Niagara Falls must be one of Ontario’s most famous attractions.  As well as the essential trip behind the mighty Horseshoe Falls and the “Maid in the Mist” experience, there is also an antique cable car which can whisk you high over the water for a unique perspective of the Niagara Whirlpool.  On the Canadian side visitors can also enjoy a garden trail, heritage trail, nature trail and butterfly conservatory.

Take a tour of Ontario’s award-winning micro breweries on the “Ontario Craft Beer Route”.  From Toronto’s oldest craft brewery to more recent entrants in the Lake Regions visitors are offered a unique look at the local beer-making traditions and a chance to taste their results.

Toronto has several award-winning wineries on its doorstep and hiring a car will enable you to explore the surrounding vineyards at your own pace.  There are a number of different wine routes around Ontario where tours and tastings can be combined with sightseeing and outdoor events.  A popular choice is the Niagara Peninsula - remember to book your accommodation in advance, as it can hotels can be busy year round. Head for picturesque Niagara-on-the-lake where you will find a number of popular estates with sweeping lake views and specialising in IceWine, made from harvested frozen grapes.

Head cross-country on Highway 7 from Toronto to Ottawa, across the scenic Kawartha Lake Region with its magnificent waterways and lakes.  Not surprisingly in a region whose name means “shining waters”, water based activities are plentiful; choose from kayaking, fishing and swimming or cruise the Trent-Severn Waterway.  Hotels and cottages scatter the lake shores, providing a relaxing haven from where to explore the area.  Local attractions include a replica steamship at Stoney Lake, the prehistoric rock carvings of Petroglyph Provincial Park and numerous hiking trails through the scenic landscape. This is small-town Ontario at its best and the charming communities of Peterborough, Lindsay, Bobcaygeon and Fenelon Falls offer a warm welcome year round.

Adopt a gentler pace of life and explore the Mennonite Country of south west Ontario.  The heritage and traditions of these “plain folk” are recounted in “The Mennonite Story”, a multi-media exhibition at the Visitor Centre in St Jacobs whilst the local Amish and Old Order Mennonites still live here in a fashion that has changed little over the years and the horse-drawn buggies can often be seen on their way to and from the meeting houses in Elmira, Floradale and Linwood. The local farmers’ markets, the Quilt Festival, Elora Music Festival and the Elora Gorge are all popular regional attractions.