48 Best Sights in Side Trips from Toronto, Ontario

One of North America's most impressive natural wonders, the falls are actually three cataracts: the American and Bridal Veil Falls in New York State, and the Horseshoe Falls in Ontario. In terms of sheer volume of water—more than 700,000 gallons per second in summer—Niagara is unsurpassed compared to other bodies of water on the continent.

On the Canadian side, you can get a far better view of the American Falls and a close-up of the Horseshoe Falls. You can also park your car for the day in any of several lots and hop onto one of the WEGO buses, which run continuously to all the sights along the river. If you want to get close to the foot of the falls, the Maid of the Mist boats take you near enough to get soaked in the spray.

After experiencing the falls from the Canadian side, you can walk or drive across Rainbow Bridge to the U.S. side. On the American side you can park in the lot on Goat Island near the American Falls and walk along the path beside the Niagara River, which becomes more and more turbulent as it approaches the big drop-off of just over 200 feet.

The amusement parks and tacky souvenir shops that surround the falls attest to the area's history as a major tourist attraction. Most of the gaudiness is contained on Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls' Times Square. Despite these garish efforts to attract visitors, the landscaped grounds immediately bordering the falls are lovely and the beauty of the falls remains untouched.

One reason to spend the night here is to admire the falls illumination, which takes place every night of the year, from dusk until at least 10 pm (as late as 1 am during the summer). Even the most contemptuous observer will be mesmerized as the falls change from red to purple to blue to green to white, and finally all the colors of the rainbow in harmony.

Stretching across 7,650 square km (2,954 square miles) and containing nearly 2,500 lakes, Algonquin Provincial Park logs 272 bird species, 45 species of mammals, and 50 species of fish. Many visitors are hikers, canoeists, or campers, but don't be put off if you're not the outdoorsy sort; about a third of Algonquin's visitors come for the day to walk one of the 17 well-groomed and well-signed interpretive trails or to enjoy a swim or a picnic. Swimming is especially good at the Lake of Two Rivers, halfway between the west and east gates along Highway 60. Spring, when the moose head north, is the best time to catch a glimpse of North America's largest land mammal. Getting up at the crack of dawn gives you the best chance of seeing the park's wildlife. Park naturalists give talks on area wildflowers, animals, and birds, and you can book a guided hike or canoe trip. Expeditions to hear wolves howling take place in late summer and early autumn. The park's Algonquin Logging Museum (late June–mid-October, daily 9–5) depicts life at an early Canadian logging camp. The east gate is west of the town of Whitney, and the west gate is east of the town of Dwight.

On Jordan's Main Street, Cave Spring is one of the leading wine producers in Canada, with Ontario's oldest wine cellars, in operation since 1871. Go for the Riesling, Chardonnay, and ice wine. It shares ownership with the Inn on the Twenty and Inn on the Twenty Restaurant (next door) and produces custom blends for the latter. There are public tours every day at 1:30 between June and September (only Friday and weekends the rest of the year).

A nice break from the steady pace of Niagara-area wineries, Dillon's set up its celebrated small-batch gin and spirits operation in the Beamsville area, prized for its clean water sources and high-quality produce. But they can't get away from grapes completely, which make up the base of the distinctly flavored gins and vodkas (rosehip, strawberry, cherry, and more). Take a tour for an in-depth understanding of the distillation process that includes apothecarian exotics like cassis, bitters, and absinthe. Outdoor picnic tables are used for summer Sunday food-truck brunches.

On a wide stretch of parkland south of town sits this fort that was built in the 1790s but lost during the War of 1812. It was recaptured after the burning of the town in 1813 and largely survived the war, only to fall into ruins by the 1830s. Thankfully, it was reconstructed a century later, and you can explore the officers' quarters, the barracks rooms of the common soldiers, the kitchen, and more. Staff in period costumes conduct tours and reenact 19th-century infantry and artillery drills.

Operating since 1846, when they were wooden-hulled, coal-fired steamboats, the misty tour boats are now run by Hornblower. Double-deck steel vessels tow fun-loving passengers on 20-minute journeys by day to the foot of the falls, where the spray is so heavy that ponchos must be distributed. Evening firework cruises are twice as long and a little less misty. From the observation areas along the falls, you can see those boarding the boats in their blue slickers. Very similar Maid of the Mist boat tours operate from the American side.  Unless you cower in the center of the boat, your shoes and pants will get wet: wear quick-drying items or bring spares.

You can spend hours exploring North America's first green energy projects. Wander through turn-of-the-20th-century machinery, explore exhibits, get to know the history of AC and DC current through the eyes of inventor Nikola Tesla, and even take a glass-paneled elevator trip to the mouth of the dam. The station comes to life at night for Currents: Niagara's Power Transformed, an immersive, 40-minute interactive show of sound, light, and state-of-the-art 3D projection-mapping technology.

