Barrie Arboretum at Sunnidale Park is a haven of scenic beauty. The 15.5-acre (6.27-hectare) site is a collection of trees on the northern side of Barrie’s Sunnidale Park. It is a popular year-round attraction for nature lovers, keen photographers, picnickers and winter sports enthusiasts.
Explore the arboretum’s pathways and gaze up at native and exotic trees, including white pines. Admire the butterfly bush, lilac dell, nut grove and rose gardens. If you don’t know exactly what you are looking at, read the interpretive signs that provide the name and origin of each plant and tree species. Find a quiet spot and take a moment to appreciate the arboretum’s beauty.
The park and arboretum are busy in the summer months, but fall is also a great time to visit. This is when the arboretum and park’s foliage take on a vivid palette of warm colours.
Once you have toured the arboretum, stay a while to enjoy the rest of Sunnidale Park. Let the children run, jump and climb on the games and apparatus at the children’s playground. Then look for a good picnic spot in the expansive grounds.
In the winter, take part in lots of snow-based activities. Cross-country ski or snowshoe through the park and race to the bottom of its small hills on a sledge or toboggan.
Barrie Arboretum at Sunnidale Park is just a 20-minute walk from downtown Barrie. Free street parking is available in the surrounding streets. The arboretum and park are open year-round.
Combine your visit with a trip to Barrie’s waterfront. Amble along the Waterfront Trail to Centennial Park for its lakeside beach, children’s playground, volleyball courts and miniature golf.