Road Trip Adventure : Travels in Ontario
(12 of the Most Beautiful Places to Explore)
Hello Friends,
Well here we are again, another month of dealing with COVID-19. Looks like restrictions are starting to ease up a bit so we’ll be able to get outdoors in a safe manner very soon.
So, what will travel look like in the near future? Travel may be the last thing on some people’s mind, yet an interesting survey released by the travel insider Skift reveals that 41 percent of Americans say that their first trip will be by car to destinations within 160 KM radius from their homes. “People haven’t changed in that they still want to go places, but they’re going to necessarily be a lot more cautious about what they do,” said Adam Blake, professor at Bournemouth University.
My wife and I agreed that the safest way to get back into travel would be to get into our car and travel the highways and byways in our protected bubble. With this in mind, we want to explore some beautiful locations close to home in Ontario, Canada. Since our audience is from around the world, we’ll explore other regions of this world later. Ontario is Canada’s second-largest province, so there is no shortage of things to see and photograph. We hope you enjoy the photos!
All photos were taken with my Canon EOS 6D camera using my 3-favourite lens – EF-16-35mm F/4L IS USM / EF-24-105mm f/4L IS USM / EF-70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM.
EXPLORING THE REGION OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO
Cheltenham Badlands
Cheltenham Badlands is a large expanse of exposed Queenston Shale that contains thin layers of siltstone and sandstone, just 45 minutes north of Toronto. It was formed about 450 million years. “Badlands” is a geologic term for an area of soft rock devoid of vegetation and soil cover that has become molded into a rolling landscape of rounded hills and gullies. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 320; shutter speed of 1/40sec.
Elora Mill
At the west end of Mill Street towers the five-storey Elora Mill, one of few early Ontario grist mills still in existence. The Elora Mill straddles the Tooth of Time waterfall on the Grand River and is spectacular for photographic opportunities. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/16 with an ISO setting of 160; shutter speed of 1/30 sec.
Elora Downtown Shops
When you are visiting Elora Mill you must explore the town and walk along the river banks. Lots to see and photograph. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-70-200mm lens; in AV mode; at f/16 with an ISO setting of 500; shutter speed of 1/60 sec.
Ontario Farmland Landscape
The Ontario farmland landscapes are some of the prettiest. Almost anywhere you drive, just north of Toronto, you will run into gorgeous scenery. This photo as well was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/6.3 with an ISO setting of 100; shutter speed of 1/200 sec
Flowerpot Island
Flowerpot Island is in the Georgian Bay, north of Bruce Peninsula National Park. It is part of Fathom Five National Marine Park. The island is named for two rock pillars on the east side of the island. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-16-35mm lens; in AV mode; at f/11 with an ISO setting of 100; shutter speed of 1/80 sec.
Scarborough Bluffs
The Scarborough Bluffs is fondly referred to as the Bluffs by many of the locals. It is a towering escarpment that runs for 15 kilometres along Toronto’s eastern portion of the waterfront. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/14 with an ISO setting of 640; exposure was 1/125 sec.
Webster’s Falls
Webster’s Falls is a 20-meter waterfall near Hamilton, southwest of Toronto. This is a beautiful waterfall with a short hike to reach it. This photo was taken with my Canon 60D camera using a EF-18-200mm lens; in TV mode; at f/5.6 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1 sec. on tripod
Manitoulin Island Camping
Manitoulin Island is in Lake Huron, not far from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. You can reach the island from mainland Ontario via a northern swing bridge or you can take a scenic ferry ride with your car from Tobermory. Manitoulin Island has several lakes and features beautiful shores of Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-11-24mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 400; exposure was 1/85sec.
Bruce Peninsula – Tobermory
Some call Tobermory and the surrounding area as the 8th Wonder of Canada. With its 1,000-year old pine trees and pristine clear turquoise waters, you’ll see why they call it a wonder. There is so much to explore and do in this small town and surrounding areas, that you’ll need a week to take it all in. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/10 with an ISO setting of 1600; exposure was 1/100 sec.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls in the world, and visitors come from all over to see the mighty falls. The falls lie on the border between the United States and Canada and both sides have great photo opportunities. This photo as well was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in manual mode; at f/14 with an ISO setting of 100; shutter speed of 2.5 sec.; using a 10-stop neutral density filter with camera on tripod.
Blue Mountains – Collingwood
Blue Mountain, Ontario’s largest mountain village resort, is nestled on the shores of Southern Georgian Bay and spans across the beautiful Niagara Escarpment. Blue Mountain has evolved into a true four-season destination which makes this a great location for photography year-round. This photo was taken in the village by the Westin Trillium Hotel. This photo was taken with my Canon EF-24-105mm lens; in AV mode; at f/9 with an ISO setting of 100; exposure was 1/160 sec.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is a large park northeast of Toronto. It is the oldest provincial park in Canada. This photo was taken with my Canon Rebel XTi, EF-18-200 mm lens; in AV mode; at f/7.1 with an ISO setting of 400; exposure was 1/20sec.
FREE E-Book OFFER:
Travel & Photography Made EasyHere’s your chance to get your exclusive travel guide and photo tips in our 20 page e-book, along with regular travel tips delivered directly to your inbox.
- Discover amazing places to visit and how to photograph them (for non techie people)
With over 325,000 readers, TripAdvisor has hailed us as being “In the Top 1% of Popular Reviewers” plus “Top Photographer” – having visited over “90 Cities” – so here are our TOP 5 places to visit before it’s too late!
7 thoughts on “12 of the Most Beautiful Places to Explore in Ontario”
Very inspiring. It is especially true as I have visited and photographed several of these locations in Ontario myself. When looking at the photo labeled Elora Mill something seemed off. That is NOT the Elora Mill. The description is accurate but the photo is not. The photo is of St. Andrews Mills, a former flour mill (also previously known as Monkland Mills & Wakely Mill) now converted to condos and located on the Grand River in Fergus about 5 miles to east of the Elora Mill.
The Elora Mill is also a former mill and is now a hotel. It is hard to mistake when viewed from from the riverside as “Elora Mill” is spelled out on the side of the building in letters several feet high.
Thanks Paul for your keen eye + kind comments – I have corrected the photo (my boo-boo 🙂
Stuff happens. Nice view of the Elora Mill. It’s a little different than the usual as the viewpoint is further down the river to the dam. Most (including mine because I’m too lazy to walk down further) are taken from the area of the foot bridge.
Beautiful photography Peter…we are Torontonians…used to be Montrealers…we are travelling around this province each year to visit some of the special places. We visited Elora Mills a few years ago for 3 nights..lovely spot…as the other options you have shown here…Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the kind comment – we love Ontario and after many years of travelling to different spots around the world – I’m glad to be focusing in on our own backyard (Ontario)- Stay tuned with our newsletter blogs – there’s more to come 🙂
Awesome photos – thank you for sharing – what beautiful country you have.
Thanks so much Lois for the kind words – in times like this we are very appreciative living in Canada 🙂
Thanks for visiting …