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Top 9 Summer Road Trips Not Far From Toronto

5 years ago
gtapcnew
Adult Classes, Kids & Teens, Places to Visit, Summer Camp

Top 9 Road Trip Spots  Outside of Toronto

Summer is the perfect time to just get in the car and drive. Ontario is such a large place that it can be hard to decide where to go. Instead of exploring the usual spots in Toronto, we decided to think outside of the box and we found 9 spots under 20 hours away from the city. Whether you want to spend your trip relaxing at the beach or browsing a museum, we’ve got you covered.

9.  Elora and Fergus (an hour and a half from Toronto)

Elora, Ontariox

Photo by @nemethsamantha

Photo by @albannachmusic

If you desire a small town vibe with lots of culture and a few scenic photo ops, this is the place for you. Elora is home to the Elora Gorge Falls and tons of quaint cafes and one of a kind shops. There’s plenty to do for the thrill seekers as well with tubing, bike tours, and ziplining. Right next door is the small town of Fergus which hosts a Highland Games festival every summer in August.

8. Caledon (47 minutes from Toronto)

Belfountain Conservation Area

Photo by @itsblueberrymoon

Photo by @buzz_drone

Want to get out of the city but need to stay close to home? Caledon is a hidden gem right in Toronto’s backyard with plenty to see and do. The Belfountain Conservation Area is a beautiful park complete with a fountain and suspension bridge that’s perfect for photos and for a relaxing afternoon. Caledon also hosts a local farmers market and the Alton Mills Art Centre where you can check out local produce and artwork. For more beautiful scenery, Caledon is located near the Cheltenhem Badlands.

 7.  Port Dover and Simcoe (an hour and a half from Toronto)

Port Dover

Photo by @hales.bbb

Port Dover Lighthouse

Photo by @jimsmithfromcanada

Located within Norfolk County, these two towns offer a lot of rich culture, attractions for the thrill seeks, and gorgeous views. Port Dover is home to Radical Lines Aerial Adventure Park which contains ziplining and various aerial challenges for all skill levels. There are plenty of scenic hiking and biking trails along with a waterfall and the Port Dover lighthouse. Port Dover is also home to a beach with authentic palm trees that will make you feel like you are on the beaches of Miami. Simcoe has a corn maze and a historical tug boat tour for families that are looking for more unique experiences.

  6. Kingston and the Thousand Islands (3 hours from Toronto)

Kingston waterfront

Photo by @maria_tyumkin

Boldt Castle

Photo by @vlm_explores

Kingston is a city built on history and is located right near the Gananoque border. There are several historic buildings within the city including Fort Henry, a replica of a War of 1812 fort and the Kingston Penitentiary. If you want to explore the water, there is a ferry to nearby Wolffe Island that leaves regularly. A fun family activity can include a trip to the Boiler Room– a rock climbing facility that has walls for people of all abilities. Closer to the American Border is the Thousand Islands. Just as it sounds, there are over one thousand islands to explore which can be done through a Thousand Island cruise.

  5. Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake (an hour and a half from Toronto)

Niagara Falls

Photo by @evaosterlee

Niagara On the Lake

Photo by @modernvisionphotographyinc

Though some may see this as an expected vacation, Niagara Falls offers a ton of exciting and unique things to do. There are the usual attractions such as the Maid of the Mist but then there is behind the falls, an attraction which takes you physically behind Niagara Falls. Make sure to drop by Clifton Hills for an arcade, great museum experiences such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and the famous Skywheel. If you get bored of downtown Niagara Falls, there are several places nearby that provide good exploring such as Niagara-On-The-Lake and St. Catharines. Check out the McKenzie Printery and Newspaper museum and the Upper Canada Cheese Company.

4. Trent Hills and Prince Edward County (2-3 hours from Toronto)

Giant Toonie

Photo by @brendamochulla

Sandbanks Provincial Park

Photo by @sunaonakude

Right on the Trent River, Trent Hills is a quaint community made up of three towns/villages which embrace a cottage and country feel. Campbellford is the largest of the communities and features a variety of activities including the famous Ranney Gorge suspension bridge which leads into Ferris Provincial Park, a giant Toonie sculpture, cheese factory, and chocolate factory. Nearby Hastings is a great village to go for fishing and Warkworth has several speciality shops and cafes which are perfect for a Saturday afternoon.

One county over is Prince Edward County. A great cottaging and vacation spot with a similar country vibe to Trent Hills. The County, as it’s affectionately known, stretches across the water and is perfect for those who want a waterfront view. You can check out Sandbanks Provincial Park for public swimming, Lake on the Mountain for gorgeous, and even take the Glenora Ferry across the lake for a nice afternoon cruise. Prince Edward County is also known as wine country so be sure to take that into account when visiting.

3.  Georgian Bay

Scenic Caves, Collingwood

Photo by @bella_v_inked

Bruce Peninsula National Park

Photo by @merissa.cg

The Georgian Bay is a huge area with a ton of things to see and do. Located right on the Bruce Peninsula, you have the opportunty to see scenic caves in Collingwood, the Bruce Peninsula provincial park as well as several other provincial parks in Tobermory, and check out the beaches in Wasaga Beach.

