a historic locomotive in Kingston
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDY AND EMPLOYMENT
ACCESS FOR TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES
cliffs along Highway 17, on Lake Superior’s north shore.
If you’re flying to Ontario from abroad, Toronto will likely be your gateway city. The province’s largest metropolitan area is also its transportation hub. Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, has an international airport as well, with flights from across Canada, several U.S. cities, and some European destinations.
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ, 6301 Silver Dart Dr., Mississauga, 416/247-7678 or 866/207-1690, www.torontopearson.com) is Ontario’s major airport, with flights from across Canada, the United States, and European and Asian countries. Canadian carriers Air Canada (888/247-2262, www.aircanada.ca) and WestJet (800/538-5696, www.westjet.com), along with a number of U.S., European, and Asian airlines, fly into Pearson. Flair Airlines (204/888-4357, www.flairairlines.com), a Canadian discount operator, flies between Toronto Pearson and Vancouver, Kelowna (BC), and Edmonton. Sunwing (877/786-9464, www.sunwing.ca), which flies primarily to the Caribbean and other sunny destinations, also has summer service between Toronto and Vancouver.
Toronto has a second, smaller airport, the Toronto City Airport (YTZ, www.billybishopairport.com), located on the Toronto Islands a short walk or even shorter ferry ride from downtown. You can fly here from New York City (Newark), Boston, Washington DC (Dulles), and Chicago, and from a number of Canadian cities. Porter Airways (888/619-8622, www.flyporter.com) is the main carrier serving this airport, although Air Canada also flies here from Montreal.
Ottawa International Airport (YOW, 1000 Airport Pkwy., 613/248-2000, www.ottawa-airport.ca) has flights from most major Canadian cities, U.S. destinations that include Boston, New York, Washington DC, Detroit, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando, as well as London. Air Canada (888/247-2262, www.aircanada.ca) and WestJet (800/538-5696, www.westjet.com), along with a number of U.S. airlines, fly to Ottawa.
Most of Ontario’s other large cities, including two that are within 90 minutes’ drive of Toronto, have airports with flights from other parts of Canada and the United States. You can fly nonstop to Hamilton International Airport (YHM, 9300 Airport Rd., 905/679-1999, www.flyhamilton.ca), southwest of Toronto, from Calgary and Montreal year-round, and seasonally from Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax, Winnipeg, Orlando, and Las Vegas. In the Kitchener-Waterloo area, the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YFK, 4881 Fountain St., Breslau, 519/648-2256 or 866/648-2256, www.waterlooairport.ca) has nonstop flights from Calgary.
Other regional Ontario airports include:
• London International Airport (YXU, 519/452-4015, www.londonairport.on.ca)
• Windsor International Airport (YQG, 519/969-2430, www.yqg.ca)
• Greater Sudbury Airport (YSB, 705/693-2514, www.flysudbury.ca)
• Sault Ste. Marie Airport (YAM, 705/779-3031, www.saultairport.com)
• Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT, 807/473-2600, www.tbairport.on.ca)
If you’re flying to Ontario from the United States, it’s worth checking airfares to nearby airports just across the U.S. border. Airline taxes are lower in the United States than in Canada, so airfares may be cheaper, too.
For Toronto and the Niagara region, check the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport (BUF, 716/630-6000 or 877/359-2642, www.buffaloairport.com). For Windsor and points in Southwestern Ontario, look at flying into Detroit Metro Airport (DTW, 734/247-7678, www.metroairport.com).
Canada’s national rail carrier, VIA Rail (888/842-7245, www.viarail.ca), can take you to Ontario from across the country. VIA’s flagship route, The Canadian, crosses Canada from Vancouver to Toronto via Jasper, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. If you do the trip nonstop, it takes 3.5 days. There are departures three times a week in each direction May through mid-October and twice a week the rest of the year.
From Atlantic Canada, The Ocean travels overnight from Halifax to Montreal, where you can make connections for Ottawa, Toronto, or other Ontario destinations. The train runs three days a week in each direction. Between Montreal and Toronto, VIA Rail runs several trains a day; the trip takes 5-6 hours. Between Montreal and Ottawa, a quick two-hour ride, there are also several daily trains.
You can purchase train tickets online, by phone, or in person at most stations. VIA Rail fares are cheaper when you buy your tickets in advance. You’ll get the lowest fare if you’re willing to buy a nonrefundable ticket at least four days before you plan to travel. Fares are typically lowest from mid-October through May. Fares also depend on the class of service. On shorter routes, such as Montreal-Toronto, you can choose between economy and business class. A business-class ticket includes a multicourse meal with cocktails and wine on board the train; you also get to wait in the more comfortable Panorama lounge, with complimentary drinks and newspapers, in the station. On the Canadian, options range from a basic economy seat to several types of sleeping berths and cabins; sleeper tickets include meals as well as access to a shower room and an observation car.
VIA Rail periodically runs last-minute specials on its website, offering significantly discounted rates for travel within the upcoming weeks. If you’re planning a lot of train travel, it’s worth checking the VIA Rail website, signing up for their newsletter, or following them on Twitter to learn about additional sales and discount offers.
From the United States, American rail carrier Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) has limited service into Ontario, and most routes involve a lengthy layover. The one exception is the train between New York City and Niagara Falls or Toronto, the Maple Leaf, which makes the 12.5-hour trip between New York City and Toronto daily, stopping in Niagara Falls along the way.
From Chicago and U.S. points farther west, or from Boston and other northeastern U.S. cities, there’s no direct rail service to Toronto or anywhere else in Ontario. Coming from the west, you could take the Amtrak Wolverine train from Chicago to Detroit, where you can cross the border to Windsor to continue your travels or transfer to the Toronto-bound VIA Rail train. Alternatively, you can take the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to Buffalo, where you can change to the Maple Leaf or catch a bus to Toronto.
If you’re starting your trip in Boston, you can catch the Lake Shore Limited westbound to Buffalo and transfer there, or go first to New York City and change to the Maple Leaf. Unless you’re a real rail buff (or you’re coming from New York City), flying or even taking the bus is more efficient.
Megabus (705/748-6411 or 866/488-4452, www.megabus.com) has some of the best fares and service to Toronto from Montreal and from the eastern United States, including New York City, Syracuse, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Megabus can also take you to Kingston (from Montreal) and Niagara Falls (from New York City). On some routes, Megabus periodically offers one-way sale fares as low as $1, so check the website, particularly if you’re flexible with your travel dates.
Note that Megabus allows passengers to travel with only one piece of luggage weighing less than 23 kilograms (50 pounds), plus one small hand-baggage item. To bring an additional bag, you must buy an extra ticket.
Greyhound (800/661-8747, www.greyhound.ca) can take you to Toronto from many Canadian and U.S. cities, although you’ll frequently have to change buses along the way. They run frequent buses between Montreal and Ottawa; change in Ottawa if you’re going on to Toronto. Greyhound’s long-haul western routes travel to Ontario from Calgary and Winnipeg, stopping in Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and Toronto. From Vancouver, you have to change buses in Calgary. From Edmonton, transfer in either Calgary or Winnipeg.
From the United States, Greyhound runs direct buses to Toronto from New York City (with stops in Syracuse and Buffalo, and on some buses, Niagara Falls), Detroit (stopping in Windsor and London), and Chicago. To reach Toronto from Boston, you need to transfer in Buffalo or Syracuse. From Philadelphia, transfer in New York City.
If you’re crossing the border between Michigan and Southwestern Ontario, you can take the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Bus (www.citywindsor.ca). Assuming no traffic or border delays, the trip takes only 20-25 minutes. The buses begin running at 5:30am Monday-Saturday, 8am Sunday, and continue until 12:30am Monday-Saturday, midnight on Sunday.
