public markets such as the Kingston Public
Market (www.kingstonpublicmarket.ca
) and
the Covent Garden Market in London (www.
coventmarket.com).
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Whether you're a nature novice or a
seasoned outdoor adventurer, Ontario has
wilderness space for you—and many ways
to help you enjoy it.
Unspoiled landscapes vary from the
remote lakes and rivers of fl y-in fi shing
camps (
www.northwest-ontario.com ) to the
quaint cottage country of Thousand Islands
National Park (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/
thousandislands).
The Ontario Parks' Learn to Camp
program off ers hands-on practice in
pitching a tent and cooking outdoors at
several of Ontario's provincial parks (
www.
ontarioparks.com/learntocamp).
Wherever you go, you can choose from
an incredible range of adventures. Train
your binoculars on migrating birds at the
Pelee Island Bird Observatory (
www.pibo.ca/
en ). Walk high above the forest fl oor in the
Ganaraska Forest (www.treetoptrekking.
com/en/ganaraska ) or the Haliburton Forest
(www.haliburtonforest.com).
Hunt for rare
stones in Bancroft (www.hastingscounty.
com/visit/rockhounding ) or hike an
outstanding long-distance trail (www.
ontariotrails.on.ca). The Canadian Canoe
Route (www.thecanadiancanoeroute.ca
)
starts in Toronto and fi nishes in Ottawa. Go
cross-country or downhill skiing near
Collingwood, on the scenic shores of
Georgian Bay (
www.visitsouthgeorgianbay.ca ).
Dive among shipwrecks at Fathom Five
National Marine Park near Tobermory
(
www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fathomfi ve ) or in
the St. Lawrence River (www.1000islands.
com/sunken-treasures-the-wrecks-of-the-
1000-islands ). Try cycling, sailing, kayaking,
rock climbing, spelunking, snowmobiling,
dogsledding, ice fi shing, snowshoeing or
snowboarding!
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
Theatre lovers are spoiled for choice in
Ontario. Toronto alone off ers blockbuster
productions by Mirvish Productions (www.
mirvish.com) and a wide range of plays
presented by other theatre companies; check
What's On TOnight for tickets (www.whatson
tonight.ca). Elsewhere, noteworthy theatre
festivals include the Stratford Festival
(www.stratfordfestival.ca)
and the Shaw
Festival (www.shawfest.com).
Classical
music fans can revel in performances by
Ottawa's National Arts Centre Orchestra
(
www.nac-cna.ca/orchestra), the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra (www.tso.ca)
and the
Canadian Opera Company (www.coc.ca),
while dance afi cionados have the National
Ballet of Canada (national.ballet.ca).
Fine art has many homes across the
province, including the Art Gallery of
Ontario (
www.ago.net), the McMichael
Canadian Art Collection (www.mcmichael.
com ) and the National Gallery of Canada
(www.gallery.ca).
Learn about Ontario's
Aboriginal Peoples at Petroglyphs Provincial
Park near Peterborough (www.ontarioparks.
com/park/petroglyphs ) and the Museum of
Ontario Archaeology in London (www.
archaeologymuseum.ca). Aboriginal history
is also one of many topics covered by the
world-renowned Royal Ontario Museum
(
www.rom.on.ca ).
History buff s can choose from meticu-
lously preserved historic sites and living
history museums, including: Fort Henry
(
www.forthenry.com ) and Upper Canada
Village (www.uppercanadavillage.com
)
in Eastern Ontario; Fort George (www.
parkscanada.gc.ca/fortgeorge ) and Old Fort
Erie (www.niagaraparks.com/niagara-
falls-attractions/old-fort-erie.html) near
Niagara Falls; Fort York (www.fortyork.ca
)
and Black Creek Pioneer Village (www.
blackcreek.ca ) in Toronto; Doon Heritage
Village (www.waterlooregionmuseum.com/
doon-heritage-village.aspx ) in Kitchener;
and the Buxton National Historic Site and
Museum in North Buxton, near Chatham
(
www.buxtonmuseum.com ).
MUST SEE, MUST DO
Discover an underwater wonderland of
some 16,000 creatures at Ripley's Aquarium
of Canada in downtown Toronto (www.
ripleyaquariums.com/canada).
See one of the world's most diverse lilac
collections at Canada's largest botanic
garden, the Royal Botanical Gardens in
Burlington (
www.rbg.ca).
Thrill to the thunder of North America's
most powerful cataract, Niagara Falls,
where nearby attractions range from great
shopping and family fun to glittering
casinos (
www.niagarafallstourism.com).
Travel to the base of Niagara Falls on a
catamaran with Hornblower Niagara
Cruises (
www.niagaracruises.com).
Revel in Ontario's glorious fall colours
aboard the Agawa Canyon Tour Train,
which departs from Sault Ste. Marie
(
www.agawacanyontourtrain.com).
Cutting across Southern Ontario from
Windsor to the Québec border, the over
1,600-km (1,000-mi.) Waterfront Trail—
open for cycling, hiking and other types
ST. JACOBS • SHUTTERSTOCK/JHVEPHOTO
QUICK FACT
THE LAST ICE AGE CARVED SOME 250,000
LAKES INTO THE ROCKY CANADIAN SHIELD
ACROSS ONTARIO.
ON
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