Ontario Travel
A mosaic of cultures and adventures
Ontario, Canada's second largest province covers more than 415,000 square miles (one million square kilometers ) and is home to over 12 million people, proud of their multiculturalism. The incredible Great Lakes system and St. Lawrence River separate Ontario from the United States, and Hudson Bay and James Bay lie to the north.
Ontario holds one-third of the world's fresh water in the over a quarter of a million lakes and myriad rivers. In fact, the native word for Ontario loosely translates as beautiful or sparkling lake or water. Ontario is also home to the world's largest freshwater island, Manitoulin Island in Georgian Bay, the world-famous wonder of Niagara Falls and the nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake region, famous for its wineries and the metropolitan cities of Toronto and Ottawa.
Ontario's vast and varied landscape ranges from fertile farmland to the rugged pine treed landscape of the Canadian Shield. In the north are the Hudson Bay Lowlands, made up of swamps, meadows and forests. The Canadian Shield, distinguished by huge granite formations, pine forests and lakes and rivers, covers the rest of northern Ontario, and travelers come for the sheer wilderness here.
Ontario's climate is also varied, with temperatures reaching above 86F (30C ) in summer and plunging to below 9F (-13C) in winter. The south is humid, with cold winters and balmy summers and the north experiences sub-Arctic weather. In every season, however, Ontario offers outdoor adventure in beautiful natural surroundings.
Adventure vacation opportunities abound within Ontario, and there are dozens of pristine Provincial and National Parks. Gorgeous lakes and rivers offer canoeing, sailing, cruising and fishing, while the Ottawa River is famous for thrilling white water rafting. In summer, get out and enjoy hiking, biking and rock climbing throughout the province. In Niagara Falls, there are many adventures available, including helicopter and plane flights above the falls and boat rides through the rapids and below the falls. Drift diving is popular in the Niagara River.
Tobermory is the diving capital of Canada, home to the Fathom Five Marine Park. Scuba divers can reach countless shipwrecks near the shores of Georgian Bay or take a charter further out to dive shipwrecks not accessible from shore. In winter, popular sports include skating, skiing, tobogganing and hockey. In the north, escape to snowmobiling along the widespread trail system and try ice fishing while you're there. For the very brave, ice diving is prevalent throughout Ontario as well.