If you have a valid driver’s license from your home country, that license will be valid in Canada for three months. If you’re driving over the border from the United States, bring the car’s registration forms and proof of insurance. Either carry the insurance policy itself or get a free Canadian Non-Resident Insurance Card from your insurance agent. You must have a minimum of $200,000 combined liability insurance in Ontario.
If you’re planning to rent a car in the United States and drive it across the border, confirm with your car rental company in advance that you’re allowed to drive out of the country. Make sure you have a copy of the rental contract handy at the border crossing.
If you’re driving a borrowed car across the border, bring a letter of permission signed by the owner, even if the owner is a family member. The border agents may not ask for the letter, but you can save some hassles if you have it on hand.
You can cross the border between the United States and Canada at a number of Ontario points. In the Niagara Falls area, four bridges cross the Niagara River, which separates Ontario from New York State: the Peace Bridge (www.peacebridge.com), linking Fort Erie, Ontario, with I-190 from the Buffalo area; the Rainbow Bridge (www.niagarafallsbridges.com), which directly links Niagara Falls, Ontario, with Niagara Falls, New York; the Whirlpool Bridge (www.niagarafallsbridges.com), north of the Rainbow Bridge, available to NEXUS cardholders only; and the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge (www.niagarafallsbridges.com) between Queenston, Ontario, and Lewiston, New York.
Between Michigan and Southwestern Ontario, you can cross from Detroit to Windsor via the Ambassador Bridge or the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. The Blue Water Bridge (www.bwba.org) connects Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario. The International Bridge connects the cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Three international bridges cross the St. Lawrence River between New York State and Eastern Ontario. The Thousand Islands Bridge (www.tibridge.com) is a major crossing linking I-81 with Highway 401; the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge (www.ogdensport.com) runs between Ogdensburg, New York, and Prescott, Ontario; and the Seaway International Bridge (www.sibc.ca) links Massena, New York, and Cornwall, Ontario.
Ontario covers a lot of ground, and when you’re traveling from one end to the other, or if your time is limited, consider flights within the province. On shorter, well-traveled routes, like Toronto to Ottawa or Montreal, airfares are often priced competitively with the train or bus. On longer routes or in more remote areas, airfares tend to be high.
Toronto is the hub for flights within Ontario, although Ottawa has convenient air connections as well. Air Canada Jazz (888/247-2262, www.flyjazz.ca), Air Canada’s regional affiliate, flies between Toronto and Ottawa, Windsor, North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay. Ontario routes on WestJet (888/937-8538, www.westjet.com) include Toronto-Ottawa, Toronto-Sudbury, and Toronto-Thunder Bay. Within Ontario, Porter Airways (888/619-8622, www.flyporter.com), based at Toronto City Airport on the Toronto Islands, flies between Toronto and Ottawa, Windsor, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay.
Bearskin Airlines (800/465-2327, www.bearskinairlines.com) flies across Northern Ontario, including service to Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay. Air Creebec (819/825-8375 or 800/567-6567, www.aircreebec.ca) can take you between Timmins, Moosonee, and points farther north. Wasaya Airways (877/492-7292, www.wasaya.com) connects Thunder Bay to several northern communities.
VIA Rail (888/842-7245, www.viarail.ca) runs trains across Southern Ontario. You can travel between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Stratford, London, Windsor, and Sarnia. In the eastern part of the province, VIA Rail trains connect Ottawa, Brockville, Kingston, Belleville, Cobourg, and Toronto. Ontario Northland (800/461-8558, www.ontarionorthland.ca) operates the Polar Bear Express train from Cochrane north to Moosonee.
GO Transit (416/869-3200 or 888/438-6646, www.gotransit.com) operates a network of commuter trains from Toronto to the surrounding communities, including Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, Brampton, Barrie, Richmond Hill, and Markham. GO provides seasonal service to Niagara Falls, running weekends and holidays from June through early September (and on holiday weekends in May and October), also operating as the Niagara bike train, which has a bike rack-equipped baggage car.
Buses connect most Ontario cities and smaller communities. Megabus (www.megabus.com) has direct buses and great prices between Toronto and Niagara Falls and between Toronto and Kingston, with one-way sale fares sometimes going as low as $1.
Greyhound (www.greyhound.ca) has the most extensive bus service across Ontario. It operates regular buses between Toronto and Kitchener, Waterloo, London, Windsor, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Blue Mountain, Sudbury, and Sault Ste. Marie. Greyhound also runs most of the bus routes in and out of Ottawa, including service to Toronto, Kingston, North Bay, and Sudbury. Heading northwest, you can take Greyhound buses between Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Thunder Bay. Greyhound transports passengers between Toronto’s Pearson Airport (Terminal 1) and a number of Ontario cities, including Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Windsor, Peterborough, and Ottawa as well.
To travel between Toronto and the Muskoka Lakes or to Ontario towns farther north, Ontario Northland (www.ontarionorthland.ca) has regular bus service. Check its schedules if you’re going to Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Parry Sound, Sudbury, North Bay, Temagami, or Cochrane. GO Transit buses (www.gotransit.com) connect Toronto with Hamilton and other surrounding suburbs and towns.
If most of your time in Ontario will be in Toronto, Ottawa, or Niagara Falls, you can get around without a car. It’s possible to travel to other destinations car-free, and we’ve detailed car-free options throughout the book. However, for the greatest flexibility in exploring the province, either drive your own vehicle or rent one along the way.
To get information about highway conditions, including winter weather and summer construction status, phone the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s toll-free 24-hour road conditions line (800/268-4686). On Twitter, @511Ontario reports on road closures and other highway issues.
The major North American car rental companies have outlets at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, at Ottawa International Airport, and at regional airports around the province. A number of smaller car rental agencies also have offices near Pearson Airport; it’s worth comparing their rates to other major companies.
Ontario’s cities and most small towns also have at least one or two car rental offices. Enterprise (800/261-7331, www.enterpriserentacar.ca) has an extensive network of rental offices around Ontario; both National (877/222-9058, www.nationalcar.ca) and Discount Car Rentals (800/263-2355, www.discountcar.com) have offices in many towns as well.
One strategy that can sometimes save money on car rentals is to take the bus or train from Toronto to your next destination and rent a car from there. Toronto rates are sometimes higher than those in nearby cities such as Kitchener or Hamilton, although at times you’ll find better deals in Toronto. Most agencies provide discounts for weekly rentals and additional discounts for rentals of a month or more. Some also offer discounts for members of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) or American Automobile Association (AAA).
Ontario law requires adults and children weighing over 18 kilograms (40 pounds) to wear seat belts with both lap and shoulder belts. Toddlers who weigh 9-18 kilograms (20-40 pounds) must ride in a forward-facing child safety seat, and infants weighing up to 9 kilograms (20 pounds) must travel in a rear-facing infant safety seat.
Most Ontario highways have a speed limit of 100 km/h (62 mph). On the Trans-Canada Highway, the speed limit is typically 90 km/h (56 mph), and country roads have a speed limit of 80 km/h (50 mph).
You can make a right turn at a red light in Ontario (as long as you stop and make sure it’s clear), unless it’s otherwise posted. Hitchhiking is not allowed on major (controlled-access) highways, such as Highway 401. Radar detectors are illegal in Ontario. If the police stop you, officers can confiscate a radar device—and fine you—even if the device is turned off.
Dial 911 to reach the police, ambulance, or other emergency service if you have an automobile accident, or phone the Ontario Provincial Police emergency line (888/310-1122). If you’re involved in a car accident where someone is injured or where the estimated property damage is more than $1,000, Ontario law requires you to contact the police and stay at the scene of the accident until the police officers give you the OK to move on.
