Any experiences driving around Ontario?
 

We want to drive around Ontario next year -- but outside of Toronto and Ottawa. We like to drive and stay at a different place every night. We have two or more weeks. Any American suggestions about Ontario?

One Ontario town we've discovered and liked is Kingston. It's on Lake Ontario, has Queen's University and Canada' s military college, and has kind of an interesting little downtown area.

By all means visit Niagra-on-the-Lake. You can visit the falls about 25 miles away if you want, but that's not the reason to visit this spotless and charming little town. There are some surprisingly good wineries with excellent visits, tastings, and even good restaurants attached, and if you like theatre at all -don't miss the Shaw Festival (not all Shaw plays, but rather all types of plays written during Shaw's lifetime). We again spent four nights there this summer and loved the town, its ambience, and all seven shows we saw. There is also Stratford and its festival, but in my humble opinion, the Shaw Festival is far better, and the town is much nicer as well.

Why are you posting on the US forum, when you're traveling to Canada?

Ok I know its on the wrong forum but I will answer anyway. We have just got back from a two week holiday to Toronto and S. Ontario, too much to write here but if you would like a copy of our holiday diary, email me. We had a wonderful time,we stayed in five B&B's all of which were great.

We're Americans and we stayed in Toronto for a week earlier this July. We drove up to Midland Ontario for the day. We only managed to get in a recreation of a Jesuit/Indian mission - St. Marie Amoung the Hurons. It was pretty interesting. Also in the area that we did not see was the Wye Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary where they are rescuing trumpeter swans. A naval musuem. Wasaga Beach was recommended. There was also a cave area where you could hike. We thought the area was pretty interesting but can't recommend any restaurants or inns. Would have liked to have ventured further north too. <BR> <BR>When driving the 401 in Toronto watch out for the "Collector Lanes" vs. the "Express Lanes". The highway was set up with a system we Bostonians were unfamilar with and it caused a bit of stress and missed exits. (you would think we would have nerves of steel driving in Boston every day but I guess your comfort level increases with familarity). <BR> <BR>Don't miss Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist. WE thought it was an awful lot of fun. <BR> <BR>Enjoy your trip.

Well, there are a lot of quaint places to visit..just to name a few...the area just north of Kitchener which is about 1 hour west of Toronto is a large Mennonite community..horse and buggies, small craft shops, villages...stay in St. Jacob's at The Jacobstettel House, also 30 minutes west of St. Jacob's is Stratford...a theatre town with Shakespeare as a specialty, but also others...check the website, tons of Bed and Breakfasts here....Niagara on the Lake, not far from Niagara is quite nice...Shaw Festvival here...in the middle of the wine and fruit growing region...lots of good quality hotels like the Prince of Wales or the Pillar and Post and cheaper rooms too...20 minutes away, off the QEW highway you will find a wonderful restaurant called On The Twenty...fabulous, with a top quality inn attached, touristy town with little unique stores(winery tours next door)..of course north of Toronto you have the whole cottage country called Muskoka...does this help a bit?