Southwestern Ontario is home to some of the most famed birding sites, wineries, microbreweries, spas, nature sites, and spots for outdoor adventure in the country, and for some, in the world. This beautiful region will tickle all your senses, providing a feast for your eyes in terms of scenery, allowing you to feel the clear blue water and warm sun rays on your skin, and to enjoy the tasty eats and fun activities the area has to offer.
1. Taste test your way through the Oxford County Cheese Trail
Make your way through 24 stops that feature the best cheese makers, food producers, museums, artisans, and restaurants for cheesy and dairy-related items to taste. Experience the deliciousness and the hidden treasures of the Oxford County area at gems like Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese for high-quality luxury cheeses and by building your own board at the Ottercreek Woodworks.
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2. Go on a Grand River Dinner Cruise
Cruise down Southern Ontario’s largest river on a dinner cruise boat with the Grand River Cruises. Take in the tranquility of the country setting and beautiful river scenery as you enjoy a home-style meal featuring a slow-cooked Ontario beef. Choose from a nature cruise if you want to explore, a sunset dinner cruise, a lunch cruise, and a private cruise.
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3. Spend a couple of hours eating with Taste Detours
Credit: Taste Detours
Explore the flavors of Southwestern Ontario with Taste Detours, an operator of award-winning, local food and drink tours in Guelph and Elora. They celebrate the region’s food by seeking out spots that have deep agricultural roots and “good, fresh, local food”. Listen to stories and savor some delicious eats on the Little Bites Appy Tour or the Moveable Brunch.
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4. Look for unique gems at the Aberfoyle Antique Market
The Aberfoyle Antique Market is a tradition. Being in business for over 59 years, the market hosts more than 100 quality dealers selling folk art, furniture, collectibles, ceramics, books, and more. It is considered the oldest antique market in Canada and has a Saturday Special with 30+ visiting guest dealers.
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5. Escape to the Steed and Company Lavender Farm
The Steed and Company Lavender Farm is a premier lavender grower in Elgin County near the historical village of Sparta. You can marvel at the beautiful lavender fields and visit the 45-acre horse farms tucked right beside the Carolinian forest and valley slopes in this overall stunning rural setting.
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6. Take a VIP tour at the Cowbell Brewing Company
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7. Enjoy the water at the Funsplash Sports Park
Head to family-owned, family-friendly FunSplash Sports Park, an inflatable water park with a fun-loving atmosphere. The inflatables can be challenging and exciting, but are all placed in a safe outdoor environment.
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8. Spend some time at St. Mary’s Quarry
St. Mary’s Quarry is the largest outdoor freshwater swimming pool in the country that has a space for beach volleyball, cliff jumping, opportunities for stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, and a Tiki Hut snack spot. The quarry was constructed in the mid-1800s and have a historical past concerning workers extracting limestone blocks.
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9. Get in touch with nature at the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary
The Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary was established in 1904 and has been offering a memorable experience to get in touch with nature. Get up close and personal with geese and ducks by feeding them barley and roam around 400 acres of natural landscape and take a look at the local wildlife and habitats. The area also features a museum featuring 150 years of Miner artifacts.
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10. Go on a guided ice tour with Iceculture
Get prepared for winter during the summer with a guided ice tour with Iceculture. Visit their -8-degree ice gallery complete with hand-crafted ice sculptures built with 300-pound blocks of crystal clear ice. Hear the stories behind the projects and utilize all your senses to experience this local gem.
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11. Get familiar with the waters with Divers Den
Serving divers since 1967, Divers Den offers all sorts of snorkelling and scuba diving experiences, from boat trips and experiences for novices or veterans to PADI Courses if you’re looking to get serious into diving. For those seeking a private experience, you can choose from a variety of private charters for a half day or full day out on the sea and in the water.
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12. Find a Way Flyboarding
Credit: Find A Way Flyboarding
Venture to Turkey Point, a beautiful spot in Norfolk with a two-mile sandy beach and opportunities for activity, and go flyboarding with Find a Way Flyboarding. Invented in 2010, the Flyboard is a hydroflight device that allows riders to soar up into the air and dive into the water, performing tricks on their journey.
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13. Cruise the air with Instinct Hang Gliding
Learn to hang glide with Instinct Windsports and see the world from new heights. They provide a variety of courses to suit all levels and needs, and their instructors are experienced and are licensed as hang glider pilots to make sure you have a fun and safe time in the air.
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14. BAER Fishing Adventures
Enjoy a local fishing experience with BAER Fishing Adventures and choose from several fishing packages depending on your tastes. Go for a walk and wade adventure along the shores of several Ontario Rivers, kayak down or drift down the river as you check out the scenery around you, or even opt for a multi-day adventure to create even longer-lasting memories.
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15. Canoe at the Springwater Conservation Area
This year-round conservation area features a huge pond within a 600-acre forest. The waters are calm and serene, ideal for a relaxing canoe trip where you can look for wildlife in the marshes. The towering pines and beech trees will add to the secluded nature of Springwater, and at certain points of the pond, you can hop out of your canoe and hike through some mature woods.
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16. Venture through the Sifton Bog
The 41.6 hectares Sifton Bog is characterized by its acid peat bog and plant life. It is a densely vegetated environment with plenty of shade and mystery, and the 370-metre long boardwalk takes you to the center of it all – a viewing platform in the middle of the bog. This outdoor destination is a treasure in London.
