Canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous

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He is back to me just the way it was when we first met. I am immeasurably happy now. Thank you so much sir, Lots of appreciations. Canada part Damn big. Its terrain is filled distilleey them, from mammoth mountains to hulking glaciers to immense polychromatic skies. Is it any wonder this nation is envied by so many? Small, liberal countries admire its grandness So much land!

A G8 member! Large, conservative countries admire its tolerance Gay marriage! Open immigration! Canada is impossible to dislike, but go ahead and give it a shot.

Canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous to a wee Atlantic fishing village, accessible only by boat. Try a slow ride through the wheat-waving prairies.

You want a nosh lighter vandouver Alberta beef or Arctic whale blubber? Of course, the country has a few issues. The most pressing ones are shaping up to be immigration, provincial squabbling, and striking a balance between economic growth and canaada the environment. The only shared sentiment seems to be that the federal government is insensitive to their particular needs. But the grumbling is now getting loudest from distillefy western provinces and territories, which desire more control over their crazy-huge amounts of natural resources.

Even dlstillery mild-mannered Atlantic provinces are bickering about federal claims to fishing and mineral rights off their shores. Could these provinces be next to mount secession movements? And the Clarity Canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous actually makes it possible. Natural resources are also at the crux of our third issue. And oil and natural gas are driving the bus. But an economy reliant on natural resources is tricky, because the courtelus are bound to run out memo to Canada: see past history of fur and codfish industries.

And then what? After 12 years of center-left Liberals running the show, the Conservatives won disyrict majority in the elections. To be sure, the quality of care is high and getting treatment for minor ailments is easy. But try seeing a specialist or dostillery a hip replacement and you could be on a waiting list for months.

So are progressive views on same-sex marriage and marijuana use. The former is entirely legal; the latter is legal only for medicinal use, though broader decriminalization vvancouver flutter through Ottawa from time canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous time.

Issues they cast a critical eye toward include gun control most prefer restrictionschild care issues increased funding is appreciated and taxes too high. Harper and his posse may not be the number-one fans of pot-smoking gays who want to get married, but heck, why bother changing now? Canada likes to think of itself as peaceable, and it keeps its military involvement fairly low-key.

As of August70 soldiers had died in the operation. When it comes to что microsoft teams login military таков peacekeeping for продолжение здесь United Nations, the country contributes military personnel to UN missions, ranking it 55th out of troop-contributing countries.

Take a pull on your beer, dip into the poutine, draw your fleece up tighter and daj the warmth surround you. Backpackers, jet-setters and those in between will all find their needs and expectations met. In the northern regions, however, summer starts as late as mid-June and disgillery, often abruptly, with the first snowfall in early to mid-September.

In most areas, March to May and September to October bring fewer tourists /3545.txt often surprisingly pleasant weather. Fall, which finds перейти cloaked in a spectacular mantle of color, is a great time to visit.

Canadian winters are long, cold and dark. With most outlying attractions closed, your explorations are pretty much limited to the ski resorts and cities. Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia are more costly courteouss other provinces, but not as bad as the three northern territories Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The total cost is only a little bit more for a couple traveling together. For those on a tight budget, costs can be brought down by staying in hostels or canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous, self-catering from vanncouver markets, taking public transportation when available and limiting entertainment options. Bug spray Click here to prevent mosquitoes and blackflies from feasting on your flesh; especially useful in vanvouver and woodsy regions.

Transportation and sleeping reservations, especially in July and August. With a little research, you can certainly travel the country in a responsible way. Amtrak www. Greyhound www. Flights from other countries are rather unavoidable. Though not a solution to the problem, you can offset your carbon emissions with Vancouver-based Devnie Carbon Neutral Society www.

Slow Travel Try skipping the cross-Canada plane journey in favor of traveling slowly. VIA Rail www. Greyhound Canada www. Or focus your trip on a small region fistrict Canada instead of dashing from one coast to the canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous. See www. Camp Green Canada www. In Vancouver, such fare is marked with an Ocean Wise www. Responsible Travel Organizations Provincial groups that do a great job of promoting sustainable travel include: Green Tourism Association canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous.

Saskatchewan Nature and Ecotourism Association www. Many attractions also offer avncouver family admission price, which can save dough for two adults and their brood. Somehow, she makes the bruising business of mushing sound attractive in Mad Dogs and an Englishwoman, filling her pages with mischievous huskies, glistening canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous frost and northern lights that weave red and green across the sky.

Victoria Jason is another plucky female with a chilly Far North tale. Walter Stewart distiloery zipped across the Trans-Canada Hwy in Thirty-five years later he did it again, and this time he wrote a book about what he saw.

Environment Canada www. Snowing in Whistler? Foggy in Halifax? Check here for the forecast. Government of Canada www. Lonely Planet www. Podcast Alley www. Sierra Club of Canada courteosu. For a list of more events, Click here.

For food fests, Click here. More scenic drives are highlighted throughout the regional cay. For vancouvsr on local music, Click here. Day-trip to canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous Niagara Falls, then begin your eastward haul.

From there, the misty, mansion-covered Thousand Islands dot the St Lawrence River; Gananoque makes a good break in islahd’s midst. Had your fill? Swing over to the Laurentians to hike, cycle or ski yourself back into shape. The charismatic old town, walled and djstrict poised on a bluff, will leave an impression long after you return home.

Allow at least three weeks for the canada day vancouver island’s devine distillery district courteous, which circles around via boat, car and train. Hop on a ferry to Victoria, fill up with tea and crumpets, then rent a car and head up-island. Northern Vancouver Island delivers raw, remote BC in all its glory. The districh parks of Jasper and Banff form the dramatic core of the Canadian Rockies.

Finally, work your way back to Vancouver via the lake-studded Okanagan Valley, famous for its fruit orchards and wineries.

 
 

 

– exuper: Canada (part-2)

 
He eventually retires to France and becomes the Marquis of Savoy. Micro-fridges and a lake out back are an extra bonus. Prospectors discover gold along the Fraser River in BC, spurring thousands of get-rich-quick dreamers to move north and start panning. Guests are encouraged to sign up for a meal plan during their stay. They spent winters in igloos or simple wooden structures, and basically just tried to stay warm. You can peek at the radio newsrooms anytime or attend a free noontime concert in the world-class Glenn Gould Studio. The urban downtown district, stocked with high-rises, offers some unique upmarket lodging options in addition to the usual suspects franchises and the like.

 
 

DEVINE Distillery: Award-winning, certified craft spirits producer.exuper: Canada (part-1)

 
 

For travelers, this means that eating and drinking in Canada can now be a highlight of a visit here, rather than a disappointing pit-stop necessity. With the Irish bringing potatoes to the table, the Germans rolling in with smoked sausages and the Chinese dropping by with dim sums, Canada has always been a finger-licking smorgasbord of food styles, making it the original home of fusion cooking. This approach is still the cornerstone of dining here today: contemporary restaurants often add a dash of Japanese influence to their French cuisine or a pinch of East Indian Flair to their west coast seafood menu.

But while tweaking traditional recipes is common in Canada, some dishes continue to define specific regions. These provincial soul foods directly reflect available local ingredients and the diverse influences of their cooks.

Next door, Nova Scotia visitors should save their appetites for butter-soft Digby scallops and rustic Lunenberg sausage, while the favored food of nearby Newfoundland and Labrador is cod: cod cheeks, cod tongues and cod-and-potato-blended fishcakes.

Head next door to Saskatchewan for dessert, though. Backcountry foraging is also a big tradition in Canada: BC is a popular spot for mushroom pickers, New Brunswick is ideal for fiddleheads and almost everywhere else offers some kind of wild-growing seasonal fruit, including blackberries or blueberries. Here you should hunt around for the dark, chocolaty or downright earthy tastes of beer from local producers such as Storm, Phillips, Dead Frog or Russell Brewing. If you time your visit well, you might catch a regional wine festival, enabling you to sample a few unfamiliar tipples as you rub shoulders with bleary-eyed local imbibers.

Wine lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to festivals. There are also many family-oriented, midpriced eateries for those traveling with kids, and bars are usually just as interested in serving food as they are beer. While there are many variations, breakfast spots often open from 8am to 11am, lunch is usually offered between am and pm on weekdays and dinner is frequently on the menu from 5pm to pm daily.

Midrange and family restaurants usually stay open all day. Closing times vary greatly and often depend on how busy the restaurant is on the day: hours are especially liquid in larger, tourist-friendly towns. Service is generally excellent at Canadian restaurants and bars.

Solo travelers are welcomed at most eateries, although family-oriented restaurants may baulk at sacrificing a large table to a lone nosher. See opposite for information on tipping. Expect similar responses in the Maritimes and on the prairies, where the carnivorous approach is a way of life. Not surprisingly, vegans can expect an even rougher ride. The handy VegeDining website www. Check locations in BC www. Kids menus often rely heavily on breaded chicken and brightly colored mini pizzas.

As an alternative, ask for a half-order of something more nutritious from the adult menu. Servers often work extra hard to keep kids happy, so consider adding a few dollars to your tip to reward exemplary service in the face of adversity. On weekends, many restaurants serve brunch from as early as 8am, sometimes until as late as 4pm. BC and Ontario are the main regional producers. Table service is common in most pubs, although you can still order at the bar.

A small number of areas still allow separate smoking rooms and patio smoking but this is also being slowly stubbed out. Twinkle-eyed Bernard leads gumbooted groups across the muddy beach at Whiffen Spit, extolling enthusiastically on the culinary properties of the many seaweed varieties growing in the ocean garden around her.

Running for a couple of hours, the Outer Coast Seaweeds tours , ; www. Call ahead for reservations. Get behind the cuisine of French Canada by getting to know the language. For pronunciation guidelines, Click here. Diamonds, oil, gold and timber? Later generations, moving westward, found fertile soil in the prairies and gold in the Klondike.

Much of this water fills the dips and dents of the massive Canadian Shield, a vast horseshoe-shaped region of Precambrian rock chiseled and gouged by glaciers and erosion over hundreds of millions of years.

In addition to Aboriginals, many of those living here are miners and loggers who exploit the enormous wealth of natural treasures, including nickel, copper, silver, gold and diamonds. Ottawa is the second-chilliest national capital, after Ulan Bator, Mongolia. In the Pacific region, coastal British Columbia has the most temperate climate, but is often drenched by rains. Along with Alberta, the Yukon is part of the Cordillera region, which is also defined by other mountain ranges, most famously the Canadian Rockies.

