Discover your Ontario!

Hello to all fellow travel bloggers out there! 

To start off, this blog will highlight the areas I have visited in Ontario, Canada but also the areas that I would like to visit one day.  I chose to showcase Ontario because it's easy for me to drive a couple hours to experience a mini excursion in my own "backyard". I reside in Mississauga and I often like to go for spontaneous drives in the rural areas near my house; such as Oakville, Orangeville, Milton and Georgetown.  

There's so much you can see when you drive north through the cities.  Most of the areas are farmland but you can find cute little antique shops, small town restaurants, scenic parks and trails and little spots of fantastic nature.  

Over the past couple months, I have made use of the wonderful summer days and weather, by making day trips to the northern areas of Ontario.  As you read my blog, you'll get to learn more about my experiences at these places and also gain more knowledge about Ontario. 

Sometimes you don't need to fly internationally to experience nature, scenery, history and most of all, fun!  These are Ontario's natural attractions and best of all, it's free!

PS. I try to remember to take my camera with me but my friend is more of a photographer than I am.  She has a professional camera and all so if I have any personal photos of my trip, I will post them.

Elora Quarry

Elora Quarry - Elora, Ontario (Approximately 15 minute drive from Elora Gorge)

Visitors who visit Elora Gorge usually take the time to make a side trip to the Quarry which is about a 15 minute drive from the tubing area.  It's part of the Elora Gorge Conservation Area where it's 40 feet of cliffs and 79 acres of tree covered areas.  It's located right off the main street where there's plenty of shops, hiking and biking trails and of course, swimming!

As you can see from the picture above, it's basically a swimming hole which is located adjacent and can be seen from the Grand River. There's a little "beach" area which is just a section covered with sand.  Many people like to lay out in the sun here, little children can make sand castles or you can simply have a picnic.  Just keep in mind, this is a family and Conservation park, so no alcohol is allowed. 

The Quarry is great for people who like to cliff dive but beware!  Just like the Gorge, there's no beach patrol and I am unsure of how deep the Quarry really is. Some say it's a little over 200 feet deep!  Come to think of it, of course it has to be deep if people are cliff diving from heights of 15-48'!  All I know was that I couldn't touch the bottom. Hehe. Mountain climbers who also like to dive will love this area since there are many different cuts in the rocks to challenge their climbing skills.  There's little man-made paths and branches for the beginners to hold on to as well.  

In the past, people were allowed to scuba dive here all the time but now you have to get permission from the Conservation  Park officials and there are restrictive times to do so.

When I went to the Quarry with my friends (same ones I went to the Gorge with) we decided to bring our inner tubes there as well.  Trouble was, we didn't have a way to inflate/deflate our tubes for easy transport.  Our solution: I held two inner tubes down on the roof with my towel while my other two friends held each of their tubes, outside their rear windows.  Thank goodness for my friend who had a car with a sunroof! It was the most scary, dangerous, rebellious yet funniest thing I have ever done. Lots of people were pointing at us as we drove through town from the Gorge to the Quarry and people were honking at us.  Luckily it was only a 15 minute drive (still a little too long for me) and we didn't get spotted by any local police! Whew.

When we got there, the first thing we noticed was the great view from atop the Quarry, looking down at all the people swimming and relaxing on the beach.  It was about a 5 minute walk to get down to the man-made beach and to find a spot for our belongings where we could see it.  

The first thing I experienced as I got to the water was the smell.  It smelt like the sewer! The water was a darker green than what's pictured in the picture posted above and it was full of floating weeds, fungus and leaves.  It makes sense that the water smelt so bad because the water has no where to drain.  It's all enclosed in a hole and only rainwater gets added to it.  The Park's website does state that they test the water quality every summer..  Regardless, my friends and I only spent probably about half an hour in the water before getting tired of the smell.