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17. Get close to wildlife at the Ojibway Nature Centre and Parks System
Resting on the southwest corner is the Ojibway Nature Centre and Parks System, housing 246 species of wildlife and 15km of woodland hiking trails. Learn more about your surroundings with nature experts and view the wildlife exhibits at the nature centre. This is your one-stop destination for environmental education.
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18. Check out the unique Shorebird Habitat at the Hillman Marsh Conservation Area
This impressive 87-acre Shorebird Habitat is bordered by a birding trail for birdwatchers, and great hiking and biking trails, picnic spots, fishing and swimming opportunities, and skiing in the colder months. Hillman Marsh is one of the rare marshland habitats left in the Essex Region, which is why heavy migration activity is present here for herons, songbirds, ducks, egrets, and more.
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19 Go birdwatching at the Long Point Provincial Park
Covering part of the UNESCO designated Long Point Biosphere Reserve, Long Point Provincial Park provides an extensive 256 campsites and amazing birdwatching that includes a recorded 383 species. It houses one of the largest bird and waterfowl migration areas in the continent.
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20. Go horseback riding at the Dry Lake Saddle Club
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21. Go canoeing at the Springwater Conservation Area
This year-round conservation area features a huge pond within a 600-acre forest. The waters are calm and serene, ideal for a relaxing canoe trip where you can look for wildlife in the marshes. The towering pines and beech trees will add to the secluded nature of Springwater, and at certain points of the pond, you can hop out of your canoe and hike through some mature woods.
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22. Go camping at Pinery Provincial Park
After a long day of hiking, cycling, paddling on the water, or cross-country skiing, chill out on a campsite or cozy up in a yurt at Pinery Provincial Park. 6,532 acres waiting for you to explore inside and out, including an extremely fragile and unique Oak Savanna and Coastal Dune Ecosystem teeming with biodiversity.
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23. Roam the Whistlestop Trail
Going from Railway City to Port Stanley this lush trail is kilometers of beautiful natural space for a bike ride, a brisk walk, or a run. The several listed Whistlestops include art centres, points of interest like architecture or statues, farmers’ market, and more nature spots to take in the blue skies, dense flora, and incredible views.
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24. Explore the Windsor Sculpture Park
This outdoor museum consists of 32 internationally recognized contemporary sculptures dotted around the area. It is also often called Windsor’s ‘museum without walls’. The ‘Art Cart’ is available for summer tours if you’re looking to truly get a close look at each one of the pieces at a faster pace.
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25. Hike on the boardwalk trail in the Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area
Kopegargon Woods has one of the most stunning forest boardwalk trails in Ontario. 19-hectares of pretty wildflowers, dense forest, and plenty of bird species make up this excellent hiking destination. It is a charming oasis that has a magnetic draw, hence the reason why everyone opts to venture through Kopegargon Woods.
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26. Discover the secrets of Peche Island
Adventure to the 100-acre Peche Island, previously owned by Hiram Walker – the founder of Hiram Walker and Sons Ltd. Distillery. It was formerly used as a summer place which included a large home and greenhouse. Now, this naturalized park is a stunning islet in the midst of the waters, a historical and natural destination to explore trails, canals, and ruins.
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27. Indulge at the Pillitteri Estates Winery
Experience the grandeur of the Pillitteri Estates Winery, a winery with Sicilian roots. This true family business is a world-class winery where you can take a public tour of the estate and the unique barrel cellar, or indulge in private tour and tasting program, including simple or artisan cheeses.
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28. Enjoy the lakeside town of Port Dover
Port Dover screams vibrancy. Being a lakeside town, you can relax here with an Arbor hot dog in hand whilst strolling the beach. Enjoy Lake Erie whether by paddling or by eating the fresh catch of the day at a restaurant.
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29. Step back in time at the Fanshawe Pioneer Village
Visit the heritage village inside the Fanshawe Conservation Area and discover life back in the 19th century on an interactive guided tour led by interpreters decked out in costume. Each year offers a different theme and rotates between different topics each month such as agriculture and subsistence, social change, and technology.
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30. Watch live performances at the Stratford Festival
Stratford is known for its arts. The city has hosted the Stratford Shakespeare Festival since 1953 and boasts theatre-themed bed and breakfasts, local neighbourhood-style bars and restaurants, and a live music culture. Watch classics, contemporary dramas, and musical performances at four distinctive locations.
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31. Adventure at Boler Mountain
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32. Listen to some unique live music at the TD Sunfest
Based in London, Ontario, this unique live music event has a dynamic line-up of leading jazz and world music performances to showcase the best of the best globally. Their strong relationships with 225 food, visual arts, and craft vendors help establish their reputation and add to the colourful nature of Sunfest.
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33. Explore Point Pelee National Park
Point Pelee National Park is the southernmost part of mainland Canada extending for 15 kilometres into Lake Erie. From hiking to bird watching and discovering stars, there is plenty to do here.
34. Go Wakeboarding at the first straight-line cable park in Ontario
Love watersports? Then, test your skills (or learn how to) at the Boarder Pass Sarnia cable wakeboard park. Here you can enjoy the thrill of wakeboarding, where you are pulled by a unique electric-powered cable system. They have beginner lessons for people of all ages and abilities who are looking to get up on top of the water.