Ontario travel guide

Casa Loma

Casa Loma is the only full-sized castle in North America. Formerly the home of Canadian financier, Sir Henry Pellatt, it is a wonderland of secret passageways, and elaborately decorated rooms.

Pallet used his immense personal fortune to build the chateau, though financial troubles meant he could not sustain it. Today, the City of Toronto owns the castle and welcomes guests in daily. All in all, visitors enjoy touring the authentically furnished rooms and splendid gardens, and appreciating stunning views of Toronto from one of the castle's towers.

CN Tower

Standing 1,815ft (553m) high, Toronto's CN Tower was the world's tallest building until 2007. Today, it remains a renowned architectural masterpiece, and is perhaps Canada's most celebrated icon.

One of the tower's top attractions is the award-wining 360 Restaurant. It offers guests breath-taking, revolving views of the city, and dishes created with the finest Canadian ingredients. Another drawcard is EdgeWalk. At 1168ft (356m) above ground, it is the world's highest 'hands-free' external walk and must for all thrill seekers.

Royal Ontario Museum

The Royale Ontario Museum treats visitors to displays of art, culture and nature from around the globe and across the ages. It ranks as one of North America's premier cultural institutions, and is Canada's largest and most comprehensive museum.

Its 40 gallery and exhibition spaces house 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, including dinosaurs, galleries of Chinese art, a bat cave, a gem and gold room, exhibits about Ancient Egypt and Nubia, and the Samuel European Galleries. Visitors will not be disappointed.

Toronto Zoo

The Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, with more than six miles (10km) of walking trails spread over 700 acres. Over 5000 animals representing over 450 species call it home.

Visitors will enjoy touring the zoo's seven geographic regions and encountering animals that are native to them. Favourites include hippos, lemurs, otters, gorillas, bears, Giant Pandas, snow leopards, lions, penguins and cheetahs.

All told, award-winning exhibits await the entire family, as do many seasonal activities. The zoo's interactive wildlife experience is especially popular with kids.

Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill is a place for decision-making, but also a place for people. Visitors can tour some of the buildings, watch Parliament in action, and enjoy ceremonial spectacles like the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Three buildings make up Canada's parliament complex. The centre block, with its distinctive Peace Tower, houses the Senate and Commons chambers. Visitors can watch either chamber in action, take a tour of the building, and climb the Peace Tower for a view of the capital city region. The historic east block contains the restored offices of Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A Macdonald, and other early statesmen. Visitors can enjoy tours of these historic rooms. The west block contains the offices of members of parliament, and is not open to the public.

Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History welcomes over 1.2 million visitors every year. Created to enhance Canada's understanding of its own past and to strengthen the country's awareness of world history, the museum is an interesting stop for anyone travelling to Ontario.

Along with its ongoing exhibitions, such as the striking Grand Hall, the museum presents many tremendous exhibitions focusing on Canadian history, world history and civilisation. Visitors arriving with kids may want to check out the Canadian Children's Museum as well. It offers a truly child-friendly experience by including games, toys, costumes and hands-on props. The museum also has a 500-seat theatre, and a 295-seat movie theatre equipped with a giant 3D screen. All told, the combination of attractions should keep the entire family happy for hours.

Gatineau Park

Locals and visitors treasure Gatineau Park. Located just 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa, it is the capital's conservation and matchless outdoor-recreation haven. Travellers can expect a fun menu of activities, regardless of which season they arrive in.

Swimming, hiking, biking, camping, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are all on offer within an area renowned for its hilly woodlands and clear lakes. Visitors typically enjoy exploring the beautiful Luskville Falls, the diversity of forests along the King Mountain Trail, and Lusk Cave: a marble cave and geological phenomenon. Gatineau Park is definitely worth a full-day trip.

Fort William Historical Park (formerly Old Fort William)

Visitors can travel back to 1816 at Fort William Historical Park (formerly Old Fort William). Located at Thunder Bay, it is an authentic duplicate of the North West Company of Montreal's inland headquarters. The company was a major player in the fur-trading business.

Indeed, the North American fur trade is a part of Canada's colourful past. The fort brings this history to life through recreations of the characters, sounds, sights and smells that would have existed almost two centuries ago. The sprawling 250-acre site contains more than 57 heritage and modern buildings, which visitors are free to explore.

Visitors can also enjoy overnight experiences, education programs, artisan workshops, conferences, banquets, festivals and recreational opportunities.

Amethyst Mine

Ontario's official gemstone, amethyst, is one of the many natural resources found on the north shore of Lake Superior. The violet-coloured semiprecious stones native to this area come in beautiful shades, like Precious Purple and Thunder Bay Lavender. Visitors can mine their own at the Panorama Mine, 35 miles (56km) east of Thunder Bay. The site contains the largest deposit of amethyst in Canada. The mine currently produces 40 percent useable amethyst by volume, and has a large digging area open to the public that contains 20 percent useable amethyst. All visitors need is a bucket and spade to enjoy a fun mining experience.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is set on a rugged peninsula near Thunder Bay. Known as the 'park of legends', it was once home to the region's natives, who fished and hunted the rolling, forested terrain for some 9000 thousand years.