2. Thunder Bay (14 hours and 45 minutes from Toronto)

Photo by @jayeffex

Sleeping Giant

Photo by @stilez

Pretty far from the city, Thunder Bay is a great place to go for a true Toronto getaway. Thunder Bay features many natural attractions such as the Sleeping Giant, a completely natural rock formation, Kakabeka Falls and a working amethyst mine. For Canadian history buffs, there’s a tribute to Terry Fox and Fort William Historical Park. Thunder Bay also hosts a variety of museums and other attractions throughout the city to appease all interests.

1. Muskoka Region

Algonquin Park Moose

Photo by @cpietryszyn

Treetop Trekking

Photo by @treetoptrekking

If cottage country is your thing, this is the best place in Ontario to venture to. The Muskoka Region covers a pretty large area which means there are a ton of things to do and see throughout it. Santa’s Village is a unique amusement park attraction near Bracebridge and is a great place to take the kids even in July. If you’re into camping and canoeing, look no further than Algonquin park. There are tons of campsites amongst the park so it is the perfect place to go camping. Whether you want to canoe or see a real live moose, Algonquin park is the ultimate camping destination. Huntsville also has a treetop trekking and aerial park that is sure to provide for any adrenaline junkie in the family.

Learn how to take picture perfect photographs on your next road trip.

Check out our travel photography workshop in Toronto. Perfect workshop for your next trip.

