Ontario
The Ontario section of www.grouptravelplanner.net will guide the travel professional through supplier categories listed to the right and assist them with itinerary planning for groups to Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Greater Toronto, Niagara, Northern Ontario, Ottawa/Gatineau, or Southern Ontario. Search the Ontario section of the site for group tour planning ideas, itinerary writing assistance and packaged travel options for your upcoming tour series.
Communicate directly with these Ontario suppliers to discover the unique services they offer the group tour market!
Canada’s ‘capital’ province offers more for groups to discover
Whoever dreamed up the tenet that more is better must have had the province of Ontario in mind. Situated in the heart of Canada and dipping some 600 kilometers (400 miles) into the heart of the United States, Ontario offers some of the most exciting and diverse travel experiences on the planet. From urban adventures to unspoiled natural wonders and everything in between, this whale-shaped province has it all.
Bordered by the U.S. states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota to the south, Ontario has no shortage of neighbours. The Canadian province of Quebec lies to the east, while the province of Manitoba is to the west. From east to west Ontario’s 1.1 million kilometers (600,000 miles) span half the width of the United States, with the southernmost tip level with northern California.
Ontario means “sparkling or shimmering waters” and the province boasts no fewer than 3,840 kilometers (2,400 miles) of coastline along four of the Great Lakes to justify its appellation. In fact, Ontario has more freshwater lakes and rivers — more than 400,000 of them — than any other region in the world. Inviting shores, some right in the heart of its biggest cities, are never far from Ontario’s highways and byways.
A million natural wonders await in this land of sparkling lakes and rivers, innumerable forests and unparalleled geological diversity – all of it proudly showcased in the province’s six national parks, 270 provincial parks and more than 340 conservation areas.
But while Ontario is a monument to mother nature, the Ontario experience is also one of urban discovery. The only province in Canada to boast two capital cities (Toronto, the provincial capital and Ottawa, the national capital), Ontario is stylishly cosmopolitan, with world-class dining and internationally acclaimed entertainment all within a stone’s throw of some of Canada’s most important national treasures. Distinct neighborhoods, diverse shopping adventures and multitudinous museums and art galleries invite visitors to touch the vibrant heart of Ontario’s urban landscape.
And then there are the parties. Across the province, all year long, Ontario’s splendid cities and charming towns offer up a smorgasbord of concerts, festivals, historic happenings and special events in celebration of theatre, music, food, arts and culture. Whatever your group’s mood of the moment, Ontario has a festival or event to match it.
We invite you read on to find out more about what's new and not-so-new in Ontario’s seven action-packed tourism regions. And start planning!
Four great seasons, one big adventure
| Ontario offers four-star attractions, all year long. |
More to discover, more of the time. That’s the attitude in Ontario, a great big friendly four-season playground. Historic happenings and fall foliage festivals are as much a part of your group’s adventure as are white-water rafting and winter snowshoeing. Ontario offers four-star adventures four seasons a year. So, read on and discover some of Ontario’s seasonal sensations! |
Gotta love that sun
As the weather heats up, so too do Ontario’s activities and festivals. Ontario is one happening province in the summer as communities large and small gear up to celebrate the season with carnivals and parades, theatre and musical extravaganzas. Take in a summer celebration — there’s a festival happening somewhere in Ontario all summer long — or treat your group to some terrific theatre. All the world’s a stage here during the summer months, with more than 28 summer theatre festivals ranging from the historic Ontario Renaissance Festival in Milton to the Great Rendezvous Festival in Thunder Bay.
Whisk your group through Ontario’s summer scenery aboard a heritage railway (there are more than 20 of them) or head for the hills to explore some of the province’s pristine wilderness. With more than 3,840 miles of coastline and more freshwater lakes and rivers than anywhere else in the world, Ontario is also a boating and sailing destination second to none. Groups can get wet and paddle the parks, take on the rivers, or even go on an island-hopping expedition aboard a comfortable cruise boat. Whatever your group’s pleasure, Ontario has a summer adventure to match it.
Fall flavors
When the vibrant green hues of summer give way to the resplendent blaze of fall, it’s a signal that Ontario’s most colorful adventures are about to get underway. Mark the arrival of the season with a fall foliage tour and absorb the beauty of those blazing colors of scarlet, golden oak, deep burgundy and persimmon orange. The onset of firey-red autumn also means it’s time for wine in Ontario. More than 40 varieties of wine are produced by the wineries of Ontario’s acclaimed Wine Route and the region’s fall wine festivals are the time for tippling. Make the jaunt to St. Catharines for the annual Niagara Grape and Wine Festival (September), which celebrates the harvest of the vine with concerts and wine tastings, vineyard tours and parades. The Canadian Thanksgiving (October) season is also at the height of the harvest season and can be made extra special with a visit to a fall festival such as the Cranberry Festival in Bala or Oktoberfest in Kitchener-Waterloo. Meanwhile in the cities, fall heralds the start of the performing arts’ new seasons, with theatre, ballet, symphony and opera performances guaranteed to bring audiences to their feet. Autumn in Ontario — it’s ablaze with things to do!
Winter warmth
Sure, the temperature may be at the freezing mark, but Ontario is one hot destination during the winter. When the snow flies, it’s time to roll out the white carpet for visitors keen to explore Ontario’s 46,000 kilometers of groomed snowmobile trails — the longest recreational trail system in the world. From skiing to spa-hopping, snowboarding, to snowshoeing, winter activities in Snow Country Ontario run the gamut.
Winter in Ontario is one big celebration of the white stuff and there are festivals and carnivals all across the province all winter long to prove it. Your group can join the party at the Festival of the Northern Lights in Owen Sound or make tracks for Ottawa, the national capital and site of Winterlude, a wonderful winter festival that boasts the longest skating rink in the world and an international ice sculpture competition.
Snow Country Ontario — what a rush!
The scents of spring
Sweetly scented blossoms, fields of daffodils and pansies, freshly turned earth and haunting birdsong — springtime in Ontario is a feast for the senses. All across the province, visitors join in the celebration of nature’s rebirth as they flock to festivals and garden shows, wine tastings and theatrical tours. Spring is also paddling time in Ontario — the perfect time to take to the provinces vast network of waterways and breathe in the fresh, new growth that signals the onset of summer. It’s a time to sample Ontario’s natural bounty, perhaps to get up close and personal at a birding festival or to sample maple syrup for the first time. Spring is also time for fresh, new urban adventures. Your group can go city-hopping across the province and touch the shores of four of the Lakes in the process. It’s a time for big-city theatre festivals and international flower shows like Ottawa’s Tulip Festival, the world’s largest. It’s also a time when “small town Ontario” comes to life with antique shows and harness races, craft fairs and carnivals. Come experience Ontario’s springtime splendor and revel in nature’s rebirth!
Click on a category to see the list of suppliers
Ontario Accommodations
Ontario Attractions
Ontario Boat Tours
Ontario Coach Lines
Ontario Destination Marketing
Ontario Festivals & Events
Ontario Guide Services
Ontario Rail Lines
Ontario Receptive Tour Operators
Ontario Recreation & Adventure
Ontario Restaurants
Ontario Shopping
Ontario Theatres
Ontario Wineries
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