Our second week in the Love Where You Live series focuses on unique experiences throughout Ontario. Last weeks post focused on unique accommodations, and our hope with this series is that the information given to you each week, compliment each other or provide some inspirational connections for local travel planning.

As with last weeks post, these experiences are a mix of things that we have either personally done or that we hope to do one day. We write this post from the safety of our home office instead of hitting the open road due to the lockdowns that are in place. Before we get started, it should be noted that, due to COVID, the experiences in this post are not open and subject to change.

So, where can we “virtually” travel to in Ontario this week? Let’s start with something that reminds me of a trip I took in 2011 to the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. During my research, I soon realized that I didn’t need to travel this far to see similar unique landscapes.

Operated by the Credit Valley Conservation, these badlands are located in Caledon. There are two formal trails on the Cheltenham Badlands property:

As stated by Ontario Trails, “Badlands are a geologic term for an area of soft rock devoid of vegetation and soil cover that has become molded into a rolling landscape of rounded hills and gullies.

Such areas are rare in Ontario and in Canada and this is one of the best examples. They exhibit the reddish hue of the Queenston Shale that forms them; the iron oxide in the shale produces this colour. The narrow greenish bands that can be seen throughout the shale are due to the change of red iron oxide to green iron oxide brought on by the circulating groundwater.”

Below is a picture taken in South Dakota, but hopefully soon, I can share a new picture of this local geological area!

I can’t believe that I am saying this, but I have never enjoyed this iconic winter activity in our capital. In fact, I have never even been to Ottawa in the winter. My first and only visit, was in the fall of 2019 where I quickly realized that this city is definitely worthy of another visit, perhaps during the winter.

It is in Ottawa that the historic Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, becomes the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s largest skating rink. First opened in 1970, it was originally six metres wide and five kilometers in length. Fast forward to today and the skateway is over 7.8 kms and is a key attraction to Ottawa’s Winterlude celebration in February. Who’s ready to go skating!?!

This is definitely a unique experience and when I found out of its existence, it immediately resonated with me. Camp 30, also known as Bowmanville POW camp, was a prisoner of war camp for WWII. Just a short distance from Toronto, this slightly scary National Historic Site of Canada has historic significance that should not be missed. If you enjoy war history than you must put this on your list.

A lot of renovations need to be done but seeing it in its current state would be a foreboding experience. If you plan to attend, remember to honour what happened during WWII and be respectful of the histories that surround it.

Canada’s first railway tunnel can be found in the town of Brockville. The tunnel is approximately ½ a kilometer in length and located right under the City. What resonated with me is the cool vibe this tunnel gives which could be because of the recently revised dynamic and colourful light show and new sound track that was added in 2020.

Insta-worthy opportunities for sure!

If you are interested in an exhilarating experience, then this Guinness World Record for the “Highest External Walk on a Building”, is a must. It is the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk on a 1.5 m (5 ft) wide ledge encircling the top of the Tower’s main pod, 356m/1,168ft (116 storeys) above the ground.

Below you will find a video of our experience from our honeymoon getaway in 2017. If you get nauseous easy, you may want to skip the video and keep reading.

Located in my sister’s home town of Port Burwell, this museum sub, the HMCS OJIBWA, is truly one of the most unique experiences found in Ontario. This ‘sub” was an actual Cold War Oberon Class Submarine and travelled far to end up in Port Burwell.

There are future plans to build a Museum of Naval History alongside the submarine. Until then, you can tour the inside of the submarine which is something that not too many people get the opportunity to do in their lifetime.

As a member of the Caldwell First Nation, it is important for me to recognize and bring awareness to unique indigenous experiences and when I found the Great Spirit Circle Trail, I knew it was one that I wanted to showcase. Their website eloquently describes this experience:

For more information on authentic indigenous experiences check out Discover Indigenous Experiences Ontario as a great resource.

Some of you may know this location because of the infamous “Big Nickel”, but that is not why I added it to this post. What many may not know is that there is more to see and do at Dynamic Earth than taking that perfect selfie with the largest nickel in the world. Did you know, that you can take a tour of a mine that follows in the footsteps of the Sudbury miners? Seven floors underground, this tour will take you through a mining demonstration and explore the evolution of mining.

There is so much more to do at Dynamic Earth, including a rock gallery, mineral wall and science park. Doesn’t this sound like it would make a great family getaway?

Ontario offers many unique ziplining experiences. Although it was hard to choose one, I decided on listing the one that I have actually done. Many years ago, we celebrated a milestone birthday here by ziplining over the Niagara Escarpment. ½ mile in length, it is one of Ontario’s longest ziplines and is unique in that it offers two parallel lines so that two people can experience it simultaneously.

If you read the Unique Accommodations post last week, you know that my original hometown of Strathroy is near and dear to my heart, and when I can, I will always bring attention to this area. One experience that many of my friends have enjoyed and visit regularly, is Kustermans Berry Farms.

Kustermans offers many attractions and entertainment for families to enjoy. These attractions range from:

Now, let's wrap up this post with some special experiences that can be found in and about the Waterloo Region, a place I currently call home.

Up first is a local touring company who provides guided wine, beer and cider tour experiences to beautiful Norfolk County.

Norfolk County is an up-and-coming, award winning wine region along Ontario's South Coast. With Buzz Tour Co. offering front door pick up in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and surrounding area, you can safely explore for the day without worrying who is going to drive. Christine, owner and operator, goes above and beyond to ensure you have a fun but relaxing day of exploration and cultural connection.

I experienced a tour in 2018 and still enjoy some of the ciders and foods that we were introduced to; especially the Sassy Bitch hard cider from Hounds of Erie Winery and the incredible cheeses from The Dover Cheese Shop.

Be sure to “catch the buzz” when tours resume, you don’t want to miss out.

When we couldn’t go to France in 2020, we decided to work with Spicy Jan at Tasty Road Trips to enjoy a unique, small town experience instead. Our tour was located in Paris and we almost forgot we weren’t on a far-off trip due to the hospitality, variety and energy that Spicy Jan brings and plans in her tours.

We took the One Bite at a Time Tour, which was a walking food & cultural tour that explored a local upscale Marketplace, offered ice cream, included visits to a local health food store and soapery, and included some amazing baked goods at the Paris Bakery. It really was a great day and we will definitely be back to Paris, both in Ontario and hopefully, one day soon, France.

There are many walking tours available in the Waterloo Region, and I am excited to be able to experience some of these first hand when the lockdown is lifted.

Stroll Walking Tours offers over 10 guided walks that are 100% private for you and your group. Their goal is to enlighten your perspectives on the Waterloo Region and to deliver the most interesting stories during their walks.

Other walking tours available with the help of the City, BIA and local businesses, include the Uptown Waterloo Hughes Lane Art Walk and the DTK Art Walk.

Sounds like a pretty amazing way to get 10,000 steps in, doesn’t it?

I hope something in this post resonated with you and gives you something to look forward to when lockdown is over and it is safe to leave our homes. In the interim, be sure to follow these businesses on Facebook and Instagram so you can keep updated on their re-opening plans, or new initiatives that some of these businesses are embarking on.

Next week, we will focus on all things food! It sounds exciting, but I am on a no sugar journey right now, so it will be hard not to lose my momentum and keep focused! Wish me luck!

Don't forget to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter at the bottom of this post. Until then, stay safe, smile and know that we will get through this.