You can glimpse the town's rich architectural history walking along this single street. At the corner of Queen and King Streets is Niagara Apothecary, a mid-Victorian building that was an apothecary from 1866 to 1964. The Court House situated across the street became the Town Hall in 1862. Presently, it houses a small 327-seat theater during Shaw Festival. At No. 209 is the handsome Charles Inn, formerly known as Richardson-Kiely House, built in 1832 for Charles Richardson, a barrister and member of Parliament.  The 10 or so blocks of shopping include upscale restaurants and cafés, designer-label boutiques, old-fashioned ice-cream parlors, and a spa. You could easily spend an entire day in this area.

The region's only surviving example of a 19th-century tavern, this clapboard building originally opened to serve early visitors to the battleground of the War of 1812. There are displays of the lives of settlers during the war, native artifacts, and military attire.

An 1880-vintage frame structure, this National Historic Site honors the heroic efforts of field surgeon and medical educator Henry Norman Bethune (1830–1939), who worked in China during the Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s and trained thousands to become medics. There are rooms that evoke the period and an exhibit tracing the highlights of his life.

A tropical respite from the crowds and Las Vegas–style attractions, Bird Kingdom is the world's largest indoor aviary, with more than 400 free-flying birds and more than 80 bird species from around the world in the 50,000-square-foot complex. For creepy-crawly lovers, there are also spiders, lizards, and snakes—including a 100-pound python that you can hold.

Smaller and more low-key than Fallsview, Casino Niagara has 1,300 slot machines, video-poker machines, and gambling tables for blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. There are also several lounges and the LV2L sports bar with over 50 screens.

The largest First Nations–run gambling emporium in Canada, Casino Rama lures visitors to the Orillia area. A short jaunt from the ski resort areas around Barrie, the 192,000-square-foot complex has 2,500 slot machines, more than 110 gambling tables, eight restaurants, a lounge, and an adjoining 300-room all-suites luxury hotel. Catch acts like Trooper, Russell Peters, and Aqua here.

Founded in 1978, this is one of Niagara's first wineries, and one of the two largest family-owned wineries in Niagara (Peller Estates is the other). Originally from France, the Bosc family were pioneers in cultivating European varieties of grapes in Niagara. Wines here consistently win awards, and the winery is particularly known for its chardonnay and Gamay Noir Droit, made from a grape variety that was accidentally created through a mutation. The wine is proprietary, and this is the only winery allowed to make it.

This is undeniably the most crassly commercial district of Niagara Falls, with haunted houses, wax museums, and fast-food chains galore (admittedly, the Burger King here is unique for its gigantic Frankenstein statue). Attractions are typically open as late as 2 am in summer or 11 pm the rest of the year. One of the most popular attractions is the 175-foot SkyWheel, which has enclosed, climate-controlled compartments. The park's Dinosaur Adventure Golf combines minigolf, ferocious mechanical dinosaurs, and an erupting mini-volcano. Movieland Wax Museum has such lifelike characters as Harry Potter and Barack and Michelle Obama The Great Canadian Midway is a 70,000-square-foot entertainment complex with arcade games, a bowling alley, air hockey, and food. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum is creepily fascinating. Hershey's Chocolate World is 7,000 square feet of truffles, fudge, and the trademark Kisses, marked by a six-story chocolate bar.

Canada's largest gaming and resort facility crowns the city's skyline, overlooking the Niagara Parks with picture-perfect views of the falls. Within the 30-story complex are a day spa, shops, two concert venues and plenty of restaurants. Gaming enthusiasts will find more than 100 gaming tables and 3,000 slot machines on one of the world's largest casino gaming floors. The Las Vegas–style Avalon Theatre and 5,000-seater OLG Stage have showcased talent from a wide range of talents and eras, like Jeff Dunham, The Killers and Kool & The Gang.

Muskoka chairs beside the cedar-framed entrance set the tone for the warm and charming winery within. Inside the modern West Coast–style cedar building with a corrugated tin roof and massive stone chimney, Fielding Estate has envious views of vineyards and Lake Ontario from huge picture windows and a big stone fireplace for chilly days. A young team—husband-and-wife owners and two winemakers—has been making quick strides here. The mostly Chardonnay- and Riesling-producing vineyard has a low yield that enables flavors to be concentrated.

The 40-foot-in-diameter floral clock, one of the world's largest, is composed of 16,000 bedding plants. Its "living" face is planted in a different design twice every season—viola in the spring and Alternantheras and Santolina Sage in the summer and fall.

Inspired by a love of decadent Amarone, this winery is one of the few in Niagara to specialize in the small-batch appassimento method, where grapes are partially dried before fermentation to concentrate flavor and structure. The winery's lounge, CHZ PLZ, offers light Italian lunch options that pair with every sip. Don't mind the government buildings on the drive in; you are indeed at the right place.

