Amelie CameronIf you love the comedic genius of John Candy and Jim Carrey, then you have Newmarket to thank, the birthplace of these 2 superstars. The town has also been the site for 14 major movies and TV shows in the last decade.
That’s thanks to the town’s unique combination of diverse locations from historical sites, picturesque village streets, and culture centers. There’s plenty to do and discover in Newmarket whether you’re going for a short visit or an extended stay.
Join us as we unravel the layers of Newmarket’s identity through some of the spots locals love to hang out in, some unique activities immersed in nature, and where to enjoy a pint or 2.
- Pick and Make Your Own Bouquet at Country Cut Flowers
- Time-Travel Through Newmarket’s Past at Elman W. Campbell Museum
- Explore the Tranquil Oasis in the Heart of Newmarket at the Fairy Lake Park
- Grab a Bite to Eat at Made in Mexico
- Stroll Through the Main Street Heritage Conservation District
- Try the Outdoor Skate Park at the Magna Centre
- Enjoy the Local and International Brews at the Market Brewing Company
- Catch A Show at the NewRoads Performing Arts Centre
- Hike Along the Nokiidaa Trail for a Day out in the Sun
- Explore the Goodies at the Newmarket Farmers' Market
- Watch a Performance in Newmarket’s Iconic Old Town Hall
- Enjoy a Variety of Entertaining Activities at the Riverwalk Commons
- Experience a Unique Movie Night at the Stardust Drive-in
Pick and Make Your Own Bouquet at Country Cut Flowers
Address: 100 meters past 970 Millers, 970 Miller’s Sideroad, Newmarket, ON L3Y 4V9, Canada
Phone Number: +1 289 264 3964
Hours: Open from April to September, time based on reservation
If you’ve always loved flower bouquets, but enjoy watching them being made more than the bouquet itself, then a trip to County Cut Flowers might just be the thing for you. Set in Newmarket, this flower farm is a great place to enjoy and pick your own flowers.
Country Cut Flowers is home to fields of flowers planted and nurtured by the owner. You can just drop by to look, but we recommend going for the flower picking packages. One grants you access to tulips and daffodils that you can pick until you fill up a mason jar.
If you’re looking for a bigger haul, they have a bigger package where you get to fill an entire bucket with flowers. They arrange those into 1 big bouquet or many smaller ones.
| Pro Tip: Country Cut Flowers offer workshops centered on flower care and arrangements that change depending on the season. These are fun to try with friends like the wreath making classes they hold during the holidays. |
Time-Travel Through Newmarket’s Past at Elman W. Campbell Museum
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Address: 134 Main St S, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3Y7, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 953 5314
Hours: Open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm and from 1 pm to 4 pm
You can delve into Newmarket’s history at the Elman W. Campbell Museum located on the iconic Main Street. This museum holds artifacts that date back to the very beginnings of the town and other items that mark important milestones of Newmarket.
There are also exhibits that help you learn about the town’s past along with a regular re-enactment of the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion in “Rebel Heartland”.
The building itself is located in a 19th century office in the Classical Revival Style. It still features the original brick walls, so make sure you stop for a few moments to appreciate the architecture and elements preserved from the past.
| Pro Tip: Don’t leave without checking out the model railroad that’s meant to be a replica of the iconic one in Newmarket’s Downtown area in the mid 1920s. There’s also a log cabin fitted to look like what it would have during the era of the first settlers in the 1800s. |
Explore the Tranquil Oasis in the Heart of Newmarket at the Fairy Lake Park
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Address: 520 Water St, Newmarket, ON L3Y 1M5, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 895 5193
Hours: Open everyday 24/7
Nestled in the center of Newmarket, Fairy Lake Park is a huge public area that’s often used for the town’s festivals and fairs. One of the most popular ones is the Shakespeare in the Park play by the Resurgence Theatre Company.
On the days without events at the park, the surroundings make for an equally great day outdoors. The Fairy Lake is actually man made, but the area surrounding it is nothing like that.
The park grounds are covered in greenery from huge trees, flower bushes, and open grass fields where you can host a picnic out in the sun.
| Pro Tip: Fairy Lake Park has many trails that are popular for walking and cycling. Make sure you go on the ones that go directly over the lake on bridges. These give you great views of the water. |
Grab a Bite to Eat at Made in Mexico
Address: 179 Main St S, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3Y9, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 235 7722
Hours:
- Open from Tuesday to Thursday from 12 pm to 9 pm
- Open from Friday to Saturday from 12 pm to 10 pm
- Open on Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm
You can treat your taste buds to the vibrant flavors of Mexico right in Newmarket at Made in Mexico. Their menu is teeming with authentic Mexican dishes that they elevate with a modern twist.
