Lesser known facts about this inhumane punishment
One of the greatest natural wonders on the planet also happens to be Canada's most internationally recognized attraction—Niagara Falls. There are three sets of falls, of which Horseshoe Falls is the largest. This huge wall of water effectively separates Canada from the United States.
For many, a visit to Canada commences in Toronto, the nation's largest city. This is one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world, and is considered a cultural phenomenon for its scores of languages, foods, customs, and celebrations.
Easily the most iconic of Toronto's buildings is the CN Tower. Arrowing 553 m (1,814 ft) into the sky, the city's communications spire attracts more than two million international visitors annually. The tower houses several jaw-dropping observation decks, a revolving restaurant, and a family-friendly entertainment complex.
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada's most visited cultural institution. Deserving of its international reputation, not least for its astonishing exterior, the ROM houses an outstanding collection that covers art, natural history, and culture in dedicated galleries over several floors.
Visitors to this superb aquarium are immersed in a world of over 20,000 exotic and freshwater aquatic species. Highlights include the "Dangerous Lagoon," a huge underwater glass-clad tunnel over which glide sharks, rays, and sawfish. Another fabulous display is the jellyfish habitat (pictured), a mirrored tank accentuated with creative lighting.
The big cats in the Africa enclosure at the Toronto Zoo are always a crowd-pleaser, especially when little ones are born. The other habitats—Indo-Malaya, Canadian Domain, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, and Eurasia Wilds—are also alive with beautiful and precious wildlife. For kids, the Discovery Zone is especially fun with its water park, Splash Island.
Toronto can sizzle in summer. Escape the heat of the city by taking the ferry from Queen's Quay Terminal to the Toronto Islands. Anchored in Lake Ontario, this chain of 15 small islands provide visitors with memorable walks and other outdoor activities, among them cycling, swimming, and sailing.
The nation's capital, Ottawa was originally known as Bytown until 1854. The new name was chosen for the city to reference the Ottawa River. The city exudes a delightfully unassuming air and is certainly worth exploring at leisure over a few days or so.
Ottawa's most recognized landmark, the Parliament Buildings impress with their Victorian Gothic outlook. The Canadian parliamentary complex sits on Parliament Hill and is distinguished by the Peace Tower, a 98-m (322-ft) bell and clock tower that houses an observation deck.
Algonquin is celebrated nationwide for its mantle of maple hills. It's also noted for its forests, rivers, and numerous lakes, including the large Lake of Two Rivers. Algonquin is ideal hiking territory, with visitors facilitated with no less than eight camping grounds.
Another favorite with nature lovers is Killarney Provincial Park. Essentially a wilderness park, Killarney showcases natural wonders such as the La Cloche range, large rounded white quartzite hills that dominate the landscape.
Up in northwestern Ontario on the Sibley Peninsula you'll find the outstanding Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. The most prominent feature of the park is the Sleeping Giant ridge, which is most visible from the city of Thunder Bay. Pictured is the view from the top of the giant trail—one of the most compelling footpaths in Ontario.
How about this for an amusement park? Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan just north of Toronto features the heart-stopping Leviathan (pictured) and the Yukon Striker, the longest, fastest, and highest dive roller-coaster ever.
A sculpture of a giant spider called Maman greets visitors to the National Gallery of Canada. This is the country's national art museum, the vast collections reflecting its status as one of the largest art museums in North America. The breadth of the works is impressive, encompassing anything from aboriginal art to European Impressionism.
Every September the city hosts the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious events on the cinema celebration circuit. This world-famous festival attracts some of the biggest names in film, and most stars are happy to sign autographs for eager moviegoers.
One of the most popular vacation destinations for locals is the stunning archipelago known as the Thousand Islands. The collection of nearly 2,000 islands and islets is spread over an 80-km (49-mi) stretch of the St. Lawrence River. The archipelago draws watersports enthusiasts and those seeking a camping or cottage-style break from the steel and glass of Ontario's southern cities.
Bruce Peninsula National Park is another popular tourist destination for camping, hiking, and fishing. The region is also noted for its nature reserves and bird sanctuaries. The coast is marked by some extraordinary grottos and several lighthouses, including the historic Bruce Peninsula Cove Island Light, which has served as a navigational aid in the narrow channel between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay since 1858.
