Spring is here, and summer is soon to follow! If you're already thinking about where you'll go this summer, consider exploring your very own province of Ontario for Canada's 150th anniversary. There are plenty of cool places to explore, relax, swim, and eat if you take the time to look around. Not sure where to start? Read on to learn about Ontario's best summer spots!
Algonquin Park – this beautifully backdropped place offers several lakes, forests, hiking trails, and camping areas to use at your disposal. It's considered one of Canada's hidden gems.
Collingwood – This chalet-filled vacation city features Blue Mountain and a great downtown area that photographs perfectly and helps adventurers everywhere make lasting memories.
Elora Gorge – The quaint town of Elora has a great camping spot near the Gorge, filled with kayaking, tubing, forest trails, biking paths, swimming, and more.
Haliburton – Because it's part of Ontario's highlands, the views here are incredible. If you're an artsy person, check out the locals' beautifully crafted sculptures or get a ticket to the annual Forest Festival.
Killarney – Just below Georgian Bay, this area offers vast forests, downstream kayaking, and plain old relaxation in the midst of nature.
Kincardine – Its access to Lake Huron has made Kincardine a fantastic cottaging spot with many unique quirks, including a Scottish marching band, spooky lighthouse, Boiler Beach, and unbelievable fish and chips at the local restaurant Erie Belle.
Muskoka – Known to be one of Ontario's top cottage areas, it offers tons of water, greenspace, camping sites, and summer homes to check out.
Niagara-on-the-Lake – If you love wine, you'll love this place. Its summers are filled with vineyard tours and wine tastings, plus festivals and plenty of little shops to see.
Ottawa – Canada's capital is a great mix of urban and rural. With its many rivers and parks, you can escape into nature, or walk to Parliament and visit a bar in the Byward Market afterwards. This modest city has a lot to offer.
Point Pelee – A national park with marshlands and trails galore, you'll find something wherever you wander, and have fantastic photos to prove it.
Prince Edward County – This district dazzles its visitors with the Murray Canal, the Sandbanks, and too many awesome restaurants to count. It's definitely worth all the hype.
Sauble Beach – Another popular cottaging area, Sauble Beach is perfect for building fires, playing volleyball with friends, and taking a dip in the lake's clear, cool water.
Temagami – This Canadian Shield beauty is home to more than thirty lakes and several tiny towns, making for a great location to explore.
Thousand Islands – It's as cool as it sounds. Hop aboard a boat for a tour of the islands, swim in their surrounding waters, or check out the local lighthouse.
Thunder Bay – Much like Ottawa, Thunder Bay offers the benefits of a large city without compromising the tranquility of nature. Have a swim in Lake Superior or discover the downtown area.
Tobermory – This is one of the few places that lets visitors scuba dive and explore shipwrecks, though you can also swim, hike, or spelunk to your heart's content.
Webster's Falls – Last but certainly not least, Webster's Falls houses an unbelievable amount of flora, making it the ideal location for a walk down a trail and a delicious snack among the trees.
Ontario is big, beautiful, and waiting to be explored. If you want to make this summer unforgettable, visit one or more of the spots on our list. You won't be disappointed.
Martin Wynn
