8 Best Things To Do Oxford County, Canada
Looking for a memorable excursion and a chance to discover a different side of Ontario? A delicious adventure awaits anyone willing to drive a mere 90 minutes south of downtown Toronto to Oxford County. This mostly rural area is serving up some seriously sophisticated and scrumptious travel experience, as Oxford County is Canada’s cheese capital!
As I learned on a recent press trip, the Oxford County community of Ingersoll became one of Canada’s leading cheese producers in the 1800s. Not content to simply keep things local, the people of Ingersoll cooked up an incredible publicity plan — by cooking up one heck of a gigantic cheese. In 1866, dairy makers produced a gargantuan wheel of cheese that weighed in at 7,300 pounds. Then they sent it on tour to both the New York State Fair in Saratoga and then overseas to England, where it caused an absolute sensation. Ever since, this part of Canada has been an exceptional destination for cheese lovers (albeit in more modest portions). But those who are lactose intolerant, take heart! Cheese is just the beginning of what makes Oxford County such a lovely destination.
A tower of cheese sits outside an Oxford County dairy
Photo credit: Vanessa Chiasson
1. DIY Cheese Trail
Oxford County’s Cheese Trail is home to eight producers making 70 or so varieties and flavors of cheese, ranging from old-fashioned Gouda to lesser-known Swiss-style products that are infused with local wine and beer. Many of the participating dairies offer tours and tasting experiences, and the Cheese Trail includes a number of shops and restaurants to help you get your cheesy fix. It helps tremendously to have your own car to explore the area, but it is possible to bike to many of the stops. Cheese Trail maps are located at all participating locations plus a large number of local businesses including hotels, cafes, and museums.
A replica of the giant cheese in the Ingersoll museum
Photo credit: Vanessa Chiasson
Speaking of museums, Ingersoll’s…
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