Attractions and Things to Do in: Canada Provinces: Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Major Cities : Montreal Toronto Vancouver Quebec City Ottawa Territories: Northwest Territories Nunavut Yukon Leisure Destination : Mont Tremblant

Ontario Attractions - What to See & Tourist Hot Spots

Yours To Discover

No matter where you go in Canada, you’ll never really be disappointed – from the southern region to the north, west to east, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in the cities, coastlines and wide-open natural expanses of land of this wonderful country. However, one of the most popular destinations is the province of Ontario, and when you see what’s on offer, it’s not really surprising. From bustling cities to quiet nature resorts, Ontario has it all.

One of the most popular destinations in Canada full stop, not just Ontario, is the city of Toronto. Lying on Lake Ontario, it offers long stretches of beaches at the east end of the city, in an area called The Beaches, appropriately, as well as some of the best shopping experiences to be found anywhere.  

Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Toronto is the CN Tower, with its revolving restaurant at the top. Be warned though – it costs $40 just to take the elevator up, and a meal will set you back around $300 per person! Toronto is also well known for its sports teams, and is home to the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team; the Blue Jays baseball team; the Raptors, Toronto’s basketball team; and a new addition, Toronto FC soccer team. 

There are some wonderful places to eat and drink in Toronto as well, from East Side Mario’s on Front Street, with its mix of New York and Italian food, and Jack Astor’s, which offers some of the best cocktails in town. You may also want to take a trip to Canada’s Wonderland, which offers theme park thrills along the lines of Disneyland, but in a less commercialized setting.

Southwestern Ontario

Offering a mix of nature and urbanity, Southwestern Ontario is host to such diverse events as the Canadian Comedy Festival, as well as being home to a hone-from-home for English travelers, with its Shakespeare Country in Stratford offering everything that its Warwickshire namesake in England has, right down to the type of theatre the great wordsmith wrote.

For a more relaxing trip, you could always travel to the beautiful Lake Erie, which has one of the world’s most famous bird sanctuaries, ideal for that winding down stopover. It’s also home to some of the finest wine-makers anywhere, on Pelee Island, so after you’ve spent all day in a bird hut, you can unwind with a nice vintage. 

If you’re looking for a slightly more adventurous vacation, you should look at holidaying at the Bruce Peninsula, where you will find scuba diving amongst caves and sunken ships to keep you occupied.

Niagara Falls

One of the places you must visit when you travel to Canada is the wonder that is Niagara Falls. Joining both Canada and the United States at the border, the best way to experience this landmark is to take a voyage on the Maid of the Mist, which will take you right to the basin of the waterfall. If you travel in the autumn or winter, you can take in the two wine festivals, the Niagara Grape and Wine festival in September, and the Icewine festival in January.

If you do visit Niagara Falls, be sure to stop at the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is rich in old historic buildings and streets, and offers an olde-worldly way to finish off your stay in this exciting area of Ontario.

Central Ontario

Perhaps the most open area of Ontario, the Central Region offers a whole host of natural habitat and wide-open country to explore. This is a particularly popular destination for those looking for a more recreational holiday, due in no small part to the likes of the Haliburton Highlands, with its kayaking and canoeing opportunities, not to mention Bancroft, where you can join an underground mining expedition.

Even more impressive are the caves of Lake Simcoe and Southern Georgian Bay, which also plays host to the beautiful beaches of Wasaga, which actually lays claim to being the longest freshwater beach anywhere in the world.

Eastern Ontario

One of the oldest parts of Canada, the eastern part of Ontario can boast a history dating back to the times of the Loyalists, who would fight for the King of England in any land wars. There is a whole host of old Victorian-style inns for you to stay at when you visit East Ontario, and this European feel continues with many of the locals speaking French as their natural language.

A particularly enjoyable day out is the Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, which pays tribute to the similar tradition that the Queen of England enjoys. After watching this, you may want to take the short trip to Merrickville, where you can enjoy the scenic village’s arrangement of picturesque shops, houses and streets.

Northern Ontario

The best destination for adventure seeking travelers, Northern Ontario offers everything from wild river fishing, to snowmobile riding in the winter, and wildlife like moose and caribou. Some of the best fishing anywhere can be enjoyed at Lake Superior North Shore, and includes both trophy fishing and fly-fishing. If you enjoy sailing, then you may want to include a stopover at Sunset Country – here you can watch spinnakers as they sail across the lake at LOWISA, which is a regatta recognized as the largest inland one in North America.  

Algoma County also offers the more adventurous traveler a unique opportunity to really get deep into nature at the Agawa Canyon. Here you can enjoy such scenic splendor as rushing waterfalls and views from the treetops (although you don’t actually climb the trees – you journey upwards until you’re above tree level). 

Ontario really does offer so much to do and more for any kind of traveler, whether you’re visiting for the first time, or a seasoned visitor to Canada. However, it’s such a wide and beautiful part of the world that no matter how often you go there, you’ll always find something new the next time you go there. Which you will do, often.