The Owen Sound Transportation Company (www.ontarioferries.com) operates two ferry services on Ontario’s Great Lakes. Between April and mid-December, ferries run to Pelee Island, Ontario’s southernmost point, from Leamington or Kingsville in Southwestern Ontario.
To travel from Toronto or other points in Southern Ontario to Manitoulin Island, the quickest route is to take the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. The ferry runs mid-May to mid-October.
Ontario’s Georgian Bay Islands National Park is composed entirely of islands, so you can reach the park only by water. Parks Canada (www.pc.gc.ca) runs the DayTripper boat service from the town of Honey Harbour to the park’s Beausoleil Island from late spring through early fall.
One of only three national marine conservation areas in Canada, Fathom Five National Marine Park (www.pc.gc.ca) includes 22 islands in Georgian Bay off the northern end of the Bruce Peninsula. Access to the park is by boat from the town of Tobermory. Parks Canada has partnered with two private companies, Blue Heron Tours (www.blueheronco.com) and Bruce Anchor Cruises (www.bruceanchorcruises.com), which offer several types of boat trips to the park’s Flowerpot Island from mid-May through mid-October.
For the most up-to-date requirements for visitors coming to Canada, visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC, www.cic.gc.ca).
Important note: If you have a criminal record, including misdemeanors or driving while impaired (DWI or DUI), no matter how long ago, you can be prohibited from entering Canada, unless you obtain a special waiver well in advance of your trip. Refer to the Application Forms and Guides section of the CIC website for additional information.
The simple answer to the question of what documents U.S. citizens need to visit Canada is “a valid passport.” It’s always a good idea to travel with your passport, if you have one.
If you are driving over the border, you can use a NEXUS card, issued as part of the U.S. government’s Trusted Travel Program, as your entry document. See the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website (www.cbp.gov) for NEXUS details. Drivers can also use a valid U.S. Passport Card instead of a passport. Get more information about U.S. Passport Cards, which cannot be used for air travel, from the U.S. State Department (www.travel.state.gov).
Several U.S. states and Canadian provinces issue Enhanced Drivers Licenses that can be used as an alternative to a passport or passport card when you’re crossing a land border; they’re not valid for air travel. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection website (www.cbp.gov) has details about Enhanced Drivers Licenses.
Citizens of the United States do not need a visa to visit Canada for stays of less than six months.
All other foreign visitors to Canada must have a valid passport, and depending on your nationality, you may also need either a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Check with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca) to confirm what documents you require.
British, Australian, and New Zealand citizens don’t require a visa, nor do citizens of many European nations. However, in 2016, Canada introduced the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which is required for visa-exempt visitors who are traveling to Canada by air. For example, a British citizen who is driving into Canada from the U.S. would not require a visa or an eTA but would need the eTA to fly into Canada. If you need an eTA, apply for this document online on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website (www.cic.gc.ca).
Visitors to Canada can bring a reasonable amount of personal baggage, including clothing, camping and sports equipment, cameras, and computers for personal use. As long as you’re at least 19 years old, you can bring in a limited amount of alcoholic beverages duty- and tax-free. You’re allowed one of the following: two bottles of wine (up to 53 fluid ounces or 1.5 liters), one standard bottle of other alcohol (40 ounces or 1.14 liters), or 24 cans or bottles of beer or ale (up to a total of 287 ounces or 8.5 liters). Visitors are also allowed to bring in up to 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars. You can bring gifts for friends or family into Canada duty- and tax-free as long as each gift is valued at $60 or less; if it’s worth more, you’ll have to pay duty and taxes on the excess amount. Alcohol and tobacco don’t count as gifts. They’re subject to the limits above, even if you’re bringing them to give as gifts.
Travelers must declare all food, plants, or animals they bring into Canada. In general, you’re allowed to bring food for personal use, although there are some restrictions on fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products. Get the latest information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (www.inspection.gc.ca).
In general, visitors cannot bring weapons into Canada. You’re specifically prohibited from bringing automatic weapons, sawed-off rifles or shotguns, most handguns, and semiautomatic weapons into Canada. There are some exceptions for hunters, and all visitors must declare any firearms in writing. Check the detailed requirements with the Canada Border Services Agency (www.cbsa.gc.ca).
Ontario is home to five of Canada’s national parks: Bruce Peninsula National Park, known for its spectacular rock formations, beaches, and wide range of hiking trails; Georgian Bay Islands National Park, comprising 63 islands large and small; Point Pelee National Park, marking the southernmost point on the Canadian mainland; Thousand Islands National Park, in Eastern Ontario; and Pukaskwa National Park on Lake Superior’s North Shore. The province also has two national marine conservation areas: Fathom Five National Marine Park and the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Just outside Toronto, Rouge National Park will be the country’s first urban national park.
Parks Canada (888/773-8888, www.pc.gc.ca) is the agency responsible for the country’s national parks. You can purchase an annual Parks Canada Discovery Pass (adults $67.70, seniors $57.90, family or group $136.40), valid at more than 100 national parks, national marine conservation areas, and national historic sites across the country. The family or group pass is good for up to seven people arriving together at a particular site. If you’re going to visit several parks and historic sites during your travels, a Discovery Pass can be a good value. As of January 2018, admission to Parks Canada parks and historic sites is free if you’re under 18 years old.
If you purchase your Discovery Pass at the beginning of a month, your pass will be valid for 13 months, rather than 12, because the pass expires on the last day of the month in which you bought it. That is, if you purchase your pass on March 1, 2019, it will be valid until March 31, 2020. You can buy a Discovery Pass online or by phone from Parks Canada or in person at any national park or historic site. If you’ve already bought a day pass to a park or historic site within the past 30 days, you can credit the price of that ticket toward a Discovery Pass.
When you’re spending several days in just one park, you’re better off purchasing a seasonal pass for that particular park. For example, at Bruce Peninsula National Park, a day pass is $11.70 per vehicle, and a seasonal pass is $49 per vehicle, so the season pass would save you money if you were staying five days or more.
Ontario has more than 300 provincially managed outdoor spaces, run by Ontario Parks (www.ontarioparks.com). Among the province’s most popular parks are Algonquin Provincial Park in Cottage Country near Huntsville, Killarney on Georgian Bay, Lake Superior north of Sault Ste. Marie, Wasaga Beach near Collingwood, and The Pinery on Lake Huron, outside Grand Bend. It’s hard to narrow down more favorite parks, but others worth exploring include Sandbanks on Lake Ontario, in Prince Edward County; Awenda, near Midland on Georgian Bay; Killbear and Grundy Lake, also on Georgian Bay, north of Parry Sound; Sauble Falls, on the Bruce Peninsula; and Sleeping Giant, near Thunder Bay.
Daily park entrance fees range $11.25 to $20 per vehicle. If you’re going to visit several provincial parks, or if you’re going to return to the same park over multiple days, consider purchasing a provincial park pass (800/668-9938, www.ontarioparks.com). You can buy a seasonal pass good for unlimited park visits during either the summer (Apr.-Nov., $125) or the winter (Dec.-Mar., $85), or an annual pass ($175) valid for the entire year. Buy park passes online, by phone, or at most provincial parks.
Ontario has plenty of opportunities to hit the trail, whether you’re looking to tromp around in the woods or along the lake for an afternoon or set off on a multiday hiking adventure. The Ontario Trails Council (www.ontariotrails.on.ca) provides information about trails province-wide.
One of Canada’s iconic outdoor experiences is a hike along Ontario’s Bruce Trail (www.brucetrail.org), an 845-kilometer (525-mile) route that extends from the Niagara region to the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. While some hikers do the entire trail straight through, far more end-to-end hikers complete the trail in a series of shorter excursions over several months or years. And many more hikers use the trail only for day hiking.
