National Geographic
Destination Ontario would like to acknowledge that Ontario is the world in one province and is the original homelands to many nations of the First Peoples. With the Cree Nation in the North, the Haudenosaunee in the South, and the Anishinabek Nation all around the Great Lakes, Destination Ontario is pleased to acknowledge and support the First Peoples and First Nations of these lands; the Inuit; and the Metis as we host visitors together.
Ontario, Canada holds many impressive stats, including the largest city in Canada, over 160 cultural groups, and almost 16 million people. One of the most impressive facts is that the province has over 250,000 lakes. Cue head-exploding emoji. I grew up near the coast and have always been drawn to water as a chance to rejuvenate. When I learned that water is so entwined in the province, it felt like a requirement to find every possible way to explore it. In search of the kind of renewal only travel provides, I set off to drive across the province, learning about Ontario through its endless pools of blue. As a photographer and writer, I find a place is best discovered through its people and they will be my entry point, starting with a fourth-generation farmer.
Niagara
Passing through the urban areas surrounding Niagara Falls, I am surprised to find how quickly they give way to orchards as far as the eye can see. Arnie Lepp has close ties to these orchards and recently founded Spirit in Niagara Small Batch Distillery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. After selling produce for decades, Arnie came up with a remarkably simple idea to reduce waste: turn it into delicious eau-de-vie. One of his unique creations, a plumoncello (the yellow plum cousin to limoncello), just won a gold medal at the Bartender Spirits Awards. The health of his orchards is all thanks to the lake effect weather that creates a mild winter and allows the trees to survive. “Without the lake, we wouldn’t be here,” says Arnie. My glossary of water now includes this hidden power.
Though there’s one place nearby where water’s raw power is not hidden, it’s the whole display. Everyone visits Niagara for the falls, but there’s a manmade wonder right next door that is just as impressive. The Niagara Parks Power Station is a hydroelectric power plant, which started operating in 1905, ran for nearly a century, and is now run by the Niagara Parks Commission as a cavernous attraction. The generator hall is open both day and night, featuring interactive exhibits and an elaborate light show that educates through entertainment. I take an elevator 180 feet below ground into a tunnel that provides an up-close perspective on Horseshoe Falls. This tunnel used to release all the water back into the Niagara River after it was finished turning turbines and creating energy. Now it delivers visitors into the mist, where there is more often than not a rainbow stretching into the sky.
Southampton/Sauble Beach
Next up, I head north to Southampton to meet local Indigenous artist, Emily Kewageshig. Emily is Anishnaabe and her work explores the interconnection of life forms, often using the aesthetic of fluidity to show how water connects us all. Walking Lake Huron, she looks out. “Water is life, we come from the water and every life form needs it to survive.” As we move along the main drag of Sauble Beach, she points out some local landmarks, such as the nostalgic and photogenic Sauble Beach sign, before we return to her studio down the road. Her paintings are like jewels that pop off the clean white walls. Each one draws you in and forces your eye to trace the composition through the many flowing lines. Observing them feels like meditating, and I understand how her calm connection to the lake nearby feeds these compositions.
Parry Sound/Killbear Provincial Park
Another local I meet on my route who knows these waterways intimately, is Tori Baird, an intrepid explorer and founder of Paddle Like a Girl. After a few simple instructions, I slip into my very own canoe and begin gliding across the surface of the Magnetawan River near Parry Sound. We pass heaps of flowering lilies, lush pine forests, and an abundance of wildlife.
Tori Baird stands with a custom-made paddle next to her canoe along the Magnetawan River.
Photograph by Michael George
I ask Tori about her connection to this river, trying my best to keep pace alongside her. “When you’re out here, you’re free. Eating lunch on an uninhabited island all on your own. One waterway leads to another and you can escape for multiple days. It’s good for your body, mind, and spirit,” she says. While it would be impossible to check off 250,000 bodies of water, Tori is well on her way, traveling through remote wilderness areas and knowing every bend of this river. She sees canoeing as a way to empower women and give them a sense of freedom from their daily responsibilities. After a few hours of paddling, I realize as we return to the shore that although I have been surrounded by it on all sides, I haven’t drunk any water. It is an unusually hot day and I rummage through my backpack to find my canteen, still cold from the shade of my seat, and take a sip. After paddling, the taste is invigorating, refreshing, and, of course, hydrating. Water has power in all forms, from these small sips bringing me back to life, to the massive river steadily flowing by us.