Dinosaur Provincial Park Alberta, ; Click here A fossil site with bones from 35 species of dinosaurs, some 75 million years old.

Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland, ; Click here Superb mosaic of coastal lowland, alpine plateau, fjords, glacial valleys, sheer cliffs, waterfalls and pristine lakes. Waterton Lakes National Park Alberta, ; Click here An exceptional variety of plants and mammals in prairies and forests, and alpine and glacial features.

That baby measured 7. Scientists say every to years the region gets hit by a major quake, ie one measuring 8. The last one occurred in , which means Canada is due for another spanking, oh, any day now? Whales, polar bear and the goofy, twig-eating moose are wildlife-watching favorites.

They live in forests throughout the country and are most active between dusk and dawn. If you see the legendary fur-ball, submit a report to the Sasquatch Research Initiative www. This curious, slow-moving animal is covered in up to 30, quills, which form a formidable defense mechanism.

When under threat, the porcupine vigorously lashes its tail, thereby dislodging loose quills as if throwing them. It feeds mainly on bark and tree buds, and used to be a staple of the Aboriginal diet. The quills are sometimes used in aboriginal decorative work. Its bigger relative, the caribou, is unusual in that both males and females sport enormous antlers. Barren-ground caribou, which feed on lichen and spend most of the year on the tundra from Baffin Island to Alaska, are the most common.

Still more humungous is the moose, whose skinny, ballerina-like legs support a hulking body with a distinctive shovel-like snout.

Males grow a spectacular rack of antlers every summer, only to discard it in November. Newfoundland has grown a huge moose population since they were first introduced there in the early s Click here. Neither moose nor elk are generally aggressive, and they will often generously pose for photographs. During mating season September , the males can become belligerent, so stay in your car. The huge, heavy-shouldered, shaggy bison buffalo that once roamed the prairies in vast herds now exists only in parks.

It is said that there were once as many as 70 million bison in North America. Their herds would often take days to pass by a single point. Keep your distance, though; for more, see the boxed text below. About half a million of these furry critters patrol the forests and bushland just about everywhere except Prince Edward Island, southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan.

But it never hurts to be prepared, as the old boy scout saying goes. The endangered grizzly bear and the smaller black bear both hang out in Canada, mostly in the Canadian Rockies. Just to confuse you, black bear are sometimes brown and some grizzlies are almost black. The way to tell them apart is to look for certain distinguishing characteristics: the grizzly has a dish-shaped face, small and rounded ears and a prominent shoulder hump. Both grizzlies and black bear are intelligent opportunists who quickly learn that humans come equipped with tasty packages of food.

Never feed these majestic animals. Always use bear-proof bins provided at campgrounds to store your food properly, and keep your campground tidy by picking up all scraps. Bear basically only attack if their cubs are around or if they feel surprised or threatened. Your best defenses against surprising a bear are to remain alert, avoid hiking at night when bear feed and be careful traveling in places where visibility is obscured.

If the bear sees you, slowly back out of its path, avoid eye contact, speak softly and wave your hands above your head slowly. Never turn your back to the bear and never kneel down.

If a bear charges, do not run or scream which may frighten the bear and make it more aggressive , because the bear may only be charging as a bluff. Drop to the ground, crouch face down in a ball and play dead, covering the back of your neck with your hands and your chest and stomach with your knees. As we said before, bear attacks are really quite rare. Give the bear, and other animals, the respect they deserve and the space they need.

If you see one on the side of the road, consider not stopping. If you do decide to pull over, move on after a few minutes.

If simple steps are taken to minimize human encounters, it will help ensure future generations of visitors have the chance to see wildlife that is still truly wild. It stands up to a fearsome 3m tall and has a distinctive hump between its shoulders. Grizzlies are solitary animals with no natural enemies except humans. Although they enjoy an occasional snack of elk, moose or caribou, they usually fill their bellies with berries and other vegetation.

Pretty much the only place to observe them is from late September to early November in Churchill, Manitoba, one of their major maternity denning grounds.

For more information about these fascinating creatures, Click here. Another formidable predator is the wolf, which can be every bit as fierce and cunning as is portrayed in fairy tales, although it rarely attack humans.

Belugas are the smallest, typically measuring no more than 4. They are chatty fellows who squeak, groan and peep while traveling in closely knit family pods. Each one chows down about 40 tons of krill per day. Minkes can grow to 10m and are likely to approach boats, delighting passengers with acrobatics as they, too, hurl themselves out of the water a bit more easily than the lumbering humpback.

Everyone loves these cute little guys, a sort of waddling penguin-meets-parrot cross, with black-and-white feathers and an orange beak. They hang out in the Atlantic provinces, especially Newfoundland.

The true ruler of the sky, though, is the bald eagle, whose wingspan can reach more than 2m. It was Canadian banker Charles Broley who first connected the dots between DDT and the plummeting population of these regal birds. That was in the late s, and things have been looking way up since then. Trees cover nearly half of the country, providing living space to roughly two-thirds of the estimated , species of plants, animals and micro-organisms living in Canada.

Stretching from coast to coast and from the US border to the Arctic tree line, they are highly diversified and have adapted to the soil, climate and weather conditions. Further south, tundra transitions to taiga, better known as boreal forest, named after Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind. Cold-tolerant conifers such as pine, fir and spruce thrive in this harsh climate of long winters and short but warm summers. Ontario hosts the parkland zone, which marks the transition between the eastern forests and the prairies.

Trembling aspen is the dominant tree. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are best known for their flat prairie grasslands, now mostly covered in cultivated grains.

Short, mixed and tall grasses once blanketed this region but, except for a few protected pockets, these are a thing of the past. BC has the most diverse vegetation in the country. The Rocky Mountain forests consist of sub-alpine species such as Engelmann spruce, alpine fir and larches, with lodgepole pine and aspen at higher elevations. In the rainforest-like climate of the Pacific coast, the trees soar skyward. There are ancient, gigantic western red cedar, Douglas fir, western hemlock and Sitka spruce species.

Some are more than years old, making them veritable Methuselahs of the tree world. Actually, the pitcher plant chows down mostly on insects, captured via its water-filled trap. Keep an eye out next time you walk through a bog. Flip to it for the lowdown on activities, itineraries, costs and history.

Each province also runs its own system of parks and reserves. There are literally hundreds of them, mostly used for recreation but also, to a certain extent, to protect wildlife and historic sites.

Many are just as spectacular as the national parks. The best-organized provincial parks offer similar infrastructure to their national cousins, including interpretive centers, equipment rental and campgrounds. Parks in the territories tend to be small, simple and inexpensive to visit; they are often used for overnight camping, although facilities may be basic.

It birthed Greenpeace, for crissake! The group launched from a Vancouver living room in Vancouver is also the home of environmental pioneer David Suzuki, a retired professor from the University of British Columbia UBC who has been writing about sustainable ecology for more than 30 years.

The Green Party www. Alberta and British Columbia offered the strongest support, Manitoba the least. Apparently not. Meanwhile, the clock ticks. The average annual temperature has increased by 0. Take the Yukon. Shorter winters have dissolved their ice-based seal-hunting habitat, and all of a sudden, nearby humans are starting to look like juicy T-bones Click here for more. Climate change also has bizarre economic ramifications. And the Olympics are headed to Vancouver in , but will there be enough snow for the slopes and bobsleigh runs?

Take as much as you want! In the early s, Atlantic Canada faced the horrifying fact that the cod were fished out. The greatest fishery in the world, in business for more than years, was now kaput.

Cod were even listed as endangered in For additional information, Click here. Polar Bear, meet Walrus. They used to be strangers, until global warming brought their habitats together. Most hiking and camping advice is common sense. First, know what you are getting into. Get trail maps and take a few minutes to talk to a ranger about trail conditions, dangers and closures.

Rangers can also confirm if your abilities and equipment match the needs of your trip. Once in the wild, do everything possible to minimize your impact. Stick to established trails and campgrounds. Use a gas stove for cooking or make fires in established fire pits only. When you leave, take out everything you brought in and remove every trace of your visit.

Try to learn about local conservation, environmental and cultural issues before your trip and during your visit. Ask questions and listen to what locals have to say.

And finally, support tourism companies and environmental groups that promote conservation initiatives and long-term management plans. Along the same lines, companies strip huge areas of forest and soil cover to access coal, iron, nickel and other mineral resources. These ore deposits are developed all the time, particularly in seldom-visited northern regions such as Labrador and the Northwest Territories, where there is little public scrutiny or attention.

Recently there has been a spate of oil and natural gas development in the Atlantic provinces, much of it on the ocean floor, with untold consequences for marine life for an example of such actions, Click here. In northern Alberta, oil is coaxed from oil sands, a messy process that requires huge amounts of energy and poisons the atmosphere with greenhouse gases Click here for more. Nearby, plans are underway for a controversial km-long pipeline, the Mackenzie Gas Project, to be tunneled beneath the wilderness of the Northwest Territories.

Their website www. Is that good enough? Stay tuned. Not even close. And I can explain it all in two simple words: endless and staggering. No matter what your ability, no matter what your taste, there is something here for you. Adventures for the rank beginner or the seasoned veteran are all over the place, even just on the edge of, and sometimes within, city limits. Whatever outdoor activity you can imagine, it exists in the highest of quality, right here in Canada. But, for nearly half the year, much of Canada really is snow-covered, and hockey and beer-drinking really are favorite pastimes.

But there is so much more here than that oversimplified pictorial and those stereotypical flannels. Welcome to the most abundant, most breathtaking, least busy playground on the planet. Welcome to half the world. Hills in the flatlands, like Saskatchewan and southern Ontario, are built on available or creatively used geography river hills or garbage dumps.

Damn cold. But instead of complaining about it, Canadians are apt to do something in it. Find a snow-covered hill not too big and slide uncontrollably downhill. Combine this motorized activity with backcountry skiing to access tons of powder.

Canadians have a chronic fishing problem. Fish from inside an ice shack, drill into the ice, turn on the space heater and drop your line. Snowpack ranges from 2m to 6m-plus, depending on how close the resort is to the Pacific Ocean.

