About Barrie

"The 400" is a busy, six- to eight-lane scenic highway, which takes you north from Toronto to Barrie. Along the one-hour drive, you will pass turn-offs to several small cities and towns, so-called bedroom communities of Toronto.

You will also pass turn-offs for a variety of other popular attractions. One is The McMichael Art Gallery which houses the collection of Canada's most well-known artists, the Group of Seven. Another is perfect for thrill-seekers, Canada's Wonderland amusement park. The park has 18 roller coasters, including the Yukon Striker, the world's tallest (75m/245'), longest (1,105m/3,625'), and fastest (130kph/80mph) dive coaster.

Barrie itself is a growing city with a metro area population of about 212,000. The city is set along Lake Simcoe's Kempenfelt Bay, and is the largest city between Toronto and Sudbury.

Barrie is home to the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, a 466-bed hospital, which provides tertiary-care services to its region. The city is also home to Georgian College, which offers more than 130 programs, including nursing.

The area surrounding Barrie is rugged and spectacular, with plenty of opportunities for golfing, hiking, boating, fishing, and skiing. There are three small ski hills within an hour's drive of Barrie. One of these is Blue Mountain, the province's largest ski resort, which offers cross-country and downhill skiing and snowboarding. Their "5x7" (i.e., five days, seven nights) adult season ski pass costs C$334 (approx. US$234/£180). These are small hills, i.e., not like Vail or Whistler-Blackcomb, but they will keep you in shape!