Set north of Toronto is Lake Muskoka. Equally popular with tourists, this region is known as "Cottage Country" for its abundance of high-end lakeside accommodation options. An ideal way to explore this pristine body of water is by historic steamship. Otherwise, sit back in your terrace deck chair and soak in the ambiance.
Fort William Historical Park sits on Thunder Bay and serves as a reminder of Ontario's once flourishing fur trade. The fort is a reconstruction of the headquarters of the Northwest Company of the Canadian fur trade, which operated from 1803 to 1821.
Ontario is an outdoor adventure paradise. The province is textured with numerous provincial and national parks, vast expanses of unspoiled semi-wilderness that is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, much of it indigenous.
Of course, Ontario is as much a winter destination as a place to visit during summer. Blue Mountain Resort near the town of Collingwood is open year-round, so why not get your bearings in the high season and return later with the snow for some fantastic skiing.
Sources: (CBC News) (Britannica)
See also: The most common myths and misconceptions aboot Canada, eh
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Located in the north of the city, Black Creek Pioneer Village harks back to the 1860s and life during a period of considerable social and political upheaval in Canada's history. Designed to resemble a rural Ontario village, the open-air heritage museum is staffed by costumed interpreters who go through their daily routine of living life 170 years ago. The historical military reenactments are particularly engaging.
Situated under the shadow of the CN Tower is the Rogers Centre, home field of the Toronto Blue Jays. Besides baseball, the venue hosts other major sporting events, including music concerts. Catch a game during the season or take the behind-the-scenes guided tour anytime.
Toronto lets its hair down mid-August with the fun-packed Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). An annual event, the CNE is three weeks of carnival madness, a jamboree of food, live music, and whacky amusement rides. The exhibition draws thousands and continues until Canadian Labor Day, the first Monday in September.
Ottawa is home to what has to be one of the most compelling museums in Ontario, the Diefenbunker. Constructed in the 1960s and a once-top secret facility, the four-story bunker was assembled as a self-sufficient, shock-resistant, radiation-proof subterranean shelter, one of several that appeared across Canada in response to the perceived Soviet threat. Today the bunker encloses a fascinating museum dedicated to the Cold War era.
Ontario's ecclesiastical showstopper is the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica. Sited in Ottawa's Lower Town neighborhood, this 19th-century cathedral boasts a dazzling and ornate interior illuminated by a set of stained glass windows.
Hamilton is known as the waterfall capital of the world for the more than 130 falls and cascades that distinguish this bustling port city.
The city of Niagara Falls provides a useful base from which to experience this awesome sight. Visitors can opt for a spray-lashed sightseeing cruise aboard the famous Maid of the Mist, which operates from the American side of the falls. Alternatively, the Whirlpool Aero Car takes passengers out of Niagara Falls and transports them over a section of the Niagara River referred to as the Niagara Whirlpool.
Anyone considering a longer stay in the area should ensconce themselves in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This beautiful little town was founded in 1792 and boasts a National Historic District crammed full of old military forts, churches, theaters, and a stock of regency and classical revival buildings.
Ontario is Canada's most populous province, and is indeed home to the nation's largest city, Toronto, and the capital city of Ottawa. But while these destinations serve as the region's major cultural hubs, the rest of Ontario appears as a vast wilderness of endless forest, numerous lakes, and abundant wildlife. And therein lies the appeal. You can reconnect with nature or lose yourself in the vibe of one of the funkiest and most cosmopolitan places in the country. The choice is yours.
Click through and go out and about in Ontario.
This exceptional art museum is one of the largest of its kind in North America. Previous exhibitions have showcased the works of some of the most famous artists in the world, including Turner, Cézanne, Picasso, Van Gogh, Chagall, and sculptor Henry Moore.
Out and about in Ontario
Discover Canada's most populous province
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Ontario is Canada's most populous province, and is indeed home to the nation's largest city, Toronto, and the capital city of Ottawa. But while these destinations serve as the region's major cultural hubs, the rest of Ontario appears as a vast wilderness of endless forest, numerous lakes, and abundant wildlife. And therein lies the appeal. You can reconnect with nature or lose yourself in the vibe of one of the funkiest and most cosmopolitan places in the country. The choice is yours.
Click through and go out and about in Ontario.