A road trip is to Midland, Ontario is not complete without a visit to Discovery Harbour. This original British naval and military base located near Penetanguishene, was built to provide protection to Upper Canada after the War of 1812.

The British naval presence on Georgian Bay was to provide ships to supply British outposts westward. By the 1800s, it was home to sailors, officers, shipwrights and soldiers. In total, five large ships, 15 smaller vessels and numerous workshops and dwellings were built.

Discovery Harbour
Margaret at the entrance to Discovery Harbour

Revisiting Discovery Harbour

As a teenager, my family and I would travel around Ontario, exploring the rich history that Ontario has to offer. Discovery Harbour was a place overflowing in stories from the past. Take your time and stop at the Base Commander’s house or examine the cartographers quarters, it is truly a great way to learn the history of Upper Canada.

Discovery Harbour entrance
Buildings at Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Discovery Harbour map
Harbour map
Discovery Harbour
Stern of the HMS Tecumseth

Visitors will enjoy informative and interactive daily tours. Discovery Harbour is also anchorage for two replica ships – H.M.S Bee and H.M.S Tecumseth.

Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Deck of the HMS Tecumseth
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Mast and rigging
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Pentang Harbour
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Commander’s House
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Union Jack

Come for the day and soak up a little bit of British Naval culture. There is so much to do! Discovery Harbour is operated by Huronia Historical Parks and is an attraction of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Open wooden boat
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Commander’s House
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Fireplace in Commander’s House
Discovery Harbour Midland Ontario
Coat of Arms

Check out the links below for more information on the Midland Ontario area:

400 Eleven – Travel Information North of Toronto

Midland Ontario Attractions

Have you ever been to Discovery Harbour? Are you into history, as much as we are? 

Author

A Burlington boy with a love of the outdoors, camping and hitting the highways for road trips, Frank is a marketing and sales specialist who loves exploring and adventures on weekends with his wife Margaret. His passion for outdoor living, survival skills, and good food means he’s always sharing tips on the best places to camp, roads to take in Ontario for breath-taking views, or interesting recipe ideas with locally grown foods.

1 Comment

  1. The Discovery Harbour retro was amazing for me. My boat was docked at Hindson Marina and I used to anchor off Discovery after work and relax. It’s good to see the pictures from land!

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