Windsor/Detroit: Whisky, Casino and Hockey

Folks may question my choice of Windsor/Detroit as a Thanksgiving weekend getaway destination. But the area has at least three things I like:  a casino, a distillery and hockey.

Windsor

Detroit

Again, my mode of transportation for my continuing tour of eastern cities was Via Rail.  It’s a convenient and comfortable way to travel for these four-to-six hour trips.

To be honest, I was somewhat surprised that the major structure you see next to Windsor’s Via station is the Hiram Walker and Sons Distillery – a series of tall brick, industrial buildings.  I didn’t know that Windsor is a major centre for whisky production. I guess my pre-trip research was lacking. I learned all about it during a very informative $10 tour of the Canadian Club Brand Centre.

 

Successful grain merchant Hiram Walker founded the distillery that would produce Canadian Club in 1858. This distillery was established in Walkerville (now part of Windsor). During the 90-minute tour of a grand building, we see the offices, furniture, ledgers and bottles of the late 1800s. We learned how Walker built his business on 468 acres of land and all the interesting activities that took place during the prohibition era.  The visit includes a look at the “speak easy” room in the basement where meetings took place with Al Capone.

The tour concludes with whisky samples.  But, because of provincial regulations, you can’t purchase whisky onsite. I did pick up a pair of logoed whisky glasses.  On a side note, as with all such family businesses, the distillery is now owned by multinational companies.

Walkerville is being revitalized with shops, bars and restaurants that embrace the area’s history. It’s good place to wander around and have lunch before the tour.

My two-night stay was at Caesars Windsor.  Is it like Vegas?  Yes!  It is a well-appointed facility with all trimmings of a Vegas casino: big rooms with views, friendly staff, lounges, entertainment and, of course, enough food and gaming action that one expects in such properties.

As for downtown Windsor, frankly, it’s a little faded. But I did support a local business and had a tasty home-made burger and fresh-cut fries combo at Simon's Prime Hamburgers.

Business from another era in downtown Windsor

The only part of Detroit I saw, beyond the skyline view from Windsor, was the Joe Louis Arena – to catch the first Saturday night home game of the season for the Detroit Red Wings. No fickle fans here – they love their Wings.  It quite an experience heading over to Motor City in the Windsor/Detroit Tunnel on a bus filled with Canadians wearing Wings gear.

Windsor embraces its waterfront with a five-kilometre trail.  I walked the trail to work off my Thanksgiving buffet lunch.


Waterfront Trail and the Ambassador Bridge - the busiest border crossing.

Windsor, looking northeast towards Lake St.Clair