Places to Explore: Grimsby Beach Cottages

Looking to visit a travel destination in Ontario that's off most tourist's radar? Look no further than the Grimsby Beach Cottages, which are brightly coloured gingerbread houses come to life!

Located in the Niagara Region of Grimsby, Ontario, these fun homes are a ring of cottages located close to the waters of Lake Ontario in the Auditorium Circle.

A quick history lesson

The cottages were originally built for a 19th century Ontario Methodist Camp and had fun names like Dunworkin’ and It’ll Do, but quickly lost character once the camp stopped meeting in Grimsby and they were purchased by other owners.

Enter homeowner Ed Giernat, who repainted his home to bring a little bit of character back in to the architecture.

"There was a lot of resistance at first. There still is some. But it’s becoming an attraction." said Ed of his brightly coloured home, a trend which has spread to other nearby cottages in the past 25 years.

Said neighbour Mary Lou who had Ed re-do her own home, "It lifts your spirits to see it, especially in winter. People who’ve come here, adventurous, and now there’s a huge sense of community. Lots of porch parties. It’s colour therapy."

Image courtesy of Instagram