Medicine Hat, Alberta, with days sans rain. Cross-Country Nordic Skiing Instead of swishing through the snow, go straight on a set of Nordic skis. Most ski resorts in Canada offer a groomed network of cross-country ski trails which are much cheaper than a downhill lift ticket. Compare lung capacity with Canadian national team members at the Olympic site in Canmore, Alberta. Ski Touring Ski touring, downhill skiing with a backpack instead of a lift, is the cheapest way to tap into the deep and dry snow that is world-renowned in BC.

Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park has the most beautiful glacier tours and tree skiing within a single-day tour. Or fly into a backcountry lodge like Blanket Glacier Chalet www. BC towns like Revelstoke, Nelson and Golden are touring hubs and have a number of shops that can provide gear, maps and information on snow conditions, where to park etc.

That said, Canada has revolutionized mountain biking and provides an expansive landscape for two-wheeled exploration. The entire 18,km trail some of it river routes will link communities from coast to coast to coast and provide for multi-use access to cyclists, snowmobilers, horseback riders and hikers.

Check www. Most popular ski areas like Panorama www. Or you could choose shorter regional rides. The east coast, with more small towns and less emptiness, is a fantastic place to pedal, either as a single-day road ride or a multi-day trip. Sure, we use plastic and fiberglass today, but boat design and techniques have hardly changed. No longer used for hunting, this double-bladed, covered-deck paddlesport is still the most efficient human-powered way to move across lakes and along coastlines.

Make sure you have a solid Eskimo Roll for righting yourself when you flip. Luckily www. As old as kayaking, and equally Canadian, is the canoe. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.

Here are some of our favorites, to help you decide which way to turn your toes. Also, k. Also visit the Parks Canada site www. Watch wild animals, cross unbridged rivers and see not a soul. Access is via Whitehorse. Take a compass and GPS; the alpine plateau is crisscrossed by a web of caribou trails. An offshoot will head northwards from Calgary through the Yukon to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories, with a branch extending east through Nunavut to Chesterfield Inlet on Hudson Bay.

The TCT will be the longest such trail in the world, linking millions of travelers, hundreds of communities and dozens of landscapes.

Its entire length will take about days to cycle, days to ride on horseback or days to walk. The now-disbanded organization in charge of the celebrations wanted to leave a lasting legacy, and provided enough seed money to launch the project in This entitles them to have their name inscribed on one of dozens of Trail Pavilions along the route. So far approximately , people have immortalized themselves in this fashion. The TCT is knitted together from existing and new trails. Much of it, including all of the Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island sections, will run along former railway tracks.

For now, the TCT remains a work in progress. More than half of it is currently unstable; it is scheduled for completion in the fall of From here you can march through dense spruce and pine forests that burst into a stunning bright-yellow canopy in the fall. Then ascend into alpine meadows that are carpeted with wildflowers and surrounded by crumbling glaciers and azure lakes.

This trail network weaves together pristine lakes with some of the largest peaks in the Rockies. And the BC Parks system www. There are sizable mountains out east, too. For the serious backpacker looking for the least beaten path and the biggest mountains east of the Canadian Rockies, plan on visiting Torngat Mountain National Park in Labrador. Though portions are near cities like Hamilton and Toronto, it is surprisingly serene. Backroad Mapbooks will show you the way.

Outdoor recreation and camping overviews accompany each book, but make sure you cross-reference with the locals. Canmore, just outside Banff, is the ideal place for beginners and beyond. Climbing shops, a climbing school www. All levels of climbers bask in the spring sun while climbing the plus gneiss and nice, too! It features hundreds of tours, from day trips to summit missions to epic traverses.

While Canadians are practically born on skates, it might take you a couple of hours to get the hang of it. Skating has spawned many a Canadian pastime and takes regional forms. Grassroots hockey, aka pond hockey, takes place in communities across Canada every night on a frozen surface.

All you need is a puck, a hockey stick and a few friends to live the hockey dream. Winnipeg, Manitoba, notorious for chilly winters, has 3km of cleared ice on the Assiniboine and Red rivers. In Alberta, you can race in the Sylvan Lake 50km Marathon on a 10km track, the longest in the world. They just don a pair of warm mitts, a down jacket, crampons and an ice axe, and are pretty well ready to take on the most abundant and consistent ice climbing in the world.

Banff, Kootenay, Yoho and Jasper national parks remain frozen for six months a year, and by early November notorious routes like Polar Circus and Curtain Call are in full form. As in summer, Canmore is the place to get started and take a lesson.

With www. Great for climbers, hikers and sightseers. Give yourself a couple of weeks to work your way up ft or m this ice-riddled Kluane National Park massif. For better odds all around, watch out for the more common and visible Canadian critters.

The Arctic has tusked narwhals and belugas, while Nova Scotia has humpbacks, minkes and the rare North Atlantic right whale. Polar bear can be spotted in Churchill, Manitoba on the shores of Hudson Bay. Operators will tour you around the Polar Bear Capital of the World in elevated tundra buggies. At one time 60 million bison roamed the North American plains. Over 50 grizzlies live on this 45,hectare refuge. A few eco-tour operators have permits for viewing this at-risk species.

The mountain national parks Banff, Jasper, Kooteany, Yoho also offer a chance to see these rare omnivores. But driving, hiking or cycling in Algonquin Provincial Park is a golden opportunity to see each and every one. Return to beginning of chapter FISHING It should probably come as no surprise that some of the best fishing in the world can be found in a country that harbors more freshwater than any other.

Elaborate native societies based their entire nutritional structure around fish, and fishing has since become a sacred recreation. Calgary Stampede www. Logger Sports www. See pros carve chairs, hand-saw at lightning speeds and cut trees with pinpoint precision in this heritage event held in Squamish, BC, in the first week of August. Yukon Quest www. Survivor Kananaskis www.

Last one standing wins. Held the last weekend in May on the Kananaskis River, one hour west of Calgary. Less controversial than a hockey scrum, fights at the end of a fishing line are equally exciting.

The fiercer, the longer and the more unpredictable the fish fight, the better. And on just about any Canadian freshwater lake, you could get yourself into a serious brouhaha.

Northern Saskatchewan contains some of the most productive lakes, and many are serviced by fishing lodges. Check local, provincial and federal fishing regulations wherever you are; most hardware or fishing shops can tell you everything there is to know.

Scuba divers can become one with one of the most abundant and diverse marine areas on earth from the perfectly-placed ocean cities of Vancouver and Victoria. Ocean life here also benefits from the cold, nutrient-rich water. June and September are best for mere mortals, but if you want to test some of the fiercest storms the Pacific can dish out, try surfing in winter. First-timers will enjoy the challenge with many great surf schools both east and west.

Tofino, outside Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, has a superb choice of surf schools and offers the most variety for learning. Squamish, BC Click here, benefits greatly from a wind-funneling venturi effect, which gets wild in Howe Sound. No trees hold back the wind; only power-generating wind farms compete for a chunk of the gust. Sheltered lagoons offer safe learning locations for testing kiteboards or seeking shelter during heavy days.

Today, horses help all kinds of people, from couch potatoes to the uberactive, get out to enjoy the landscape. Be ready to get down and dirty.

Most Ontarians live in the south within a few hundred kilometers of the US border, where winters are bearable and steamy summers lure folks outside. No longer a steadfast political filing cabinet, contemporary Ottawa is as hip as you want it to be. Year-round, Ontario celebrates its diversity with a cavalcade of festivals. And if you must seek out wildlife, there are some excellent national parks here too.

The first Europeans on the scene were 17th-century French fur traders, who established basic forts to facilitate trade links with the Mississippi River. With the arrival of the British Loyalists around , large-scale settlement began. The northern continental climate sees bitterly cold winters and mild summers. This creates steady precipitation throughout the year, heavy summer humidity and much milder winters than in the north.

That said, the entire province is blanketed with heavy snowfalls during winter. In the south, where most of the population lives, winter snow melts rapidly in spring. As summer draws closer, the strip of land bordering the USA gets increasingly hot and sticky, particularly the Niagara Peninsula.

There are also provincial parks here, offering hiking and camping facilities. Make reservations with Ontario Parks ; www. Charismatic megafauna has largely been evicted from southern Ontario due to development and agriculture, but the further north you travel, the more likely you are to spot hairy roadside individuals no, not lumberjacks. Two Weeks Feel like a road trip?

Heading northwest, take a paddle through the expansive Algonquin Provincial Park, visit Manitoulin Island for a dose of aboriginal culture, and try Sudbury and Sault Ste Marie for a history lesson on shipping and mining in northern Ontario. Continue westward and base yourself in Wawa for a few days. Greater expanses of unexplored nature lie ahead as you roll on toward Thunder Bay and beyond.

Air Canada www. CanJet www. First Air www. BUS Greyhound Canada www. Booking bus tickets at least seven days in advance can sometimes halve the fare. The big car-hire companies have offices in larger towns. Click here for key highways. Ontario Northland www. Its Northlander service connects Toronto with Cochrane, from where buses go to Hearst and Kapuskasing. Dramatic shifts in weather elicit almost schizophrenic behavior from the locals.

Humidity clogs the avenues and the streetlife hum approaches a roar. Spanked across the face by bitter February, locals head underground into the PATH network of subterranean walkways.

And of course, winter is hockey season! Overlayed by typically laconic Canadian attitude, Toronto is as unpretentious and tolerant as it is complex. Tommy Thompson Park, an artificial wildlife oasis, juts abstractly into Lake Ontario; the Toronto Islands rustle their leafy boughs at the city skyline.

In the British took over and John Simcoe, lieutenant governor of the new Upper Canada, chose the site as the capital formerly at Niagara-on-the-Lake and founded the town of York. The Americans looted and razed York, but held sway for only six days before Canadian troops booted them out and hounded them back to Washington. Like many big cities, Toronto had a great fire; in about five hectares of the inner city burned, leveling buildings.

Amazingly, no one was killed. Well over one million immigrants have arrived since: Italian, Portuguese, Chilean, Greek, Southeast Asian, Chinese and West Indian immigrants have rolled into the city in waves.

Just offshore are the Toronto Islands. The Church-Wellesley Village is a gay parallel universe a few blocks to the east. Lester B Pearson International Airport is 27km west of downtown. MapArt www. Shuffle over to St Lawrence Market for lunch then head up to Bloor-Yorkville to splash some cash in the shops.

