It seems many Canadians plan on staying close to home again next summer. With that in mind, here’s a look at seven top places to explore in Canada’s most populous province.
Take a ride on the RMS Segwun out of Gravenhurst and enjoy the fall colours on wonderful Lake Muskoka. PHOTO COURTESY MUSKOKA STEAMSHIPS & DISCOVERY CENTRE
MUSKOKA
Muskoka has been Ontario’s top summer playground for decades now, with sparkling lakes and rocky shores dotted with deciduous trees and sweet-smelling pines. There’s even more reason to go in 2023, as the historic RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Segwun (built in 1866) should be ready to sail again after a three-year hiatus. The Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst is open year-round and is definitely worth checking out. The centre’s Revitalization Project, The Muskoka Story, is slated for completion and grand opening in July. Muskoka is home to great resorts, such as the JW Marriott Rosseau Muskoka Resort and Spa, The Sherwood Inn and Deerhurst Resort. A new spot that opened last year is the Muskoka Beer Spa, a fun place to stay south of Bala, Ontario, with a nice pool, saunas, a beach and cottages that you can have equipped with a keg of beer. Be sure to check out the regular farmers markets in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, and try one of the many exceptional golf courses, including Muskoka Bay and, for nine-hole course lovers, Kirrie Glen.
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, near Thunder Bay, Ontario, is a wonderful hiking spot. JIM BYERS PHOTO
THUNDER BAY
This is an area I really enjoy visiting, especially in summer. The city has built a lovely waterfront park, with new hotels such as the Delta and nice restaurants. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is one of the best parks in the province, with stunning water views and fabulous hiking. The Thunder Bay Lookout is high on a cliff overlooking Lake Superior, with superb vistas. Not far away is Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park, which is around 100 meters from bottom to top. The rocks are hugely impressive; massive slabs of dark, weather-beaten stone hammered and tonged by centuries of snow, ice, rain, sun and wind. Nature has carved large, vertical cracks and small shelves where tiny trees and bushes grow. Between Ouimet Canyon and the city of Thunder Bay is the Terry Fox National Historic Monument. The legendary Canadian had to halt his cross-country charity run, The Marathon of Hope, near Thunder Bay in 1980. The centre is a must for anyone interested in Fox, or in Canadian history. Northwest of Thunder Bay is Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, one of the top waterfalls in all of Canada.
Pelee Island Winery is a short bike ride or walk from the ferry dock. – JIM BYERS PHOTO
SOUTHWEST ONTARIO
I love the quiet, gentle pace of the north shore of Lake Erie. Kingsville is one of my fave towns in Ontario and is home to a glorious chocolate shop called Dutch Boys Chocolate. A little outside of town, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens was a roadside stand in the 1940’s, and has now evolved into a massive enterprise with a bewildering array of attractions. There’s a children’s area filled with buzzing video games and an indoor mini-golf course. There’s also a large indoor and outdoor petting zoo. When the weather’s good, take a ferry ride to super-quiet Pelee Island and sip a glass of something from Pelee Island Winery. Muscedere is a fine winery near Windsor. I also like exploring Amherstburg, a charming village south of Windsor. Be sure to stop in at River Bookshop for something great to read. Near Chatham you’ll find Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, a marvelous place to learn about the rich, Black history of the region.
Try a helicopter tour for amazing views of the 1000 Islands. JIM BYERS PHOTO
KINGSTON AND GANANOQUE
A 1000 Islands helicopter tour is the best thing I can recommend for a visitor to the Kingston/1000 Islands region, which is where Lake Ontario ends and the St. Lawrence River begins. The river is home to some 1,864 islands and the best way to see them is from the air. The colours of the water are simply astonishing; deep blues and pale greens and mixtures of the two that look like something out of the Greek Islands. A boat ride is considerably cheaper than a helicopter tour, and lasts longer. You can hop on a boat in the nearby town of Gananoque, which is charming. Another great tour is a visit to the old Kingston Penitentiary, which at one time housed some of Canada’s most notorious criminals. There are great stories of attempted escapes and other goings on, and some surprising architecture. Kingston has tons of nice restaurants, a lively downtown, and good hotels, including the refurbished Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront and a Delta Hotels property.