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Family Activities, Places to Visit, Summer activities, summer activities for toronto
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GTA Photography Classes
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Katherine Seatree
Katherine Seatree
23:10 24 Feb 20
I recently did the Photo 101 class with Lauren and it exceeded my expectations! Lauren was a great teacher - very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about photography which definitely helped boost my own enthusiasm. The class also benefited from being small, think it was just 6 of us and the content felt appropriate for a beginner. I now have a good understanding of things like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, composition etc. What I really loved was that there were practical exercises and steps explained that made it so much easier to understand and master what we learnt. My photos have already massively improved, and I can now say I feel confident shooting in manual mode! I would definitely recommend this course.
Samantha Peck
Samantha Peck
18:23 10 Feb 20
I took Photo 101, knowing very little about manual photography and left knowing the basics- and more! I'm feeling much more confident in my skills and interested in pursuing more classes. The small class size, knowledgeable instructor and hands-on learning all helped me get more familiar with my camera. I highly recommend taking classes at GTA Photography!
Fazeela Jahangir
Fazeela Jahangir
08:50 28 Jan 20
I was very keen to end up at the right place to brush up my photography because I wanted to learn from the best. GTA Photography exceeded my expectations at that. The location is conveniently located one stop from Kings Station with lots of places to eat and practice photography around. The best part I would say are undoubtedly the instructors who are some of the top in their various fields of photography. They were very patient with students asking questions as and when they wanted, which meant by the time we got to the end of the class and QnA session all queries had already been dealt with and everyone was happy with the instruction. We got lots of opportunities to practice as well. I am so happy I found this place to connect with other photographers- I have taken 3 courses already and am planning to take 3 more. I think that speaks for itself!
Melany Tiago
Melany Tiago
04:54 20 Jan 20
I spent my time at GTA photography Classes as a Co-op Student and really enjoyed my time here! Great kind hearted Staff & 5 star classes!
Anna Medvedev
Anna Medvedev
19:24 10 Jan 20
If you want to learn photography, this is the school you should go to. Knowledgeable instructors, interactive classes and very practical instruction.
Yve Benz
Yve Benz
17:42 10 Jan 20
Best photography school in the GTA and beyond. Amazing management, nice and professional staff, great camps and adult classes. Can highly recommend it!!!
Mark Buck
Mark Buck
15:09 14 Dec 19
As a photography and digital arts teacher with both the TDSB and YRDSB I highly recommend GTA Photography (Toronto). They teach us (students and adults) how to capture the special memorial moments of our lives.Dorothy Lange once remarked:"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still."-
Josh Kim
Josh Kim
19:07 12 Dec 19
I spent time as both a counsellor at GTA over the summer as well as a co-op student during the school year. Super friendly staff that love teaching and helping people. Sitting in on different workshops and camp sessions, their instructors are always available to help and seeing how they teach, I'm not surprised when I see the other glowing reviews here. Would highly recommend both their camps and adult classes for anyone with an interest in photography!
Pam Robertson
Pam Robertson
00:58 10 Dec 19
The kid camps are amazing! They had very informative instructors, interactive teaching, and a so many fun field trips in a great location! The staff were very friendly and you could tell that they loved what they do and were so great with the kids!
shepherd Huang
shepherd Huang
17:05 09 Dec 19
Very knowledgeable instructors, interactive teaching and fun field trips. Lauren is so patient and I have a great time.
Candice Pollack
Candice Pollack
15:56 15 Oct 19
Our organization rented this space for a two day meeting. The team at GTA Photography was incredibly helpful and the space was clean, well-kept, and made for a great workshop space.
stephanie grace
stephanie grace
16:15 16 Sep 19
Great location and clean and light filled rooms for smaller groups. We came here for a management meeting and it was perfect for our needs.
Senthuran Kopalakrishnan
Senthuran Kopalakrishnan
15:14 09 Sep 19
Learned so much in a short period of time. Knowledgeable friendly instructor. Highly recommended for anyone interested in photography.
Sandra Nagy
Sandra Nagy
02:21 25 Aug 19
My 9 year old son had an unbelievable week of camp at GTA photography. He went on amazing field trips, had amazingly passionate counsellors and raves about every day. He also learned a ton and gained tremendous skills and confidence. There were tons of older kids as well, up to 15-16 year olds and they all seemed to love it as much as him. A unique and fun experience. I highly recommend it.
Agnes Roter
Agnes Roter
19:10 06 Jul 19
My daughter absolutely loved this camp. It was her first intro to photography and she quoted techniques and instructions from day one. She also quite enjoyed exploring downtown Toronto with the crew. That was a great part of the program. Highly recommend GTA Photography camp.
Anson Wong
Anson Wong
05:20 27 May 19
I received a nice camera for Christmas but did not know how to use it properly while on vacation. Decided to take an introductory course and it provides me with the tools to understand my camera. Alex is a great instructor. Not only is she very knowledgeable but her class was very well structured. She provided me with the confidence to use my camera and highly recommend this to anyone who finds cameras intimidating.
Culham Anderson-Brodie
Culham Anderson-Brodie
15:41 12 Mar 19
I took the photo 101 course through gta photography and i must say my experience was amazing. My instructor Donovan was extremely knowledgeable and I left with all the skills necessary to properly operate my camera in manual mode. Since taking this course my photography skills have continued to improve and I will MOST DEFINITELY be back for more classes!
Greg Leung
Greg Leung
19:56 11 Feb 19
Very professional, patient instructors. Perfect balance between fun & informative. I've taken Photo 101 & 201 and will definitely be enrolling in future courses! GTA Photography has ignited my passion for photography.
Tricia Anderson
Tricia Anderson
16:37 11 Feb 19
I took a couple of weekend sessions (Photography 101 and 201) to get me going with my new Digital SLR camera. They provided a great foundation to help me progress with my photography. The small class size and enthusiastic instructor made for a great learning environment. Tricia A.
A Woods
A Woods
22:07 17 Dec 18
Took the Portraiture 101 class. The Instructor was very informative and had some really great tips for making my photos better. She clearly is very experienced and has a great eye. It was part function and part art course and I loved that! The school was well designed and felt very warm and inviting. I loved that they took us outdoors to practice in real life conditions. I would definitely recommend this course and am looking forward to taking another!
troy bacchus
troy bacchus
16:00 26 Nov 18
UPDATE: Took the Photo301 lighting class this past weekend with Shayne and it was fantastic. Shayne was an excellent instructor and gave us a good grounding in lighting techniques and tips and tricks that really save a lot of time. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking to advance their skills working with natural, and artificial light.Just finished the photo201 class this past weekend and it was great. The instructor Neil made the class enjoyable while conveying all the necessary information. Material is good, they may want to consider having it printed for note taking. Overall a great class and I have already registered for photo301.
Danial Mirzakhani
Danial Mirzakhani
21:42 17 Jul 17
I haven't ever gon ther..but I think it's so good
Kristen Valente
Kristen Valente
19:00 14 Jun 17
Yesterday I took the Travel Photography workshop and it was awesome! It was such a small class that we really got to fire off questions whenever needed. Neil was a very extremely knowledgeable, engaging and patient teacher. He is clearly passionate about his craft and he did an excellent job of preparing us for future travel endeavours.
Jason Hopkins
Jason Hopkins
19:30 24 May 17
I took the Lightroom class which is a 4 week class every Thursday for 2 hours. The class was taught methodically and left me feeling confident using Lightroom. The teacher was very friendly and kept the learning environment fun and relaxing. I highly recommend gta photography, I've been around the owners and other people who work there. They all really care about their job and the students who come to learn.
Tess Vardy
Tess Vardy
13:10 20 May 17
I took classes last year in the fall and winter, and I learned so much!!!! I really feel like I have gained a lot of skill and confidence with a camera that I will carry with my for the rest of my life. I definitely missed having the classes once they were done because they were just SO much fun and the instructors really know what they're doing. I would recommend to anyone!!!
Jennifer Qu
Jennifer Qu
20:25 19 May 17
GTA Photography Classes is a really amazing camp for kids of all ages. I was 15 when I took teen camp 1 and teen camp 2 in the fall and winter. The instructors are amazing and I learned so much. The classes were really informative plus the instructors did a really good job making everything as clear as possible. I had Laura and Kylie as my instructors. They were amazing and really knew what they were talking about. Each class was accompanied by a field trip every other week. Because the camps location is in the centre of Downtown Toronto, the field trips were pretty cool if I do say so myself. We went to Kensington Market, ROM, Nathan Philip Square, etc. I highly suggest GTA Photography Classes if you're a beginner and even if you have experience and you want to get a little more creative with your work, it's definitely worth the money.
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