We've decided that a week of theater in Canada will be a perfect summer vacation for our family of theater buffs. However, I'm confused about whether to center the trip on the Stratford or the Shaw Festival. Beyond the appeal of whatever plays are scheduled--and I can't even get into that yet because scheduling the week what with our various schedules will be one of the biggest challenges--I'd appreciate any recommendations about the general "ambiance" of each. We like upscale small properties and sometimes B&B's, and appreciate fine dining, antiquing and pretty scenery.

I'm not sure of your budget, but Stratford is cheaper and less crowded than Niagara on the Lake. Both places have ambiance. NOTL has some upscale B&Bs. Both have great little shops and nice restaurants. There is probably more antiquing around Stratford (I can think of a shop in nearby Shakespear). Also Stratford is close to Kitchener- Waterloo, where there is a nice farmers' market.

Putting aside the plays.....I think there's more to do in and around NOTL - the Falls, the wine route - even a day trip into Toronto (although that's possible from Stratford as well). You'll probably be happy either way......

May I offer a dissenting voice? I would definitely recommend Stratford over the Shaw. More venues for playgoers, more workshops, themed activities, excellent restaurants and less touristy kitsch than NOTL, in my opinion.

The advice you have received thus far is excellent and represents both preferences - you are choosing between two good destinations!<BR><BR>In my experience there are good points to both. Both are pretty towns, NOTL is very touristy in the downtown but fun and there are options of vineyard tours and other excursions (of course Niagara Falls are very close). Stratford (even the downtown in my opinion anyway) seems a bit more relaxed and like a &quot;real&quot; town in the centre. We stayed in an excellent B&amp;B and went to two wonderful restaurants when we were last there. Shopping seems a bit more varied and the walk along the river is lovely.<BR><BR>Part of your preference will depend on what type of plays you want to go and see. I may have a bit of a skewed viewpoint, but I tend to have been to Stratford for the &quot;favorites&quot; (Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan) and to NOTL for more unusual (for me)plays (e.g. Merrily we Roll Along, a musical which is actually played on a reverse timeline).<BR><BR>On balance I think for theatre-centred activities (eg. worshops etc.) and a relaxed atmosphere I would choose Stratford, and for a greater variety of excursions (particularly if you like wine tours) NOTL. Both are great to visit, and you should be happy whichever you choose.

I have always been a fan of the Shaw Festival and went every year. It has gotten extremely expensive to stay there in the last few years as one individual went about acquiring many of the hotel properties. Last year I went to Stratford for the first itme in years and absolutely loved it because I saw the most fabulous production of My Fair Lady. I am now getting ready to order my tickets to see Gigi and hoping it will be half as wonderful. I had a beautiful day choosing a restaurant for lunch and walking in the park at their Art Show. Rereading you original message when you say a week of Theatre in Canada I am not sure if I can see you doing that in Stratford. I can definitely see you doing that in NOTL just as the previous posters suggested- there is more to do around that area. You could also look at staying in Niagara Falls, ST. Catherines, or inns in some of the small towns nearby if there is an accomodation problem. Don't forget that Toronto has great theatre also.<BR>

I am with the others who say they are both worthwhile and wonderful festivals. The plays at Shaw, for the most part, tend to be a bit more &quot;serious,&quot; but this depends on individual tests. You cannot go wrong with either choice. If you have time, they are only part of a day's drive away from each other, my choice each time I go.

Having just purchased tickets for both festivals because I could not make up my mind, I can tell you that the ones to the Shaw seemed slightly cheaper overall for similar quality seats.

I've just visited both with my 6 year old son and they were both lovely. The Shaw fest is in a small, quaint, very walkable town and there are 3 main theatres that stage their plays. ( They have about half as many shows as Stratford. ) My son was able to stay contained and interested at two shows. Niagara Falls is about 20 minutes away. I would recommend the Prince of Wales hotel because it was charming, cosy and right in the center of town which does not mean it's noisy, just convenient. ( pricey, too ) Stratford is on a nice, small river with swans and park space. It has beautiful theatres. We saw &quot;The King &amp; I&quot; and &quot;Taming of the Shrew&quot; both of which were &quot;family recommended&quot; The productions were first-rate and the venues state-of-the-art. A lot of patrons have given a lot of money to this festival over the years and it's evident in the production quality. There were at least 8 other shows I would have liked to have seen but they would have been too difficult for the little one. It's not as easy to walk around because it's more spread out but there are nice quiet streets and tons of b &amp; b's. I would suggest going to both. They are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours apart depending on how fast you drive!
Either way, you really can't go wrong.

I went to both because I could not decide. I saw 6 plays at the Shaw and 7 in Stratford and there was not a dud among them.

If cutsy tourist shops are your bag, NOTL is better for that. I did go to one of the Amish towns outside Stratford and bought a handmade broom and a couple of funny pottery pig things including a sign for my office that says &quot;pig pen&quot;.

Comparing the theaters, I enjoyed Stratford more. Part of that was because The Festival Theatre and the Avon are such super theatrical venues. The Shaw has its main stage (which is great) but the other two venues are not great.

If you are doing this for the first time, I would suggest situating yourself in whatever city is closest to where you are, getting the lay of the land, and doing the other festival at another time.

Insofar as I am concerned, I would love to go back and see all the plays I missed, but it is back to work for me. There will always be next year.

Feel free to email me privately if you want to ask me about specific plays. I was unable to get tickets to anything in the Studio Theatre in Stratford, so don't ask about those plays .