The atmosphere was great though.  It felt somewhat like a teenage beach movie where people were jumping off the cliffs or anywhere that was remotely higher than the water level and some were just lying on inflatable rafts or chairs.  We were extremely happy that we brought our inner tubes so I do recommend bringing something that can help you stay afloat and not drown in that deep hole.  I actually avoided swimming in the water until I had to get out of my inner tube.  Even then, I still couldn't touch the ground and even as a good swimmer, I was scared of swallowing the water while trying to keep a hold of my tube and trying to reach the shore.

NOTE: If you rented inner tubes or safety equipment from the Gorge, you can bring it over to Quarry, along with your entrance pass.  If you didn't pay the entrance fee, then you would have to pay it to be able to park in the lot.  I didn't see pedestrians be charged to view the scenery or walk around the area, so I thought it was a little unfair.  

The Quarry is only for day use and it's open from June to September.  I think it was worth visiting even though it was smelly and crowded.  Visiting Elora was worth the full day excursion with friends but I recommend for girls to bring a hair tie and for everyone to have good scrub in the shower as soon as you get home.  

For more information about the Quarry, please click here for the official site.

Elora Gorge

Elora Gorge - Elora, Ontario (Approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes from Mississauga)

Driving approximately an hour and a half north of Toronto, will bring you to one of the most picturesque areas of Ontario, the Elora Gorge! This area is mostly known for it's limestone cliffs on both sides of the stream and the water plummets 70 feet into the Grand River!

Don't let the colour of the river sway you from the beauty of this Conservation Area. The freshwater is relatively clean with the exception of some rock moss, river foam and fallen logs on the edges of the river; all great things Mother Nature provides!  Over a quarter million people visit every year to participate in the many activities, such as: canoeing, fishing, hiking, cycling, swimming, camping and the most popular activity of all, tubing! 

I got the chance to tube down the Grand River in an inner tube which was about a hour long relaxing lazy river journey. As I floated down the river, I soaked up some well needed sun, awed at the scenery around me, chatted with my friends and most of all, experienced the wrath of the river! 

The river contains many underlying rocks of all sizes. As you float down the river, do be prepared to be sore and dirty as your bum grazes the rock tops in the water (depending on the size of your tube).  There are numerous areas where the river floor drops and you can experience the thrill of "going over a slight waterfall" but be careful!  If there are lots of rocks around those areas, you can easily get ejected from your tube and start washing down the river at quick speeds. This sadly happened to me and I cut my knee, scraped my arms, hands and hit my finger at a weird angle which caused some pain.. Nonetheless, I grabbed my tube and continued on the troublesome river in anticipation of more adrenaline jolts. 

Fear not! The office on location offers the rental of safety equipment such as helmets and life jackets. They have a limited number of tubes for rental as well but get there early to avoid disappointment! You can always bring your own equipment instead of renting.  My friends and I ended up going down the street to the Home Hardware store to buy our own tubes since they ran out of rentals.  (The office will pump your inner tubes with air for you, free of charge.)  I do recommend bringing water shoes if you have any because if you were to fall off your tube, it gives you better grip on the mossy rocks in the river and surrounding areas.

WARNING! There are no lifeguards or supervision on this river so I do recommend you go with others who can swim if you can't.  The water levels aren't very high and you can stand in the river if you need to, but in areas where the current is strong, you can easily get disoriented if you were to get caught in the undercurrent. 

There's a school bus shuttle that runs every 20 minutes which carries you from the main office area, to the start of the river and it comes back around to the end of the river to pick people up and heads back to the office. The only downfall is that the bus gets full very quick since the back of the bus is reserved for the tubes. 

NOTE: The Park blocks off the "lazy river" portion way before you even reach the end of the river where the water plummets. You can't even see the end of the river from where they cut you off.  There is no possible way for you to "fall off the river". Hehe

Overall, in spite of the bruises and cuts I walked away with, it was a great experience with my friends.  The only thing you have to remember when you visit a Conservation or Natural park, is that there is usually an entrance fee to be paid. If I'm not mistaken, it was $5 per person to enter the park and that includes in-and-out privileges for the day. Perfect if you wanted to visit the quarry!

