Oxford County: Cheese, Art and History

Oxford County can be explored through a range of interests: architectural and art history, cheese culture and outdoor activities. Annandale House, museums and the Woodstock Art Gallery offer cultural highlights; the Cheese Trail and experiences involving cheese and honey bring regional traditions to life. If you’re planning a hotel stay, you can first consider which of these aspects you’d like to make the focus of your trip.

Art and History in Houses and Collections

Annandale House in Tillsonburg was recognized as a National Historic Site in 1997 and is considered one of the best-preserved examples of the Aesthetic Art Movement in Canada. The house connects a specific place with a broader history of art and architecture. For culture enthusiasts, this context offers a distinct way to explore Oxford County, with a focus on the design and significance of an artistic movement.

In Woodstock, the Woodstock Art Gallery adds an art collection to this perspective. It is the only public art gallery in Oxford County and has a permanent collection of more than 1,900 works of art. While Annandale House represents architectural and art history, the gallery’s focus is its collection.

The Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum preserves local heritage and offers interactive experiences that connect the past and present. Visitors can also explore the region’s dairy and cheese heritage there. In Norwich, the main building of the Norwich Museum is an original Quaker meeting house. Together, these places offer different historical connections: a building with particular artistic significance, an art collection, and museums that explore local heritage and traditions.

Discover Cheese Traditions for Yourself

The Oxford County Cheese Trail is a self-guided culinary route with more than 30 cheese and dairy stops throughout the county. Stop types include cheesemakers, farm stores, restaurants, shops and unique visitor experiences. Route planning suggests starting points such as Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Woodstock, as well as rural stops. This lets you fit the route into your own travel plans rather than treating every stop as a single destination.

For a closer look at how cheese is made, Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese specializes in Swiss cheese wheels and offers bookable tours of the cheesemaking process and aging room. In front of a traditional Quaker meeting house, visitors can make fresh butter themselves using traditional equipment at Churn Back Time. Thames River Melons’ Meet the Bees experience takes visitors to the hives with a beekeeper; bee suits, veils and gloves are provided. These offerings differ in how visitors take part, from a tour of production and aging to making butter themselves and a guided visit to the hives. Check the availability of bookable tours and experiences in advance.

Plan Cycling and Getting There

Ride Oxford includes scenic road rides, gravel routes and mountain bike rides. Oxford County also has two extensive mountain biking networks, and the Trans Canada Trail runs through the county. To choose what suits you, consider the type of ride: road, gravel and mountain biking offer different ways to spend time outdoors.

Oxford County is also accessible without your own vehicle by train, bus and airport shuttle, as well as through five airports. Highways 401 and 403 meet in the county. When planning your hotel stay, you can decide how to get there first, then choose the focus of your itinerary: museums and art, experiences involving cheese and regional traditions, or cycling. For the Cheese Trail, route planning lists several starting points to help you find your way. If you’re interested in bookable experiences, it’s also worth checking availability before planning your trip around them.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ingersoll, Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Burgessville, Norwich, Thamesford, Embro, New Hamburg

For the broader travel overview: Ontario.