From their tacos that come in different variations to their hearty tacos, the menu items have steadily become favorites among the locals and even visitors. Our favorite things to get are their beef birria tacos that go well with the loaded nachos.
The lively ambiance of the place complete with vibrant decorations and Mexican music is the cherry on top of a great dining experience.
| Pro Tip: Don’t miss out on the expertly made cocktails here, especially the frozen margaritas. They come in different flavors but the staff’s main choice is the lime tequila. The staff here are pretty friendly and some give you free refills on slow days. |
Stroll Through the Main Street Heritage Conservation District
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Address: Main St S, Newmarket, ON, Canada
Phone Number:
Hours: Open everyday 24/7
History lovers who prefer to immerse themselves in the past rather than see locked up items and artifacts behind glass shelves will be delighted by the Main Street running across Newmarket.
The entire street is lined with restored buildings from different significant eras of the town. There are also lots of historical plaques that tell you all sorts of information on the many houses and structures there.
Recognized as a Provincial Heritage Conservation District, everything here is protected including the buildings that date all the way back to the early 19th century.
| Pro Tip: Before starting your stroll down the Main Street, we suggest you head to The Maid’s Cottage and enjoy one of their butter tarts. They won the award for being the best one in 2022 in Ontario! |
Try the Outdoor Skate Park at the Magna Centre
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Address: 800 Mulock Dr, Newmarket, ON L3Y 9C1, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 953 5303
Website
Hours:
- Open from Monday to Friday from 6 am to 10 pm
- Open on Saturday from 8 am to 9 pm
- Open on Sunday from 7 am to 9 pm
The Magna Centre is one of our most favorite hangout spots in Newmarket for a relaxing but active day in town. It has all the amenities you would expect from a recreation center, except they’ve been taking it up a notch with different projects.
The most recent one that the town has been loving is the newly installed outdoor skate park. It has ramps and rail that you can master. There are also half-pipes, funboxes, and starsets for more experienced skaters.
This impressive facility also boasts Olympic-sized and NHL-sized ice rinks which usually serves as the venue for local hockey games.
| Pro Tip: There is also a community pool, sports courts, and a fitness center that are free to use and open to the public. Just make sure you bring your own clothes for swimming and working out. The changing and shower rooms are pretty clean, so no need to worry! |
Enjoy the Local and International Brews at the Market Brewing Company
Address: 17775 Leslie St Unit 9, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3E3, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 235 9333
Hours:
- Open from Sunday to Monday from 12 pm to 6 pm
- Open from Tuesday to Thursday from 12 pm to 9 pm
- Open fon Friday from 11 am to 11 pm
- Open on Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm
The Market Brewing Company is Newmarket’s cherished neighborhood brewery. It’s the place you go to if you’re craving a cold pint of craft beer. They usually have at least 15 beers on tap at all times and even more available in cans and bottles.
Some of the more popular ones include the Kitchen Lunch Cream Ale, Beswick Lagered Ale, Goliath Cold Pale Ale, and the Bear Hug IPA. Aside from beer, they also have seltzers, ciders, wine, and even non alcoholic drinks like sparkling water and soda.
The Market Brewing Company hosts a lot of events from live music performances, comedy skits and shows, and trivia nights that everyone can participate in.
| Pro Tip: The Market Brewing Company holds a weekly bingo night every Thursday at 7 pm. There are prizes up for grabs along with a wide variety of beers on tap. There are also food trucks serving up some great food on these nights. |
Catch A Show at the NewRoads Performing Arts Centre
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Address: 505 Pickering Crescent, Newmarket, ON L3Y 8H1, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 953 5122
Hours: Open everyday from 7 pm to 11 pm
As theater geeks, one of the first stops we made when we got to Newmarket was the NewRoads Performing Arts Centre. This place has recently undergone a whole list of renovations to update the amenities within.
With all the improvements, the theater has become the venue of many local performances from live plays and musical concerts to musicals and dance shows.
The location itself has a 400-person capacity for an intimate yet still lively atmosphere.
The popular shows here include some Broadway inspired remakes of classic shows like Grease, The Little Mermaid, and Les Miserbales.
| Pro Tip: The NewRoads Performing Arts Centre is open year round, even when it isn’t show season. The lobby has been renovated and has become a local favorite for people to gather around the bar and interact with other performance art lovers. |
Hike Along the Nokiidaa Trail for a Day out in the Sun
Address: Access Point at the All Our Kids Playpark: 535 Timothy St, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3V6, Canada
Hours: Open everyday 24/7
If you love being out in nature then you’ll be happy to know that Newmarket has a significant trail running through the town. The Nokiidaa Trail measures almost 20 km and passes by East Gwillimbury, Aurora, and New Market.
