Bancroft, sitting atop subsoil rich in minerals and semi-precious stones, is aptly named the Mineral Capital of Canada. Examples of over 1600 of Canada's minerals are found in the area and attract mineralogists and rockhounds from all over the world. The area was settled from 1792 and included United Empire Loyalists as well as Irish families escaping the potato famines.

Dig in at the four-day Rockhound Gemboree, held mid-summer or join a mineral collecting field trip Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the summer. Enjoy live theatre at the Village Playhouse or spend a musical evening at the outdoor York River Band Shell. Bicycle, hike, horseback ride, ski, snowmobile or dogsled on the Hastings Heritage Trail. Don't miss the North Hastings Heritage Museum with its collection of Victorian and pioneer items. Fine art lovers will appreciate the Bancroft Art Gallery showcasing regional artists.

Bancroft accommodations offer a range of hotels, motels and country inns.