22 researched places across 6 pockets — restaurants, shops, schools and parks.
The restaurants and patios of Friday Harbour resort on Lake Simcoe — lakeside dining along the marina boardwalk, from casual to refined.
Local pick: Patios along the boardwalk
The Innisfil Beach Road plazas serve the Alcona community with casual restaurants, cafés and takeout near the lake.
Local pick: A casual bite near the beach
Bradford's Holland Street downtown holds restaurants and cafés making the most of the Holland Marsh's famously fresh produce.
Local pick: Marsh-fresh produce on the plate
The restaurants, pubs and cafés of Alliston's heritage downtown on Victoria Street — the dining heart of New Tecumseth.
Local pick: A meal on the heritage main street
The cafés and pub of Tottenham's main street — a relaxed village stop near the conservation area and the heritage steam railway.
Local pick: A village bite by the railway
Cookstown's village cafés and restaurants — a country stop in the antiques village near the 400 and the outlet mall.
Local pick: Country dining among the antiques
Friday Harbour's lake-side boardwalk — boutiques, a market, a 1,000-slip marina and a nature preserve, all on Lake Simcoe.
Local pick: Lakeside boutiques and the marina
Bradford's Holland Street downtown shops and services, plus the big-box plazas serving the fast-growing town on the marsh.
Local pick: Heritage shops and the marsh market
Alliston's heritage Victoria Street downtown plus the Riverdale shopping plazas — the retail heart of New Tecumseth.
Local pick: Boutiques and the Riverdale plaza
A popular outlet shopping centre at Highways 400 and 89 in Cookstown — brand-name outlet stores drawing shoppers from across the region.
Local pick: Brand outlets off the 400
Tottenham's main street shops and services — the everyday centre of the growing New Tecumseth village.
Local pick: The village main street
A Simcoe County DSB public secondary school in Alliston, named for insulin co-discoverer Sir Frederick Banting, born nearby — serving all of New Tecumseth.
Local pick: Named for Alliston's Sir Frederick Banting
A Simcoe County DSB public secondary school serving Innisfil and the Alcona community near Lake Simcoe.
Local pick: Innisfil's home high school
A Simcoe County DSB public secondary school serving Bradford West Gwillimbury and the surrounding marsh communities.
Local pick: Bradford's home high school
A Simcoe County DSB JK–8 public elementary serving the village of Beeton and the surrounding New Tecumseth countryside.
Local pick: The Beeton village school
A four-season lakeside resort community on Lake Simcoe — a 1,000-slip marina, The Nest golf course, a 200-acre nature preserve and the boardwalk.
Local pick: The marina, golf and nature preserve
Innisfil's lakefront park on Lake Simcoe — a sandy beach, boat launch, picnic areas and playgrounds at the foot of Innisfil Beach Road.
Local pick: A summer day on Lake Simcoe
The famous Holland Marsh below Bradford — Ontario's 'vegetable patch', thousands of acres of rich black soil, farm stands and the fall Marsh festival.
Local pick: Ontario's vegetable patch
A provincial park just outside Alliston — a reservoir beach, camping, trails and a fish ladder on the Boyne River.
Local pick: Camping, a beach and the fish ladder
A heritage railway running vintage steam and diesel excursions from Tottenham through the countryside — a beloved seasonal family attraction.
Local pick: A heritage steam-train excursion
A conservation area at the edge of Tottenham — a reservoir with a beach, fishing, picnic areas and trails through the woods.
Local pick: The reservoir beach and trails
Beeton's fairgrounds and memorial park — home of the village's fall fair, ball diamonds and community events in the heart of the village.
Local pick: The Beeton Fall Fair