The world’s longest network of trails, the Trans-Canada Trail, also known as “the Great Trail” (www.tctrail.ca, or www.thegreattrail.ca), extends—as its name suggests—across the country. Some sections of the trail are urban walks, like parts of Ottawa’s Capital Pathway (www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca) or Toronto’s Waterfront Trail (www.waterfronttrail.org). Others, like the Voyageur Trail (www.voyageurtrail.ca) in Northern Ontario, are wilderness routes. Check the Trans-Canada Trail website for more hike ideas.
Ontario has an extensive network of trails for both road cycling and mountain biking. Some regions of the province, particularly along the lakeshores, are fairly flat. Inland, it’s not the Rockies, but you’ll find enough rolling hills to get your heart pumping. Ontario By Bike (www.ontariobybike.ca) can give you more ideas about where to cycle around the province.
The Niagara region is an excellent spot for cyclists, even if you’re a not a hard-core long-distance rider. The Greater Niagara Circle Route (www.niagararegion.ca), with more than 140 kilometers (87 miles) of mostly paved cycling trails, loops around the Niagara Peninsula. You can bring your bike from Toronto on the seasonal bike train, run by GO Transit (www.gotransit.com).
Running nearly 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles), the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail (www.waterfronttrail.org) follows the Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and St. Lawrence River banks, between Grand Bend and the Quebec border; a second section in Northern Ontario connects Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. Another long-distance route, the 450-kilometer (280-mile) mixed-use Central Ontario Loop Trail, circles from Port Hope on Lake Ontario, through Peterborough and the Kawarthas region, north to Haliburton and Bancroft. Many sections of the Trans-Canada Trail (www.tctrail.ca or www.thegreattrail.ca) are also open to cyclists.
Hardwood Ski and Bike (www.hardwoodskiandbike.ca), in the hills northeast of Barrie, has 80 kilometers (50 miles) of mountain bike trails. Some of Ontario’s downhill ski resorts become mountain bike meccas in summer, including Blue Mountain (www.bluemountain.ca), near Collingwood.
Surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes, with over 200,000 inland lakes large and small, Ontario is a popular destination for all types of water sports. You can go swimming in most of these lakes, although the water, particularly in the Great Lakes, can be quite chilly. Pollution or increased bacteria levels can also close beaches temporarily. The Blue Flag (www.blueflag.global) program assesses the environmental safety of participating beaches, so swim when the blue flag is flying; their website also lists Ontario’s approved Blue Flag beaches.
Ontario is a hugely popular destination for canoeing and kayaking, whether you want to paddle around a lake for an hour or two or embark on a multiday expedition. The most popular destinations include Algonquin Provincial Park, Killarney Provincial Park, and Temagami. Stand-up paddleboarding has grown in popularity throughout Ontario. Look for paddleboard rentals and lessons at many lake destinations.
For white-water rafting, head for the Ottawa River region, west of Ottawa; you can even do a gentle raft trip within the Ottawa city limits. For scuba diving, the Fathom Five National Marine Conservation Area, off the Bruce Peninsula, has some of the finest diving in the north; you can snorkel here, too.
Ontario may not have oceans or palm trees, but yes, you can go surfing. Lake Superior routinely sees waves of 3 to 4.5 meters (10 to 15 feet) that bring out hardy surfers and their boards. Even in midsummer, it’s critical to prepare for the cold, though, with thick wetsuits, gloves, hoods, and booties. Thunder Bay is a good place to start your surfing adventure, and many surfers head for Terrace Bay on the lake’s north shore.
Oh, yes, Ontario has plenty of winter weather, so if you like to get outdoors, you’ll have copious opportunities for winter sports. In winter, you can ice-skate almost anywhere in Ontario. Practically every city or town has a rink or a frozen pond where you can strap on your skates. But the best place to skate is on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal, which becomes the world’s largest rink.
Compared to the snow resorts in the mountains of Western Canada, Ontario’s ski and snowboard spots are smaller and more modest. But there are plenty of places where you can schuss down the mountain within a short distance of either Toronto or Ottawa. The province’s largest ski area is the Blue Mountain Resort, near Collingwood. Other downhill destinations include Horseshoe Resort near Barrie, or Calabogie Peaks and Mount Pakenham near Ottawa.
While Ontario’s rolling hills may seem small for downhill skiing or snowboarding, they offer excellent terrain for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. A number of the provincial parks remain open in winter for skiers and snowshoers, including Algonquin, Arrowhead (near Huntsville), Awenda (outside of Midland), Killarney (between Parry Sound and Sudbury), The Pinery (on Lake Huron), and Wasaga Beach (near Collingwood). Gatineau Park, near Ottawa, is also a popular cross-country ski destination.
If you ever wanted to learn about dogsledding and lead your own team of dogs, you can give it a try in Ontario. Several outfitters offer dogsledding excursions in and around Algonquin Provincial Park.
Room rates are listed for high season—generally May or June through September or October, except at the ski resorts or other winter destinations, when high season typically runs from late December through February or March. Even within that time period, rates can fluctuate significantly, depending on the lodging’s occupancy, nearby special events, and even the weather, so check current rates before making your plans. You’ll need to add the 13 percent HST (harmonized sales tax) to the listed rates.
In Ontario’s cities, especially Toronto and Ottawa, accommodations rates tend to be highest midweek when vacationers are competing for lodging space with business travelers. Hotels catering to road warriors will often discount their rates Friday through Sunday. Conversely, in areas that are primarily tourist destinations, including Niagara Falls, the Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay, Prince Edward County, and any of the national or provincial parks, weekends are busiest, and you might find lower lodging prices and more availability between Sunday and Thursday.
In most of the province, you’ll save money on lodging by visiting in winter. A room for a midwinter weekend in Toronto may cost as much as 50 percent less than that same accommodation in July. However, outside the urban areas, since many attractions close from mid-October through mid-May, accommodations may shut down as well.
Throughout Ontario, going to “the cottage” is a long-established summer ritual. Even if you’re not fortunate enough to own a country getaway or have friends or family willing to invite you to their cottage, you can still join the throngs of summer cottagers. Many cottages are available for summer rentals, and cottage resorts—essentially a hotel where you sleep in a cottage but have hotel services like a dining room, water sports, and organized activities for the kids—are also popular. Cottages frequently rent for a minimum of a week, at least in summer, while you can usually book shorter stays at cottage resorts. Weekly rentals most often run Saturday to Saturday.
The Muskoka region north of Toronto is often known simply as Cottage Country, where Huntsville, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and the surrounding communities are all magnets for cottagers. You’ll find cottages and cottage resorts around Georgian Bay, along Lake Huron, in the Kawarthas region around Peterborough, and pretty much anywhere that there are lakes and woods.
If you’re renting a cottage, ask what’s included and what’s nearby: Do you need to supply your own linens and towels? What appliances—stove, oven, dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer—does the cottage have? What types of beds are in each bedroom? Is there a patio or deck? A barbecue? Wi-Fi? A TV? DVD player? Is the cottage on a main road, or at the end of a quiet lane? How far is the nearest beach? Where’s the closest grocery store?
The Ontario Tourism website (www.ontariotravel.net) has information about and listings for cottage rentals, and tourism offices and visitors bureaus in most regions can provide details about cottage rentals in their vicinity. AirBnB (www.airbnb.ca) lists cottages for rent across Ontario.
Ontario has bed-and-breakfast accommodations in major cities, smaller towns, and out in the country. Some are upscale and modern, with private baths and high-tech amenities like flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and espresso machines. Others are homey but more modest—like staying with your aunt and uncle, where the bath is down the hall and you get a bed and a morning meal but not much else.
