trip to Ontario
 

We would like to go end of June to Mid July to Ontario. Toronto, Niagara, Kitchener, Owen Sound, Sudbury and down to Toronto. <BR>Any specials, any idees? Accomodation? <BR>Booking in advance necessary? <BR>Please send helpful tips to Vienna/Austria

Since you intend to go to Owen Sound anyway, i strongly advise that you go up the Bruce peninsula to Tobermory - a little over 1 hour's drive north of Owen Sound. From Tobermory, you can take the ferry to Manitoulin Island. Drive across the island and you will be on the north shore of Georgian Bay about 2 hours drive from Sudbury. DO NOT do this all in one day - take a couple of days. The scenery on the Bruce Peninsula is spectacular - not along the highway but in various parks and conservation areas a short drive from the highway - especially The Bruce Pensinsula National Park at Cyprus lake - good hiking trails- spectacular scenery - cliffs, caves grottos, water so clear you can see enormous boulders the size of truck under it. check out the park's website <BR>parkscanada.pch.gc.ca/parks/ontario/bruce_peninsula/Bruce_peninsula_e.htm <BR>Also the town of Tobermory is itself a pleasant little town where you can take boat rides out to another conservation area on Flower Pot Island - fascinating rock formations - as described by the island's name. Manitoulin Island is also quite interesting and the drive from it to the north shore of Georgian Bay is very beautiful - causeways take you from Manitoulin across a series of small islands into the LaCloche mountains (not big mountains but very scenic). Note to get to Manitoulin from Tobermory you must take a ferry (about 1 hour.) Personally I would rather spend time on the Bruce Peninsula than in Sudbury (some of the countryside around sudbury is nice but the town is just another mining town with one nice museum (Science North)). In order to do this you will have to rent a car. <BR>Also note - if you plan to be in Tobermory on a weekend - you should book in advance - especially the weekend of July 1 (Canada's National holiday) - indeed if possible do not go there that weekend - it will be very busy. if you have any other questions email me. <BR>JM

check toronto.com for anything on toronto great site and it might have links to your other destinations

For specific info on Ontario, you can check out http://www.travelinx.com/ This will give you info for things to do and see as well as places to stay. <BR> <BR>At Niagara Falls, be sure to visit the butterfly conservatory. It's great! <BR> <BR>In the Kitchener area there are two lovely little towns. One is St. Jacobs and the other is Elmira. Nice to stroll around and check out the little shops. <BR> <BR>Also near Kitchener is Stratford. You may be interested in seeing a play while you're there as they have a summer theatre. As does Niagara-on-the-Lake. <BR> <BR>While in Sudbury, be sure to visit Science North. It's smaller than the Science Centre in Toronto but with a lot less visitors. It especially great if you have kids with you as a lot of the displays are geared for kids and very "hands-on". Plus it's in a very pretty setting. The IMAX theatre is great! <BR> <BR>Have fun!

My wife and I enjoyed African Lion Safari, a wildlife park between Kitchener and Hamilton, as much as our little boy did, and we're planning on coming back this summer. <BR>My wife says St. Jacob's is just like Austria, and Tower in Toronto, and take a harbour tour in Toronto, too.In Niagara Falls, take the Maid of the Mist boat trip to the bottom of Niagara Falls.