in Amherstburg, to the EPIC Wine Route and the Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail and everything in between!
FOUR FREE LIGHT FESTIVALS!
Plan a trip over the border and explore our light festivals – all for free! We have four light festivals all within a short driving distance of the border – perfect for making family memories and a great instagram opportunity!
Bright Lights Windsor
NOVEMBER 28th, 2025 – January 7, 2026
Location: Jackson Park, Windsor (5 minutes from downtown Windsor)
The annual Bright Lights Windsor festival offers a spectacular backdrop of thousands of lights and stunning displays, along with vendor markets and programming β a Windsor wonderland to share with family and friends. Check out the W.E. Made It: Bright Lights Market every Thursday through Sunday – your chance to support local and shop from artisans and makers each week! Bright Lights Windsor also features extra-special events and theme-nights to make the holidays more memorable.
- W.E. Made It: Artisan Market each Thursday through Sunday
- Santa appearance every Friday & Saturday
- Libro Express Holiday Train every night 6-8pm
- Sensory Nights every Tuesday
<< Click here for more details
Amherstburg River Lights Winter Festival
- November 15, 2025 – January 4, 2026
- Location: King’s Navy Yard Park, Amherstburg (25 minutes from downtown Windsor)
LaSalle Holiday Lights & Heritage Nights
- November 21, 2025 – January 4, 2026
- Location: LaSalle Civic Centre, LaSalle (15 minutes from downtown Windsor)
Kingsville Fantasy Of Lights
- November 15, 2025 – January 6, 2026
- Location: Lakeside Park, Kingsville (35 minutes from downtown Windsor)
Your Holiday To Do List
Looking for more holiday excitement? Check out what’s happening in Windsor Essex all season long!
W.E. Made It Market At Bright Lights Windsor
Every Thursday through Sunday November 28th through January 4th
Explore local artisans and makers and get a unique souvenir that is Made In Windsor! Check out nightmarkethop.ca for more details and a list of all night markets in the City.
The Elf On The Bar Shelf
Meet Hops – our Elf on the Bar Shelf! Download your free digital pass to guide you to 11 stops across Windsor and Essex County and get rewarded as you visit our breweries, cideries & distilleries! Click barrelsbottlesbrews.ca/hops for more details!
Willistead Manor Holiday House Tours
Tour the historic manor just 5 minutes from the border – each room decked out in Christmas splendor. Tours occur every Sunday and Wednesday in December (select dates). Click here for more details.
Our Holiday Gift Guide
If you’re looking to find something unique & totally Windsor when you visit, check out our 7th Annual Holiday Gift Guide packed with 250+ gifts, events, boutique shops, local attractions and more!
More Travel Tools!
Celebrate the Holidays at Caesars Windsor
Check out our Caesars Windsor Holiday Giveaway – every week were giving away tickets to holiday-themed shows inside the Colosseum at Caesars Windsor!
Click here and enter today for your chance to WIN! Contest runs through December 18th, 2025.
Check Out Of Official Visitor Guide
Check out our Official Visitor Guide by clicking here – packed with info and tips on the best things to see & do when you plan your trip. It’s your #1 resource when you’re planning a trip to Windsor – featuring itineraries, must-do lists, partner listings and more.
You can also click here to request a print version to be mailed directly to you.
Shop Til You Drop!
HEad to shopyqg.ca for our regional shopping guide sorted by district. Whether you’re exploring Windsor or heading out to Essex for the wineries or Amherstburg for River Lights, each district has unique shops to explore. Check out some of the options for adding savings during your visit below!
Our Holiday Event Guide
Parades, concerts, light festivals, markets and more! Flip through our holiday event guide to see what’s happening in Windsor and across Essex County all season long as you plan your winter road trip!
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT US
Sometimes the best way to learn about what is happening is from people that have already visited! Check out our blogs and reels from people that have visited Windsor before – telling authentic stories of our region and what makes us the perfect road trip or weekend escape! You can use their blogs and reels to help craft your own itinerary, or use our Official Visitor Guide for more trip inspiration.