If a room has an en suite bath, it’s in your suite, that is, it’s inside your room, for your own use. A private bath can sometimes be en suite, but the term often refers to a bath that’s outside of your room but reserved for you only; you might have to walk down the hall, but you won’t have to share. A shared bath is just that: a bath used by guests of more than one room. Ask how many guest rooms share each bath; when there are two baths for three guest rooms, you’re less likely to have to wait than when six rooms take turns for a single bath.
Wireless Internet access is widely available at Ontario B&Bs, and it’s generally included in the rates, but always ask if Wi-Fi is important to you. Some B&Bs will have a computer for guest use; again, if that’s something you need, ask. Outside major cities, most B&Bs have parking available. In the cities, they may not, or there may be a parking fee.
Remember that in a bed-and-breakfast, you’re usually a guest in the owner’s home. Many people enjoy staying at B&Bs, where they can chat with the owner and meet other guests over a cup of coffee or breakfast. Most owners will respect your privacy, but they’re also your hosts, who can make recommendations about things to see and do nearby.
If your vision of a hostel includes crowded, run-down dormitories filled with unwashed backpackers, it may be time to update your perception. Hostels do still tend to draw younger people, but older travelers and families have discovered the benefits of hostel travel, too.
Some hostels, like Toronto’s Planet Traveler, are very modern and very wired—with free Wi-Fi, phone booths where you can make calls via Skype, and lockers with electrical outlets to plug in your laptop or phone charger. While others may not be as well outfitted, Wi-Fi is standard, as are shared kitchens, laundry facilities, and common areas for lounging and meeting other guests. Hostels often organize local activities, from pub crawls to city tours, to acquaint you with the area and with other travelers.
While the standard hostel accommodations are a shared dorm with bunk beds and shared baths, accommodating anywhere from 4 to 10 travelers, there are lots of variations. Dorms can be female-only, male-only, or mixed, so ask if you have a preference. Many hostels now offer options for rooms that you share with only two or three other people; you’re still not getting hotel amenities, but you are getting a little more space. Many have private rooms, with a double bed or two twins, or family rooms, where you share with your family members but no one else. For two or more travelers sharing a room, hostel prices can sometimes approach those of bed-and-breakfasts or lower-end hotels, so shop around. Hostels generally supply sheets, a blanket, and a towel. To prevent bedbug infestation, most prohibit travelers from bringing their own linens.
Many Canadian hostels are affiliated with Hostelling International (HI, www.hihostels.com) and offer discounts to HI members. Not only do you get discounts on hostel stays, but you’re also eligible for up to 15 percent off VIA Rail tickets and 25 percent off Greyhound bus travel within Canada. In Ontario, HI members also get discounts on some tours or museum admissions.
You typically buy a membership from your home country’s HI association, which you can do online. For Canadian citizens and residents, Hostelling International-Canada (613/237-7884 or 800/663-5777, www.hihostels.ca) sells adult memberships, valid for two years, for $35; junior memberships, for kids under 18, are free. At Hostelling International-USA (240/650-2100, www.hiusa.org), memberships are valid for one year for adults (US$18) and youths under 18 (free). Other international hostel organizations include YHA England and Wales (www.yha.org.uk), Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (France, www.fuaj.org), YHA Australia (www.yha.com.au), and Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand (www.yha.co.nz). Get a complete list of international chapters from Hostelling International (www.hihostels.com).
For more information about privately run hostels and other budget accommodations in Ontario and across Canada, see Backpackers Hostels Canada (www.backpackers.ca).
You don’t have to be a student or professor to stay in a university residence. Many Ontario universities open their residence halls to visitors during the summer months (generally mid-May through August). Accommodations range from basic dormitory rooms with shared baths down the hall to suites with kitchen facilities that would be comfortable for families. Some residence halls provide breakfast, some give you an option to eat at campus dining facilities, while at others, you’re on your own for meals.
Staying in residence is best for independent travelers, since you don’t have a hotel staff to help you out, and you won’t get room service or other hotel-style frills. The advantage? The cost can be lower than for nearby hotel accommodations, and the locations are often quite central.
• Hamilton: McMaster Summer Residences (905/525-9140, http://conference.mcmaster.ca, $66-74 s, $95-105 d, 4-bed apartment $200)
• Kingston: Queen’s University Residence Halls (613/533-2223, http://eventservices.queensu.ca, $50 s, $60 d, 2-bedroom suite $109-119)
• London: Western Summer Accommodations (University of Western Ontario, 519/661-3476, www.stayatwestern.com, $72-77, suite $144)
• Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara College Residence (137 Taylor Rd., 905/641-4435 or 877/225-8664, www.stayrcc.com, 2-bedroom suite $100-140)
• Ottawa: University of Ottawa Residences (613/562-5885 or 888/564-4545, www.accommodation.uottawa.ca, $159 d)
• Toronto: Massey College Residences (4 Devonshire Pl., at Hoskin Ave., 416/978-2895, www.masseycollege.ca, $87-120, suite $130-180)
• Waterloo: University of Waterloo Residences (519/884-5400, www.uwaterloo.ca/summer-accommodations, $60 s or d); Hotel Laurier (Wilfred Laurier University, 200 King St. N., 519/884-0710, ext. 2771, www.wlu.ca/hotel, $55-75 s, $93 d)
In Ontario, you can camp in many of the national and provincial parks, and in private campgrounds. In addition to sites where you can pitch a tent or park your RV, many national and provincial parks have cabins or yurts to rent (the latter are tent-like structures modeled after the dwellings of nomads in Mongolia, China, and other regions). You usually have to bring your own sleeping bags and linens, as well as cooking supplies, but you don’t have to bring or set up a tent. In the national parks, you can also stay in an “oTENTik,” a furnished platform tent.
You can camp at four of the five Ontario national parks; there are no individual campgrounds at Point Pelee National Park, although the park does have oTENTiks available year-round. At Pukaskwa National Park, campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but reservations for oTENTiks are required. You can (and should) make campsite reservations if you’re planning to camp at the Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay Islands, and Thousand Islands National Parks. Book through the Parks Canada reservation service (877/737-3783, www.reservation.pc.gc.ca).
To find a campsite at one of the many campgrounds run by the provincial Ontario Parks (888/668-7275, www.ontarioparks.com) agency, search the park reservation website, which not only lists park campgrounds, but also lets you search online for campground availability. For campgrounds that accept reservations, you can book a site up to five months in advance.
For information about Ontario’s more than 400 private campgrounds, contact the Ontario Private Campground Association (www.campinginontario.ca).
The “eating local” movement—choosing foods that are grown or produced locally—has swept Ontario in a big way. From the biggest cities to many a small town, Ontario chefs are sourcing and promoting local products. The Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (www.ontarioculinary.com) is a good resource for learning more about the province’s locally raised foods. Farmers Markets Ontario (www.farmersmarketsontario.com) lists farmers markets around the province.
While local food is booming, Ontario’s long history of immigration has influenced its cuisine, too. Many formerly unknown foods are now routine parts of Ontario meals, sometimes adapted to use locally grown ingredients. You’ll find the legacy of Italian immigration in many communities, especially in the Niagara region, in Sault Ste. Marie, and in Thunder Bay; German and Eastern European fare from Kitchener-Waterloo and St. Jacobs west to Lake Huron and south toward Windsor; Scandinavian heritage in the Thunder Bay area; and French Canadian influences in Eastern and Northeastern Ontario and in the Ottawa region. Multiethnic Toronto has historically Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Indian, and Korean neighborhoods, as well as several Chinatowns, and across the city you’ll find foods from around the globe.
Outside Canada, it’s known as Canadian bacon, but in Canada, the thickly sliced cured pork commonly served for breakfast or in sandwiches is called back bacon or peameal bacon.
Ontario’s numerous lakes yield several varieties of fresh fish, including pickerel and perch. It’s baked, grilled, or fried up for fish-and-chips.