Today, hikers will enjoy the park's trails, which run to the tops of granite cliffs and open onto spectacular views of Lake Superior. Winter travellers can explore these on skis or snowshoes. The park also supports an exceptional mix of plant life, with two rare orchids, the Adder's Mouth and the Striped Orchid, growing in the southern end.

In fact, 24 types of orchid grow in the park, as do ferns. Wildlife includes more than 200 species of bird, white-tailed deer, red foxes, porcupines, moose, bears, wolves and lynx.

Lake Superior

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes of North America. Ontario shares this vast expanse of water with the American states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The main attractions for visitors are the rugged shoreline and beautiful wilderness landscapes, which, together, can keep lovers of nature interested for hours.

Visitors tend to feel life slowing down as they immerse themselves in all the area has to offer. Scenic tours, hiking trails and kayaking on the world's largest body of fresh water are among the most popular things to do.

Distillery Historic District

The Distillery Historic District is a much-loved centre for arts, culture, food and entertainment in Toronto. Said to contain the finest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America, it is indeed a worthy national historic site.

The district had its beginnings 1832 and eventually became the largest distillery in the British Empire. It assumed its current role as an arts and culture centre during the 1990s, doubling as one of Canada's most popular film locations. As of 2003, it has been a pedestrian-only village dedicated to the arts. Anyone visiting Toronto should explore the district's many art galleries, artisan boutiques, specialty retail stores and restaurants. Also, festivals and special events often take place.

Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto Canada (MOCA) looks to exhibit, research, collect and promote innovative art by Canadian and international artists whose works tackle the most relevant issues of our times. Formerly the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, the institution has been praised for its incisive, artist-centric approach to programming, and its friendly visitor experience.

MOCA is very much a hub for creative exchange, and is definitely worth a visit.

Gardiner Museum of Ceramics

Housed in an award-winning piece of architecture, the Gardiner Museum of Ceramics showcases a craft that has existed for centuries. With earthenware of all different shapes and sizes from the ancient Americas, China, Japan, the Italian Renaissance and more, a tour through the museum will shape visitors' understanding of the ceramic process, and its place in world history. The museum hosts drop-in classes on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and is home to 'Toronto's Best Gift Shop', Vogue.

Kensington Market

Kensington Market embodies Toronto's multicultural society. Since the 1960s, immigrants from Eastern Europe to China and the Caribbean have injected their customs into the market, creating an area that is a model of open-mindedness. Today, this national historic site remains one of Toronto's oldest, most diverse and liveliest neighbourhoods. Essentially, it's an eclectic mix of cafes, restaurants, vintage stores, bars and speciality food shops where nobody's really foreign. Visitors enjoy getting lost here for hours.

Harbourfront Centre

The Harbourfront Centre remains at the heart what's current and creative in Toronto. The innovative not-for-profit cultural organisation has been around for more than 40 years, and specialises in creating events and activities that wake up and entertain a diverse public. Locals gather at the centre's distinctive waterfront venues for some weekend gallery hopping, shopping, biking and concerts. Visitors enjoy strolling along the promenade, indulging in theatrical performances and browsing craft boutiques. Or, they head to Queen's Quay Centre for some superb shopping. Year-round features at this urban playground include film, dance, theatre, music, children's and marine events.

Hockey Hall of Fame

Avid hockey fans should visit Toronto's Hockey Hall of Fame. Within this shrine to Canada's national sport, visitors can learn about the history of the game through memorabilia from every era, hockey artefacts from around the world, themed exhibits, multimedia stations and images of great moments in hockey history. Iconic players' goalie gear, skates and sticks are also on display. Visitors usually relish having hands-on access to the Stanley Cup, and trying out state-of-the-art games that challenge shooting and goalkeeping skills.

Paramount Canada's Wonderland

Boasting more than 200 attractions, Splash Works and a huge variety of roller coasters, Paramount Canada's Wonderland is deservedly the country's favourite theme park. Its menu of rides includes carousels, train rides and the Time Warp ­- Canada's only flying roller coaster.

The park also has lots of shopping and dining options. All told, this attraction has a variety of rides and amusements to suit all age groups, and is a must for the entire family.

High Park

Along with being Toronto's largest public park, High Park is also one of the city's most important natural areas. Visitors will encounter woodland, wetlands, a beautiful lakefront, prairie habitats and a preserved slice of the black-oak savannah ecosystem that once covered most of southern Ontario. It all makes for an idyllic setting in which to enjoy the park's playgrounds, zoo, dog park, hiking trails, greenhouses, picnic areas, eateries and sporting facilities. Parking is convenient and public-transport access is easy. All said, High Park makes for a complete day out.