Category: Eastern Ontario

Imagine yourself walking behind a cloaked figure who bears only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, and you have just pictured the scene that takes place on haunted walks through Kingston and Ottawa. Both cities are said to be home to haunts from ages past, and both cities are the site of haunted walking tours, during which guides take guests to haunted sites where spooky happenings sometimes occur. Not for the faint of heart, these haunted walks present historic buildings and other famous sites in a new and somewhat scary light. Let’s take a closer look. Haunted Walks in […]

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There are well over one hundred lighthouses to visit in Ontario, so adding a stop at one of these beautiful monuments to maritime history as you travel to other attractions is not at all difficult. Offering excellent photo opportunities and some incredible views, these lighthouses vary in age, size, and intensity. Here are just a few favourites; you’re sure to add more to your personal list as you travel from one place to the next. Gibraltar Point Lighthouse Toronto‘s first lighthouse, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was built in 1808. Originally 52 feet tall, it was raised by 30 feet in […]

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In Eastern Ontario, where the Saint Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario, there’s a region with beautiful scenery that’s divided between Canada and the United States. Stretching downstream from the City of Kingston for approximately 80 km (50 mi.) you’ll come across island after island that make up the archipelago called The Thousand Islands. Now you may think that there couldn’t possibly be one thousand islands here, though in fact this is an understatement – there are actually a total of 1,864! Many very small islands are only large enough to support one tree, and there are many that can hold […]

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With a population of around 9,000 people the town of Smiths Falls is only a small town, but it’s big on charm! During the summer months in particular this becomes a hive of activity as boats come and go along the famous Rideau Canal, and visitors stop to check out the historic appeal of this Eastern Ontario town. Smiths Falls is the kind of place that makes you want to stop, get out of your car, and spend some time relaxing, and if you want to stay the night you may be able to find a room in one of […]

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Starting from zero, in the last 12 years twenty wineries have become established in “the county”.   Recently my wife and I spent a getaway weekend at the lovely Devonshire Inn and visited the Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards & Estate Winery. Located at 990 Closson Road, Hillier,  the winery is in a lovely rural setting featuring a stream, dammed pond and a large, airy barn which serves as the tasting room and wine store.   We were so impressed with their 2006 Pinot Noir that we had them deliver a case to our home in Toronto.   Among many other good […]

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I have many fond childhood memories of this part of eastern Ontario. While it seems all the kids in my Toronto neighbourhood went “up north” to cottage country, our family would head east on the 401 toward Belleville. There is an unusual part of Ontario most people zip past while travelling Highway 401. Prince Edward County, also know as Quinte Isle, is accessed off the Wooler Road (or from Trenton and Belleville). This rather crinkly-shaped part of Ontario sticks out into Lake Ontario and is a former peninsula. I say former because between 1882-1889 an 8 km (5 mi.) canal […]

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