Artisanal cheese making is a growing business in Ontario, particularly in Prince Edward County, the Ottawa region, and the region between Kitchener and Lake Huron, where you can even do a self-guided cheese tour on the Oxford County Cheese Trail (www.oxfordcountycheesetrail.ca). Look for Ontario cheeses at farmers markets and specialty cheese shops around the province. One distinctive use of cheese that you’ll now find across the country is poutine, french fries topped with brown gravy and melted cheese curds. Originally from Quebec, poutine is gooey, salty, savory, and surprisingly addicting.
Central and Eastern Ontario is maple country, so you’ll find lots of maple products, including syrup, maple butter, and taffy. In late winter (usually Mar.-Apr.), you can visit sugar shacks that tap the sap from maple trees and produce syrup, although most are now large commercial operations rather than little shacks in the woods. Many operate seasonal pancake houses to showcase their maple products. A particular treat is maple taffy on snow; hot syrup is poured onto snow, which firms it into taffy that’s rolled on a stick. While late winter is the production season, you can purchase Ontario-made maple syrup at farmers markets and groceries year-round.
In late spring and early summer, you’ll find strawberries and rhubarb. As the summer goes on, the markets fill with raspberries, blueberries, and peaches, then grapes, apples, and pears. Look for farms where you can pick your own fruit for the absolute freshest produce (and are fun for the kids).
Panzarotti are Ontario’s version of calzone. It’s baked dough stuffed with tomato sauce and cheese, often including sausage, peppers, or other toppings typically found on pizza. You’ll see panzarotti in Sault Ste. Marie (which also has excellent pizza) and anywhere there’s a large Italian community.
Summer in Ontario is fruit pie time, with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, apple, and other varieties appearing on bakery and farm-stand shelves as each fruit comes into season. Year-round, in francophone communities, you might see tourtière, a savory meat pie. Found in many of Canada’s First Nations communities, bannock is a biscuit-like bread, baked, fried, or grilled over an open fire.
BeaverTails aren’t actually the tails of beavers; they’re just shaped like them. They’re fried slabs of whole-wheat dough topped with cinnamon sugar and a squeeze of lemon (or with all sorts of other sweet toppings). They’re an Ottawa tradition, but you can find them in many parts of Canada and abroad.
If you have only one dessert in Ontario, it should be a butter tart. No, it’s not a pie shell filled with butter; it’s a single-serving pastry filled with a gooey mix of brown sugar, butter, and eggs. The dark-sugar custard filling resembles American pecan pie without the nuts, although butter tarts sometimes have pecans or raisins added. You can find butter tarts at bakeries across the province.
Ontario is Canada’s main wine-producing region, with vineyards and wineries concentrated in several areas. The largest is the Niagara region, with more than 100 wineries in and around the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and in the Twenty Valley, incorporating the towns of Beamsville, Vineland, and Jordan. In Eastern Ontario, Prince Edward County is a growing wine district, and in the southwestern corner of the province is the small wine-producing area known as the Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC) Wine Country along Lake Erie’s North Shore. More recently, wineries have opened farther north, along Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Most wineries welcome visitors, and you can buy their wines at the winery shops; larger wineries also sell to restaurants and wine stores around the province.
Ontario may be best known for its ice wine, a sweet, intense dessert wine that’s made from grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine. The production process is labor-intensive (the frozen grapes must be hand-picked) and very sensitive to temperature variations, which makes ice wine an expensive, if delicious, treat.
The Wine Council of Ontario (www.winecountryontario.ca) is a good source of information about Ontario wines and wineries.
These days, you can hardly raise a glass in Ontario without bumping into a new craft brewery. By 2018, the province had more than 200 small artisanal beer makers, with reports of at least 100 more in development. Both Toronto and Ottawa have active, growing craft beer scenes, and you’ll find local brews to sample all across the province. Most craft brewers have tasting rooms where you can taste their products, and many offer tours. Ontario even has an annual province-wide festival to celebrate its local suds: Ontario Craft Beer Week (www.ocbweek.ca, June). On its website, Ontario Craft Brewers (www.ontariocraftbrewers.com) lists the province’s craft brewers by region, while the Ontario Beverage Network (www.momandhops.ca) publishes maps of “Brewery Discovery Routes”—self-guided tasting tours (www.brewerydiscoveryroutes.ca).
Despite Ontario’s long history as an apple-growing region, it’s only recently that artisanal cider making has enjoyed a renaissance. As recently as 2008, the province had only one craft cider maker, but by 2018, that number had grown to more than 50. Many cider makers have set up shop in the Blue Mountains, along the south shore of Georgian Bay, where you can sample your way along the Apple Pie Trail (www.applepietrail.com), a network of orchards, bakeries, restaurants, and cider makers—basically anyone who has apple deliciousness to share. The Ontario Craft Cider Association (www.ontariocraftcider.com) and the Ontario Beverage Network (www.momandhops.ca) can direct you to more of the province’s cider makers.
To go to school or work in Canada, you must apply for and receive a study or work permit before you enter the country. The government agency responsible for study and work permits is Citizenship and Immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca). For specific information about studying and working in Ontario, also see the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (www.citizenship.gov.on.ca).
Many, but not all, of Ontario’s attractions, hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and transportation options are accessible to travelers with disabilities. A useful general resource that provides information about accessible travel to and around Canada is the Canadian government’s Access to Travel website (www.accesstotravel.gc.ca). It includes helpful details about transportation between and around Ontario cities and towns, as well as general tips and travel resources.
Many Canadian national parks and Ontario provincial parks offer accessible facilities. Many picnic areas, campsites, and park restrooms, as well as some trails, can accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Get details on facilities in specific parks from Parks Canada (www.pc.gc.ca) and Ontario Parks (www.ontarioparks.com).
Ontario is an extremely family-friendly destination. Not only are there tons of fun things for families to do, there are lots of resources to help support traveling families or make travel more affordable. Many museums and attractions offer free admission for kids under a certain age (often 5 or 6, but sometimes 11 or 12). Many offer discounted family admission rates, which generally include two adults and at least two children.
During the summer (late June-Aug.) and during school holiday periods, including Christmas-New Year’s (late Dec.-early Jan.) and March break (mid-Mar.), many attractions offer kids’ camps or other activities for children. Just note that these periods will also be the most crowded times at family-friendly places.
Kids stay free at many major hotels. Other good lodging options for traveling families, besides the typical chain motels, include suite hotels (in cities) and cottages (in more rural areas), which often provide more space for the money, as well as kitchen facilities where you can prepare your own food. Cottage resorts, which offer cottage accommodations as well as the services of a hotel (a dining room, water sports, or other kids’ activities), are great fun for families; many specifically target multiple generations traveling together.
Some bed-and-breakfasts don’t accept kids, so always ask. One type of B&B that’s typically great for kids is a bed-and-breakfast on a farm. There’s usually space for kids to run around, as well as animals to look at; children may even be able to help with farm chores.
Many Ontario restaurants have children’s menus with burgers, chicken, sandwiches, or other nonthreatening foods. Some will also make smaller portions of regular menu items or prepare a simple pasta dish. Encourage your kids to eat what you’re eating, though, since they may surprise you (and themselves) with a new food that they like.
Overall, Ontario is a relatively safe destination compared to many spots around the world, and women shouldn’t hesitate to travel alone. However, exercise caution wherever you go, and particularly in urban areas, avoid venturing out alone late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. If you are out late on your own, don’t walk—take a cab. Take your cues from local women, too; if you don’t see other women walking or waiting for the bus, that’s a clue that maybe you shouldn’t either.
Carry a cell phone with you, so you can phone for assistance if you need it. However, be aware that some parks and remote regions have limited or no cell phone coverage.