Compensate with a thrifty dinner in Chinatown. Afterwards, ride the ferry to the Toronto Islands; hire a bike and wheel away the afternoon. Back on the mainland, nibble on late-night mezes Greek tapas and drinks in Greektown. A trashy night club-hopping through the Entertainment District is a mandatory T. TheatreBooks Map; ; www. Metro www. Now Toronto www. Toronto Life www.

Toronto Star www. Toronto Sun www. Where Toronto www. CIUT Edge Hospital for Sick Children Map; ; www. Money American Express , ; www. Instead, tackle the banks, or try Money Mart Map; ; www. Thomas Cook www. Tourism Toronto Map; , ; www. Most homeless people are more likely to be assaulted or harassed than to do so to you. The Toronto Islands are where locals retreat for a bit of peace and quiet.

North from the lake, modernity and history collide at Dundas Sq: shopping centers, office blocks, museums and majestic theatres all stake their claim. Suburban East Toronto and The Beaches are less edgy but are still interesting to explore.

Car-parking in Toronto is expensive and traffic congestion is an issue; public transportation is usually the best option. Ferries for the Toronto Islands dock here. Its primary function is as a radio and TV communications tower, but relieving tourists of as much cash as possible seems to be the second order of business. Tours include a brain-scrambling video wall screening footage of past sporting glories, concerts and events, a sprint through a box suite, a locker-room detour sans athletes and a memorabilia museum.

In between times the facility hosts everything from wedding expos to Wiggles concerts. Rooms overlooking the field can also be rented at the Renaissance Toronto.

Performances sometimes take place on the covered outdoor concert stage by the lake. Today, a handful of the original log, stone and brick buildings have been restored. In summer, men decked out in 19th-century British military uniforms carry out preposterous marches and drills, firing musket volleys into the sky.

Tours run hourly from May to September. When lakeside fishers noticed that northern pike were spawning here each spring, the city took it upon itself to create this new habitat.

Aside from the pike, look for monarch butterflies, mallard ducks, goldfinches, dragonflies and red-winged blackbirds.

Contact the Harbourfront Centre box office left for performance schedules and guided tour details. Additional attractions like the human-sized MegaMaze and House of Blues concerts at the Molson Amphitheatre ; www.

Discounted passes may be available after 5pm and for grounds-only admission. On rainy days, many of the rides, activities and restaurants close. The shuttle runs daily from June to August, and on weekends in May and September, departing every half-hour between 9am and 7pm.

Other events held at Exhibition Place throughout the year include the Grand Prix of Toronto and a slew of spectator sports and indie design shows. At other times the grounds are often spookily bereft of visitors. Financial District The area around Union Station is busy night and day with hot-dog vendors, shivering office workers smoking in doorways and fans heading to hockey games at the Air Canada Centre. Even visitors unfamiliar with this super-fast, ultraviolent sport will be impressed with the interactive multimedia exhibits and hockey nostalgia.

A succession of glass cases displays otter, bear, eagles and carved Inuit figures in day-to-day scenes. Old York Historically speaking, the old town of York comprises just 10 square blocks. But today the neighborhood extends east of Yonge St all the way to the Don River, and from Queen St south to the waterfront esplanade. The restored, high-trussed South Market houses more than 50 specialty food stalls: cheese vendors, fishmongers, butchers, bakers and pasta makers.

Inside the old council chambers upstairs, the St Lawrence Market Gallery ; admission free; 10am-4pm Wed-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat, noon-4pm Sun has rotating displays of paintings, photographs, documents and historical relics.

A few steps further north, the glorious St Lawrence Hall is topped by a mansard roof and a copper-clad clock tower that can be seen for blocks. Chemicals, sewage and fertilizer runoff have traditionally fouled the waters, and, although the situation is improving, only the brave and stupid dare to swim at city beaches. For most citizens, Lake Ontario is simply a big, gray, cold thing that stops the Americans from driving up Yonge St.

For the record, Lake Ontario is the 14th largest lake in the world and the smallest and most easterly of the five Great Lakes: km long, 85km wide and m deep. Be sure to tell the locals all about it. Wedding parties shoot photos against a backdrop of redbrick and cobblestone; clean-cut couples shop for leather lounge suites beneath charmingly decrepit gables and gantries. In summer expect live jazz, exhibitions and food-focused events.

You can peek at the radio newsrooms anytime or attend a free noontime concert in the world-class Glenn Gould Studio. Both are east of the Queen St shopping district. Out the front is Nathan Phillips Square, a meeting place for skaters, demonstrators and office workers on their lunch breaks. The fountain pool becomes an ice-skating rink in winter Click here.

Now housing legal courtrooms, the hall has an off-center bell tower, interesting murals and grimacing gargoyles. Constructed in , the stunning Winter Garden was built as the flagship for a vaudeville chain that never really took off, while the downstairs Elgin theater was converted into a movie house in the s.

Public tours are worth every cent. Click here. When it opened in , it was the first church in Toronto not to charge parishioners for pews. Workshops teach batik making, weaving, knitting and all manner of needle-stuff. Prices will rise once renovations are complete and opening hours are subject to change; check the website for updates.

The Leafs lost their first game to the Chicago Blackhawks in , but went on to win 13 Stanley Cups before relocating to the Air Canada Centre in Over the years, Elvis, Sinatra and the Beatles have all belted out tunes at the Gardens.

Rumors that this much-loved piece of city history was going to be demolished were only partly true. The Gardens were bought by grocery chain Loblaws in , with a shopping complex redevelopment slated to begin in early we hope the chunky art-deco facade survives. The new work involves a magnificent explosion of architectural crystals on Bloor St, housing an array of new galleries. The Chinese temple sculptures, Gallery of Korean Art and costumery and textile collections are some of the best in the world.

Kids file out of yellow school buses chugging by the sidewalk and rush to the dinosaur rooms, Egyptian mummies and Jamaican bat-cave replica. The on-site Institute of Contemporary Culture explores current issues through art, architecture, lectures and moving image.

Peruse some 19th-century French chestnut-crushing clogs, aboriginal Canadian polar boots or famous modern pairs worn by Elton John, Indira Gandhi and Pablo Picasso. Permanent and rotating exhibits cover the evolution of shoemaking, with a focus on how shoes have signified social status throughout human history. Spread over three floors, collections cover several millennia; various rooms focus on 17th- and 18th-century English tavern ware, Italian Renaissance majolica, ancient American earthenware and blue-and-white Chinese porcelain.

The central St George campus is venerable indeed. West and north of U of T lies The Annex, a residential neighborhood populated primarily by students and professors.

It overflows with pubs, organic grocery stores, global-minded eateries and spiritual venues. He later lost everything in land speculation, the resultant foreclosure forcing Hank and his wife to move out. The castle briefly reopened as a luxury hotel, but its big-band nightclub attracted more patrons than the hotel ever did, and it too failed. Lit by Victorian gaslights, the interior contains three generations of furnishings, art and fabrics. Viewing is free, but security regulations are in full force.

Dating from , sociable Hart House ; www. Eating here is an absolute joy, and shopping is a blast. The streets are full of artists, dreadlocked urban hippies, tattooed punks, potheads, junkies, dealers, bikers, goths, musicians and anarchists. Shady characters on bicycles whisper their drug menus as they glide by; hooch and Hendrix tinge the air.

The further west you go, the more traditional things become, with aromatic bakeries, sidewalk gelaterias and rootsy ristoranti. Permanent holdings only number about works, curated since , but award-winning temporary exhibitions promote new artists from Nova Scotia to BC.

Completed in , the m bridge arcs 40m above the Don River, linking east and west Toronto. Structural engineer Edmund Burke cunningly included a lower deck for future rail transport in his design. At a peak rate of one every 22 days, around folks decided to call it quits here. The solution?

The park is open to the public on weekends and holidays; cars and pets are prohibited. Summer schedules offer interpretive programs and guided walks, usually with an ecological theme. To get here on public transportation, take any streetcar east along Queen St to Leslie St, then walk m south to the gates.

Alternatively, hire a bike or some in-line skates and follow the Martin Goodman Trail all the way here. Kids follow the farmer around as he does his daily chores, including milking the cows at am. Toronto Islands Once upon a time there were no Toronto Islands, just an immense sandbar stretching 9km into the lake. On April 13, , a hurricane blasted through the sandbar and created the gap now known as the Eastern Channel.

The islands are only accessible by a minute ferry ride Click here. Squeezed together on a few hundred acres are an antique carousel, goofy golf course, miniature train rides and a sky gondola. Far Enough Farm zoo presents kids with plenty of opportunities to cuddle something furry and step in something sticky. Further south are changing rooms, snack bars, bicycle rentals opposite and a pier striking out into the lake. Thanks to climate change, winters nowadays are too mild for it.

Bus 30B picks up at High Park subway station, then loops through the park on weekends and holidays from mid-June to early September. The High Park streetcar drops off on the east side of the park. If you exit the park by Colborne Lodge at the south gates, walk down to Lake Shore Blvd W and catch any streetcar back east to downtown.

Elizabeth Simcoe named the spot in after Scarborough in Yorkshire, England. Several parks provide access to clifftops, from where views shoot across Lake Ontario. You can also access the shore at Galloway Rd further east. Unless you have wheels, getting to the bluffs can be a drag, and if you do have a car, parking is limited.

One option is to take the subway to Victoria Park, then bus 12 along Kingston Rd. Nature paths start near the bridge and wind back to the secluded Todmorden Mills Wildflower Preserve www. Along the way you can connect to the Don Valley mountain-bike trails at Cherry St. On the Toronto Islands opposite the south-shore boardwalk and the interconnecting paved paths are car-free zones.

You can also cycle or skate around hilly High Park opposite. A recreational cycling club, the Toronto Bicycling Network ; www. Rental operators include: Community Bicycling Network Map; ; www. Alternatively, hook up with one of the following groups for hardy day hikes: Hike Ontario ; www. These artificial rinks are open daily weather permitting from 10am to 10pm, mid-November to March. Toronto Windsurfing Club Map; ; www. Get off the bus at Commissioners St and walk 10 minutes south.

