On these routes, expect epic views, natural wonders, quaint small towns and tons of things to do along the way. Here are five road trips in Ontario to take before summer ends.
Stratford
Time To Complete: About 2 hours and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Stratford is the perfect small town to road trip to for European vibes in Ontario.
Located along the banks of the Avon River and reached by following the ON-401, the charming town is most known for its Stratford festival, but is also home to quaint shops, cafes and gardens with an undeniable English feel.
The town is about 2 hours from Toronto, meaning you can head here for a day trip or extend your stay overnight. Along the way, be sure to stop at St. Jacobs village, where you'll find rich heritage, one-of-a-kind shopping, bakeries and the St. Jacobs Famer's Market, the largest year-round market in Canada.
If you're heading here from Toronto, you can add a stop at Kelso Conservation Area to your route, which has tons of hiking trails with gorgeous views.
You'll also pass by Cambridge and Waterloo if you want to add stops in these cities, with notable attractions in the areas including Bingemans Big Splash waterpark and the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory.
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1000 Islands Parkway
Time To Complete: About 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Starting in Kingston, you can drive along a route that parallels the St. Lawrence River and offers incredible views, charming small towns and more.
The 1000 Islands Parkway begins in Kingston and connects Ontarians with several communities along a scenic drive.
Heading east on Ontario Street/Highway 2, your first stop is Gananoque, a small town known as the "gateway to the 1000 Islands."
The town serves as a great starting point for discovering the 1000 Islands region. Here, you can hop on an island cruise and be treated to scenic views, cute cottages and majestic castles, although it's worth noting that you'll need a passport for some trips.
Continuing on, your next stop can be at the 1000 Islands Tower, which offers visitors an aerial view of the Thousand Islands region and the St. Lawrence River.
The route will take you to Brockville, where you can check out the Fulford Place Museum and walk the same halls as royalty as well as snap a pic in the iconic Brockville Railway Tunnel.
Finally, head to Prescott to check out the Fort Wellington National Historic Site, one of the best preserved 19th-century fortifications in Canada, before following Highway 15 back to Kingston.
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Prince Edward County
Time To Complete: About 2 hours and 35 minutes
Why You Need To Go: Prince Edward County is a cluster of small hamlets brimming with things to do, including beautiful nature escapes, wineries and charming places to stay.
From Toronto, you can road trip to the county and also take in some sandy beaches and quaint towns along the way.
Easily reached on the ON-401, the journey from Toronto to Prince Edward County takes about 2 and a half hours if travelling direct. On the way, however, you may want to add a stop in Port Hope and Cobourg, which are located just under 2 hours from Toronto.
In Port Hope, which is first on the route, you'll be able to visit a town rich in history with well-preserved period architecture, including the Walton Street Heritage Conservation District, where you'll find one of the best-preserved and most complete 19th-century streetscapes in the province.
The town has also featured as a filming location in many movies and TV shows, including, most notably, Stephen King's It films. Fans of the movie can take a walking tour of the filming locations.
About 15 minutes away you'll come to Cobourg, a lakeside town with a scenic harbour, pristine beach, and a charming downtown area.
About 20 minutes from the town, be sure to also make a stop at the Big Apple, an iconic spot in Colborne with a mini golf course, farm store, and every apple treat you could possibly think of, as well as the world's largest apple.
From there, it's about another hour to Prince Edward County, where you'll find cute B&Bs, lavender farms and the nearby Sandbanks Provincial Park.
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Tobermory
Time To Complete: About 4 hours
Why You Need To Go: Driving from Toronto to Tobermory, Ontario, is a four-hour road trip that offers plenty of opportunities for scenic stops.
While most of the trip will start out with farm flatlands, about an hour in you'll reach the Forks of The Credit, a part of the Bruce Trail with numerous trails perfect for stretching your legs.
Eventually, you'll come to the Niagara Escarpment, which offers some interesting scenery and places to stop.
Among them are Inglis Falls Conservation Area, about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Toronto, where you'll find 18-metre falls that tumble into a pool of water surrounded by lush greenery.
You can also explore one of the many scenic trails here, or check out the "glacial potholes" in the park.
Just under 30 minutes from the conservation area is Sauble Beach, a charming town with a white-sand beach and clear blue waters that's been called the "Daytona of the North," as well as the nearby Sauble Falls Provincial Park.
In Tobermory, you'll be treated to brilliantly blue water and attractions like Bruce Peninsula National Park, home of the Tobermory Grotto, and Fathom Five National Marine Park.
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Algonquin Provincial Park
Time To Complete: 4 to 5 hours
Why You Need To Go: Taking around 4 hours from the GTA, a drive to Algonquin Provincial Park is a scenic trip with lots of options for stops along the way.
You'll pass by the charming town of Creemore about an hour and 45 minutes from Toronto, where you'll find historic streets and shops as well as North America's smallest jail. You may also want to stop in Barrie at the 400 Flea Market, where you can find everything from diamonds to doughnuts.
Just north of Orillia, the route will also take you right by Webers, an iconic burger spot where you can stop for a bite.
About two hours from Toronto, you'll pass through Bracebridge, where you can stop for a quick visit to Wilsons Falls and admire the landscape of the Canadian Shield.
Closer to the park, you could take a slight detour and check out Ontario's iconic Screaming Heads garden, a unique collection of sculptures near Muskoka before continuing to your final destination.
In Algonquin Provincial Park, you'll find opportunities for camping, many hiking trails, waterfalls and crystal-clear lakes.
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Happy travelling!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
