Welcome to Ontario
From skyscrapers and the Great Lakes to farmland and vast tracts of still-untouched wilderness, Ontario is a province of endless variety and boundless opportunity.
Southern Ontario is where you’ll find most of the action. Home to major metropolitan center Toronto (the nation’s largest city) and regal Ottawa (the nation’s capital), as well as four of the five Great Lakes (Superior, Huron, Ontario and Erie), this is where most visitors will find themselves first drawn in.
The southern portion of Ontario is also home to an idyllic lakes region known as Cottage Country and a picturesque farming region known as the nation’s breadbasket. The rest of the province is blanketed in thick Canadian Shield forest, and dotted with quaint, off-the-beaten-path outposts and communities.
Of course, no visit here is complete without a trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, where more than six million cubic feet of water tumble over the Niagara Escarpment every minute. For calmer waters, take a trip along the St. Lawrence River to the Thousand Islands.
In Toronto, don’t miss the CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the Hockey Hall of Fame or the Toronto Zoo. In Ottawa, tour Parliament Hill, stroll the historic Rideau Canal and check out the National Gallery of Canada.
Adventure
Ontario is home to more than 250,000 lakes, 270 provincial parks, six national parks, and hundreds of conservation areas. In short, there’s no shortage of places to explore the great outdoors here.
The Great Lakes naturally attract the bulk of Ontario’s outdoor adventure spotlight. The four Great Lakes that straddle the southern border of Ontario bestow visitors with hundreds of miles of pristine lakefront. Boating, canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing and fishing opportunities are available in abundance, as well as an array of lakefront camping destinations.
Lake Superior Provincial Park is a particularly attractive place to explore for a few hours or set up camp for the weekend. The Trans-Canada Highway offers easy access to the park’s assortment of picnic areas, lakes, and beaches.
For a more adrenaline-packed trip through the trees, you can buckle in for a zip-lining adventure or treetop obstacle course at a range of locations, including the Heart Lake Conservation Area, Treetop Eco-Adventure Park, and Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve.
Other popular parks include Algonquin Provincial Park, Arrowhead National Park and Frontenac Provincial Park. In addition to countless hiking trails, Algonquin is also home to a Visitor Centre, Logging Museum and Art Centre.