Ontario AttractionsLooking for Ontario attractions? Get the scoop here from a local!
First-timers: Even if you’ve never been to Ontario or Canada before, you’ve probably heard of the world-famous Niagara Falls and Toronto's CN Tower. These wonders rate as the top two Ontario attractions. If this is your first trip, you probably have both of them on your list. On this page, I’ll give you a quick overview of what you can expect there, then I’ll suggest a few other major attractions that that you really shouldn’t miss! And for you locals: If you’re like most of us, you probably haven’t explored all the Ontario attractions in your own backyard – oh, we can always do them later, right?! – so scroll down and find some places to discover this weekend. NIAGARA FALLS and the NIAGARA REGION About 12 million visitors are drawn to the majestic Niagara Falls every year, to gaze in wonder at its awesome power.They're one of the main Ontario attractions. Although they’re not the tallest falls in the world (they’re #2 after Victoria Falls in Africa), the Niagara Falls are certainly the most beloved. Located along the Niagara River which runs between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, the Falls straddle the border between Canada and the United States. The site actually consists of three separate cataracts, the most spectacular being the Horseshoe Falls on the Ontario side. Of course the magnificent waters are the “main star” here, and you’ll discover about a dozen thrilling ways to experience them. However, the surrounding Niagara Region offers many other Ontario tourist attractions as well: entertainment, arts, culture and sport such as golfing, hiking, biking, racing, and so on. Travellers and locals alike enjoy touring 50+ wineries in the area. If you’re a first-time visitor you might be surprised to discover the rolling rural landscape of the area, especially if you’re expecting a more urban environment in this southern tip of Canada. It's particularly breathtaking during blossom time. 
LANDMARK BUILDINGS OF TORONTO: The CN Tower & other notables The CN Tower, by contrast, is the icon of big city life and all that entails: skyscrapers, brassy architecture, top-notch engineering and a million dollar view, especially at night with the lights of the metropolis dancing below. The tower, at 1,815 feet (and 5 inches, but who's counting?), is the World's Tallest Freestanding Structure, attracting 2 million visitors a year. How high can you climb? Try the topmost of the four levels, at 1,465 feet. Those with strong stomachs will want to try the glass-floored observation deck. Or for a really romantic dinner, you can take your sweetie to the top of the city at 360, the revolving restaurant located at the 1,150 foot level. The Tower isn’t the only architecture worthy of notice in Toronto, though. The downtown core strikes visitors from abroad as very new and modern-looking; the forest of skyscrapers (mostly bank office towers) surrounding the foot of Yonge and Front Streets is largely responsible for this almost space-age effect. But height isn’t the only feature of Toronto architecture. The city seems to go for weird shapes, like the futuristic Rogers Centre, the New City Hall, the Sharp Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Art and Design, and the latest in radical attention-seeking building, the controversial Michael Lee-Chin Crystal wing of the Royal Ontario Museum. I don’t want to give the impression, though, that Toronto was just built yesterday. Although the city has lost many architectural gems over the years (see my article on Guildwood Park, the graveyard of lost buildings), many jewels from earlier eras remain: Fort York, Commerce Court North, The Royal York Hotel, Old City Hall, the Ontario Legislature, the University of Toronto campus, the Distillery District, and Casa Loma (Toronto’s version of a castle). They're all popular Ontario attractions. Another curiosity to visitors is Toronto's Underground City. The city’s engineers and architects have reacted to the cold Canadian climate by tunneling like rabbits. You can explore the largest subterranean city in the world by following the Toronto P.A.T.H. No, that’s not some new-age philosophy. It’s 27 kilometers of tunnels, linking an "alternate world" of malls, offices and subway stations downtown.
