Southern Ontario Tourism

Everything from the Bard to the birds

The outdoor enthusiast who likes a little culture sprinkled in with his or her recreational pursuits will feel right at home in Southwestern Ontario.

If you like, it's quite possible to spend one day on the golf links of Hamilton or Windsor, watch the migration of monarch butterflies and hundreds of birds at Point Pelee National Park the next, hike the Bruce Trail the day after that and then take in a Shakespearean play at Stratford the following afternoon or evening.

In fact, even the most dedicated tourist would have a hard time experiencing all the delights offered in this area of Canada's second-largest province during a two-week vacation. There's summer stock theater at the Blyth Festival, Scottish games and highland music at Fergus, German-style “gemutlichheit” all year round in Kitchener-Waterloo (which really gets into high gear in early October with Oktoberfest) and bargains galore at the St. Jacobs Farmer's Market in Mennonite country.

Railroads, Rafting and Roaming

For something truly unique, trace the route of the Underground Railroad, where escaping African American slaves made their way to freedom. Visit the historical site of Uncle Tom's Cabin in Dresden, the restored home of Rev. Josiah Henson, whose life inspired the Harriet Beecher Stowe novel.

Another worthwhile experience is a leisurely float down the Grand River on a raft and a visit to Odrohekta - a traditional gathering place for the area's ancient Aboriginal people.

Along Ontario's west coast of Lake Erie, there are numerous small villages, each with its own charm. There's the community of Oil Springs, where the world's first commercial oil well began operations in 1858, and the 100-foot-high sand dunes of Pinery Provincial Park at Grand Bend - a town also famous for summer theater at its Huron Country Playhouse.

Southern Ontario Travels

Hiking, scuba diving and sport fishing are among the many adventures awaiting the visitor to this lively region of Ontario:

• The Bruce Trail, Canada's oldest and longest footpath, provides the only public access to the magnificent Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. It is one of only 12 such reserves in all of Canada.
• Fathom Five National Marine Park, off Tobermory, allows the amateur and serious scuba diver alike the chance to explore more than 20 shipwrecks in its crystal blue waters.
• Bruce Peninsula National Park features some of Canada's finest hiking trails, running through the breathtaking scenery along the beautiful Niagara Escarpment.
• Sauble Beach offers seven miles of soft, sandy shoreline, where shell hunters can search for treasures before taking a refreshing dip in the warm waters offshore. The Sauble Beach Provincial Park is famous for some of the finest rainbow trout and chinook salmon fishing in the area.