If this post hasn't scared you away from visiting the Gorge, click here for more info and pricing on Elora tubing. 

Next post: My trip to the other wonderful part of Elora Gorge - the Quarry!

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls - Ontario (Approximately 1 hour from Mississauga)

Niagara Falls is the most well known natural attraction in all of Canada.  Located on the border of New York and Ontario, approximately 12 million people visit every year!  Niagara Falls consist of Bridal View Falls and the American Falls which is on the United States side and Horseshoe Falls on Canada's side. 

Niagara Falls is a great place for anyone to visit because if the wonders of this massive falls doesn't appeal to you, the entertainment in the area will.  Niagara Falls offers casinos, restaurants, wax museums, haunted houses, arcades, and many hotels to choose from. 

A day trip to Niagara Falls is usually the kind of trip I make unless I am going for a special occasion.  I like to travel to Niagara and cross the border into the States for shopping or exploring.  When I plan a transborder trip, I like to rent a hotel at the Howard Johnson in the Clifton Hill area, because they offer packages with a free magic show or free bottle of wine with dinner coupons at well known restaurants.  

If you plan to go to Niagara Falls, I recommend to buy the Clifton Hill Fun Pass which gives you free admission  at 5 great attractions and tokens at the Midway Arcade! This arcade is a great place to spend time with family and friends while having fun and collecting tickets to redeem for prizes.  The Fun Pass is $25 per adult and you can use it over the course of the year if you don't have time to experience all the available attractions on the day of your visit.

When visiting Niagara Falls, I recommend to take a ride on the Maid of the Mist.   This is a boat that carries passengers to the bottom of the falls while giving the history of how the falls was created.  They bring you so close to all three falls, that you will get wet!  I recommend wearing clothes that will dry quickly during the summer days or an extra change of clothes when going in the fall or spring.  Included in the fee of admission, you receive a blue plastic poncho that you can take home with you after as a souvenir.  

Here are some pictures of my 2007 trip. My first time on the Maid of the Mist!

 In 2007, the price for an adult was $14. It is now $19.75

 My dad, sisters and I all ready to get on the boat

On the boat getting closer to the falls!

Soaked! 

In Niagara, there is a shopping district called Lundy's Lane where there are plenty of motels, hotels, stores, restaurants and shopping outlets for everyone.  If visiting the falls is not your thing, this area has so much to offer that you can't go wrong.  

If planning to cross the border, bring your passport and be prepared to tell Immigration where you are planning to visit.  

For more information on the Maid of the Mist, click here for prices and ferry schedules. 

Tobermory

Tobermory - Bruce Peninsula (Approximately 4 hours and 21 minutes from Mississauga)

One of the best mini excursions I have had up until this day, was my trip to Tobermory.  

Tobermory is located at the very tip of the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.  Surrounding the area are many islands such as: Echo Island, North and South Otter Island, Russell Island, Peters Island, Devil Island, and Cove Island.  Some of these islands are inhabited but majority are covered in trees and nature.   Just north of the Peninsula is Flower Pot Island!

For some of you who don't know what Flower Pots are, they are free standing rock formations with a narrow base and larger top, similar to a flower pot shape.  These formations were created from the rising tides crashing against the bases which were once large tall limestone rocks.  As time passed by, the water began to erode the rock and the bases narrowed.  The tides on the surrounding islands can completely cover the area of the island and many trees were damaged due to the wrath of the water. 

As you can see in the photo above, there are two Flower Pots left.  There used to be three but one fell down in 1903.  There is a Flower Pot legend which the local folk believe in and if you ask around, they will gladly tell you the story.  

Anyhoo, back to my trip to Tobermory..

The area is very picturesque with the beautiful clear blue water which you can definitely swim in.  My friends and I took a "cruise" that took us around the Peninsula coast and to Flower Pot Island.  It cost around $40 per person and it included a tour of the shipwrecks, a relaxing ride in a bottom glass boat to the island, about 2 hours to explore the island and a speedboat ride back to the main land.  

