Quick getaways Cycling, sailing or Shakespeare
Ontario offers a wide range of events and activities just a short drive from Toronto
The map of Ontario is spread out on the desk and delicious destinations tempt us to travel in all directions. Road-trip season is upon us and I can think of nothing better than a meandering drive to discover new things, dine on local food and sample summer at a languid pace. Explorers, start your engines.
1. Best Day Trip: Stratford Get tickets to a play at the Stratford Festival (stratfordfestival.ca), but make it a night performance. Depart early with a cooler and camera, and leave time for detours.
A stop at the St. Jacob’s Farmers Market is a must (stjacobs.com/farmers-market). It’s newly rebuilt after a fire two years ago and, with chocolate, cheese, pies and clothes, it’s a pleasure palace.
Criss-cross the Grand River and take in the charms of Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge. Admire old stone buildings, poke around specialty shops and pick up wonderful summer sausage at the Kitchener Market.
In Stratford, arrive early enough for dinner before the theatre. My friend, long-time resident and wood engraver, Gerard Brender à Brandis, likes York Street Kitchen on Erie St. for casual fare.
2. Best biking: Niagara Niagara Region is where Tour de France cycling star Steve Bauer lived and trained as a young amateur.
I would see him riding on the beautiful rolling hills of Pelham, sometimes chatting with friends and even pushing old-timers on uphill climbs.
Check out the Steve Bauer Trail Map (pelham.ca/cycling) for a lovely route through woods, open vistas and farm fields. Bauer conducts his own tours, too, at stevebauer.com.
For an easy, family-friendly ride, take the 53-kilometre route along the Niagara River Parkway from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Fort Erie. Most of the route is separated from traffic.
Along the way, you can see enjoy vineyards, gardens, art galleries and 1812 history.
Niagara cycling is great anytime, but one of the best seasons to go is autumn, when the grape harvest has begun and the crush releases the scent of future great wines. For more info, go to niagararegion.ca/exploring/cycle/bikemap.aspx.
3. Best motorcycling: Ottawa Valley and Haliburton I love the sound of motorcycles at night. There are people riding in the distance and it sounds like freedom. Routes suggested by Ride the Highlands (ridethehighlands.ca) evoke that sense of carefree adventure.
Choose among the top10 routes put together by riders.
A 238-kilometre ride through Haliburton and Bancroft, called Highway 118 & 28, is a classic immersion into the beauty of the Canadian Shield. There are shorter routes, too — brief but beautiful. 4. Best boating: Honey Harbour Honey Harbour (honeyharbour.net) on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay is a reasonable drive from Toronto and offers power boating for every taste.
Put your boat in at a public dock and cruise close to shore to take in the lovely cottages, from rustic to grand, or find an island with a sandy beach to anchor and swim.
I’ve seen an amphibious boat flotilla in Honey Harbour, guys in period costume canoeing in the spirit of the coureur des bois and fantastic poker runs with Miami Vice- type powerboats.
If you want to relax and just fish, there are coves for that, too.
The weekend of July 24-25 would be a great time to go. The Lock 45 Centennial Celebration will feature fireworks, street markets and antique boats displays in Port Severn.
Or plan a fall trip to the iconic landscapes of Beausoleil Island, part of Georgian Bay Islands National Park. Just remember to watch the water levels and mind your prop in Georgian Bay. Charts or GPS are indispensable.
5. Best sailing: Kingston The reliable wind, interesting waves and excellent location make Kingston’s Portsmouth Olympic Harbour a sailing destination for hobbyists and serious competitors.
You can catch the fierce competi- tion during CORK (Canadian Olympic training Regatta Kingston). Good sailing and racing is close to shore, wind is a predictable 12 to 15 knots and there are very few currents.
Enjoy world-class sailing and then explore the lively city of Kingston. If lots of action is what you want, time your sailing to take in the Laser World championship July 1 (cork.org).
6. Best canoeing: Algonquin Park Load your canoes onto a rack or a trailer and head to Algonquin Park. For dramatic views and transforming canoeing, the Barron Canyon puts the paddler in the lee of 100metre-high cliffs.
Explorers’ Edge (explorersedge.ca) is the regional tourism group for the area. It offers trips, guided tours and events for paddlers of all abilities.
I also asked Olympic canoeist Larry Cain for his paddling favourites and he suggested an overlooked body of water: Lake Ontario. But he recommends using standup paddle boards, surf skis and outrigger canoes.
“It would be great to see more people out there (on the lake) for health, fitness and fun.”
Wai Nui O Kanaka Outrigger Canoe Club of Oakville (wainuioutrigger.net) will get you started.
7. Best RVing: Long Sault The challenge with an RV trip in Ontario is deciding where to go. An intriguing trip from Toronto journeys along the 401 toward Cornwall to jump on the Long Sault Parkway (stlawrenceparks.com/camping/ campgrounds/long-sault-parkway).
The parkway crosses a series of 11 islands created by construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It’s a beautiful trip and several of the campgrounds have upgraded RV facilities, including pull-through sites for fast setup.
If you’re packing your pooch in the RV, take in Canada’s Biggest Dog Show Aug. 22-25 at Woodlands Campground on the Parkway.
8. Best ATVing: Parry Sound If you want to get off the road and off the grid, then an ATV adventure is in your future. Much of the ATV activity is done through clubs, for good reasons, such as safety and responsible trail riding.
ATV Ontario (atvontario.com) offers safety courses and guided tours. The Bear Claw Tour in Parry Sound (bearclawtours.com) whizzes past secret lakes and thick forests, with black-bear sightings at no extra charge.
Ontario Tourism has a comprehensive listing of popular ATV locations at ontariotravel.net.
9. Best roller skating: Hamilton Four wheels on your feet, disco music and breezes off the harbour — roller skating is back big time in Hamilton. Friday and Saturday nights at the free outdoor rink at Pier 8 are a revelation (tourismhamilton.com).
Skaters come from as far away as Buffalo for the music, the water views and to be among the crowd with all the right moves. Spectators bring their own chairs and groove on the grassy slope facing the rink.
Skate rentals are cheap and there’s good food nearby. In July, take in the Pan Am Games cultural festival on the waterfront.
10. My favourite day trip: Six Nations Powwow July 25 and 26 is the Grand River Champion of Champions Powwow at Chiefswood Park at Six Nations near Brantford, Ont. (sixnationstourism.ca).
It’s a thrilling event to watch, with music, dance, arts and crafts.
The area around Six Nations is fun to explore. Visit the small farmers markets in Caledonia and Jarvis, eat ice cream at Hewitt’s Dairy in Hagersville and try the excellent cycling on the Brantford-Paris rail trail.
Watch the go-for-it racing at the Ohsweken Speedway and you’ve got a robust road trip. Freelance writer Kathy Renwald is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. For more Toronto Star automotive news, go to thestar.com/autos. To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.