Beyond the digital stock-market displays, turn left and take the stairs up to the Design Exchange 9; ; www. Shuffle through the basement, diverting right through a zany striped corridor and up some stairs to be spat out onto Temperance St. Pursue the signs to the Eaton Centre 14; Click here , window-shop your way to the north end of the mall then take the escalators up two levels.

Queues can be lengthy; most rides operate rain or shine. Wonderland is a minute drive northwest of downtown Toronto on Hwy Exit at Rutherford Rd, 10 minutes north of Hwy Climb a rock wall, catch a criminal with DNA fingerprinting and race an Olympic bobsled at the excellent, interactive Ontario Science Centre Map; ; www.

Over high-tech exhibits and live demonstrations wow the kids and the adults at the back, pretending not to be interested. Also here is the giant domed Omnimax Cinema.

Black Creek Pioneer Village ; www. The village is on the southeast corner of Steeles Ave and Jane St, a minute drive northwest of downtown. A handy online resource for parents is www. Seats 20; bring your own food and drink. Since the s, its cutting-edge productions have focused on radical new plays with contemporary Canadian themes. Post-performance chats with cast and producers happen regularly. Sign up for a workshop on erotic photography or Bondage !

Need a comic book fix? Beguiling Map; ; www. Check the website for events. Shuffle in under the rusty ballroom sign for live bands playing honky-tonk and classic rock.

Some of the weirder city festivals include Caribana, with its booty-licious carnival parade; Nuit Blanche a sleepless night of kooky urban art experiences; and the always in-your-face Toronto Buskerfest. Favorites include: New Tribe Map; ; www. Tat-a-Rama Map; ; www. Way Cool Tattoos Map; ; www. For shorter excursions, just show up and buy a ticket at the quay; reservations are recommended for brunch and dinner cruises.

Keep in mind that ferries to the Toronto Islands offer spectacular city views for half the price! Mariposa Cruise Lines Map; , ; www. Sunday brunch and dinner-and-dance cruises, too. Toronto Tours Map; ; www. Bus Toronto bus tours are convenient, but with TTC day passes Click here being so cheap, a do-it-yourself tour makes perfect sense.

Gray Line Tours Map; , ; www. Buy tickets on board. Moose Travel , ; www. ROMBus Map; ; www. Toronto Hippo Tours Map; , ; www. Cycling tours allow you to cover a bit more territory. Try the following companies: A Taste of the World ; www. Reservations recommended. Civitas City Walks ; city. Heritage Toronto ; www. Reservations not required. ROMWalks ; www. Sights On Bikes ; www. Many events are free. Pride Toronto ; www.

Late June. National Aboriginal Day ; www. Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival ; www. Grand Prix of Toronto ; www. Beaches International Jazz Festival ; www. The air show and Labour Day fireworks take the cake. Caribana ; www. Toronto Buskerfest ; www. Films of all lengths and styles are screened in late September, as celebs shimmy between gala events and the shiny new film-fest HQ.

Buy tickets well in advance. Virgin Music Festival ; www. Nuit Blanche ; www. Late September. Readings, discussions, lectures, awards and book signings. Check hotel websites for internet discounts and package deals. Downtown Toronto offers historic hotels, boutique digs and lakefront properties. Budget beds are harder to find, but there are some top-quality youth hostels around town. A handy online resource is www. Booking agencies are another way to save time and money.

The Lady Muskoka , ; www. Kayaks and canoes are available for hire at Algonquin Outfitters ; www. The beautiful riverside home, with scarlet shutters and a towering brick chimney, is an amazing deal for solo travelers. Visit the website of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs www. Inn at the Falls , ; www. A turn-of-theth-century vibe is maintained with iron lanterns, antique candelabras, old portraits and picket fences. The more luxurious suites have two floors and feature gargantuan beds that feel more like boats.

Hand-select your slab of meat or fish and then watch the chef as he works his magic on the grill. Both feature stellar views of the cascading falls, but the latter is often closed on Saturdays in the summer for wedding receptions. Bizarrely, both options are roughly the same price. Riverwalk ; www. Reservations recommended. Settle in with a pint of Muskoka ale from the brewery just over the road. The Chamber of Commerce ; www. For a historic perspective of the region, visit Muskoka Heritage Place ; www.

Enjoy a complimentary gourmet breakfast on the balcony overlooking the nearby lakes. Several quality motels are peppered throughout town, including the lakeside Sunset Inn Motel , ; www.

After a long hike in Algonquin Park, swing by Pub on the Docks ; 90 Main St; am-1am and grab a beer with friendly locals. The atmosphere is quite laid-back and serene despite the giant set of railroad tracks soaring through the sky near the docks. Pick up a copy of Sideroads of Parry Sound, which details a variety of quirky things to do around town. Voted second-best player of all time by Hockey News, Orr forever changed the role of defensemen with his awesome offensive prowess.

At his huge modern shrine, fans can play air hockey, pretend to be a sports announcer, or they can strap on goalie gear and confront an automated puck-firing machine. Trips push off at 1pm daily, with an extra 10am departure in July and August. Rooms are swathed in classic floral-patterned wallpaper; one room even has little horses on the wall. Bayside Inn ; www. The menu has some calorie-conscious options like pecan chicken.

The rugged trek, geared toward experienced hikers, twists through a mountainous realm of sapphire lakes, thirsty birches, luscious pine forests and shimmering quartzite cliffs.

A network of shorter, less challenging hikes also offers glimpses of the majestic terrain including the Cranberry Bog Trail a 4km loop and the Granite Ridge Trail a 2km loop. Most people access the park from the Hwy turnoff along Hwy 69, which terminates in the tiny village of Killarney. The popular George Lake access point features an information center and limited camping facilities.

The total number of campsites is low, so contact Ontario Parks , ; www. It should also be noted that there are no powered campsites in the park. For canoe rentals at the park, try Killarney Kanoes , ; www. A credit card is required to reserve your equipment, and bookings must be done over the phone or on the website. There is a two-day renting minimum. Killarney Outfitters , ; www. The storefront location is 5km west of the George Lake Campground. The park is not accessible by public transportation and is 58km west of Hwy 69 along Hwy The names of its different regions sound like meditation mantras, or mythical beasts: Mindemoya, Sheguiandah shuh-gwin-dah , Wikwemikong.

Haweaters people born on Manitoulin will spot you a mile away as you fumble over six-syllable words. As you cross the bridge into Little Current, consider stopping at the Manitoulin Tourism Association ; www. Small info booths in Gore Bay and Manitowaning are staffed during July and August hours fluctuate according to volunteer availability.

Most tours stop at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation ; www. Rotating exhibits reflect a rich history of legends and skilled craftswork. Wander across the street and visit the Church of the Immaculate Conception This center for worship is built in the round to symbolize a tipi, a campfire, and the interconnectedness of life.

Intricate woodcarvings at the entrance beautifully depict the Stations of the Cross. Get off the highway 70km north of Parry Sound and park your car or thimble at the Little Britt Inn , ; www.

This hidden gem, on the shores of the Georgian Bay, has built a reputation among foodies who travel to far-flung places for memorable meals.

Make sure to pick up a copy of the Guide to Little Britt, a handmade rulebook to the four-room inn. The 12km path leads to the highest point on the island m , which has marvelous views of the crinkled shoreline along the North Channel. Stop in Kagawong at Bridal Veil Falls and let the melodic splashes fall on your head.

Many of the events are competitive, with prize money awarded to the best dancers and drummers. For information contact the Wikwemikong Heritage Organization ; www. Brenda, the kindhearted owner, serves a colorful assortment of wild fruit and organic teas at the overflowing breakfasts.

Grab a book from the antique hutch library and idly thumb through while relaxing on the white veranda amongst potted lilacs. Families with young children should consider other options. Shaftesbury Inn ; www. The in-house restaurant serves up an assortment of European cuisine including spaetzle dumplings , goulash and chicken cordon bleu.

With a steadfast commitment to promoting provincial products, the tantalizing menu offers a local wine selection, freshly caught char from Little Current, and an assortment of wild berries. Entertainment De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre Group ; www. Check their website for additional details about upcoming performances. In summer, the bridge closes for the first 15 minutes every hour to allow shipping traffic through the channel.

For information on the jolly Chi-Cheemaun ferry which links the island to the Bruce Peninsula in the south, Click here. There is no land-based public transportation to or around Manitoulin. Real big. So big, in fact, that the locals measure distances in hours rather than kilometers. The mining and logging industries operate on a global scale. The infinite expanses of forest have made Canada the number one provider of timber in the world.

About , people live in the entire region, and only two towns have over , citizens Sudbury and Thunder Bay. Most people who inhabit the north come from mining or logging families. Recent years have seen a surge in nature enthusiasts, although the population continues to dwindle as jobs become scarce. The drive between Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the country.

Misty fjord-like passages hide isolated beaches amongst dense thickets of pine, cedar and birch. Prevailing mists cast a primeval haze over the churning waters. The new state-of-the-art visitor center offers an informed perspective on the dramatic topography and its accompanying history.

The park is about 30km northwest of Parry Sound on Hwy This far-flung area offers access to the isolated James Bay. Then, the section follows Hwy 11 back east as it cuts through the far north, passing Cochrane and Temagami before ultimately reaching North Bay.

Return to beginning of chapter SUDBURY pop , From the right angles, radioactive Sudbury is a pulsing oasis of cultured hipsters, offering a surprising selection of trendy dining and entertainment options. Toasty sunsets are enriched by the puff of nearby industrial chemicals, morphing the evening blazes into ethereal flares. Then, like a flickering switchboard, the industrial lights mimic the stars above. When the Canadian Pacific Railway plowed through in , a mother lode of nickel-copper ore was discovered, transforming the dreary region into the biggest nickel producer on the globe.

The rest of the city sprawls into the horizon and major attractions are widely dispersed. Try www. Chamber of Commerce ; www. Rainbow Country Travel Association , ; www. After passing through a tunnel dug deep within the 2. Wander through a living butterfly garden, explore rocks through a microscope, build an empire out of Lego, or fly away on a bushplane simulator.

The blue-coated staff is exceptionally friendly and can tackle the most obscure questions about the displays. The main attraction is the underground tour with a simulated dynamite blast , and visitors will enjoy the extensive geologically themed exhibits.

It tells the story of the three flour silos on Notre Dame Ave. Activities Sudbury is home to one of the best-known mini-putt golf courses in North America. Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf ; www. Sundog Outfitters ; www. Another great option, Wild Women Expeditions , ; wildwomenexp.

