Visiting Ontario goes beyond Niagara Falls and Downtown Toronto, to include the outdoor adventures for you to be had in the Golden Horseshoe region. This region includes Burlington and Oshawa, and there are great and unique things to check out there, for people of all ages.

Burlington – An Adventure In Itself

Burlington is a fabulous place for adventure seeking tourists. Once thought of as just a Port town, it is now more popular for its sailing, and proximity to fabulous Lake Ontario. Although it is located at the western end of this Great Lake, it still forms part of the Greater Toronto Area.

The Royal Botanical Gardens attract many outdoor tourists, bringing lots of nature lovers to the area, as well as hikers and bird watchers. With almost 2,500 acres of nature, and over 1,100 plant species growing on it, it plays an important part in the Canadian Amphibian and Reptile conservation, as well.

Other outdoor activities that are fun for the whole family in Burlington, Ontario, include the Sound of Music Festival, which is an annual event that takes place in June, at Spencer Smith Park. Another popular annual festival for all, including outdoor enthusiasts, is known as Canada’s Largest Ribfest, again with the venue being Spencer Smith Park, for meat lovers to enjoy a variety of flavors by the lake shore.

Burlington also has a small beach and walking paths to take in the beauty of Lake Ontario.  Centennial Pond is open to ice skating in wintertime, and in summertime, used as a pond specific to model sailboats. The Dofasco Waterjet Plaza is a perfect place for children to play, where you can zip about on the lake with a water jet and have some fun.  Look into the Children’s Festival, where there are plenty of beach activities to take part in and sand sculpting demonstrations, or the Kite Festival for fun for the family.

Bruce Trail is one that follows the Niagara Escarpment covering 560 miles, with numerous waterfalls, making it one of the most beautiful and picturesque trails. It is full of different wildlife and plants, which draws thousands of outdoor enthusiasts from near and far. It begins in Queenston on the Niagara River, and passes through many cities and parks. Hiking on this trail will lead you through the Woodend Conservation Area, Battlefield Park, Dundas Valley Conservation Area, and many more, and ends in Tobermory. In addition to the main trail, hikers will also have access to side trails, as well, and will come across footbridges, bridges, and beautiful scenery, some natural and some man made. Challenging long distance hiking events are often held by the BTC, lasting up to three days.

Oshawa’s Outdoor Adventures

 Oshawa is home to General Motors Canada, which supports and finances numerous summer festivals in and around the area. Due to their involvement, people can enjoy a variety of fun free festivals throughout the season. Located on the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just 30 miles from downtown Toronto, it draws many tourists for its history, as well as automotive enthusiasts. The Purple Woods is the actual location of the Maple Syrup Festival that occurs each March. The views from this area are breathtaking, enabling visitors to see all the way to Lake Ontario, and the short trail brings visitors to the hollow, where the sugar shack is located. The mature forest is also home to many birds, which is an attraction for many bird lovers.

The Oak Ridges Moraine runs parallel to Lake Ontario, to the north, extending for about 110 miles from the Niagara Escarpment to the Trent River. Its ground water is one of the most fascinating parts of the Moraine, resulting from percolation of rainwaters. This trail can be accessed from the Purple Woods Trail – perfect for hikers of all ages.

Whenever you’re in Southern Ontario, be sure to make a trip to Burlington and Oshawa.

Author: This is a guest post by Will L. who works as a Marketing Manager at Travelodge Oshawa Hotel and Quality Hotel Burlington.  You can contact him oshawa.travelodge@gmail.com