From a craft brewery in a converted movie theatre to 27-hole golf courses, a Lake Erie marina, and a 1,210-seat downtown stage — a local's guide to what's actually worth doing in Chatham-Kent, built from real, published 100CK listings.
Chatham-Kent is bigger than most people expect — nearly 2,500 square kilometres stretching from the Lake Erie shoreline to the Lake St. Clair marshes, with Chatham itself as the hub. Whether you're new to the area, planning a weekend visit, or just tired of the same three spots, here's a real, sourced rundown of what to do, built from businesses actually listed on 100CK.
Craft Beer & Downtown Chatham
Sons of Kent Brewing Company is Chatham's first craft brewery, operating out of the former Cinema 6 movie theatre at 27 Adelaide St S since its 2017 opening. It combines a working brewhouse with a taproom, full kitchen, retail bottle shop, and live-music event space — seating is first-come, first-served, no reservations. It's a good anchor for a downtown evening, an easy walk from the Capitol Theatre and Retro Suites Hotel.
Live Entertainment & Theatre
The Capitol Theatre at 238 King Street West is a restored 1,210-seat venue that opened in 1930 as a movie palace and now hosts concerts, live theatre, comedy, and film — more than 100 performances a year. For a different kind of night out, Gateway Casinos & Entertainment on Richmond Street offers gaming and entertainment in Chatham.
Bowling, Arcade & Indoor Golf
Level Up! Arcade & Bowling in Blenheim is a retro-themed entertainment venue with six lanes of 5-pin bowling, classic and modern arcade games, foosball, air hockey, and billiards, plus a fully licensed bar and food menu — it also hosts weekly karaoke, trivia, and live music nights. In Chatham itself, Top Shelf Indoor Golf offers golf simulators for practice, leagues, and events year-round, rain or shine.
Golf Courses
Chatham-Kent has several public golf courses worth a round: Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club in Dover Centre (27 holes), Links of Kent Golf & Event Centre in Chatham (27 holes, with a banquet hall and tournament hosting), and Willow Ridge Golf & Country Club in Blenheim.
On the Water
Chatham-Kent sits between two Great Lakes shorelines, and its marinas reflect that. Erieau Marina is a full-service marina on Lake Erie at Erieau, while Mitchell's Bay Marine Park serves boaters on Lake St. Clair at Mitchell's Bay. If you're shopping for a boat rather than docking one, Maple City Marine in Chatham sells and services boats and motors.
Where to Eat
Downtown Chatham has the highest concentration of restaurants in the municipality. For a sit-down Italian dinner, Casa Bella on the Thames overlooks the river with a patio and private event space, and Mamma Maria's Ristorante has been a family-owned downtown fixture since 2007. For something more casual, Wildwing Roadhouse is known for wings and burgers, Pizza Tonite and Boston Pizza cover pizza and delivery, and Big Ricky's Little Bake Shoppe is the spot for fresh bread and baked goods.
Spectator Sports
The Chatham Maroons are a junior "A" hockey club playing out of the historic Chatham Memorial Arena, with roots back to 1959 and Sutherland Cup championships in 1999 and 2025. The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers bring baseball to the same neighbourhood on Tweedsmuir Avenue.
Make a Weekend of It
If you're visiting from out of town, Retro Suites Hotel is a boutique property spread across eight architecturally distinct buildings in historic downtown Chatham — every one of its 45 suites is individually themed, and it's within walking distance of most of downtown's restaurants, the brewery, and the Capitol Theatre.
Events, Weddings & Meetings
For weddings, conferences, and community events, Chatham has a few dedicated venues: the Everest Convention Centre, the Chatham-Kent John D. Bradley Convention Centre, and the Portuguese Canadian Social Club of Chatham, which combines a banquet hall with Portuguese cuisine and community events.
Stay Active
For a workout while you're in town, Performance 360 Health and Fitness and Planet Fitness both operate in Chatham.
This list only scratches the surface — browse the full Restaurants, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports & Recreation categories on 100CK for the complete, regularly-updated directory.
