Things to do & Places to stay in Ontario

MARCH 8, 2018

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What are YOU going to do this weekend?

In the dead of winter, the last thing you think about is what you’re going to be doing for your summer holidays, but trust us, now is the best time to plan. Use some of those dreary winter days to do your research and explore your options; some places even have winter specials to entice you to commit early. When planning, we tend to think of the biggies…Toronto, Ottawa and Niagara Falls. But there are so many great regions to discover that may not yet be on your list. You can see loads more here: https://www.summerfunguide.ca/discover-ontario-places-to-explore.html  but we’ve started you off with 6 just to prove that it is time to venture out of your comfort zone!

Quinte West – Eastern ON

Quinte West is located on the shores of the Bay of Quinte -- gateway to the world-famous Trent Severn Waterway. In addition to being the home of the famous Trenton Scottish Irish Festival, it has loads more to offer. Learn about its historical and military roots, enjoy the Quinte Ribfest, shop in its farmers’ market with local fare, boat or fish in its inland waterways or just enjoy the warm and friendly people.

Port Colborne  - Niagara

Located on the N shore of Lake Erie, along the historic Welland Canal, Port Colborne is steeped in marine heritage. With the Canal, and ample beachfront, it is also a scenic place to visit. Learn about the Canal at the Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum and watch ships pass through one of the longest canal locks in the world. Bring locally grown foods home from the century-old Port Colborne Farmers' Market. Scuba dive in the waters of Lake Erie, where you can explore 20 marine wrecks within a 20 mile radius. Or celebrate Canal Days, the area’s signature event.

Kincardine – SW ON

Kincardine’s Scottish roots are what led to its Kilt-focused advertising tag line: “Pants optional. Leave your pants at home and embrace the Scottish lifestyle”. The signature event celebrating that heritage is the Kincardine Scottish Festival & Highland Games, but that wonderful event is not the only reason to visit Kincardine. Hike, bike, & explore >30km of scenic, winding trails and lakeside boardwalks and relax on beautiful beaches. Visit the historic 1880’s Lighthouse & so much more. 

Clarington – GTA

45 minutes east of Toronto along the shore of Lake Ontario is the municipality of Clarington, which might be small, but is also mighty! It boasts a world-class race track (Canadian Tire Motorsport Park), the Brimacombe Ski Hill, awesome fishing, Jungle Cat World, Tree Top Trekking Ganaraska plus sandy beaches, cool events, and more. With 400 working farms, it also offers a unique mix of rural and urban that is hard to find anywhere else.

Cobourg – Central ON

If you are looking for a beachy getaway, you don’t need to visit an island. Cobourg – an hour east of Toronto, has soft sand, a clean shoreline, clear water & a firm sandy bottom that stays shallow a long distance from shore, making it perfect for water fun! And it has lifeguards during prime swimming hours. Even its Summer Festivals are beachy, like the Sandcastle Festival, where amateurs & master sculptors create sand masterpieces. Biking, hiking, Canoeing, Kayaking, SUP, horseback riding, skiing, & snowshoeing make this area a four season destination

Thunder Bay – Northern ON

Thunder Bay is known as an “Outdoor City” for good reason. It has the world's largest fresh water lake, the boreal forest and the Nor'Wester Mountain range, so outdoor adventure is Thunder Bay’s middle name. Get sweaty paddling, zip lining, rock climbing or mountain biking, reel in a big fish, take a canoe trip or walk across Canada's longest suspension bridge at Eagle Canyon. Take a boat tour of the Thunder Bay Harbour or get a bird’s eye tour on a DeHavilland Otter or Beaver float plane. Access to nature is a big draw but don’t forget to check out Thunder Bay’s year-round food, music, dance, or film fests or First Nations and sporting events too.

Featured Events

Winterlude

Feb 2-19, 2018
Locations across Ottawa, check online for details

We’re fortunate to be able to experience 4 distinct seasons here in Ontario - so let’s take advantage! Bring the whole family and celebrate the joys of winter at Winterlude in Ottawa. It’s worth the trip if you don’t live there. Skate on the world’s largest skating rink, check out the ice sculpture competitions or play at one of North America’s greatest snow playgrounds.

Twenty Valley Winter Winefest

January 12th to 14th, 2018
Main Street, Jordan Village, Niagara

A great opportunity for some fun in the middle of January! Meet some of Niagara's best winemakers and chefs & enjoy their delicious food & premium wines. Sparkling and Icewine will be served outdoors on the streets of lovely Jordan Village. Fire pits and warming stations keep everyone warm. This year’s celebrity chef is Chef Susur Lee.

Toronto Light Festival

Jan 19 - Mar 18, 2018
Distillery District - Mill Street, GTA

Stroll through the beautiful Distillery District to see the talented and distinctive works from local and international light artists! It’s a unique visual journey that transforms the picturesque historic neighbourhood into a large open-air gallery.

Featured activity: Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf

If you love mini golf, this is worth a visit! Dinosaur Valley, in Sudbury, has 7 award-winning mini golf courses (63 holes total) and the World's Largest Steel Dragon (22 feet long by 18 feet high) to walk through on this beautifully landscaped property. Inaugural Tourism Innovation Winner; nominated by Attractions Ontario. Open May 1 - Sept. 8, 9am -8pm, 7 days. including holidays, weekends. Stop at Josephine’s Vegetables on site to stock up (more than 65 veggies grown onsite) too!

ONLY IN ONTARIO

The Toronto Inukshuk Park (formerly Battery Park) is home to the Toronto Inukshuk, one of the largest of its kind in North America. Inukshuks are Inuit stone structures often found in the arctic landscape, and historically were created as a guide to travelers, providing comfort, and navigation. This one stands 30 feet high and its arms span 15 feet. Made of mountain rose granite, it weighs about 50 tonnes and was made by internationally acclaimed Inuit artist Kellypalik Qimirpik from Cape Dorset, Nunavut.

Print Edition

We've started working on the 2019 edition of Summer Fun Guide but if you are looking for a 2018 edition, email info@summerfunguide.ca to have one mailed to you. View a digital version of the print edition online here:  https://www.summerfunguide.ca/print-edition.html.

CHECK OUT the next issue

Discover Eastern Ontario

Questions or comments?

Contact Natalie at news@summerfunguide.ca

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