Discover Petrolia

Petrolia combines the history of oil production with a Victorian-era downtown and theatre. The town offers several specific attractions for a hotel stay: Petrolia Discovery explores the history and technology of oil production, Victoria Hall combines heritage designation with theatre, while the market and festival add seasonal events to the mix. The Town Walking Map gives residents and visitors an overview of the town’s attractions. Use the current version to find your way, as map content may change.

Oil history and ongoing operations

At Petrolia Discovery, a guided tour takes you through the world’s only publicly accessible, still-operating oil field dating from the 1860s. Since tours are seasonal, check the tour schedule for your visit. The attraction also includes historical exhibits. One notable technical landmark is the Fitzgerald Rig: it has been in continuous operation since 1903 and continues to power oil wells connected by a rod line. At Petrolia Discovery, historical interpretation meets oil production that is still ongoing today.

Victoria Hall and historic buildings

Victoria Hall is a National Historic Site and a provincially designated heritage building. Its upper floor was once home to an opera house with seating for 1,000. The same historic building houses Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, a 400-seat theatre in Petrolia’s Victorian-era downtown. The different capacities illustrate how the space has changed over time: the upper floor once served as an opera house, while the theatre today has 400 seats.

Other buildings also offer a glimpse into the town’s history. The Little Red Bank preserves the vault and teller window from its former use as a bank. The Petrolia Library is housed in a former Grand Trunk railway station built in 1903. Sunnyside is a 22-room mansion that includes a billiard room, ballroom, and servants’ quarters. At the Petrolia Standpipe Water Tower, on-site signage explains the structure. Together, these places represent different themes: former banking and railway uses, the layout of a mansion, and a water tower with interpretive information.

Seasonal culture, market, and trails

The VPP Summer Festival features six different productions each year. Each runs for three weeks between mid-May and mid-September. If you’d like to pair your trip with a theatre performance, check the number of productions and dates for the current season.

The Petrolia Farmers’ Market is located directly behind the library. It takes place on Saturday mornings from May to October and offers a wide selection of locally grown produce. Exact dates and opening hours may change from year to year, so check the current market information for your visit.

For a different perspective on the town, consider the Petrolia Trail. It is approximately 6 km long and runs through the northern part of the Bridgeview Conservation Area. Petrolia’s parks also complement the attractions with playgrounds, trails, picnic areas, and sports fields. So, in addition to oil and architectural history, a visit can include theatre, seasonal market events, and outdoor trails.

Discover more destinations: Lambton Shores, Sarnia, Point Edward, Sombra.

For the broader travel overview: Lambton County.