The shipwrecks are located in a small harbor called "Big Tub", which is surrounded by privately owned cottages and boat docks.  The boat, which is called The Fathom Five, takes you directly to both shipwrecks, called The Sweepstakes and The City of Grand Rapids.  

The Sweepstakes is the most popular shipwreck in the Tobermory area (there are more than 26!) and is one of the largest.  It sank in 1885 after being damaged off of Cove Island, it was towed to Big Tub Harbor.  It sank before repairs could be performed and has remained there ever since. The hull and everything is still intact and divers and swimmers are allowed to explore the area during certain times of the day when tour boats don't operate.  

It was built in 1867 in Burlington, Ontario

The City of Grand Rapids sank in 1907 a 100 feet away from the Sweepstakes, in Big Tub Harbor.  It was an elegant passenger steamer that caught on fire and sank in the shallow waters of the area.  It has remained there ever since and it's propeller and rudder was taken and showcased in the local   museum.  This area is open to divers and swimmers as well. 

It was built in 1879 in Grand Haven, Michigan

After viewing the shipwrecks, we set out to Flower Pot Island where we hiked through the trees to a see a cave in the side of the mountain and to view the Flower Pots.  This island was so beautiful in the way the water crashes onto the shore and along the coast.  If any of you have seen Disney's Little Mermaid, it felt just like when she laid on a rock and waves crashed up on her.  We actually tried to take a picture doing so, but the water was so cold!

The time that we went, it wasn't scorching hot outside that we could tolerate the freezing water temperatures.  We sucked it up and swam in the water and after a while, we got used to it.  Surprisingly enough, many of the tourists were swimming also.  Might as well after paying close to $50 to get there!

It was really cool how you can jump off those rocks and cannonball right into the water!

On Flower Pot Island you can also camp.  Keep in mind it is real camping in the sense that there is no running water and no washroom facilities.  Although I hear it is fairly inexpensive to spend a night on the island.  This will be something I will look into the next time I visit.

On the way back to the main land, they put you on a speedboat that cuts the 45 minute cruise into a 10 minute ride back.  I've only been on a speedboat one other time which was in the Dominican and this was a much better ride. For one it wasn't raining and the wind wasn't whipping the rain drops in my face (it honestly felt like bullets hitting your body in all different directions).  This boat ride was quick and relaxing. A few people wanted to stand up and it was entertaining to see them flail around when they realized it was unsafe to do so. 

Overall it was a great experience.  I have always seen pictures of friends visiting the area and I always wanted to explore the area.  Thank goodness I have a friend who is into adventures as much as I am and we have our boyfriends to drag along for extra "protection against the elements" if needed. Ha!

For more information about Tobermory, click here for the official website

Eugenia Falls

Eugenia Falls - Grey Highlands (Approximately 56 minute drive from Collingwood)

Eugenia Falls, part of the Grey Sauble Conservation Area, was said to be named after the wife of Napoleon III, Princess Eugenie.  It was discovered in 1852 in search of "fool's gold" but no gold was ever found here. 

The Falls features hiking trails, picnic areas, war memorial and of course the 98 foot tall waterfall!

This area is perfect for a lazy walk along the scenic path which leads to a dead end by the waterfall.  For a more demanding hike, there is a trail which leads to the bottom of the waterfall where the water flows into the Beaver River.  At the time that I went, which was the summer of 2011, the falls was fairly tiny due to the lack of rainfall over the previous weeks.

Nonetheless, the area was beautiful and peaceful.  We followed the trail which led to the top of the waterfall and we decided to climb over the "fence" that blocked visitors from trying to walk across the water.  Oops!  For the record, we only climbed over since the water was very weak and it wouldn't wash us over the cliff.

We took a mini "Waterfall Hunting" stop to this area on our way to Collingwood. We didn't stay too long here as we were all eager to swim at Wasaga Beach due to the summer heat.  There are alot of bugs in this area so if you were to visit, I would recommend bug spray!

