BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Add These 3 Charming Ontario Towns To Your Summer Bucket List

Following

Ontario is known for summer road trips and with warmer weather finally here it’s time to pick a small town and start exploring. Canada's second largest province covers over 415,000 square miles and borders the United States and the mighty Great Lakes. Toronto, Ontario’s capital city, is a fun and convenient home base with vibrant multicultural communities and endless adventures, so you may want to arrive early. Then get ready to discover Ontario’s diverse landscapes and rugged beauty on a road trip to one of these charming Canadian towns.

Elora

Elora is known as Ontario’s most beautiful village and it’s easy to see why upon arrival. You are welcomed with stunning view of the Elora Mill set against the riverfront and small town charm. The Elora Mill Hotel & Spa has been part of the community for over 175 years and towers above rushing falls and boasts stunning views. Elora is an hour and a half drive from downtown Toronto and located in the township of Centre Wellington along the banks of the Grand and Irvine River. The walkable downtown area has cute boutiques, restaurants, historical buildings, and galleries packed with original artwork. Art lovers can take a studio tour or even participate in a class and make their own masterpiece.

Nature lovers will be in their element at the famous Elora Gorge with 80-foot limestone cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and hiking trails like the Riverside trail for spectacular views of the water below. Be on the lookout for my favorite spot inside the Grand River Conservation Authority – Hole in the Rock – a massive rock you can literally walk right through to get to another trail. Or head to Elora Quarry (opens in June), a bucket list Ontario activity with an ‘old swimming hole’, rich forests, and sheer cliffs. Tickets to the Quarry must be purchased in advance online.

Tobermory

A trip to Tobermory guarantees you beautiful surroundings with sparkling fresh water, a gorgeous shoreline, and endless natural wonders. Located at the Bruce Peninsula’s northernmost point, it’s about a four-hour road trip from downtown Toronto.

Start your adventure at Flowerpot Island in Fathom Five National Marine Park. This beautiful island known for its amazing “flowerpot” rock pillars is accessible only by boat and also has historic caves and a lovely light station. Boat tours leave from Tobermory and if you start at Beachy Cove you can hike over to the flowerpots, explore the area, and have a picnic. Anther fun adventure to add to your Tobermory list is Big Tub Lighthouse. This magnificent 43-foot lighthouse at the entrance to Big Tub Harbour has a rich history and is a fun place to watch the Chi-Cheemaun ferry arriving and departing. When visiting Tobermory you can stay at cozy bed and breakfasts, cottages, hotels, or get back to nature at a wilderness campground. Starting on Victoria Day the Lion’s Head Farmers Market sells local produce on Saturday mornings and has live music at the beach.

Huntsville

Beautiful Huntsville is located in the heart of the Muskoka Region, known to locals as cottage country, and a dream warm weather destination. If you are looking for outdoor activities there are many to choose from including picture perfect walking trails, park picnics, and family friendly playgrounds. For beach time and water activities check out one of the many local beaches including Avery Park Beach with access to Trans Canada Trail or Longs Lake Beach that beautifully flows into Three Mile Lake before reaching Lake Rosseau.

Save time to stroll through town exploring galleries and paintings by talented artists. Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery has stunning mural collections showcasing Huntsville, Lake of Bays, and Algonquin Provincial Park. There are over 90 hand painted murals by Canadian artists, with many displayed on buildings around town. History buffs can check out the multiple museums, Tom Thomson Memorial, Historic Brunel Lift Locks, and historic Swing Bridge. Top off your small town visit with a tasty cup of Joe from Row & Roast Coffee Co. on Deerhurst and a walk along the quaint downtown streets shopping for unique treasures.

Follow me on TwitterCheck out my website

Join The Conversation

Comments 

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Read our community guidelines .

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service.  We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

  • False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
  • Spam
  • Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
  • Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
  • Content that otherwise violates our site's terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

  • Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
  • Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
  • Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
  • Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

  • Stay on topic and share your insights
  • Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
  • ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
  • Protect your community.
  • Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.