Long inhabited by aboriginals, as previously mentioned the area today is sparsely populated with the largest community being the Municipality of Chatham-Kent with just over 100,000 inhabitants which is actually an amalgamation of many former smaller communities and for all intents and purposes actually lies outside the area that I would traditionally call the Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island region.
The largest communities that actually lie on the north shore of the lake are the town of Fort Erie at the extreme eastern end of the lake where the Niagara River empties it into lake Ontario and the Municipality of Leamington at the opposite western end of the region. Each community has approximately 30,000 inhabitants each.
Apart from that there are many smaller communities scattered in between with a few small picturesque former fishing communities dotting the shoreline. Today their ports provide marinas for the numerous boating vacationers that flock to the area. The Town of Leamington is one of the main ports in the area and services the offshore Pelee Island a major draw for tourists and sightseers alike.
The Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island region is an area of Southwest Ontario that is usually visited by travelers looking for a more relaxed vacation. It is a nature enthusiast and beachcomber’s paradise. While lacking the tourist draws of the big cities or the naturally spectacular Niagara Falls, locales have long known what the region has to offer, white sandy beaches and a calm, quiet environment into which you can sit back, catch some rays or enjoy water activities in the warm waters of Lake Erie.
Locations such as Point Pelee National Park and Pelee Island also provide nature seekers the chance to encounter migrations of species not seen any other place in Canada. Each year thousands flock to the area to enjoy the annual spectacles.
The small Town of Port Dover has also in recent years become world famous as it host a motorcycle rally on each Friday 13th. This year round event happens year round rain, snow or shine and has become so popular it attracts upwards of 100,000 bikers during a summer rally.
All in all I’d say that if this is your first visit to Ontario Canada you will probably bypass the region but for returning visitors a day or two in the region maybe should be put on your itinerary. You can reach the majority of the region in about 2 ½ hours from Toronto and for those going to Niagara Falls it is only a continuation of about another hour before you are in the heart of the region.
There are many destination in the regions worth visiting. Check out my Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island attractions pages below.