Ontario's first certified-organic winery is a small, family-owned affair with exclusively organic wines. The setting is truly farmlike: sheep and guinea hens mill about outside while you taste. With only eight varieties—all VQA and including a nice ice wine—you can become an expert in this label in one sitting. The wines are available on-site, online, and at selected restaurants in Ontario; many of the labels are available at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

Operating since 1967 in a historic pump house, Gallery Stratford exhibits high-profile Canadian visual artists all year and, in summer, local up-and-coming artists.

A series of 63 islands in Lake Huron's Georgian Bay, the park can be visited only via boat. Organized boat tours with the park or private companies operate from the weekend closest to May 24 through mid-October, weather permitting. To explore one of the islands on foot, book a trip on the park's DayTripper boat, bring your own boat, or take a water taxi in Honey Harbour.

The park's own boat, the DayTripper (C$15.70 June–early Oct.), makes the 15-minute trip to Beausoleil Island, which has hiking trails and beaches, from Honey Harbour, 15 km (9 miles) north of Port Severn at Highway 400 Exit 156.

Two companies do cruises through the Georgian Bay but don't allow you to disembark on any of the islands. The 300-passenger Miss Midland, operated by Midland Tours (C$36), leaves from the Midland town dock and offers 2½-hour sightseeing cruises daily at 2 mid-May to mid-October. The company can arrange departures from Toronto, which includes time to explore the town of Midland. From the Penetanguishene town dock, Penetanguishene 30,000 Island Cruises takes passengers on Penetanguishene Harbour and the Georgian Bay islands tours, including 1½- and 2½-hour cruises of Penetanguishene Harbour and 3½-hour cruises of the 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, on the 200-passenger MS Georgian Queen. Lunch (C$55) and dinner (C$63) cruises are available with reservations. Captain Steve Anderson, the owner and your tour guide, has operated these tours—a family business—since 1985. Cruises depart one to three times daily in July and August; less frequently (but usually Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday) in May, June, September, and October.

Nearly 1 million artifacts on Native and maritime history are on display at the museum building, and there's also a replica Native American village. Visitors can expect contemporary art and extensive photography pieces, in addition to traditional Native art and archaeological collections.

An ultramodern facility, this famous winery blends state-of-the-art wine-making technology with age-old, handcrafted enological savvy, as evidenced by the stainless steel trough by the entrance. A multitude of tours, workshops, and events are offered. The hourly public tour is a great introduction to winemaking and includes three tastings and a mini-lesson in wine tasting. Its award-winning VQA wines can be sipped in the tasting gallery and purchased in the retail boutique.

Charming Main Street Jordan, also known as Jordan Village, is a small enclave of cafés and shops selling everything from antiques to artisanal foods. The Inn on the Twenty, the Inn on the Twenty Restaurant, and Cave Spring Cellars are also here. Just a few blocks long, Jordan Village can be fully explored in a morning or afternoon. Home store Chic by Janssen is worth a wander to gawk at items like Siberian fox throws, a bronze bear the size of an actual bear cub, and a C$4,000 cedar canoe. Irongate Garden Elements is a favorite with gardeners.

An easygoing winery with a friendly staff and sociable tasting bar, Konzelmann has garnered praise for its fruitier wines in particular, and it's known for high-quality ice wines, one of which was the first Canadian wine to ever make Wine Spectator's top 100 wines list. Konzelmann's vineyards border Lake Ontario, and the winery has a viewing platform with vistas of the vines and water. The retail shop is well stocked with wine-related gifts.

On a hill overlooking Ste.-Marie among the Hurons, a twin-spired stone cathedral was built in 1926 to honor the eight missionaries stationed in Huronia who were martyred between 1642 and 1649. In 1930, all eight were canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. The shrine is still active as a pilgrimage site and has daily services.

Perched atop the highest vantage point on the escarpment with vines as far as the eye can see, the vineyard gives off a larger-than-life personality paired with facetious branding like "pompous" Pinots and "narcissistic" Rieslings. Tours and experiences are incentivized, with ticket fees going towards a bottle purchase. Timing your visit with a meal at the restaurant is an excellent way to take in the gorgeous hills. 

It's a real treat to visit the award-winning brewery, tasting room, and retail store. While you're here, taste beers like the Mad Tom IPA, or seasonal brews like the subtly smokey Windbound Campfire pilsner or refreshing fruit-flavored hard seltzers. The summer season is best for taking advantage of the covered outdoor beer hall or patio, with pints and an indulgent smoked chicken or brisket platter and blooming onion from the Front St. BBQ food truck. There's also a smaller in-house snack bar menu in the off-season. The Muskoka Brewery is found halfway between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, off Highway 11.

Learn about steamboat history in this museum with a rotating collection of historic boats that have included a 1924 propeller boat, a 30-foot 1894 steamboat, and gleaming wooden speedboats.