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WHAT’S GOING ON
Looking to find out what’s happening when you plan your visit? We got you covered! Check out our list of curated Buyable Experiences. These will take you behind the scenes to offer you some of the best sights, sounds and tastes of Windsor – from foodie finds to arts & crafts to Santa sightings to unique cultural adventures!
MORE WAYS TO EXPLORE
Our itineraries and passports are easy ways to make the most of your trip! Click on the icons below for free ways to explore – from our W.E. Heart Local Pass guiding you to farm-to-table finds, our our Holiday Lights Pass guiding you to our four light festivals, W.E. Bird Trail with spots to find our feathered friends or the CROSSROADS Historical Guide taking you to historic relics across region our passports are free, totally digital, and use your GPS on your phone to guide you to each stop! You can find more guides and passports in the region by clicking here.
Still need trip inspo? Check out 12 ways to make your road trip more worthy with a few more things to do in Windsor Essex!
Use this as a checklist of what to do when you plan your next road trip!
10. HEAD TO THE TIP OF CANADA
You can literally walk out to the mainland point of Canada at Point Pelee National Park! Plan your trip to explore beaches, one of the most diverse eco-systems for plants and animals in Canada, and hike to the tip for a truly unforgettable and unrivaled Instagram experience in all of North America! Bonus tip: plan a trip during one of the dark sky night events when a new moon arrives and see the moon and stars from the park – open late for extra viewing pleasure each Dark Sky Night date.
9. VISIT WILLISTED MANOR
Walls made from whisky! Built originally in 1904 by Hiram Walker for his son, take a tour of Willistead Manor and the park surrounding it to learn more about the history of Walkerville and Hiram Walker. Tip: come during the Christmas Season to view the manor decked out in thousands of Christmas decorations to get you into the holiday spirit.
8. MAKE A SPLASH AT ADVENTURE BAY FAMILY WATER PARK
The largest waterpark in Southern Ontario and located no more than 4 blocks from all of our downtown hotels, it’s the perfect stop for the family. Don’t forget to buy a pass on the Flowrider – your chance to surf indoors, and 1-of-8 in Canada.
7. GRAB A SLICE OF CANADA’S BEST PIZZA
Pizza is a BIG deal in Windsor – and you MUST grab a slice when you visit. And we’re not lying: we won best in Canada and best in the world! Try it for yourself at one our our local spots and see our preferred list at www.windsorpizzaclub.ca and learn about what makes Windsor-style so unique. In crust we trust!
6. SIP Our Coffee Culture
Our coffee shops are more than just your regular double double. Check out our roasters and artisanal coffee shops and talk with our baristas who will share their passion for the perfect brew.
5. TAKE A SELF GUIDED TRIP ON THE BARREL TRAIL
Check out the Flight Log and explore the 11 breweries and 2 distilleries that are part of the Barrels Bottles & Brews Trail. A Flight Log will cost you $25 – and gets you an exclusive offer on a flight of craft beer or spirits at each stop. Check out what you could experience.
4. MAKE IT AN EPIC ROAD TRIP
Did you know that Windsor Essex features Canada’s hottest wine region – our Essex Pelee Island Coast wineries, or as we call them ‘EPIC’. Plan a trip to explore the 20 wineries dotting the lakeside featuring crisp whites, soft roses, perfect bubbles and bold reds rivaled by the rest of the wineries across Canada. Click here for more details including our wine route map and plan your next trip by car or by bike!
3. EXPLORE CANADA’S LARGEST CASINO RESORT
Come explore Canada’s largest casino resort – from non-stop action on the gaming floor to world class accommodations and world class entertainment weekly inside the 5,000 seat Colosseum. Make it a day trip, a night, or a weekend (including some fun inside Ariius nightclub) all under one roof!
2. TASTE LIQUID GOLD
Did you know that Windsor is the home of Canadian whisky – and North America’s largest distillery is located right along the Detroit River in Windsor. Visit the J.P. Wiser’s ExperienceΒ and purchase a bottle of limited edition spirits to take home with you.
1. EXPLORE BY THE POWER OF THE PEDAL
There are miles of trails in our region – perfect for a two wheeled adventure. Check out www.visitwindsoressex.com/bike for our Cycle Tourism Map featuring six trails, and bike-friendly certified stops along each trail.
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