Discover every single part of Ontario

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/06/2017 (3073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Writing a single story to cover what Ontario means for travel in this, our 150th year as a nation, truly is an almost impossible task. With its huge population and size, it presents the ultimate combination of outdoor opportunities, urban life, outstanding scenery and a history that is an integral part of our nation’s past.

Upper Canada, an area that comprised parts of Southern and Northern Ontario, came into being in 1791. Its capital at the time was the community now known as Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Today, Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of the most quaint and picturesque towns in the province. It is the home of the annual Shaw Festival, which runs almost continually throughout the summer until mid-October. The city has worked hard to keep its original charm and is one of the more distinct destinations in the province.

From there, it is only a short drive to the spectacular site that draws hundreds of thousands every year. Seeing Niagara Falls from Canadian soil is dramatic.

Even Americans who can see the falls from their side of the border prefer to come across for the view on the Canadian side — which provides a better look at the power of nature unleashed.

To capture the real essence of the falls, it is worth taking one of the Maid of the Mist boat tours to its base, to hear the roar and feel the spray that washes over you as you get closer to the falls themselves.

Manitobans love our own lakes, while Lake of the Woods, which actually is mostly in Ontario, is pretty much claimed by Manitobans who populate the cottages around it as well. But if we lived further east, as do the people in Toronto and Southern Ontario, we would often be taking vacations in the Muskoka area. Located about a two-hour drive north of Toronto, Muskoka spans 6,475 square kilometres and is home to more than 1,600 lakes. Because of the cities nearby, this is a much more densely populated area during the summer season than we find here. But Muskoka also offers many more activity and accommodation options as well.

Despite being the most populated province in the country, Ontario still has loads of wide open spaces and with free access to all of Canada’s national parks this year, 2017 truly is a great time to discover Ontario.

Ontario’s parks are fully developed, very different from one another and in a wide variety of locations.

Perhaps the most distinct park in Ontario is the Fathom Five National Marine Park, located in the Georgian Bay part of Lake Huron, this marine conservation area seeks to protect and display shipwrecks and lighthouses, and conserve freshwater ecosystems. Here, divers can explore 20 shipwrecks and see dolomites more than 400 million years old.

Between Toronto and Montreal awaits the Thousand Islands National Park, located on the 1000 Islands Parkway in the Thousand Islands Region of the Saint Lawrence River. You may want to try out the trendy oTENTik accommodations — a cross between a tent and a rustic cabin — this type of accommodation is the perfect way for families, friends and couples to discover the joys of camping without all the muss and fuss.

While the area holds great appeal to families and outdoor enthusiasts, easy day trips are close at hand to interesting historical sites.

Check out the Kingston Fortifications National Historic site or Fort Wellington, which was where the British lined up to protect against the American invasions of 1812 and 1838.

Ottawa is not far away either, and along with so many other things to see in our nation’s capital, drop in to Laurier House, where both prime ministers Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King lived during their period in office. Ottawa is always an amazing place to visit and this year that excitement is amped up with our 150th birthday celebrations. As many times as I have visited Ottawa over the years, I still have a long way to go to take in everything there is to capture, both historically and culturally. The new Canadian and Indigenous Galleries at the National Gallery of Canada have just opened. The Canadian War Museum is also a must see and if you go in July you can join the 300,000 other music lovers on the grounds of the War Museum for Ottawa’s annual RBC Bluesfest. This year’s entertainment lineup includes Tom Petty, 50 Cent and Melissa Etheridge. A tour of our Parliament Buildings is decidedly worth taking and will help build up an appetite for Ottawa’s terrific culinary offerings, with a range of restaurants from every ethnic background to satisfy every budget and taste.

I lived in Toronto for a few years before coming to Winnipeg to build a career. That was a long ago it seems and at that time the city of Toronto had one of the worst reputations as a culinary centre one could imagine, with bland being the operative taste people described when talking about its restaurants. That has changed dramatically. Today Toronto is arguably Canada’s best city for fine dining. It has also become an international tourist destination and home to a film industry that attracts the major producers and directors of Hollywood, one should not be too surprised if they suddenly come face to face with a movie star.

While Toronto may be the busiest urban centre in the nation, if you plan to travel with children, there are plenty of quiet escapes to pursue. According to their promotions the Toronto Zoo is the largest in Canada and one of the biggest in the world with more than 5,000 animals representing more than 450 species, housed in an area covering more than 287 hectares.

Toronto is also one of the jurisdictions that participates in a CityPass program. It offers access to many of the major attractions in the city at a greatly reduced rates. At the current price of $76 per adult and $51 per child you have access to the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, Casa Loma, and Ripley’s Aquarium, as well as the Toronto Zoo. It is valid over nine consecutive days from the first day it is used. Learn more about it at citypass.com/Toronto.

Whether you are planning an urban or rural holiday, you are sure to find it in the province of Ontario in our 150th year — and beyond.

Read Ron’s blog at thattravelguy.ca. Listen to Ron’s latest podcasts via his website, or on demand on iTunes.

pradinukr@shaw.ca