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Ontario Parks, Canada ticks all the boxes on holidaymaker wish list

30th January 2012 Print

Beaches, culture, road trips, city trips and get-aways top holiday makers' wish lists according to a new online survey - and Ontario has them all.

The five choices head the list of a recent survey on travel website Trip Advisor. All five of these trips can be experienced at Ontario Parks in 2012.

Beach Trips

Ontario Parks has 66,389 miles of protected and maintained fresh water beaches. The most popular is Wasaga Beach Provincial Park on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. At 8 miles long it is the longest freshwater beach in the world.

There are a number of well kept beach secrets across the Province, including Neys Provincial Park on Lake Superior. The landscape around here was made famous by The Group of Seven painters, but visitors are unaware it has one of the finest beaches in Northern Ontario.

There are also nine Ontario Parks on Lake Erie that have beaches. Two of the best are at Long Point Provincial Park, south of Woodstock. The park is part of a massive sand spit and is designated World UNESCO biosphere. Sand dunes at Long Point rival the ones you can see at Sandbanks, a popular provincial park on Lake Ontario.

Also beach lovers can combine the best of both worlds with a city break in Toronto, as this buzzing multi-cultural city also has its own Beach neighbourhood.

City Trips

There are also three provincial parks close to Toronto. To the west is Bronte Creek Provincial Park where families can even sleep in a yurt. To the east is Darlington Provincial Park which has its own beach, while Sibbald Point Provincial Park on Lake Simcoe in the north has great fishing and swimming.

Cultural Trips

Ontario Parks also educate as well as entertain. Their cultural education programs are available for anyone who visits the parks for an overnight stay. One of this year's highlights will take place  at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park between August 17-19, when a major re-enactment of the War of 1812 will take place marking the 200th anniversary. The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. Hundreds will re-enact the battle that was fought here.

Road Trips

Every region of Ontario offers the opportunity of a trip. A one week road trip of Eastern Ontario could include four or more provincial parks with hiking, paddling, camping, yurt or cabin accommodation and even a wolf howl! The total driving distance between nine Ontario Parks on Lake Erie is only 185 miles.

Three of the provincial parks, Port Burwell, Turkey Point and Long Point are within a 45 minute drive of each other. Ontario Parks' overnight camping permits allow a person to stay in one park and visit others using the same permit.

Guys and Girls Getaways

For the guys, Wabakimi Provincial Park in northwestern Ontario, offers some great fishing. VIA Rail services stops in the south end of the park three times a week.  Area outfitters pick up visitors and offer guided fishing trips with lodge or cabin accommodation.

For the girls, a great getaway to enjoy Spring or the Autumn colours is at Algonquin Park. Staying in one of the resorts there, there are hiking trails a plenty as well as photography workshops available.

For more information on Ontario Parks, visit OntarioParks.com.