When hiking, many women suggest finding other groups of travelers that you might join, or hiking on busier trails where you won’t be alone for long periods of time.
An excellent resource for women travelers is Journeywoman (www.journeywoman.com), a Toronto-based worldwide website where women travelers can share tips and ask for advice from local women. Another great site for women’s travel tips, particularly for solo travelers, is Wanderlust and Lipstick (www.wanderlustandlipstick.com).
The good thing about getting older is that you can often get discounts. Many Ontario attractions, lodgings, and transportation providers offer discounts for seniors. Normally, you need to be 65 to qualify for a senior discount, although occasionally these discounts are extended to travelers at age 60 or 62.
For seniors who love the outdoors, Ontario Parks offers discounts at the provincial parks, with reduced rates for day-use admission and camping fees. Parks Canada offers similar senior discounts at the country’s national parks and national historic sites.
Canada is far more welcoming to LGBTQ travelers than many other destinations. Marriage equality is the law in Canada, and Ontario was among the first provinces to make same-sex marriage permissible, in 2003. Ontario’s largest LGBTQ community is in Toronto, and the city’s annual Pride Week is one of the biggest gay and lesbian pride celebrations in the world. Though the hub of the community was once the Church and Wellesley neighborhood, known as the Gay Village, queer culture now extends around the city. Accommodations, restaurants, and other facilities throughout Toronto (and indeed across the province) welcome LGBTQ travelers.
Resources for LGBTQ travel to Ontario include:
• Travel Gay Canada (www.travelgaycanada.com): The country’s LGBTQ tourism association
• TAG Approved (www.tagapproved.com): Gay-friendly hotels and attractions
• Ontario Tourism (www.ontariotravel.net): Search for “LGBTQ Travel” for information about accommodations, festivals and events, and other travel tips
• Tourism Toronto (www.seetorontonow.com/toronto-diversity): Toronto travel tips and resources, including information about same-sex weddings in the city
• Ottawa Tourism (www.ottawatourism.ca): Lists resources and events for LGBTQ travel in the nation’s capital.
Smoking is not allowed in any enclosed public space in Ontario. That means you can’t smoke in restaurants, bars, offices, stores, sports arenas, casinos, theaters, or other entertainment venues. In hotels, you can smoke in your room only if it’s a designated smoking room (which are becoming less and less common); smoking is prohibited everywhere else in the hotel.
So where can you smoke? Smoking is permitted on outdoor patios, but only if there’s no roof. You can smoke in your car, unless you’re traveling with a child who’s under 16. And you’re still allowed to smoke outdoors on the sidewalk. You must be at least 19 to purchase cigarettes or other tobacco products in Ontario.
The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19. Liquor, wine, and beer are sold in government-run liquor stores. Because the Liquor Control Board of Ontario operates these stores, they’re known by the acronym LCBO. There are separate stores that sell beer called the Beer Store. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a criminal offense. The law applies not only to cars, but also to boats, snowmobiles, and all-terrain vehicles. You can immediately lose your driver’s license for 90 days if you’re found to have a blood-alcohol level of more than 0.8 or if you refuse to take a Breathalyzer test.
In restaurants, the expected tip is 15 percent, with 18-20 percent for particularly good service. You should also tip around 15 percent in bars and taxis. Give hotel baggage handlers at least a dollar or two for each bag they carry, and tip concierges in proportion to the services they provide; if they’ve gotten you seats for a sold-out play or reservations at the booked-for-months restaurant, compensate them for their service. Many people also leave tips of at least $5 per night for hotel housekeeping staff.
Canadians have a reputation for being polite, and for the most part, that reputation is well deserved. People generally wait patiently in line to board buses and streetcars and give up their seats on public transit to seniors, pregnant women, and anyone with a disability.
The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of “race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for which a pardon has been granted.” Discrimination still exists, of course, but most Canadians pride themselves on getting along, and they try to respect other cultures and customs. When you enter a Canadian home, you may be expected to remove your shoes. Many bed-and-breakfasts want you to leave your shoes by the front door, as well.
Travelers should always carry a basic first-aid kit, including bandages, aspirin or another pain reliever, sunscreen, insect repellent, and an antiseptic or antibiotic ointment. You might want to include an ointment or other product to relieve the itching of mosquito bites; if you’re prone to allergic reactions, consider packing an antihistamine as well. If you wear glasses, bring an extra pair. If you take prescription medication, carry a copy of your prescription.
In an emergency, call 911 to reach police, fire, ambulance, or other emergency services. In some remote areas of the province without 911 service, dial 0 and say “This is an emergency” to be transferred to the police. You can also reach the Ontario Provincial Police emergency line (888/310-1122).
If you become ill or injured while in Ontario, you can go to the nearest hospital emergency room or walk-in health clinic. If you’re a resident of another Canadian province, your provincial health plan may not provide health coverage while you’re in Ontario. If the plan does provide coverage, it may pay only the amount it would pay for the service in your home province, not what you might be billed in Ontario. Either way, before your trip, it’s a good idea to purchase supplemental travel health insurance to cover any unexpected medical costs while you’re in Ontario.
If you live outside of Canada, make sure that you have health insurance that will cover you and your family in Canada. You will normally have to pay for the service provided in Ontario and then file a claim with your health insurance provider after you return home.
Mosquitoes in Ontario may not be a “hazard,” but they’re surely a major nuisance, particularly from May through August. Try to avoid being outside at dusk or in the early evening when mosquitoes are most active. Outdoors, cover up with long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and don’t forget socks. Using an insect repellent is also a good idea; you can get recommendations from a good outdoors store, like Mountain Equipment Co-op.
Blackflies are buzzing, biting insects that live in forested areas, particularly in the late spring, and they’re a hugely annoying pest. Across much of Ontario, blackflies are worst in May and at least the first half of June; the farther north you go, the later the blackfly season. The flies can’t bite through clothing, but they can certainly find their way under your clothing, especially around your ankles or wrists. Tucking your pants into your socks, while perhaps not the most fashionable solution, will help prevent bites, as will a good insect repellent. Blackflies are attracted to darker colors, so wearing lighter hues may help keep them away.
If you’re camping, make sure your tent has a screen panel that’s not ripped, and always keep the screen closed. The kids may whine when you tell them, for the 100th time, to zip the tent fly, but they’ll thank you if it keeps the bugs out of the tent. And even if you’re staying indoors, make sure the windows have screens. Ceiling fans or window fans that circulate the air around you make it more difficult for bugs to alight.
Canada’s currency is the Canadian dollar, and like its U.S. counterpart, it’s divided into 100 cents. Canadian bills include $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 denominations. Coins include 5, 10, and 25 cents, and one and two dollars. The gold-colored one-dollar coin is called the loonie, for the picture of the loon on its back. The two-dollar coin is nicknamed the “toonie,” because it’s equal to two loonies. Canada has been phasing out its penny, or one-cent piece; if you purchase something with cash, the price will be rounded up or down to the nearest five-cent increment. Throughout this book, prices are listed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.
Major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, are accepted throughout the province, as are debit cards, although some smaller establishments may take payment in cash only. You’ll find Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)—which Canadian banks call Automated Banking Machines, or ABMs—in almost every town.
The Bank of Canada (www.bankofcanada.ca), Canada’s central bank, publishes the official exchange rate between Canadian dollars and other currencies. You can exchange U.S. dollars, euros, British pounds, Australian dollars, and other major currencies for Canadian dollars at banks across Ontario or at currency exchange dealers in Toronto, Ottawa, and towns near the U.S. border. Most of the Ontario travel information centers around the province can exchange currency. In tourist areas close to the border, like Niagara Falls or the Thousand Islands, some businesses will accept U.S. dollars, although the exchange rate is usually worse than the official rate, and you’ll get change back in Canadian funds. You’re nearly always better off paying in Canadian currency or using a credit card.
