Luxurious, Family-Friendly Accommodations near University of Guelph

During the painting of Old Jeremiah, a tradition at the University of Guelph in Ontario, students come together after sunset to paint an antique naval cannon with sports mascots, bold colors, even wedding announcements—anything they want. While it’s dark, anyone can paint over the previous painter's work, but once the sun rises and students start arriving for class, the cannon can’t be touched. Located in the university’s research park just steps from the campus, Delta Guelph Hotel is perfect for those visiting the university and its preeminent research facilities—or heading in to paint over Old Jeremiah.

Each of the hotel's guest rooms is decorated in a soft green-and-mocha color scheme and outfitted with the Delta's signature pillow-top Sanctuary beds. Relax in an ergonomic chair and watch a rented movie on the room’s 32-inch LCD flat-screen TV.

In the morning, head down to the classy Fifty West Restaurant & Bar, which serves breakfast entrees ranging from chocolate waffles with fresh berries to breakfast sandwiches made with free-range eggs. Fifty West also serves hearty dinner entrees including steamed salmon ($23.95), duck-leg confit ($20.95), and housemade angel-hair pasta with tiger shrimp and smoked sausage ($19.95). The cozy family-friendly restaurant is decorated with dark wood walls and brick accents and a crackling fireplace.

Guelph, Ontario: Charming Downtown near University of Guelph

A scenic drive almost due west of Toronto, the city of Guelph is a growing college town that maintains a small-town charm. It's not unusual to see students and families biking through Market Square in downtown Guelph, home to an interactive water fountain and an outdoor ice-skating rink (open December 1).

Just a few blocks southwest of the square, you'll find the Church of Our Lady Immaculate, a stunning example of Victorian Gothic architecture with towering spires, stained-glass windows, and elaborate frescoes. If you continue strolling through downtown, you'll also see several Victorian mansions, many of which now house restaurants serving local cuisine and the city's own Sleeman beer.

Just outside downtown, visitors can walk along a scenic trail that goes through one of the province's only covered footbridges. Near the Speed and Eramosa Rivers, the wooden, latticed Guelph footbridge recalls late 19th-century bridges. The University of Guelph's arboretum also boasts some picturesque trails lined with maple and birch trees that blaze with vibrant orange and yellow leaves in autumn.

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