Need recommendations for Ontario

[ninadev]

Hi,
I plan for my summer vacation to go visit Ontario. Maybe not exotic but after all it's my neighboring province and other than Ottawa and a 1 night sleep at Sandbank campground en route to Detroit, I don't know anything about this province.
Could anyone recommend areas of interest other than Niagara falls. I did order the Ontario Parks guide but I need some suggestion on an itinerary to discover different landscapes. This will be a 2 week trip (last week of June, first of July) camping. I want to discover natural sites but also villages and maybe a day in Toronto.

Thanks.
Nina(dev)

[mdchachi]

Near to Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a really quaint town. Also the wine country you pass through is nice and worth a few stops to taste the nectar!

You could of course drop down to Lake Ontario shoreline there might be something interesting along there. But, really, it's probably not worth coming west of Toronto. At least not southwest as it's basically just small towns and farmland.

Personally, I would be interested to see the James Bay area or the Lake Superior shoreline but I haven't been to either of these places so I can't comment. I've been to Ontario many times but always to Windsor, Toronto, Niagara Falls or just passing through.

[pierrot]

Well, one place many people like is Wasaga Beach. It's about an hour and a half north of Toronto, near Barrie. It's a little beach resort that looks very much like it might be on the ocean in Florida, except it's all freshwater. There are lots and lots of quaint little towns in the Ottawa Valley, west of Ottawa, more or less along the TransCanada highway 17, and of course, there's plenty to see in Ottawa itself. Kingston is worth a visit. There's the Muskokas, Algonquin Park, the Kenora areas, etc. It depends on what kind of vacation you want.

[ninadev]

Thanks Mike and Pierre,
I'm taking note of your suggestions. I just received the provincial park and catalog of private campgrounds in Ontario and I'm pursuing my research on the web to find interesting things to see in order to prepare an intinerary of places to go and things to see.
I think that we might go west of Toronto and down to Niagara for the first week and probably up on Georgian Bay and Agonquin park region for the second weeks. I hope to be able to take a third week but it's not sure yet if my boss will be able to manage the business without me for such a period of time (lol.
We might keep the Ottawa region for another visit since it's nearer Quebec and we could go for a shorter period of time. Any additional suggestions are welcome.

[pierrot]

You might also consider the Polar Bear Express train from Cochrane. I've never taken the trip, but I sure would like to.

[dawekato]

Hi Nina,
If you're going to be camping, I would recommend Algonquin Park in the north around Huntsville. Also, the Bruce Peninsula of Bruce/Grey county is very scenic. If you're interested in Menonite villages, try St. Jacob's or St. Mary's. They're both in the vicinity of Stratford, home to the famous Stratford Shakespearean festival. The Niagara Peninsula has more than Niagara Falls to see. Niagara On The Lake is a historic town as the first capital of Upper Canada. Today it features the internationally famous Shaw theatre festival. You can follow the wine route in the Niagara peninsula through Jordan, Vineland, Beamsville and Grimsby, to see the vinyards and visit some wineries and do some wine tasting. While you're in the area, you might also want to visit the Welland Canal to see ocean-going ships go through the locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

[ninadev]

Thanks Eva.
The places you are suggesting seem interesting. I had just spotted yesterday on the web the St-Jacob's village as a place a photorapher would certainly like to go. I didn't know about St-Mary's.
I'll be looking for the Bruce Peninsula, I don't know yet where it is located but i'll certainly find it on the web.

[Rinie_Hoff]

Hi Nina,
I agree with Eva, Algonquin Park is very nice. I don't know if you like hiking, but you can make treks of several days. Besides you can go canoeing. The water is very, very clear and the lakes have beautiful shorelines. Swimming is nice, although I think that people from North America are less into swimming in open water, than Europeans do, (at least, I am font of it), and certainly in such a beatiful landscape. Here's the link, although I suppose you have found it already. http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca

[edegiuli]

I think that Bruce Peninsula National Park is the nicest place in Ontario - I just went winter camping there 2 weeks ago. :) There are beautiful cliffs that end in deep blue (and cold!) water, some grottoes, boulder beaches, and a trail that runs all along. It is a nice 4 hour drive through the country from Toronto. If you go, be sure to also check out Tobermory, the small village right at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula.

Algonquin Park is also nice, but quite different - lakes and canoeing country.

As mentioned, Niagara on the lake is charming, though crowded in the summer.

Hope you enjoy Ontario!

[ninadev]

With your recommendations and searches on the web my plan for this trip is starting to make sense. So it will probably be: 2-3 days at Bon Echo park - then 3-4 days canoing in Algonquin park, then down to Georgian Bay and Bruce Peninsula 2-3days coming back through Toronto, Sandbank Park... Thanks for the specific areas everyone mentioned, I will take note of that.

Any other specific areas to visit on this itineray will be welcome.

[tgdusty]

You have to try the Bruce Peninsula. Great photo opps
Tony B

[sergei_y]

If you can make that province-wide journey though! It's well worth it! Also, you should consider making a detour to Montreal, a few hours away from Ottawa.

[zenitlady]

Hello Nina! If you stay north or east of Toronto, the most remarkable scenery might be found around Bancroft or west into Haliburton. If you plan to be south of Toronto, Niagara on the Lake and Fort Erie are highly recommended. If you want great river shots, travel from Niagara on the Lake to near the falls on the Niagara parkway. Hope you've booked some campsites already. Ontario, yours to discover! Bienvenu!

[Paker]

Hi Nina.
Check out Algonquin Park.
If you are willing to drive to a very beautiful place for approximately 5-6 hours north of Toronto there is Killarney Park (most beautiful and one of my favorites). If you like beach - a real beach and someting actually nicer than Sandbanks - try Sauble Beach at Georgian Bay.
I recommend you make up your mind very fast as you need to make camping reservations in those parks especially during the time you've specified.
regards,
Krzysztof

[Paker]

it's Krzysztof again - I need to correct myself. Sauble Beach is at Lake Huron not Georgian Bay.

But Georgian Bay is nice too.. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND crown land near Killarney on Georgian Bay. Beautifull small islands amongst which you can canoe or kayak. very nice adventure. You can rent your kayak at some nearby renting companies. You will not believe your eyes - guaranteed!
if you are truly interested contact me ASAP.
regards,
K.

[jinju]

If you go north, past Timmins, you can see the northern lights. And northrn Ontario is quite beautiful and pristine.