Explore Saint Thomas through its expansive green spaces, railway history and public art. If you’re planning a stay, you can consider these themes as distinct points of interest: trails and landscapes sit alongside historic buildings, an interactive model railway and outdoor murals. This lets you tailor your choices to your interests without requiring a set itinerary.

Parks and Trails in Saint Thomas

Saint Thomas has 43 parks covering a total area of 700 acres. Two specific examples are Pinafore Park, at 111 acres, and Waterworks Park, at 100 acres. The total area gives an overview of the city’s green spaces, while the figures for individual parks refer to their respective sizes. This lets you consider the city’s green spaces as a whole and the profiles of individual parks separately.

The trails and paths described also differ. Pinafore Park has extensive walking trails as well as hiking and cross-country ski trails. Waterworks Park features recreational trails and natural landscapes. If hiking or cross-country skiing is one of your interests, Pinafore Park offers a specific place to start; at Waterworks, the focus is on recreational trails and landscape.

St. Thomas Elevated Park is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. As hours may change, check the current schedule before your visit.

Railway History and Historic Buildings

The Canada Southern Railway Station was completed in 1873. The BX Tower is designated a historic building by the municipality; the city preserves it, while the Elgin County Railway Museum maintains it. Old St. Thomas Church dates from 1824. These buildings offer different historical points of reference: a completion year for the station, municipal designation and preservation for the tower, and an early construction date for the church.

The Elgin County Railway Museum features a large, interactive HO-scale model railway with cities and marshalling yards. Here, railway history takes shape not only in historic buildings but also in miniature. The layout combines depicted urban areas with shunting operations, offering a distinctive view of the miniature railway world. If you’re especially interested in stations and railways, you can include this exhibition alongside the historic buildings when making your choices.

Murals, Public Art and a January Event

Saint Thomas has more than 50 outdoor murals and public art installations. These works add a different focus to the historic buildings: rather than looking primarily at buildings and their history, you can also make public art a theme of your stay. The mix of parks, buildings and art appeals to different interests without implying a particular route.

For nearly 50 years, Saint Thomas has hosted an annual gala in January featuring well-known sports personalities. If you’re considering a stay around this event, check the date and current event details in advance. Along with the daily opening hours of St. Thomas Elevated Park, this is one of the time-sensitive details that may be especially useful when making specific plans.

Discover more destinations: Port Stanley

For the broader travel overview: Elgin County.