As the most populous province in Canada, Ontario is home to various attractions for travellers with a variety of budgets. If you’re looking for a fun getaway, but you want to stay within your travel budget, consider planning a trip to one of the following affordable vacation destinations in Ontario.
Turkey Point Provincial Park
Located in the small village of Turkey Point, Turkey Point Provincial Park offers plenty of affordable fun. It’s the only provincial park in Ontario with a golf course. If you like to hike, the park has three hiking trails that range between 1 kilometre and 4 kilometres. The park also has a sandy beach that stretches for more than 2 kilometres and a shallow, buoyed swimming area that’s great for kids.
Amethyst Mine Panorama
For a memorable vacation experience, take a trip to Shuniah and discover Amethyst Mine Panorama. Learn more about amethyst and dig for some of your own. Admission to the mine facilities is only $10 plus tax, and children younger than 5 are free. Start your tour of the mine at the visitor centre and study the interpretative panels on amethyst. If you want to dig for your own amethyst, you can purchase whatever you find for only $4 per pound plus tax.
Muskoka
Situated two hours north of Toronto, Muskoka is consistently ranked as one of the best places to visit in Canada. This quaint region is affectionately known as Canada’s cottage country and offers plenty of enjoyable and affordable activities to do. You can stay at one of the many cottages, hotels, or inns in the area and enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. The area is also home to museums, a growing craft brewery scene, festivals, and more.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Canoeing is one of the most popular activities to do in this park. You’ll find several companies in the area that rent canoes so that you can paddle across the open expanses of water and view the surrounding pine forests and rock outcroppings. The park also many developed and backcountry campsites to make enjoying everything the park has to offer even easier.
Niagara Falls
Although you may be tempted to exceed your travel budget during a visit to Niagara Falls, the area also has plenty of affordable attractions worth seeing. You can view the stunning falls for free from multiple lookout points in the area. When the sun goes down, be sure to check out the Niagara Falls Light Show. You can sometimes catch a fireworks show as well. Other free activities in the area including biking on the Niagara River Recreation Trail and hiking at Niagara Glen.
Thunder Bay
Situated on Lake Superior in northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay is a popular city that offers everything from gorgeous natural scenery to fascinating history. You can spend some time at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park to take in sweeping views of the area. Or you can wander around the reconstructed Fort William Historical Park to learn about the history of fur trading and watch living historians interpret what life was like in 1816.
Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve
If you want to experience the beauty of the Canadian wilderness and various exciting outdoor adventures, such as hiking, fishing, snowmobiling, camping, and mountain biking, make a trip to Haliburton to explore the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve. If you want to stay overnight, the reserve has everything from cozy cabins originally used by 19th-century loggers to spacious campsites. You can also head to the Wolf Centre to catch a glimpse of the reserve’s wolf pack.
Hamilton
The city of Hamilton is called the City of Waterfalls for good reason. Hamilton is home to more than 100 lovely and picturesque waterfalls. If you want to make a trip to view some of these waterfalls for yourself, Webster Falls, the largest waterfall in the region, is one popular option. Other lovely waterfalls to see include Albion Falls, Devil’s Punchbowl, and Sherman Falls.
Land O’ Lakes
If you love the great outdoors, Land O’ Lakes is an ideal affordable destination for you. The area has more than 5,000 lakes where you can enjoy swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and boating. When you’re looking for some winter fun, Land O’ Lakes also offers ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Prince Edward County
Located on the northeastern shores of Lake Ontario, Prince Edward County offers a pleasurable escape with something for everyone to enjoy. The area is home to a large artists’ community, more than 35 wineries, many festivals, and Sandbanks Provincial Park, which has one of the most expansive sandy beaches in Canada.
When you’re interested in exploring an affordable vacation destination in Ontario, you can’t go wrong when you check out a few of the above top options around the province.