If you're looking for entertainment, Toronto theatre is a magnet for theatre lovers, but you'll find excellent professional performances elsewhere too, in Ottawa, Stratford, and Niagara-on-the-Lake, just to name a few. The casinos of Niagara Falls and Orillia offer big name musical stars and you'll find comedy and magic shows in Toronto and Niagara as well. Look for opera in Toronto and Hamilton and the hottest, most current music in clubs all across the province. One of the best (and cheapest) venues for music is at festivals; there's one going on somewhere every weekend in Ontario. It's one of my favourite Ontario attractions. Many times there are so many offerings, it's hard to choose. There's Caribana in Toronto, the Tulip Festival in Ottawa, the Grand River Champion of Champions in Six Nations, the jazz festival in Toronto… and of course Canada Day all across the province is a chance for one big blow-out party with music and fireworks. Ontario Festivals are a great way to get to know the people of this province in all our rich variety. Citizens of Ontario come from every country in the world, and we're proud of our heritage & diversity. We get to experience the world without leaving Ontario! FAMILY FUN: Ontario attractions for the kids! If you have young kids in tow (and even if you don't), a trip to the Toronto Zoo is a must. Next on your list? The Ontario Science Centre. And don't forget that massive amusement park, Canada's Wonderland. See free-flying birds from the rainforest at Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls.
ONTARIO OUTDOORSVacation to many residents of Ontario means a week or two at the cottage – perhaps up in the Muskokas. Nature is one of the most popular Ontario tourist attractions. We love our lakes and luckily we have lots of them. Visitors are often amazed at the massive size of Lake Ontario. To get a feel for the mighty St. Lawrence River, take a Thousand Islands cruise out of Kingston; it's an Ontario tradition, as iconic as a camping trip to Algonquin Park. But you don't have to wander far from the city to experience the natural beauty of Ontario; every town and city has nearby parks and conservation areas where you can savour the great outdoors, one of the best-loved Ontario attractions. For more information see my article about Ontario Parks. Are you a culture vulture? Don't miss the biggies: the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, the National Gallery of Art in Ottawa, and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in the small town of Kleinburg. If you can, time your trip to coincide with the International Film Festival or the International Festival of Authors, depending on your interests. Do you enjoy seeing how our ancestors lived? Discover life hundreds of years ago at reconstructed Aboriginal sites like Crawford Lake, where you can listen to tales from long ago while sitting around the campfire in a longhouse. Or visit old Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake with a ghost-buster and shiver at stories of soldiers who still haunt their old battlegrounds. Looking for decorating tips from the rich and famous? Try Casa Loma Toronto or grand old Dundurn Castle in Hamilton. FOOD AND DRINK Did I mention the 50+ wineries in Niagara? That's right; that should keep the connoisseur busy for a while. Lovers of fine dining will be spoilt for choice in Toronto, Niagara and many of the excellent resorts and spas in the province. Many small towns are beginning to make their mark on the culinary map as well. SPORTS Is golf your thing? You'll find greens here that rate up there with the best in the world. Or how about winter sports, like skiing or snow-mobiling? If you enjoy spectator sports like pro hockey, baseball, football, harness racing, you've come to the right place. SHOPPING If you're a clothes horse, be sure to bring an empty suitcase so you can carry home all the latest in fashion design from the hot new Canadian and international creators in Toronto's boutiques on Bloor and in Yorkville and in the Fashion District along Spadina. And if you prefer art, then the galleries of Ottawa and Toronto will keep you busy. SEASONAL ONTARIO ATTRACTIONS It doesn't really matter when you come to Ontario because this is a four-season destination. Come in the spring for the tulip festival in Ottawa and blossoms in the Niagara fields, in summer for beaches and camping in Algonquin, in fall for the vineyards, autumn leaves and studio tours, and in winter for the Christmas lights, skating and skiing and snowmobiling, craft fairs and performing arts. INSIDER'S TIP!! Save Money by visiting Attractions Ontario (http://www.attractionsontario.ca) and printing out their coupons. Great deals like 2-for-1 admissions and more. MAJOR Ontario Attractions: Algonquin Park - the iconic Canadian wilderness experience.
|
