Practicalities
Well connected to London, Toronto and Niagara Falls, Windsor's bus station is right in the centre of town on Chatham, just east of the main street, Ouellette Avenue, which runs south from the river. From the bus station, Transit Windsor (tel 519/944-4111) runs a shuttle service (1-3 hourly) over to downtown Detroit via a tunnel whose entrance is bang in the middle of town at Goyeau and Park; traffic bypassing Windsor en route to Detroit uses the Ambassador Bridge, on Hwy 3. Windsor train station is some 3km east of the city centre, near the waterfront at 298 Walker Rd and Wyandotte; to get into the centre from here, take a taxi ($6). The Windsor Convention and Visitors' Bureau , Suite 103, City Centre Mall, 333 Riverside Drive W (Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm; tel 519/255-6530 or 1-800/265-3633, www.city.windsor.on.ca/cvb ), is located just west of Ouellette and they issue free maps and glossy local brochures. They also run a tourist information kiosk (open daily) in the casino. The city's downtown core is surprisingly compact, with most of the action focused on Ouellette from the river to Wyandotte - merely five-minutes' stroll from top to bottom. If you're staying the night, convenient options near the river include several chain hotels like the Days Inn Windsor , 675 Goyeau St (tel 519/258-8411 or 1-800/DAYSINN, fax 519/258-6771; $80-100), and Quality Suites by Journey's End , 250 Dougall Ave (tel 519/977-9707 or 1-800/228-5151, fax 519/977-6404; $80-100). The best rooms in the city centre are, however, to be found in the plush tower blocks along the riverfront in view of the Detroit skyline. Options here include the splendid Radisson Riverfront Hotel Windsor , 333 Riverside Drive W (tel 519/977-9777 or 1-800/333-3333; $175-240), where the rooms are large and extremely comfortable; and the comparable Hilton Windsor , 277 Riverside Drive W (tel 519/973-5555 or 1-800/HILTONS; $125-175), which is graced by some Art Deco flourishes. Otherwise, the Convention and Visitors' Bureau has the details of a handful of B&Bs ($40-80), though most of their addresses are a good way from the centre. The city's budget motels are strung out along Huron Church Road (Hwy 3) just to the west of downtown on the way to the Ambassador Bridge over to the US. Amongst a bevy of busy cafe-bars dotted on and around Ouellette, two of the best are the chic Pitt for Pasta , 250 Dougall Ave (tel 519/258-1535), where they serve a good range of Italian dishes, and the excellent Chatham Street Grill , 149 Chatham St W (tel 519/256-2555), which specializes in grilled meats. Alternatively, there are snacks and cakes at the Coffee Exchange , 341 Ouellette, and Ethiopian cuisine at the Marathon Restaurant , 60 University Ave W (tel 519/253-2215). The Room , available at downtown cafes and record stores, is a free monthly news sheet with listings of gigs and clubs, a service also provided by the local evening newspaper, the Windsor Star . In the city centre, the Aar'd'vark Blues Cafe , 89 University Ave W at Pelissier (tel 519/977-6422), has R&B and blues five nights a week and showcases the cream of the Detroit crop. The New Chicago Blues Bar , 98 University Ave W (tel 519/252-9480) is comparable.
Your Tip for Windsor
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