Ontario has a 13 percent sales tax, the HST, or harmonized sales tax. Not every purchase a traveler might make is subject to HST, but many are. You don’t pay sales tax in Ontario on basic groceries.
Across most of Ontario, you must dial the full 10-digit number (the area code plus the seven-digit local number) in order to place a call, even if you’re within the same area code. If you’re calling from outside Ontario or from a different area code, you must also dial “1” (which is the country code for Canada, the same as for the United States), followed by the 10-digit number.
Toll-free numbers, which you can call for free from a landline and some mobile phones, depending on your plan, begin with the area codes 800, 855, 866, or 877. You must dial “1” before the toll-free number.
Cellular phone service is widely available across Ontario, although you may find dead zones in more remotes areas.
Internet access is widely available across Ontario. Ontario’s major airports have free Wi-Fi service. VIA Rail offers complimentary Wi-Fi in major Ontario train stations and on board most of their trains in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor, which includes trains to Windsor, London, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, and Montreal.
Most hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, and hostels provide Internet access for guests, and many also have a computer you can use. Larger hotels sometimes charge a daily fee for Wi-Fi access; it’s always a good idea to ask. Many coffee shops and cafés have free Wi-Fi, but they expect that you’ll purchase at least a cup of coffee or tea before tapping into the network. Some require you to ask for a password. Some libraries have public Internet access, available free or for a small fee. Visitor information centers may offer free Wi-Fi, or staff can tell you where you can get online.
Even in fairly remote areas, most accommodations have Internet access for guests. In rural areas, the signal may be less reliable; sometimes you might be able to get online in the lobby or other public space, but not in your room or cottage.
The best source of information about travel in Ontario (in addition to this book, of course) is Ontario Travel (www.ontariotravel.net). Created by Destination Ontario, an agency of the provincial government, this site provides details about things to see and do all across Ontario, including a calendar of upcoming events. The Canadian Tourism Commission (www.canada.travel) is the government of Canada’s official guide to travel across the country and includes information about travel in Ontario.
If you’re a member of either the American Automobile Association (AAA, www.aaa.com) or the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA, www.caa.ca), you can request free maps of Ontario and its major cities. If you belong to AAA, you can get maps from the CAA, and vice versa.
The province operates a number of travel information centers that offer travel and visitor information, either by phone or in person. Some are open year-round, while others operate seasonally. The major locations are listed here; you can get a complete list at www.ontariotravel.net.
In Toronto and Central Ontario:
• Toronto (Union Station, 65 Front St. W., 416/314-5899, ontariotravel.toronto@ontario.ca)
• Barrie (21 Mapleview Dr. E., at Hwy. 400, 705/725-7280, ontariotravel.barrie@ontario.ca)
In the Niagara Region:
• Niagara Falls (Rainbow Bridge, 5355 Stanley Ave., 905/358-3221, ontariotravel.niagarafalls@ontario.ca)
• Niagara-on-the-Lake (251 York Rd., St. Catharines, 905/684-6354, ontariotravel.stcatharines@ontario.ca)
In Southwestern Ontario:
• Sarnia (Blue Water Bridge, 1455 Venetian Blvd., 519/344-7403, ontariotravel.sarnia@ontario.ca)
• Tilbury (62 Hwy. 401 E., 519/682-9501, ontariotravel.tilbury@ontario.ca)
• Windsor (Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, 110 Park St. E., 519/973-1338, ontariotravel.windsorp@ontario.ca)
In Eastern Ontario:
• Bainsville (22064 N. Service Rd., Hwy. 401, at the Ontario-Quebec border, 613/347-3498, ontariotravel.bainsville@ontario.ca)
In Northwestern Ontario:
• Sault Ste. Marie (Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, 261 Queen St. W., 705/945-6941, ontariotravel.ssm@ontario.ca)
• Pigeon River (7671 Hwy. 61, Neebing, south of Thunder Bay, 807/964-2094, ontariotravel.pigeonriver@ontario.ca, mid-May-Oct.)
Tourism agencies in the regions and major cities around Ontario provide detailed information about their districts.
In Toronto and Central Ontario:
• Tourism Toronto (416/203-2500 or 800/499-2514, www.seetorontonow.com)
• Tourism Hamilton (905/546-2666 or 800/263-8590, www.tourismhamilton.com)
In the Niagara Region:
• Niagara Falls Tourism (905/356-6061 or 800/563-2557, www.niagarafallstourism.com)
• Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce (905/468-1950, www.niagaraonthelake.com)
In Southwestern Ontario:
• Ontario’s Southwest (519/290-8687, www.ontariossouthwest.com)
• Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation (519/585-7517 or 877/585-7517, www.explorewaterlooregion.com), including Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, St. Jacobs, and surrounding communities
• Stratford Tourism Alliance (519/271-5140 or 800/561-7926, www.visitstratford.ca)
• Tourism London (519/661-5000 or 800/265-2602, www.londontourism.ca)
• Tourism Windsor, Essex, and Pelee Island (519/255-6530 or 800/265-3633, www.visitwindsoressex.com)
Around Georgian Bay:
• Bruce Peninsula-County of Bruce Tourism (519/534-5344 or 800/268-3838, www.explorethebruce.com)
• Grey County Tourism (519/376-3265 or 877/733-4739, www.visitgrey.ca), providing information about Owen Sound, Collingwood, and the Blue Mountains
In Cottage Country and the Northeast:
• Muskoka Tourism (705/689-0660 or 800/267-9700, www.discovermuskoka.ca) covering Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, the Muskoka Lakes, and the region surrounding Algonquin Provincial Park
• Northeastern Ontario Tourism (705/522-0104 or 800/465-6655, www.northeasternontario.com), covering Sudbury, North Bay, and other Northeastern Ontario communities
• Sudbury Tourism (705/674-4455, ext. 7718, or 866/451-8252, www.sudburytourism.ca)
In Eastern Ontario:
• Ottawa Tourism (613/237-5150 or 800/363-4465, www.ottawatourism.ca)
• Peterborough and the Kawarthas Tourism (705/742-2201 or 800/461-6424, www.thekawarthas.ca)
• Prince Edward County Tourism (613/476-2421 or 800/640-4717, www.thecounty.ca or http://prince-edward-county.com)
• Tourism Kingston (613/544-2725 or 866/665-3326, www.visitkingston.ca/)
• Tourism 1000 Islands (613/381-8427, www.1000islandstourism.com)
In Northwestern Ontario:
• Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association (705/254-4293 or 800/263-2546, www.algomacountry.com), including Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa, and Lake Superior’s North Shore
• Tourism Sault Ste. Marie (705/759-5442 or 800/461-6020, www.saulttourism.com)
• Tourism Thunder Bay (807/983-2041 or 800/667-8386, www.thunderbay.ca)
• Explore Northwest Ontario (www.visitnorthwestontario.com), covering Thunder Bay, Lake Superior’s North Shore, and the province’s northwestern destinations.
Canada officially uses the metric system. Distances and speed limits are marked in kilometers, gasoline and bottled beverages are sold by the liter, and weights are given in grams or kilograms. Because the country didn’t adopt metric units until the 1970s, however, you’ll still occasionally see grocery items measured with pounds or ounces, and older folks, who didn’t grow up with the metric system, will sometimes use imperial units.
Electricity in Canada is 120 volts, 60 hertz, the same as in the United States, with the same types of plugs.
Ontario has two time zones. Most of the province, including cities as far west as Thunder Bay, is in the eastern time zone. The westernmost part of the province, on the Manitoba border, is in the central time zone. Ontario observes daylight saving time. Clocks move forward one hour on the second Sunday in March and turn back one hour on the first Sunday in November.