What Type of Experience Does Ontario Offer to Tourists?

It’s human nature to think that the grass is greener elsewhere. That’s the case when it comes to travel. Once upon a time, I happened upon a conversation with an Irish gentleman who told me about his burning desire to visit New Zealand, to experience the rugged coastline and green landscapes almost completely devoid of people.

Everything this gentleman described to me was sights and experiences that he could have had in his own country by exploring the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s notoriously green and sparse rural landscapes. Yet he wanted to travel 11,596 miles and halfway across the world instead of simply getting in his car and driving.

Crazy as that seems, it’s an incredibly common phenomenon and one that we Canadians are often guilty of too. We dream of alpine skiing in Switzerland, casino gambling in Las Vegas, and rugged mountaineering holidays in South America instead of enjoying what our own country has to offer.

(Why do many tourists visit Canada? - Source: Statistique Canada)

That’s why we’ve decided to put together this piece, to encourage the good people of Ontario to shun the shiny, foreign holidays in favor of exploring their backyard. Read on to find out what it is that makes Ontario so appealing to overseas tourists…

Fathom Five National Marine Park. Photo credit: Abhishek Photography

 Dive into Shipwrecks

Every time someone goes on holiday to the Caribbean or some Mediterranean island, they are always taking pictures of the sea and posting them to their Instagram, boasting about how crystal clear and blue the water is. News flash, it’s the same here too!

Every year tens of thousands of overseas tourists head to Fathom Five National Marine Park to dive into the shimmering blue waters and explore 22 impeccably preserved shipwrecks and dozens of stunning submerged, geological formations.

Go on a Wine Tour

Bordeaux, La Rioja, and Tuscany are wine-growing areas that are steeped in history and tradition and are absolute must-visit pilgrimage destinations for oenologists. New World wines though are where it’s at, particularly at the moment with New Zealand and Californian wines selling in their millions around the world.

Believe it or not, though, Canada is making moves in the global wine scene and is now producing some truly exceptional Rieslings, Chardonnays, and Cabernet Franc varietals. In terms of production, Ontario is the beating heart of Canadian wine, being responsible for two-thirds of the country’s overall output.

If you’re interested in following in the footsteps of overseas wine lovers, head over to Wine Route Planner to chart your route through Ontario’s famous vineyards. 

(With such a history of French migration, it’s no wonder that Canada has a thriving domestic wine industry.)

Photo credit: See You Soon

Encounter Wildlife

In Europe there isn’t any wildlife to speak of, barring a few pockets of bear populations in the east of the continents and the odd collection of wolves. Here in Canada though we have it all, and that’s one of the main reasons that people visit the country – to experience our wildlife.

For a once in a lifetime experience, head out to the Slate Islands to see an incredibly rare population of wild caribou that have been stranded on the archipelago since the thawing of lake ice back in the early 1900s.

Or head out to Algonquin Provincial Park or even paddle into the wilds of Wabakimi and see what wildlife you experience out there. Wherever you go though, make sure that you’re extra careful and aware of what to do if you encounter a bear.

Casino Gambling

When we think of the glitz and glamour of the casino floor, our mind usually jumps to one of two locations – the Las Vegas strip or Macau. Whilst these two places are undoubtedly jam-packed full of top-quality casinos so is Ontario.

There’s no doubt that land-based venues in Ontario are feeling the pressure from online competitors, they are unable to compete with welcome bonuses and the convenience of playing on the move. If you take a look at how much Onlinecasino.ca rates Jackpot City you’ll understand why some of the finest venues in the area are pulling out all of the stops to retain as many players as possible. But there’s one thing online providers can’t match, and that’s the atmosphere, something which tourists add to in abundance.

Here are four Ontario-based casinos that foreign tourists flock to in their thousands:

·       Niagara Fallsview Casino

·       Caesars Windsor Casino

·       Casino Rama Resort

·       Casino Niagara

·       Great Blue Heron Casino & Hotel

In Summary

There’s more to Ontario than we can cover in this article and if you want to find out more, just head over to Google and pretend you’re an intrepid overseas explorer weighing up a trip to the province, you’ll find plenty of great ideas and maybe fall back in love with the place that you’re from.