During the summer, paddling trips and cycling tours meander through the dense wilderness areas of Killarney, Temagami, Mississagi and Manitoulin Island.

Throughout the rest of the year, intriguing programming, such as drumming, yoga and landscape painting, is offered at the base camp 45km west of Sudbury near Narin Centre. Belmont Inn , ; www. Ask for a newly refurbished room. Parker House Inn , ; www. Elegant suites overflow into a second cottage across the street. Days Inn , ; www. The central location is a plus.

Auberge du Village , ; www. McDonalds has fast food; Deluxe offers swift service. Notice a pattern? Slip out to the crimson-brick courtyard and enjoy your casual lunch or late-night cocktails weather permitting, of course. Dish recommendations are virtually impossible as the ever-shifting menu promises bursting flavors with every bite.

Weekends are standing room only, so strap on the dance shoes and prepare to get down. Drop by on hockey nights to catch northern Ontarians in their natural environment as they hoot for the home team while swigging a dark draught. Several car-rental options are available at the airport, including Enterprise and National Ontario Northland and Greyhound Canada use the same bus depot ; Notre Dame Ave about 3km north of the downtown core.

Sometimes Greyhound will make a courtesy stop at the transit center downtown so passengers may connect to the city bus system. Most trains pull in to Sudbury Junction Train Station ; Lasalle Blvd , which is about 10km northeast of the town center.

Passengers heading east toward Ottawa must catch a connecting train through Toronto. Over 50 city buses roam the downtown region connecting the major attractions. Before crossing the town off your itinerary, head to the Fire Tower Lookout, about 3km northeast of town, and let the grand majesty of the dense evergreens wash over you.

Several hands-on displays present the history of mining in the region with a special focus on the uranium mine decommissioning process and the subsequent impact on the environment. The town has but two uninspired options for accommodations. The better choice is the Fireside Inn , ; www. Canoeing buffs should pick up the Area Canoe Routes brochure at the welcome center in Elliot Lake see above.

The pamphlet details seven unique portages around the park including the day-long Cobre Lake Loop, which can be interspersed with captivating hikes. For camping reservations call Ontario Parks , ; www. Note that none of the campsites have electricity and the limited facilities on Semiwite Lake the gatehouse and toilets are solar-powered.

Sleepy St Joseph is actually the second-largest freshwater island in the world and the largest producer of maple syrup in Ontario. At one time the fort was the most remote outpost of the British land-hold in North America. Take a piece of St Joseph Island home with you and visit the artisans at Puddingstone Creations , ; www. Unique to the island, puddingstone is a rare rock covered with crimson flecks that was formed through a billion years of seismic activity. Call the workshop in advance if you plan to stop by.

Consider basing yourself in Sault Ste Marie, 50km west, and spend a quiet afternoon exploring. The island is reachable by the toll-free bridge off Hwy A surplus of accommodations, dining and shopping options can be found just north of the city center along Great Northern Rd.

The pass can be purchased at any of these locations. A couple of decades later, the region was explored by the Group of Seven, who immortalized the unspoiled scenery through vivid landscape tableaux.

Today, the railway is largely used for passenger transportation and tours. The half-loop rejoins Hwy 17 at Iron Bridge for a total of about km. The road is narrow and hilly in parts, and you should allow up to three hours of driving time plus stops. Pick up a Deer Trail brochure at the Elliot Lake information office to annotate your trek.

From mid-June to mid-October, a daily train shuttles passengers along the pristine lakes and jagged granite of the Canadian Shield. The best time for a ride is during the last two weeks of September or the first week of October when the blazing autumn foliage turns a brilliant red and yellow.

Trains depart at 8am and return at pm, with a two-hour layover in the lush Agawa Canyon, km north of Sault Ste Marie. Every Saturday from the end of January to the middle of March, the Snow Train cuts a path deep within the Algoma Central country offering unforgettable views of crystalline snowfields. Due to extreme temperatures and perpetual snowfall, passengers are unable to disembark at any point along the journey.

A final option is the rustic trek to the end of the line at Hearst, known as the Tour of the Line. All trains depart from the train station Bay St , which also sells tickets. Check with your local accommodations before booking tickets as they may offer discount package deals. A minute film explains the importance of bushplanes in northern Ontario as several remote communities are not accessible by road.

The jiving soundtrack captures the sense of adventure associated with this oft-used form of transportation. Stroll amongst retired bushplanes to get a sense of how tiny these flyers really are. A new flight simulator takes passengers on a spirited ride along sapphire lakes and towering pines you might even get a little wet! This scenic and informative cruise offers a unique perspective on one of the most heavily trafficked canal systems in the world.

There are several trips daily from June to August, and fewer in spring and fall. The two-hour tours pass through both the Canadian and American locks. The meandering path winds through wooded knolls, encircles the trench-like locks, and dips under the International Bridge, allowing visitors to grasp the interesting juxtaposition of nature and industry.

Beyond the exhibits, the structure is itself an important historical tribute to the early s, when little Sault Ste Marie emerged from obscurity. Although dwarfed by the casino across the border in Michigan, the gambling hall holds its own with two-dozen gaming tables and a large restaurant. Join the team of experienced nature-lovers on a variety of kayaking expeditions, from one day to one week, along the northern crest of Lake Superior.

Sleeping While the bulk of motels and chain accommodations gather further north along Great Northern Rd, there are several options peppered around the downtown core, mostly along the waterfront. Algonquin Hotel , ; www. Just be prepared to share your well-worn wood-paneled room with the spirits of drunken derelicts that called the place home some 50 years ago. Satelite Motel , ; www. Brockwell Chambers ; www. Take a giant step back to the early s and enjoy the delicate floral patterns, burnished candelabras and lacquered hutches.

Water Tower Inn , ; www. Eating The list of tasty venues is surprisingly long in this quiet burg. Going Italian is the best bet for a savory meal as most of the locals can trace their lineage back to the Boot-land. The club sandwich with gravy-drenched fries is the local fave.

The modern menu is echoed in the smooth, minimalist decor as though Panna were plucked from a trendy urban center and plopped down amongst homely neighbors. Pick up a free copy of Fresh magazine for the latest happenings around town. Loplops ; www. Grab a glass of imported wine from the glittering steel bar and enjoy an evening amid strumming guitars while eavesdropping on the restless murmurs of tortured artists.

Unleash your inner diva at one of the many open mic nights or catch the latest folk and jazz music from local and visiting artists. This lively joint squats below a nondescript restaurant that shares its name. The ample riverside patio seating makes this lodge-like hangout a favorite amongst the local somethings. Besides getting top marks at high school, she was athlete of the year in her graduation year.

For fun, she parachuted and got her scuba-diving certification. Of course when the National Research Council of Canada decided to begin a space program, Bondar put her hand up, along with other Canadians. She was one of the six picked. As a payload scientist on board the shuttle Discovery in , she studied the effects of weightlessness on the human body. Upon returning to terra firma, she wrote a book about her experiences, Touching the Earth, which included many of her own photographs.

She now earns a living through photography and as a motivational speaker based in Toronto. In Canada: Landscape of Dreams, her photographs accompany the words of famous Canadians discussing what the country means to them. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre displays artifacts from her Discovery mission, and the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in the waterfront area is named after her. If you catch her summering in the family cottage just northwest of the city, she might even autograph one of those books for you.

There are several car-rental options at the airport including Enterprise and Budget. Check with your hotel before arrival as it might offer complimentary pickup service. The bus station ; 73 Brock St is downtown and serves as a terminus for local, domestic and international ground transportation.

Call for more information and route details. The sq-km park is one of the most scenic areas along the lake, offering misty fjord-like passages, thick evergreens, and empty beaches that could have been lifted from the Caribbean. The outdoorsy staff members are an excellent resource for making the most of your visit, however long it may be.

Culture junkies should make a pit stop at the Agama Rock Pictographs. These animal and anthropomorphic images, painted in red ochre, are roughly to years old. A short-but-rugged m trail connects the visitor parking lot to a rock ledge where, if the lake is calm, the mysterious sketches can be viewed. For those who have a bit more time, there are 11 excellent hiking trails to explore. There are five road access points for those who wish to do a smaller section. Try the Nokomis Trail 5km , which loops around the iconic Old Woman Bay so named because it is said you can see the face of an old woman in the cliffs.

Lake Superior Park also hosts a burgeoning paddling culture. Eight charted inland routes range from the mild 16km Fenton-Treeby loop with 11 short portages , to challenging routes accessible only via the Algoma Central Railway. Naturally Superior Adventures and Caribou Expeditions run extensive paddling programs in and around the park. Bookings must be made through Ontario Parks ; www.

Keep an eye out for scraggly moose along the highway, especially at dusk or dawn. After years of prosperity as a gold and iron-ore mining town, modern-day Wawa has shifted its focus toward outdoor tourism. There are actually two other giant geese in town: a noticeably decrepit and anatomically incorrect goose lingers just up the street on the opposite side of the road, and the third bird flaps its wings above the Wawa Motor Inn.

The latter has a popular picnic area, and the two misty chutes are linked by a short section of the long-distance Voyageur Trail. Naturally Superior Adventures , ; www. Its lodge quietly sits along Lake Superior between a craggy expanse of stone and smooth sandy beach. A day on the grounds is itself a memorable experience as cool mists roll through in the afternoon and the evening sun gently melts into the lake.

These trips are suitable for total beginners. The three basic rooms are spotless, comfortable, and offer views of the lake.

Parkway Motel , ; www. The comfortable motel is 5km south of Wawa along the highway. Wawa Motor Inn , ; www. Log-cabin-like rooms out back are the perfect place to unleash your inner lumberjack. Food from Trinidad, mon! Add some spice to your trip and try the baked pork or the stewed catfish. For information, check out www.

Several outfitters operate at various points along the river including Missinaibi Headwaters Outfitters ; www. The park ext ; www. Pukaskwa offers many of the same topographical features as Lake Superior Provincial Park and includes a small herd of elusive caribou. There are two ways to explore this majestic hinterland. For many years, White River was known as the coldest place in Ontario.