The Rock Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO
BURLINGTON
This is a terrific getaway spot for folks in southern Ontario, with art galleries, a gorgeous new waterfront hotel, world-class gardens, great hiking and more. The Mount Nemo Conservation Area is one of the most rewarding walks in southern Ontario; an easy stroll on flat ground to a wondrous lookout from the top of the Niagara Escarpment in north Burlington. On a clear day you can see the office towers of downtown Toronto. Located right downtown and on the shores of Lake Ontario, The Pearle Hotel and Spa offers up lovely rooms with spectacular views and a renowned spa. The on-site restaurant, Isabelle, has some of the area’s best cuisine. The Royal Botanical Gardens is the largest botanical garden complex in Canada and also a national historic site. One of my fave gardens in the complex is Laking Garden, which has some 300 varieties of peonies and is a riot of colour in late spring. Springridge Farm is a delightful family spot nestled up against the Niagara Escarpment, just outside of Burlington in Milton. Kids and adults can try slides, admire farm animals and take wagon rides. There’s also a great shop selling kitchen goods, pies, local honey, fresh strawberries (in season) and much more. The Art Gallery of Burlington is a terrific spot with a wide variety of art to admire. The main space displays everything from dreamy nature paintings to wild abstracts.
The Scandinave Spa is a fabulous spot near Collingwood, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO
GREY COUNTY
Grey County doesn’t get the attention of Muskoka or the Kawarthas, but it’s a marvellous part of Ontario with an immense variety of things to see and do; amazing hikes, kayaking on Georgian Bay, stunning waterfalls, wonderful restaurants and more. In winter, Blue Mountain offers up some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Canada, and the Westin Trillium House Resort is a beautiful, centrally-located place to stay. I quite enjoy the town of Meaford, while Owen Sound is home to beautiful Inglis Falls and Harrison Park. There’s excellent golf to be found in the region. One of my faves is Cobble Beach Resort, a gem of a course. One of Ontario’s top places to relax is the indoor-outdoor Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain. The Pretty River Valley Country Inn has a variety of nice rooms and – CHRISTMAS BONUS – on-site reindeer.
Niagara Falls, Ontario. Kalen Emsley/Unsplash Photo
NIAGARA FALLS/NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
Niagara Falls has been entertaining visitors for centuries, and with good reason. No matter how many times I visit, I’m always gobsmacked by the power and sheer volume of the world’s most famous waterfalls (American and Canadian side). The Niagara City Cruises (steady catamarans) offer wonderful, up-close views of the falls above. I also love the view from The Journey Behind the Falls, which takes you into tunnels burrowed behind the falls and also provide a VERY close-up view from a rocky outcropping at the base of the Canadian Falls (also known as the Horseshoe Falls.) One of the best additions to the region is the restoration of the old Niagara Parks Power Station, which opened in 190. They have a nightly show called “Currents,” which tells the story of The Falls from the Ice Age to the present. Look for moving photos, rumbling music, swirling smoke and more, all played out on the stone walls and the floor and ceiling of this 117-year-old industrial cathedral. I haven’t tried it yet, but there’s a new attraction called The Tunnel at Niagara Parks Power Station, which takes visitors 180 feet underground to the edge of the rushing Niagara River. A little north of Niagara Falls, Ravine Vineyard in St. Davids is a fine place to sip a glass of wine or enjoy a pizza fresh out of a wood-burning oven. In Niagara-on-the-Lake, the annual Shaw Festival offers up some of the world’s best theatre. For a nice night in town, check out the new 124 on Queen Hotel and Spa; with fresh, stylish, modern rooms. Next door is Treadwell Cuisine, one of Ontario’s top restaurants.
