Barrie, located on the banks of Lake Simcoe, lures you in with its natural beauty as well as contemporary cityscape. Its waterfront is as pretty as it gets with lively beaches and beautiful parks lined with cafes, restaurants, water sports and boat cruises. The defining aspect of the waterfront is the Spirit Catcher, a famous sculpture reflecting the city’s love for the arts. The MacLaren Art Center is also well worth a visit. One of the preferred ways to see all these sites is from up above, floating in a hot air balloon. However, when in Barrie, you just have to soak in the cultural vibe of downtown on foot.