The Painted Ladies of Historic Grimsby Beach You Need to See
I’m so pleased to share some local treasures with you all! I have to keep reminding myself that where I live is a tourist destination itself, so what better reason than to feature some of these awesome places to see with you?
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Tucked away and nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario in Grimsby lies a small quirky neighbourhood known as Historic Grimsby Beach, filled with Victorian cottages like none you’ve seen before. It’s one of the best kept secrets in the Niagara Region, even to many locals!
I had the great fortune of once living only a 15 minute walk from this quiet community (and now only live a 5 minute drive away in Beamsville!) and it truly is a feast for the eyes – a mirage of sorts. It’s like happening upon a children’s colouring book and you can’t help but smile.
They are lovingly referred to as “The Painted Ladies of Grimsby”, dollhouses or fairy homes – colourfully decorated and proudly displayed like little gingerbread houses; each one is unique with its own style and character. Painted every colour you can imagine – ranging from pinks, yellows, blues and greens, orange, red and purple – these little buildings date back to the 1800s when they were once used as summer cottages.
I actually checked out a brightly-coloured home that was for sale here years ago when I was house hunting – and it was adorable, albeit a tad small for even someone my height!
A Brief History
The Grimsby Beach waterfront was a major summer destination for over 75 years. The history of Grimsby Beach dates back to the mid-1800s when Methodists used to gather here and held week-long revivals during the summer. Many would travel here with their tents to sleep in overnight and listen to preachers during the day.
Gaining popularity, there became a need for more adequate housing, and the cottages were erected in 1875. Two hotels were later built to accommodate the growing number of visitors. There was even an auditorium built to seat 7000 – an astounding number considering the entirety of Grimsby is 28,000 today.
By this time, affluent visitors flocked to Grimsby Beach to enjoy the scenery and picnicking along the lakeside. Numerous activities were enjoyed during the summer, from swimming at the beach, rowboats,, fishing (there was even a popular fish and chip stand on the beach!), and watching the ships dock at the pier, including steamers.
In the early 1900s, the group managing the Methodist revivals went bankrupt, but was soon taken over by an American who turned the area into somewhat of an amusement park, complete with a midway, casino, roller coaster and merry-go-round!
Sadly, in the 1920s, a fire destroyed 30 of these cottages and local residents took over the community. Eventually the attractions went away but people started coming here for the views (and for good reason!).
In the 1940s, people started ‘winterizing’ their cottages and making them suitable for year-round living. Once again in the 1980s there was another fire – but a few remaining cottages are lovingly maintained today to keep the charm of their former youth.
It maintains a much quieter atmosphere today – quite a contrast to what it once was – but makes for an enjoyable walk and great photos.
What to See
It does feel a bit suspicious taking photos of these homes, but you can’t help it!
I usually spend 30 minutes wandering around. The majority of these colourful cottages are on Auditorium Circle, where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale. There are more on Temple Lane, but I highly recommend walking through the entire neighbourhood, including the waterfront trail.
Take your time strolling down the small alleys – there are tons of hidden gems to discover, like a community garden, ornate fencing, and artwork displayed all over Historic Grimsby Beach.
The tiny neighbourhood is so charming with lavish gardens and decorations. There’s even a “Little Library” – where people can drop off books for others to read, or to pick up some new reads! How cute is that?!
You can grab some stunning views of Lake Ontario straight across to Toronto from Grimsby Beach Park which is a short walk down the street. Many locals frequent this spot. It’s quiet and offers great views, perfect for a family outing or picnic.
There are a few other homes on Lake Street decorated with bright colours and ornate patterns – be sure to look out for them too! You can tell that many of these owners take great pride in their homes and gardens, and it shows.
I can’t imagine the work that goes into maintaining these homes. I saw a few homeowners out tending to their gardens and touching up their homes on my most recent visit. It’s a perfect community for art-lovers to visit (or live in!).
Enjoy, but please remember…
Be kind and respectful – don’t venture onto owner’s properties without permission (yep, people actually do this!). These colourful homes attract visitors from all over, but please be courteous (and quiet!) during your visit. Remember that people call this place their home!
If you happen to be driving through the area, get your dose of whimsy with these adorable magically enchanting dollhouses – truly a hidden gem in Ontario.
How to get there
The Painted Ladies of Grimsby are located 60 minutes from Toronto or 30 minutes from Niagara Falls, exit off the QEW at Bartlett Avenue in Grimsby (Exit 68) and turn towards the lake, away from the escarpment. At the stop sign at Bartlett Ave and Lake Street, turn left. You’ll see a sign for “Historic Grimsby Beach” just past a small strip plaza with a convenience store.
Turn right onto narrow Betts Laneway and keep left. You’ll come across a small parking lot on the right on Temple Lane. Park here and take a stroll to admire the uniqueness of these homes!
p.s. These laneways are one-way only!
If the parking lot is full, consider parking down one of the streets outside of this little community, since you won’t be able to take it all in from a car! I have also parked at the school on Grand Avenue on weekends on the opposite side of Lake Street.
