Ruth and I were both born in Ontario, so we've spent lots of time there. Mostly in and around Canada's capital city of Ottawa... but we've explored a lot of the rest of the province as well...
The province of Ontario lies east of the geographic center of Canada, but for some reason Ontario is often considered to be central.
Ontario
Ontario is the most populated province in Canada... with almost 14 million people. More than 6 million of them are located in the greater Toronto area.
Toronto is the capital of Ontario... where as the much smaller Ontario city of Ottawa is the capital of Canada.
Toronto skyline as seen from Lake Ontario in 2008.
My grandmother lived in Toronto when I was growing up, so we made a lot of family trips there back in the 1960's and 1970's. And we still like visiting Toronto. The city has a lot to offer. However, I've always said that Toronto is a nice city to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!
Highway 401 through Toronto. Just a typical work day!
The most popular Ontario attraction for visitors? Niagara Falls.
The falls are much more spectacular as seen from the Canadian side of the river at Niagara, so they attract lots of tourists to Canada. We've been to Niagara Falls several times, but would you believe we don't have a decent photo of it? I'll have to steal one from the internet...
Niagara Falls.
Ontario is a big province. About 1.5 times the size of Texas!
And it takes more than 21 hours to drive across the province.
But while southern Ontario can be very congested, northern Ontario has a lot of wilderness.
Northern Ontario.
Famous people born in Ontario... lot of them!
Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond films) was born in Kitchener, Ontario in 1927.
Jim Carrey was born in Newmarket, Ontario in 1962.
Mike Myers (Austin Powers) was born in Scarborough, Ontario in 1963.
Shania Twain was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1965.
Dan Aykroyd was born on Canada Day in Ottawa in 1952.
And many more. Rich Little, Alanis Morrissette, John Candy, Alex Trebek (Jeopardy)... all born in Ontario.
Next up ... Canada's most unique province.... Quebec.
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The Camco deluxe camp grilling table is on sale...
My maternal grandfather's family was from Ontario and some moved into northern Minnesota....the Branton and Forbes families. Northern Ontario is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThere is so much of Ontario that is beautiful and so much that we still haven't explored. We really want to spend some time in the Bruce Peninsula which is between Georgian Bay and the main basin of Lake Huron. I don't think either of us have been in this area.
DeleteHave you ever been to the area where your maternal grandfather's family lived?
No, but I'd love to. I have been working on that part of my family genealogy and it would be so interesting to see the area they came from. Many of them migrated to the Duluth area and then the Twin Cities. I'm just amazed at how large the Canadian provinces are! Thanks for sharing all the great information.
DeleteI hope you can make it there one day then. Kevin and I have gone to several places that his family history originated in. We visited the town where his paternal grandmother was born. Saw grave sites of his past relatives out in Nova Scotia and in England. It just adds to the experience when you are doing the family genealogy.
DeleteHave explored most off Ontario over the years, I was born in Toronto, spent most of my childhood on Georgian Bay, then at 20 years old transferred to southwestern Ontario (Kitchener/Waterloo). Have explored all the great Lakes and love the farm country where we have lived and spend most of our summers. So much to see and enjoy in Ontario.
ReplyDeleteYep, there sure is a lot of area to cover in Ontario. We need to do more exploring down your way and also in the Georgian Bay area. One of these days when we don't have to work in the summers anymore! :-)
DeleteLol how could you forget to include Justin Bieber, London Ontario, 1994 ❤❤❤
ReplyDeleteI purposely forgot him...
DeleteWe have been to Ontario several times. A beautiful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is a beautiful place to visit. :-)
DeleteWe came from Ontario as well in Auroa and Richmond Hill. Agree it is beautiful and miss the many lakes for swimming Wasaga Beach Sauble beach etc. love all the antique shops in the smaller towns around the Belleville Kingston area. Miss this province but not the crazy traffic!
ReplyDeleteThere is so much variety in Ontario and I think it would be difficult to see it all but it sure is fun trying. :-)
DeleteNope, we don't miss all that traffic either!
Having grown up in Niagara Falls, NY, I've been in/through Ontario a number of times. As a kid, I camped up near Lake Simcoe (lots of skeeters). But, like many people, we haven't explored the upper province (other than taking the road from Toronto to Sault Ste. Marie, which was tedious!). I'd love to look further, but there's no roads if you go too far north.
ReplyDeleteYep, Ontario sure has it's share of mosquitoes and black flies!
DeleteWe didn't find the drive tedious to Sault Ste. Marie. There are so many interesting places to stop along the way. However, if you are just driving through then it probably isn't all that interesting but we enjoy stopping at all the little off the beaten track kind of places, it makes it more fun and we see some beautiful scenery that way too.
40 years ago, we hosted a Rotary Exchange Student from São Paulo, Brazil, in our PA home 8 years ago, we hosted his son. They have been part of our family for many years and have come back often to visit. Last year, they fulfilled their family dream. They are living and working in Kingston, Ontario and love it there.
ReplyDeleteI remember you mentioning this in a comment before or maybe it was when we stopped in and visited with you and Barry. I think that is so neat and now the family is close enough that they can come an visit you sometimes. Kingston is a really pretty little city. We stayed there for 2 years back in the spring of 2009 to the fall of 2010. If we know that we are going to go to Kingston for a quick visit we will have to contact you to get their information and then stop by and see them for you. :-)
DeleteThat would be awesome!!!!!!! ((((Hugs))))
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info Connie, I have connected him but haven't heard back yet. Hopefully we can do a day trip there in the fall and met him and his family. :-)
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