Though I could spend all day on these shores, Tori suggests I continue my water adventure at another location not far from the Magnetawan River. Killbear Provincial Park has over 7 miles (12km) of coastline made up of rolling, rock formations that make water access easy. The park occupies an entire peninsula jutting into Georgian Bay. No matter where I am, a rocky shoreline or sandy beach is not far away. Walking out under the sparkling midday sun, I catalog more water activities than I can count. To my left are families kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming. To my right are jet skis, boats, and a line of thrill seekers jumping into the water. Killbear is large enough that everyone can make their own space and find seclusion if wanted. This natural escape is not far from the self-proclaimed jewel of the 30,000 Islands, Parry Sound Tourism – 30,000 Islands, Georgian Bay – A UNESCO World Heritage SiteParry Sound Tourism.
Whitby
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring water in its liquid form, but it’s time to expand my imagination and see what healing powers can be found when it evaporates. Thermëa spa village in Whitby follows the classic Nordic approach of hot, cold, rest. For the former, it has many saunas, including Hälo, a warm rose-colored respite with a vaulted ceiling made of pure Himalayan salt blocks. In a special steam room their ritual artisans, like Robin Pacquina, walk visitors through a self-guided Rhassoul treatment. Robin poetically describes the experience: “The word itself derives from the Moroccan for washing and cleansing. Walking into the room the steam is so thick it’s like stepping into a cloud, allowing an isolated experience among others. We usea scrub with royal jelly, a substance produced by honeybees strictly for the queen. Hot water falls from above, washing it away as we begin the next step, a clay mask and body rub, followed by argan oil moisturizer.”
I didn’t even receive the treatment and I feel refreshed. Looking out on the vast property with its seemingly endless hot and cold pools, relaxed visitors walking by in their robes, it feels like an ultra-zen college campus. I am eager to enroll for a full semester, but I must continue onward to Prince Edward County.
Prince Edward County
Often referred to as simply, “The County”, this part of Ontario is a bucolic picture-postcard landscape filled with picturesque farms, heritage houses, and lake views that can be seen directly from the road. Happily, the locals don’t take for granted the value and beauty of this land, and are eager to share its bounty. I drive by Prince Edward County Lavender Farm and the scent in the air puts me in the right headspace for the next stage of my travels.
At Stella’s Eatery, head chef Leah changes the menu every day to reflect the latest offerings from nearby farms. The dishes are unique, artful, and taste like they should cost twice as much. I arrive before the dinner rush to meet co-owner Cristina Meillon and as it gets busier, the atmosphere is like my most unpretentious and effortlessly cool friend inviting me to a party with an immaculate vibe. The tomato toast combines fresh heirloom tomatoes with a whipped feta that is so fluffy it looks animated. Other standouts are the country fried rabbit and seared pickerel, both incorporating flavors that are simultaneously light, fresh, and incisive. The only thing that could tear me away from these unique tastes is the promise of an epic sunset. Cristina understands and describes to me the view from Slake Brewing.
Pulling into the parking lot, her words come to life when I see the building positioned atop a limestone hill. The outside garden and large windows show off a panoramic view of the undulating landscape. Greg, one of Slake Brewing’s three owners, meets me at an outdoor picnic table and explains how they truck in water from Lake Ontario to brew the beer. Sipping on a sharp IPA with the bright orange sun kissing the horizon, I discover yet another wonder of water. Slake Brewing uses a full cycle process, with spent grains distributed to the animals of nearby farms. Each of its beer names has a story to tell, the best of which is Darren The One-Eyed Cat. For now, I’ll leave that tale a mystery as I am long overdue some shut-eye.
Heading south, I find the ideal place to rest in The Drake Devonshire, a boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Ontario, with a small creek that runs directly through the property. The interior spaces have a one-of-a-kind character, somehow finding a balance between feeling modern yet echoing the past. Sculptures and small artworks fill every corner, while the hotel’s latest addition is a pickleball court. I fall asleep staring up at my skylight, watching as raindrops carry me to dreamland.
Toronto
Reaching the end of my Ontario deep dive, I feel I’ve explored at least half of the province’s 250,000 bodies of water, each one with its own unique offerings. Driving into Toronto, I seek a respite to process everything I’ve seen. After a 10-minute ferry ride, I step out onto Ward’s Island, part of the Toronto Islands. Carved with estuaries filled with beavers, herons, and boathouses, it feels much more remote than it is. My last, and probably most memorable, experience on the water is a combination of yoga and stand-up paddleboarding.
Toronto Islands SUP provides classes that really test my connection to the water, like balancing on a board in downward dog pose. After a short paddle, the Toronto city skyline comes into view with hazy clouds floating above. Though the CN Tower has an iconic silhouette, the vast reflective water in the foreground helps it shine. Our instructor suggests a pose and to achieve it I must connect with the gentle rhythm of the waves.
My hope for this trip was to understand Ontario through my favorite element. Despite traveling the world, I’ve never found this many ways to indulge my senses through water. My instructor guides my attention to my breath,