A large kitschy thermometer was erected in town displaying the ungodly temperatures. It all started in when a trapper brought a baby black cub to White River after an extended hunting trip. Since Disney owns the rights to the furry bear, the giant statue in White River had to be slightly altered to avoid copyright infringement. The Visitor Centre 9am-4pm Jul-Aug offers a wealth of information about local wildlife and the boreal forest.

On most summer evenings starting around 7pm there are guided hikes and activities departing from the center. Three short trails depart from the campground area, offering glimpses of the pristine setting. The popular Southern Headland Trail 2. The track also acquaints hikers with bonsai-esque trees, severely stunted by harsh winds blowing off the lake. The Halfway Lake Trail 2. Informative signs, dotted along the path, annotate the trek by offering an informed perspective on the inner workings of the ecosystem.

A third route, the Beach Trail 1. Hattie Cove and Halfway Lake offer tranquil day-long paddling options as well. Many fit hikers opt to traverse the first 7. The trek is arduous, even wet, and you must return the way you came making it a 15km total , but few will complain about the stunning surroundings.

McCuaig Marine Services ; mccuaigk onlink. Rocky Neys Provincial Park , , just west of Marathon, has craggy beaches, furry caribou, and sunsets that make for a perfect Kodak moment. Drop by the town of Terrace Bay and catch a boat to the Slate Islands, home to the largest herd of woodland caribou in the world. The Rossport Inn ; www. Even the wallpaper peels in the most charming of ways.

Up the road, the neon-green Serendipity Guest House ; www. Ouimet wee-met canyon, just 12km off the highway, is a treacherous crevasse scoured out by ice and wind during the last Ice Age.

A microclimate has formed at the bottom, m below, which supports a small collection of rare arctic-alpine plants. A 1km loop hugs the jagged bluffs offering views that will make your knees tremble. Camping is prohibited. Pleasant campgrounds and a m ice wall keep this place busy year-round. Both canyons are 45km west of Nipigon and 73km northeast of Thunder Bay.

The park is rugged enough to offer backcountry camping, while compact enough for a fulfilling day trip. The three-day Kabeyun Trail follows the dramatic west coast of the peninsula.

Shorter hikes will also allow you to mingle with white-tailed deer, moose and porcupines. For camping reservations, contact Ontario Parks ; www. After hours of driving between an ethereal coastline and majestic forests, the concrete collection of industrial relics feels quite out of place. The two distinct downtown cores act like polar magnets repelling attempts at gentrification. However, below the gritty surface, expansive Thunder Bay has a warm small-town vibe.

The Ojibwe have inhabited the region for centuries, even millennia. Soon after, a rival settlement popped up 5km up the road. Port Arthur was more mining-centric, until it became a shipping center for prairie grain. The metallic granaries continue to line the seaboard. The gigantic wasteland of tarred parking lots in between is known as Intercity. Consider renting a car from one of the many dealerships in the stretch of commercial zoning known as Intercity.

The memorial honors the young Terry Fox, a native of British Columbia, who lost his leg and eventually his life to cancer. Before passing on, he left a powerful legacy by attempting to walk across Canada with an artificial leg to raise money for cancer research.

On September 1, he arrived in Thunder Bay after traveling km, but was forced to stop as his illness worsened. The spectacular 40m waterfall is the source of many local legends. The moody chute is at its best after the thaw in early spring and it gushes year-round after heavy rains.

Today, the large heritage center offers 42 historic buildings stuffed with entertaining and antiquated props like muskets, pelts and birch-bark canoes. The use of natural imagery, haunting masks and scorching primary colors will leave lasting impressions on visitors.

The lookout is part of the Fort William First Nation ; www. A walking trail leads from the viewing area to the top of the mountain.

The same folks also run Wabakimi Canoe Outfitters ; www. Expeditions focus on the thick stretch of dense boreal forest known as Wabakimi Provincial Park Superiorfinn Juhannus Arts Festival ; mid-Jun A long day of celebrating the summer solstice and Finnish heritage here in the land of the almost-midnight sun.

Festa Italiana ; www. Anishnawbe Keeshigun ; www. Sleeping As a common layover during trans-Canadian treks, Thunder Bay boasts a wide variety of lodging options. A large selection of chain motels gathers around the intersection of Hwys and Thunder Bay International Hostel ; www.

The charismatic owners, Lloyd and Willa Jones, champion the backpacking lifestyle; in fact two of their children run hostels as well.

A night here is in itself an experience to be remembered. The hostel is 25km east of town. Sleeping Giant Guesthouse , ; hostelscanada yahoo. She might even take you to the local dump to check out the bear that clomp around looking for food. Rooms are stocked with wooden bunk beds and pastel linoleum floors. Free bikes provide an extra bonus for those who want to explore the waterfront nearby.

Thunder Bay Inn , ; www. This is your place. McVicar Manor ; www. Chocolate and roses abound, wine flows in the evening, sunflowers cheer the kitchen, and the perfect homemade breakfast greets you in the stately, uncluttered dining room. Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel , ; www. The waterfront property has gone through its fair share of renovations, but the cherry-brick exterior and rickety elevator retain the old-school charm. Splurge for a room with placid views of Sleeping Giant across the bay.

Eating Hoito Restaurant ; www. Hefty carnivorous portions are dished out amid ranch-like curios. The infamous prime rib will give your arteries a workout. Bistro One ; www. The facade positively reeks of franchise banality, however, the inside is filled with one-of-a-kind touches like white-clothed tables and designer stemware.

Magnus Theatre ; www. Entry to the theater is off Waverley St. The airport is about 3km southwest of the city, at the junction of Hwy 17 and Hwy The Greyhound bus depot ; Fort William Rd lies between the two downtown areas near the Intercity Mall. Getting Around Car-rental chains are well represented at the airport and in the commercial zoning area known as Intercity, located between the two downtown regions.

The major hotels, including the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel, offer airport shuttles for their guests. Thunder Bay Transit ; www. Traffic thins out after Kakabeka Falls as highway vistas become noticeably dull. Then, at Shabaqua Corners, the highway forks: the northern route along Hwy 17 plows straight toward Winnipeg, Manitoba, while the southern route Hwy 11 and Hwy 71 takes about two extra hours as it ambles through scenic landscapes. Both routes will shuttle you through prime fishing country; service stations might try to lure you by offering free minnows with your tank of gas.

Signs mark the beginning of a new time zone you save an hour going west. The aptly named Canoe Frontier Expeditions ; www. Northern Route Ignace and Dryden have plenty of motels and basic restaurants but no compelling reason to stop. If you happen to be passing through Dryden at the beginning of July, a stop at the annual Moose Fest is a must.

The biggest and best place to pause is Kenora, a pulp-and-paper town and the unofficial capital of the striking Lake of the Woods region. This local hub services the local tourist activity, which mainly consists of summer vacation cottages and fishing trips. Accommodations options are plentiful as the usual army of franchise motels is stacked along the highway.

The visitor center , ; www. Main St and Front St, along the water, host most of the action. Canadian Native Cultural Tours ; www. The Lake of the Woods Museum ; www. Southern Route Those who choose the longer route between Ontario and Manitoba will be rewarded with spectacular distractions. Atikokan is the first major stop on the southern trail after the highways diverge. The endless waterlogged preserve has but one small campground, and over km of canoe routes stretching beyond the horizon into unexplored backcountry.

Canoe Canada Outfitters ; www. The Fort Frances Museum ; www. Travelers who wish to continue along the Trans-Canada Hwy must follow Hwy 71 north after passing tiny Emo, since Hwy 11 veers south across the border. Before linking back up with Hwy 17, consider making two more scenic pit stops on the eastern realm of Lake of the Woods. Nestor Falls and Sioux Narrows are serene resort towns, offering a glut of rentable cottages and houseboats.

The km of desolate highway offers little more than a shortcut or a less-long-cut from Thunder Bay to Cochrane. Sans stops, the eight-hour car ride will give you plenty of time to ponder the following: how can there be so much roadkill and yet not another car on the road?

Evidence of harsh, long winters is conspicuous in this windswept town, but despite the inhospitable winters, the largely Francophone population is warm and accommodating. The assortment of passengers is a sight in and of itself: locals, trappers, biologists, geologists, tourists, anglers and hard-core paddlers all ride the shuttle one car is specially outfitted to transport canoes. From September to June, the train is commonly known as the Little Bear. All three were brought into captivity as cubs after poachers sadly shot their mothers.

Visitors can meet the friendly bears at daily feedings, or swim with the creatures in a pool divided by a thick sheet of glass. An on-site mock colonial village, stocked with costumed staff, is also included in the price of admission. Micro-fridges and a lake out back are an extra bonus.

Station Inn , ; www. Stop by the gym and whirlpool to get the blood flowing before a lengthy trip to Moosonee. The gorge-worthy ribs are so tasty, they might convince you to plan a second trip to Cochrane. All services arrive at and depart from the Cochrane Train Station Expeditions further north will undoubtedly involve floatplanes, canoes, snowmobiles, dogsleds or snowshoes. Moose Factory Tourism Association A useful telephone information service. The best way to experience the region is through a tour with the local Moose Cree.

In Moose Factory, the Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre Jul-Aug features indoor and outdoor exhibits of artifacts, including bone tools, traditional toys, reusable diapers and dwellings from the pre-contact era. It is best to explore the center with a guide, as they can relay fascinating details and personal anecdotes about the interesting displays. The goal of the center, 70km east of Moosonee, is to recreate several villages each at different points in history. One camp has bark-construction dwellings typical of the pre-contact era, and another will feature contact-era canvas tipis.

Guests travel between the main base and the villages by canoe, and activities in the area might include demonstrations of trapping and fishing. Practical details and prices had not been established at the time of research, so check the website for the latest information. These highly recommended trips offer a unique opportunity to experience something beyond what many train passengers see.

They share many stories of living off the land and fostering the traditional ways of life of their parents and grandparents. The importance of the family unit and the respect for the elders is paramount.

The local community is incredibly friendly and welcoming. Moose Factory is a great place for people to learn about Cree culture. There are a couple of lodging options in Moosonee, although we strongly suggest staying on the island of Moose Factory. The three rooms are appointed with modern furnishings.

Cree Village Ecolodge , ; www. This fascinating place to stay was designed and furnished to reflect traditional Cree values. The environmentally-conscious design extends to the organic wool and cotton used in the carpets, blankets and bed linen, organic soaps in every room, and some composting toilets. The lodge is also home to the first public library in Moose Factory. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available to guests and nonguests alike, and are served in the Shabotowan Great Hall.

