Hotels near Ridgetown, Ontario

A little about Ridgetown...

Ridgetown is a community in Ontario located in south-east Chatham-Kent. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,300 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.

Ridgetown is known for its tree-lined streets, quaint Victorian atmosphere and interesting shops. There are many examples of gingerbread-decorated homes and heritage buildings. The Ridge House Museum offers an authentic glimpse of life as it was in 1875. Two landmarks stand out as you approach Ridgetown from any direction - the green water tower and the green steeple of the United Church on Erie Street. On a clear day (if you can climb to a point high enough) they are visible from the city of Chatham 32 Kilometres away. If there is a 'logo' for Ridgetown, it is either a spreading maple tree or an image of trees with the water tower standing proud above them.

Ridgetown is known as the Friendliest Town in Ontario. This motto came about as the result of the "Tourist of the Week" program. In 1968, Doug Smith, head of the local Recreation Committee garnered the support of the Chamber of Commerce for his idea of "arresting" a tourist each week during the summer and presenting them with gift certificates.

The downtown area runs for about 3 blocks, with stores and businesses that serve the local and surrounding community, drive-in tourists, and cottagers from Rondeau Park. For a bit of colour, the streets are lined with planters courtesy of the local horticultural society and Ridgetown College horticulture departments. In October just before Halloween there are cornstalk and scarecrow decorations on the lampposts. You will find fresh honey-dip donuts every morning, a place where they make and refurbish large stained glass windows, excellent grocery and drug stores, jewellery and gifts, cameras, a Sears outlet, post office, skateboard shop, automotive supplies, dentist, doctors, optometrist, two gyms, real estate, financial and legal advice, and more. The many restaurants in town (including at the east and south entrances of town) offer Chinese food, subs, pizza, burgers, ice cream, and nice sit-down meals in addition to very reasonable breakfast specials.