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So cute! What a great way to enjoy some history with an artistic flair. We had a ‘little library’ a friend built for my coworkers and it always entertained visitors – nowhere as cute as the one near the dollhouses though. I’ll add this to my Ontario list for when I can finally visit!
Yes!! I love finding little libraries all over – it’s such a cute idea. I hope you’re able to visit one day!
I would so want to live in one of these!
I need to check these out! I had no idea this was here!
Yes you do! You would love it here!!
What a beautifully charming place! Are there usually many visitors? I would love to spend some time wandering around there! 🙂
It’s not usually busy when I go – I may see a person or two walking around quietly taking photos :). It’s such an enjoyable stroll!
We lived in Ontario several years ago and we never saw these. How cool! I will pin for later.
It’s a hidden gem!!! A lot of people who live here in town don’t even know it exists 🙂
What a unique and charming place! I’m always surprised to hear about these little hidden gems that no one talks about. Seem like the perfect place to go for a morning stroll and explore 🙂
It absolutely is! Thanks!
I recall living close by in the 60s and as kids swimming of the concrete foundations that were all that were left of the pier. At the time I only recall 3 concrete piers left, the rest were probably sunk as would be boat hazzards. As kids we would jump off the sea weed covered piers into the ice cold water- great fun. Would go to the corner store at Park and highway 8 – Mikes Lunch and buy comic books, ice cream and junk food as a kid and than head off on our bikes. My friend used to live in Grimsby Bearch so we would bike around all the ” weird little houses .” In the 60s was more of the poorer area of town, still recovering from its carnival like past of the 20’s. Glad to know a bit more history of what a great place it once was as a Methodist revival center and midway in the 20s.
Oh these are adorable!! Would love to visit next time I’m in Ontario!!
You should! You’d love it!!
Ah! So so cool! I’m definitely going to add this to the list when we do Niagara Falls!!!
Yes you should!! It’s only about 30 minutes from there!
These cottages are adorable. I drive through Ontario to visit family in Michigan from Massachusetts. This would make a wonderful stop along the way. I do love tiny houses and these are perfect painted ladies in miniature.
Yes it would make for a great stop to get out and stretch your legs 🙂 It’s very peaceful!
What adorable and charming houses! They do look and feel like they came from a fairytale. Definitely pinning as I would love to see the Painted Ladies of Grimsby Beach in person!
Thank you! It’s quite a sight to see in person! 🙂
This is so cool! I love finding hidden gem places like this! Would have never known about it if it wasn’t for your post!! Putting it on my bucket list for when I go to Niagara falls someday!
Thank you Melissa!! 🙂 I hope you are able to visit!
How whimsical! Your photos really bring these charming cottages to life.
Really enjoyed “discovering” Grimsby Beach tonight – thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your comments, Simone! I appreciate it! 🙂
Oh how pretty are these houses! They have similar ones in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts that I LOVED! I never heard of Grimsby Beach, but now I totally have to make my way up there and explore Ontario. 🙂
You would love it!! Love these little hidden gems all over :)!
I’ve never seen this place before but now Grimsby Beach is on my Canada bucketlist, these are so fascinating!! Love how colourful they all are and the details too!
They’re quite ornate! I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into maintaining them!
Squeee I love this kind of thing! These cottages are soooo cute! You must have loved living nearby here (especially with access to the lake for swims- it all looks so idillic!
It also blows my mind a little than this is called Grimsby! Coming from the UK, our town with that name is not quite so pretty! 🤣
Thank you Josy! It’s a beautiful area to live in! And yes! There are SO many places around me with the same name as many UK towns! It’s a small world after all! 😉
These are so pretty. I have to find the time to visit. Love how ornate and detailed the murals and paintings are. So sweet.
Thank you Paula! I hope you are able to stop by for a visit – it’s much better in person! 🙂
Wow, the houses are beautiful! I wonder how much the HOA is to live there…if there even is one (not sure if that’s a thing there haha). I’m not even sure I would want all of the attention that comes with living there, but on the flip side – I’d love to visit!
I don’t believe there is – but I think you’ve have to move here knowing it would attract some viewers, for sure!
These homes are so cute! I would love to visit. I wonder if the people living there feel as if they are living in a fairytale? Our daughter would love it!
It’s so enchanting! Haha I do wonder how they feel too – but it’s definitely unlike any other community I’ve ever been to!
Oh I’ve heard of these but have never actually been – they’re so cool!
They’re just adorable!
These houses are adorable! They look exactly like the Barbie house I had when I was a kid! I love how cheerful the colours are, you can’t help but smile looking at them! Thanks for the great guide!
Thank you Hannah! It’s just like Barbie’s Dream House!! They make me smile too 🙂
Superb display of Canadian history that I would enjoy seeing in the suggested respectful way.
Thank you Kevin! It’s definitely a sight to see in person.
Absolutely magical! We are new to Burlington and this will be on my list of things to see this summer. I saw an article on them a while back but had forgotten about it. Thanks for sharing. We will be there for sure!
Thanks Carole! You will love it here!