Ontario Attractions: 5 STARS!Looking for major Ontario attractions? Make the most of your precious vacation time by getting the scoop about all the biggies: Niagara Falls, CN Tower, Arts & Cultural Offerings, Outdoor Adventures and more. 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. 
NIAGARA FALLS 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. 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.TORONTO LANDMARKS The CN Tower, on the other hand, 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 the Edgewalk adventure. 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. Many jewels from earlier eras remain: Fort York, The Royal York Hotel, Old City Hall, the Ontario Legislature, the University of Toronto campus, the Distillery District, and Casa Loma among them. They're all popular Ontario attractions.
The Canadian Parliament Buildings are a huge draw, attracting millions each year. Plus, have you been to the National Art Gallery and the other major museums? If not, check them out here: Ottawa Museums. Looking for Ontario attractions for the kids? If you have young kids in tow, 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.
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 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 like me? What are the main Ontario attractions for art and entertainment lovers? 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. Theatre lovers rejoice. If you're looking for live 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. See more here: Ontario theatre. Is music your thing? Click on the Ontario Culture link above for more details. ONTARIO HISTORY AND HERITAGE SITES 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 Erie with a ghost-guide and shiver at stories of soldiers who still haunt their old battlegrounds. For more ideas click on the Ontario History link above. FOOD AND DRINK Did I mention the 50+ wineries in Niagara? And then there's there Pelee Island wineries and the increasingly popular Prince Edward County wines. That should keep the connoisseur busy for a while. Lovers of fine dining will be spoilt for choice in Toronto, Niagara, Ottawa 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. 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 art 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. WANT TO SAVE MORE MONEY on Ontario Attractions? Explore Ontario Coupons MAJOR Ontario Attractions: Royal Botanical Gardens |