For information on the trains from Cochrane, Click here. In winter the river becomes an ice bridge stable enough for cars and trucks. Return to beginning of chapter TIMMINS pop 43, At one time, Timmins was the most productive gold-mining area in the western hemisphere, and today the city still heavily revolves around its lucrative silver and zinc industry, with a network of over km of subterranean tunnels.

The shockingly large complex showcases her life and music through memorabilia, concert footage and an extensive collection of personal effects. Experienced miners dress visitors up in full digging apparel and take them through the Hollinger mine, 50m underground. The journey includes a rail ride, liquid gold pouring, and a simulated dynamite blast. Flat shoes and warm clothing are a must.

Timmins has the usual crew of chain motels dotted along Algonquin Blvd Hwy Cedar Meadows Wilderness Park , ; www. While the god-fearing pharaohs were commissioning wondrous pyramids, this region of majestic pines and hushed lakes was a thriving network of trading routes. There are no facilities, and campsites can only be reached by canoe.

Nowadays Doug, a semiprofessional photographer, is busiest guiding trips for clients who want to shoot pictures, not animals. The comfortable motel-style rooms, with full kitchen facilities, make the perfect base for any type of adventure in Temagami. The woodsy lodge is within walking distance of the train station, and Buddy the resident dog will greet you with a friendly lick upon arrival. Regular courses and retreats are offered on a variety of themes including culinary foraging adventures, painting and photography sessions, yoga, and guided paddle-hikes.

On-site accommodations are in a timber structure stocked with shaggy quilts and twig furnishings. The guided dogsledding trips offered by Wolf Within Adventures ; www. Embark on an exhilarating and educational adventure through snow-drenched forests and frozen lakes. Custom-designed adventures are available as well. All bookings at Wolf Within should be made two months in advance. With an abundance of roadside oddities to lure you off the road, it can be hard to choose where to stretch your legs.

The tiny town of Cobalt is your best bet. At the beginning of the s, this deserted ghost town was a thriving silver mine. For 30 profitable years, the site exploded with a seemingly endless supply of precious metals, attracting over 20, temporary residents. The lucrative lode at Cobalt was rumored to have pulled Canada through the Great Depression and was single-handedly responsible for starting the Toronto Stock Exchange. The highways link up again near Thunder Bay, km away Click here.

The rectangular downtown core is between Cassells and Fisher Sts. North Bay Chamber of Commerce ; www. In fact, the area was rather unremarkable until five little girls briefly turned the city into the most visited destination in Ontario after Niagara Falls. Born during the Great Depression, they were exploited as a tourist attraction by the provincial government. Their fame became so widespread that they even starred in four Hollywood films.

A walk along scenic Lake Nipissing reveals several enjoyable activities including antique carousel rides ; www. In fall, Ontario Northland operates a day-trip train package called the Dream Catcher Express ext ; www. Evenings can be spent chatting with the affable owner over homemade desserts, or you can snuggle up with a handmade quilt and watch the snow fall in winter.

Sunset Inn , ; www. Spice up your lovelife and get a suite with a retro heart-shaped Jacuzzi. Enjoy tasty fare from the broad menu while staring out over the serene Trout Lake.

The bar keeps the gregarious locals around until 1am or 2am. Cool misty gusts roll over the southern seaboard, and further inland the sweeping expanses of dappled branches offer juicy autumn fruits. For a dose of colonial history, eastern Ontario is tops. Further east, several smaller towns, like Gananoque, Brockville and Prescott, have fostered a genteel Victorian vibe with an abundance of stately inns and estates.

Even tiny Merrickville, a former Loyalist stronghold, has barely changed since the American Revolution. These horse-and-buggy townships straddle the stunning Thousand Islands region; a foggy archipelago of lonely isles peppered along the deep St Lawrence Seaway. Surprisingly, there is still no major highway running directly between Toronto and Ottawa.

The speediest option is to take Hwy from Toronto to Prescott, and use Hwy to complete the L-shaped journey. The rural, two-lane Hwy 7 is a pleasant but slower alternative. An easily accessible outdoor gem, this rugged expanse is a must-see for canoeists and hikers. Orientation The one major road through the park, Hwy 60, runs across a small portion near the southern edge.

Outfitters and accommodations often use the mile-markers when giving directions. The vast, wooded interior of Algonquin is accessible via km of charted canoe routes and intense hiking trails. Several woodsy communities orbit the provincial park in all directions.

Information Algonquin Provincial Park is accessible year-round. The Hwy 60 corridor has limited cell-phone coverage for several kilometers on each side of the park, as well as a couple of payphones. Algonquin Visitor Centre ; www. The center also has a bookstore, cafeteria and a lookout with spectacular views. Information Centres ; www. Other spot-able creatures include deer, beaver, otter, mink and many bird species. There are two small museums in the park, in addition to the rotating gallery at the visitor center.

The excellent Algonquin Logging Museum ; km The displays are spread along a 1. Exhibits at the Algonquin Art Centre ; www. Outfitters offer many opportunities for novice paddlers as well as advanced wilderness adventures for the experienced outdoors person. Self-guided paddling trips are a popular option as well. A quota system governs the number of tourists on each canoe route, so plan ahead.

Canoe Lake or Opeongo Lake are popular starting points for beginners, although the launching docks are frequently crowded. Water taxis can plow through rougher waters, whisking you up to wilder regions beyond Opeongo Lake make reservations through Algonquin Outfitters, below. Scenic horseback riding is also very popular in and around the park.

Contact Highland Wilderness Tours , ; www. Algonquin Outfitters , ; www. Great tours are also on offer. Algonquin Portage ; www. On-site rustic accommodations, shuttle service, food and gas available. Canoe Algonquin , ; www. Opeongo Outfitters ; www. Portage Store , ; www. Bike rentals can be organized at the Lake of Two Rivers Store. Guided tours also available. Tours A seemingly infinite number of guided tours is available to all types of adventurers.

A list of specialized tour operators is included below, and it should be noted that several outfitters offer tour packages as well. All have their own lodge base and offer exciting dogsledding programs in the winter. Call of the Wild , ; www. Northern Edge Algonquin ; www. Voyageur Quest , ; www. Scores of accommodations are available just beyond the protected lands, including resorts, motels and hostels check www.

Day-trippers can save some cash and crash in Huntsville or Bracebridge, 43km and 73km from the West Gate, respectively. Both Muskoka towns have a variety of restaurants and grocery stores. Within the park itself, there are three options: stay at one of the 11 car-accessible grounds either in a tent or a yurt , sleep in the backcountry accessible only by hiking or canoeing , or rest in the lap of luxury at one of the three high-end resorts.

You must contact the centralized reservation service for Ontario Parks , ; www. There are a couple of first-come first-served sites, but reservations are strongly recommended.

Algonquin Backpackers Hostel , ; www. Tom, the knowledgeable owner, is a maven, offering invaluable advice for your Algonquin adventure. Magnificent Hill ; www. Wolf Den , ; www. Guests stay in shimmering log cabins scattered around the grounds, and a large central lodge offers a huge kitchen and stunning 2nd-floor lounge. Dorms are only available during summer. Hikes depart from various mileposts actually kilometer-posts along Hwy 60 between the West Gate km 0 and the East Gate km Dwight Village Motel ; www.

Spotless rooms offer all the creature comforts and the friendly owners assure a comfortable stay. Algonquin Inn , ; www. The complex is 11km west of the park. Each option includes breakfast and dinner in the pricing scheme.

Dining rooms are open to nonguests as well. Bartlett Lodge ; www. Bartlett Lodge is accessed by boat provided for you from a point 23km inside the west gate. Arowhon Pines ; www. The vast wooden dining room with stone pillars has a very good reputation for its food. Killarney Lodge ; www.

Bus service is only available Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Tourists can reach Huntsville on an Ontario Northland bus. Over 60, acres of the densely forested region is part of the Haliburton Forest ; www. The privately owned woodland, 30km north of Haliburton town, can be accessed through its main office on Kenneisis Lake.

A visit to the Wolf Centre is included; here visitors can glimpse a pack of wolves at a safe distance, of course as they meander through their acre enclosure. The small town of Bancroft www. During the yearly event, geologists lead tours around nearby abandoned mines to scout out stones. The tourist office ; www. Before leaving the green university town for more secluded recesses, have a wander around the quaint city center.

Iron railroads scar the urban landscape as they plow their way through, and the impressive hydraulic lift lock is another conspicuous relic of a bygone era.

Although the outside looks like a warehouse, the refurbished interior is pure Zen, with dim lighting and the calming sound of a trickling waterfall. A phenomenal collection of over canoes and kayaks details the lengthy history of water navigation in the region. Serpent Mounds Park ; www. The Whetung Ojibwa Centre ; www. Visit some of the smaller towns in the region, including Lindsay and Fenelon Falls, via km of scenic recreational trails, called the Central Ontario Loop Trail www.

The granite formation sharply juts out of Mazinaw Lake and features the largest visible collection of aboriginal pictographs in all of Canada. The glyphs are best seen from a canoe. For camping reservations and information, contact Ontario Parks , ; www. The entrance and the information center are at Otter Lake, off Rte 19 north of Sydenham. From here, hikers and canoeists venture deep within the park, using the km of trails to spot copious beaver, black bear, coyote and osprey.

Overnight camping is only allowed from the end of April to the beginning of October. Both islands also have an intriguing colonial history. The route runs unbroken for 94km from Trenton to Kingston, save the free five-minute ferry ride connecting the island back to the mainland at Adolphustown. This unvisited, undeveloped section at the end of the beach is unlike anywhere else in Ontario. The Taste Trail ; www.

Two particularly stellar wineries are found on the east side of the island. The white-gabled Waupoos Winery ; www. There are 13 other wineries in Prince Edward County; most congregate near Wellington. Traffic is light on most roads, making the island an excellent cycling destination. In June, visitors can ride around picking luscious strawberries from the vine at numerous farms. A hundred years ago, this km-long aboriginal canoe route bustled with commercial vessels, and today the system is purely recreational.

The other side of the road offers picturesque views over Lake Ontario, hundreds of meters below. The restored Regent Theatre ; www.