Ontario may get a reputation for its lack of nature and mountainscape when compared to the western provinces, but don’t sleep on Ontario’s beautiful places to see landscapes, trails, bodies of water, and wildlife.
In honour of Earth Day we are sharing some of the most beautiful places in Ontario to visit for your next date night with nature, whether you’re immersed in the city life of Toronto or further up north in Ottawa.
Be sure to save this article and add these locations to your summer 2022 local travel list!
Torrance Barrens
Muskoka’s Torrance Barrens Conservation Area and Dark Sky Preserve is one of the best places to admire the night sky. This protected area has minimal light pollution and is open for people to visit for stargazing, hiking, day-use, and camping.
Drive from Toronto: 2.5 hours
Drive from Ottawa: Just under 5 hours
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
This is a must-stop as part of a Canadian or Ontario-wide road trip! If you haven’t been, you’re seriously underestimating the never-ending views of breathtaking landscape that Ontario has to offer. Lake Superior is vast like an ocean but incredibly calm and seeing it from these cliff-tops is unmatched.
These views are what Canada’s nature is all about!
Drive from Toronto: 15 hours
Drive from Ottawa: 16 hours
Flowerpot Island
This island in the Bruce Peninsula is a natural wonder! Not only does Tobermory have some of the clearest blue water ever, but these rock formations popping out of the water across the way at Flowerpot Island transports you to another world entirely!
Visit for the day, find a nearby cottage in Lion’s Head or Tobermory, or take a boat over to the island and camp.
Drive from Toronto: 4 hours
Drive from Ottawa: 7.5 hours
Hamilton’s Waterfalls
Did you know Hamilton, Ontario is the waterfall capital of not only Canada, but the WORLD? Hamilton is home to as many as 100 waterfalls within the city limit due to its location on the Niagara Escarpment (a rock ridge stretching almost 1,000 miles across the Great Lakes region).
While not all waterfalls are safe to hike to and access, we’ve found a few that are – and are absolutely breathtaking in the winter and summer!
Drive from Toronto: 50 minutes
Drive from Ottawa: 4 hours 40 minutes
Pictured here are Tiffany Falls and Tews Falls.
Bonnechere Caves, Eganville
This family owned and operated site is Ontario’s Natural Underground Wonder. Book tours for bat lovers and to listen to cave stories, enjoy special events like concert series and ‘Paint the Waterfall’ events, and to admire this gorgeous cave.
“Everyone from babies in backpacks to senior citizens have enjoyed the handiwork of Mother Nature here along the beautiful Bonnechere River.”
Drive from Toronto: 4 hours
Drive from Ottawa: 1 hour 20 minutes
Algonquin Provincial Park
With it’s close proximity to both Ottawa and Toronto, this is a popular provincial park that offers so much to those in Ontario! Its forests, rivers and numerous lakes, including the large Lake of Two Rivers, are home to moose, bears and other wildlife.
Book your campsites this summer for unmatched views, trees on trees, lakes, trails and more!
Drive from Toronto: 3 hours
Drive from Ottawa: 2 hours 45 minutes
Thousand Islands, Gananoque
The Thousand Islands are a group of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada. Cruise through the islands and see Ontario like you haven’t before on a day-tour, fishing, touring castles and so much more!
If you and your date love the water, you’ll love this iconic part of Ontario.
Drive from Toronto: 3 hours
Drive from Ottawa: 1 hour 40 minutes
Princess Louise Falls, Ottawa
While this waterfall isn’t along the Niagara Escarpment, it looks like it should be! Ottawa isn’t typically a notable spot for waterfall chasing, but is home to this vertical-plunge waterfall that’s waiting to be discovered.
Drive from Toronto: 4 hours 20 minutes
Drive from Ottawa: 20 minutes