Here are some pictures of our mini excursion:

Walking along the path from the parking lot to the top of the waterfall.

 Crazy tree roots along the hiking trail

 This was our view from the trail. As you can see, the Falls weren't at it's full capacity.

 Standing on top of the calm waterfall. 

My friends washing their toes in the cool water =P

Algonquin Park

Algonquin Park - Algonquin (Approximately 6 hours from Mississauga)

Algonquin Park is located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River and is the oldest provincial park in Canada.  Some activities that you can do in this area include fishing, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross country skiing, hiking and camping!

My friends and I visited the park to explore the area and to camp as well.  Each campsite depending on location and services provided, cost roughly $36-47 a night for 6 people.  Not bad!  The cost of one vehicle is included and for an extra, it is about $13 per night.  

The area was fairly quiet and a great place to spend time with friends.  There are many places where you can rent a canoe or a bike or even reserve a horse for horseback riding.

Passing through the park is recommended even when driving along the Trans Canada Highway which is to the north of the park.  

For more information about Algonquin Park, click here for full details. 

Devil's Punchbowl

Devil's Punchbowl - Hamilton (Approximately 45 minutes from Mississauga)

The Devil's Punchbowl is a 121' ribbon waterfall in Hamilton which is accessible from the Bruce Trail.  It is about 36' wide and in the summer, it is such a beautiful sight with all the colourful rock segments!

The Punchbowl has been around for approximately 450 million years. Wow!  It is said to have formed a million years ago after one of the ice ages. Ice slabs covered the area and when it melted at the end of the ice age, the area was covered by high levels of water.  The water streams moved so fast that it carved into the land and formed an area that looked like a bowl.  So cool!

At the time that my friend and I visited this area, the waterfall was very weak and not much water flowed through the area.  A guy who was taking pictures of the rock formations told us the best times to see this waterfall is after rainfall or when snow melts.  He even told us some information about the area that we thought was interesting.  

Parts of the movie Silent Hill, was filmed here and it is shown in the beginning of the movie when the character tries to jump off the cliff.  I love to hear about movie facts!

Webster's Falls

Webster's Falls - Hamilton (Approximately 50 minutes from Mississauga)

About an hour's drive to Hamilton will bring you to one of the most beautiful waterfalls you can experience in your "backyard".  This 72' waterfall is located at the Spencer Gorge in Greensville (20 minutes from downtown Hamilton). 

I visited this waterfall with my adventurous friend who had read up on the best waterfalls to see in Ontario.  To our amazement, it was so beautiful!  Pictures can not showcase the actual beauty of this area.  

To the side, there is a staircase that leads to the base of the falls.  You can actually stand behind the "curtain" of the water and view the falls from an intimate view.  Not many people visiting know that you can do that so when I did it, it felt like I would find a secret path that will lead to hidden treasure, like in the Disney movies. Hehe. Sadly, it's just a rock wall. 

While visiting this area, my friend and I took a hike on the Bruce Trail that runs through that area and we went antiquing at a nearby shop.  Such an inexpensive, fun filled day!

NOTE: It is very dangerous to venture behind the falls in the winter time as it can be slippery.  Always use caution.  The staircase is usually closed in the wintertime.

NOTE: There is a $10 admission per vehicle to enter the park.


To the eastern side of Webster's Falls, is Baby Webster Falls!  

Baby Webster Falls has a height of 60' and a width of 10'.  It is usually missed due to it's little water flow unless seasonal storms occur or the winter snow melts.  It is considered a "ribbon" waterfall.  

More to Come!

There are plenty more areas to explore in Ontario that I haven't had a chance to talk about as yet and places I would definitely love to visit!

I have been to Thousand Islands for an event but I never got a chance to explore the area. I plan to make a trip back out there again in the near future.

Here are some places I would love to visit include but are not limited to:

• Kakabeka Falls in Oliver Paipoonge, Ontario 

• Sleeping Giant near Thunder Bay

• Scarborough Bluffs

• Albion Falls

Keep posted for all my adventures!