You can access the trail anywhere, but the most convenient one is through the All Our Kids Playpark. This trail is perfect for walking and hiking. The path itself is pretty manageable and makes for a relaxing stroll out in nature.
You can view the Holland River in some portions of the trail towards the north. It gives you great views that combine both scenery from the water and from the forests.
| Pro Tip: The Nokiidaa Trail is also open to bikers, so we recommend not putting in earphones or headphones during your walk or trek here to avoid any minor accidents. The trail can also get muddy when it rains, so make sure you wear shoes with a good grip. |
Explore the Goodies at the Newmarket Farmers’ Market
Address: 200 Doug Duncan Dr, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3Y9, Canada
Phone Number: +1 603 553 1708
Hours: Open everyday from 24/7
The Newmarket Farmers Market is something locals look forward to every year. Although it’s only open from May to October, this event gathers more foot traffic than any other fair in town. And, for good reason!
You can find all sorts of fresh produce here like vegetables, fruits, and even flowers all coming straight from the farm to the stalls there selling them. There are also fresh meats, spices, eggs, milk, and other artisan goods available.
They hold the market at the Riverwalk Commons, so people usually sit and enjoy some of the snacks they bought right in the area while they chat with other visitors.
| Pro Tip: Every week, they give away a basket filled with goodies from each stall in the farmers market. The winner is drawn from a pool of ballots. You can sign up for the raffle draw by going to the stall at the center of the market for a chance to win. |
Watch a Performance in Newmarket’s Iconic Old Town Hall
Address: 460 Botsford St, Newmarket, ON L3Y 1T1, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 953 5313
Hours:
- Open on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 8:30 pm
- Open on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm
The Old Town Hall combines appreciation for history and love for the arts. The Old Town Hall is also known as the Newmarket Town Hall and Market Building. Built in 1883, it has the original elements of Italianate Style architecture.
The building itself is a work of art, but it served significant uses in the past. It was once used as Newmarket’s political and administrative center, then the headquarters for the town’s police department, and then a municipal courtroom.
Today it’s a center for art and culture. After undergoing renovations in 2016, a formal 250 seat theater was added to give life back to this historical structure.
| Pro Tip: The Old Town Hall is now a popular venue for local productions from school plays and free improv classes for seniors to more professional acts like choir and orchestra concerts. Stay updated by calling or checking the announcement boards on site. |
Enjoy a Variety of Entertaining Activities at the Riverwalk Commons
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Address: 200 Doug Duncan Dr, Newmarket, ON L3Y 3T8, Canada
Phone Number: +1 905 895 5193
Hours: Open everyday from 9 am to 10:0 am
Newmarket has its very own bustling oasis nestled right outside the Newmarket Community Centre and Lions Hall. The Riverwalk Commons acts as a multipurpose and dynamic recreational area for the entire town. The attractions change per season.
In the summer, locals with kids flock here to play in the splash pools where the little ones can cool off and have fun with the water features. Winter months see this area transform into Newmarket’s winter wonderland.
The skating rink is open to the public where anyone can enjoy the ice with a round of friendly hockey (as long as you don’t get too rowdy) or just a relaxed afternoon skating.
| Pro Tip: The Riverwalk Commons also serves as a popular venue for local events year round, so make sure you stay tuned for announcements on their websites. Some of the must attend events which include Tim Hortons Canada Day. |
Experience a Unique Movie Night at the Stardust Drive-in
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Address: 893 Mount Albert Rd, Newmarket, Ontario L0G1V0
Phone Number: +1 905 836 4444
Hours:
- Open from Friday and Saturday for 6:30 pm showing
- Open on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday for 7 pm showing
We love a comforting movie night like anyone else, but we never say no to a showing at the Stardust Drive-in Theater. It’s always an experience coming here. The magic of outdoor cinema from a bygone era comes alive again here every night.
You drive in your car with friends or family to find your spot in their parking slots. You can call ahead to reserve spots, but you can also just drive by if there are some left. They give you a channel that you connect to on your FM radio for the audio.
Every night, they do back to back features for a 3 to 4 hour long movie marathon right in the comfort and privacy of your own car.
| Pro Tip: There are concession stands at the lot with popcorn, sweets, and drinks, but we recommend bringing your own if you don’t want to break the bank on some grub. Bring blankets and pillows for a more comfortable showing. |
