The Niagara Falls. Been there, done that. For many world travellers, the Falls has been the single most touristic reason for visiting Ontario. But Canada’s most populous province (accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all Canadians), is much more than just the Falls – it is in fact a cauldron of culture, heritage and new age experiences.
For starters, get to the Table Rock Welcome Centre in Niagara to go on a Journey Behind the Falls. Observatory points in the tunnels behind the Falls give you a glimpse of the roaring wall of water and the walls tell you the history of the Falls and the Rainbow Bridge (site of the earlier Honeymoon Bridge, which collapsed on January 27, 1938, due to an ice jam in the river) that connects Ontario to New York. You can work up an appetite for lunch at the Elements on the Falls restaurant which gives you an up close view of the Horseshoe Falls. Later for that adrenaline rush, Niagara Helicopters offers helicopter rides over the Falls to get priceless views of this water wonder from up above. To end the day, take the Hornblower Cruises boat tour to watch fireworks with the floodlit Falls in the backdrop.
 |
 |
Experiential discoveries
Clifton Hill, the entertainment hub of the Niagara Falls district and Niagara on the Lake are two must see elements. A ride on the Skywheel offers views of both the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. Half an hour away, meander in the bylanes of picturesque Niagara on the Lake, a quaint town with centuries old houses, charming restaurants, historic sites like Fort George and The Royal George theatre named after George Bernard Shaw which even today stages plays. It is the only theatre in the world dedicated to the works of the Irish playwright and his contemporaries. Visitors can hire horse carriages to go around the town. The town has weekend markets where the residents sell local produce like seasonal fruits, jams, pickles, etc, with live music and street entertainment to create the bonhomie.
Niagara on the Lake is also the heart of the Niagara wine region. The region enjoys a unique micro climate ideal for cultivating wine grapes. Founded by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, Inniskillin was the first winery to be granted a licence in Ontario. Taste the winery’s famous ice wines (wines made from frosted grapes picked in winter) and have lunch in the winery’s Riedel Room named after the Austrian stemware maker.
Moving to Toronto, take the heritage walk of Bloor Street, a vibrant corridor with more than a dozen permanent world-class arts organisations presenting professional arts and culture events in destination venues – all in almost exactly one mile (1.6 km) – between Bathurst and Bay Streets. Starting at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, you can easily take in three, four, or more top-quality arts and culture experiences, eat, and shop, all in a day on the Bloor St. Culture Corridor. An interesting stop is the Bata Shoe Museum – built by the Bata family – where an impressive collection of shoes from different countries are on display including an Indian chappal collection and a pair of shoes worn by Marilyn Monroe. The Gardiner Museum, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) are also worth a few hours.
 |
 |
Capital connections
Taking the VIA rail to Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is a scenic option instead of flying. Watching the Changing of the Guard in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill is reminiscent of a similar ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London. A little away from the Parliament complex is the Commisariat Bytown Museum, a UNESCO Heritage site. This is the city’s oldest stone building which was commissioned by the British military in 1827 as a supply storehouse during the construction of the Rideau Canal. Bytown was the original name of Ottawa. Outside the museum, one can watch boats go in and out of the Ottawa Locks on the Rideau Canal, the world’s oldest waterway and also a World Heritage Site. There are several cruises on the Rideau Canal which becomes a ice skating rink during the winter.
A visit to the Royal Canadian Mint is another interesting stop for visitors to the city. Built in the Tudor Gothic architectural style, the Mint produces Canada’s circulation coins and collector coins: gold, silver, palladium and platinum bullion coins. Interestingly, it has also manufactured circulation coins on behalf of other nations, 73 of them including India.
 |
 |
To take in the sights of the city, hop on hop off tours are the best bet. Do get off at ByWard market, one of Canada’s oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal, Lt-Col. John By himself laid out the street plan of the Market in 1826, designating George Street and York Street to be extra wide to accommodate the creation of a public market and gathering place. Within the four blocks square, you’ll find museums, cafés, specialty food shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants and pubs.
ByWard Market is also the place where you can pick up a BeaverTail, fried dough pastries, individually hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail. On his visit to Ottawa in 2009, US president Barack Obama stopped at the ByWard Market on his way to the airport specifically to buy a BeaverTail.
