Escape to Ontario for an Outdoorsy Getaway This Season

Field magazine

Home to Canada’s capital of Ottawa and the nation’s largest city of Toronto, Ontario draws visitors looking for an urban escape, with landmarks like the CN Tower and Parliament Hill at the top of their Ontario bucket list. Meanwhile, Southern Ontario plays setting to the established wine region of Niagara, where 120-plus wineries draw crowds who come searching for tastes of riesling and ice wine.

But Ontario also boasts a diverse natural landscape. Comprised of over 250,000 lakes containing one-fifth of the world’s freshwater supply, plus a patchwork of vast forests and sandy beaches, Ontario is a destination for outdoor adventurers. Aside from lounging on the shores of Wasaga Beach, boating through Georgian Bay Islands National Park, or climbing to the highest point of Ishpatina Ridge in Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, visitors can also experience four of the five Great Lakes. The province’s extensive repertoire of natural attractions also includes Algonquin Provincial Park, a favorite destination for its striking fall foliage, and the internationally recognized Niagara Falls.

Whether you’re visiting Ontario for a low-key weekend, or for an active week-long getaway, these 17 Ontario cottage rentals will make the perfect base for your Canadian vacation.