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Eastern Ontario Attractions

There are so many amazing attractions to see and exciting things to do in Eastern Ontario, but before we explore them all, let’s learn about the geography of the region.

Eastern Ontario is also known as Southeastern Ontario and is a secondary region of Southern Ontario. The region borders Quebec to the north and New York State to the east and south.

Eastern Ontario includes the municipality of Ottawa and its surrounding area, as well as the tourism regions of the St. Lawrence & the 1000 Islands (including Kingston, Brockville, Gananoque, Cornwall), the Haliburton Highlands, the Bay of Quinte (including Quinte West and Belleville), and Prince Edward County.

A map showing Eastern Ontario in red. Green divisions are in Central Ontario but occasionally considered part of Eastern Ontario as well

Now that we know a little bit about Eastern Ontario, let’s take a look at some of the best attractions in the area.

Things to do in Eastern Ontario

Prince Edward County

eastern ontario attractions the regent theatre by jessica on Flickr
The Regent Theatre by jessica on Flickr
best picton prince edward county ontario beaches sandbanks 3
Sandbanks Provincial Park
  • Relax with your loved one on a romantic weekend getaway in Prince Edward County
  • Sample a flight of beer at one of Prince Edward County’s craft breweries
  • Swim at Sandbanks Provincial Park one of the best beaches in Prince Edward County
  • Catch a show at the Regent Theater in Picton
  • Take a tour of the oldest winery in Prince Edward County, Waupoos Estates Winery
  • Learn to cook from an experienced chef at the Waring House
  • Check out the Oeno Gallery and enjoy lunch at the Huff Estates Winery Restaurant in Prince Edward County
  • Follow the Taste Trail to sample the bounty of the County
  • Ponder the mystery of Lake on the Mountain, a lake with no apparent water source
  • Try a variety of specialty cheeses at the Black River Cheese Company, a Prince Edward County staple since 1901

Related Post: Things to do in Prince Edward County

Bay of Quinte

National Air Force Museum by Robert Taylor on Flickr
National Air Force Museum by Robert Taylor on Flickr
  • Cheer on my local OHL team, the Belleville Senators
  • Feel the need for speed while watching the races at Shannonville Motorsport Park
  • Head underground at the Tyendinaga Cavern and Caves, Ontario’s largest natural cavern
  • Visit the National Air Force Museum of Canada to see its impressive airpark and learn all about Canada’s Air Force
  • Meet local painters, potters, jewellers, photographers, and other creatively minded individuals along the Hastings County Arts Route
  • Spend a rainy day at Shorelines Casino playing the slot machines and then have dinner at the buffet or the full-service restaurant
  • Hit the slopes at Batawa Ski Hill
  • Wander about the Glanmore National Historic Site which is known for its exceptional Second Empire architecture

Things to do in the Haliburton Highlands

eastern ontario attractions Mazinaw Rock by Dennis Barnes on Flickr
Mazinaw Rock by Dennis Barnes on Flickr
The Ontario Water Buffalo Company, which is one of the most unique attractions in Eastern Ontario
The Ontario Water Buffalo Company, which is one of the most unique attractions in Eastern Ontario, by Robert Taylor on Flickr
  • Watch the sunset over Mazinaw Rock from your campsite at Bon Echo Provincial Park
  • Head to Frontenac Provincial Park for fantastic canoeing with scenic portaging routes
  • Stargaze at the Lennox & Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area, the most southerly dark sky viewing area in Ontario
  • Indulge in a memorable meal at an underground dining event held in the Bonnechere Caves
  • Participate in the hands-on rockhounding experience at the Rockhound Gemboree, Canada’s largest gem and mineral show
  • Explore the O’Hara Mill Homestead and Conservation Area
  • Feel the adrenaline pumping on a whitewater rafting adventure with Wilderness Tours Adventure Resort
  • Cruise down the Rideau Canal on Le Boat, a private houseboat available for rent (no experience needed)
  • Discover charming small towns such as Perth and Smith Falls
  • Take a behind-the-scenes tour at the Tweed Visitors Centre, a state-of-the-art cannabis growing facility
  • Attend “Ontario’s Culinary Event of the Year,” the Lanark County Harvest Festival
  • Buy a 6 pack of beer at the award-winning Haliburton Highlands Brewery
  • Unwind at the one-of-a-kind Calabogie Peaks Resort
  • Join a guided ATV tour in the Madawaska Valley with Valley Adventure Tours
  • Visit the Ontario Water Buffalo Company to sample water buffalo milk, water buffalo cheese, and even water buffalo gelato
  • Sample local cuisine on The Good Food Tour, a guided culinary walking tour of Almonte (aka Mississippi Mills) and Carleton Place
  • Pamper yourself at Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Wellbeing, named ‘Canada’s Best Wellness Retreat’ in the 2016, 2017, and 2018 World Travel Spa Awards

Things to do in St. Lawrence & The 1000 Islands – Kingston, Brockville, Gananoque, Cornwall, Morrisburg


Kingston

Kingston Penitentiary, my favourite of all the Eastern Ontario attractions
Kingston Penitentiary, my favourite of all the Eastern Ontario attractions
  • Brush up on your history at Fort Henry, a restored British fortification and UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Hop aboard a replica steamboat and cruise along the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers
  • Cheer on the Kingston Frontenacs at the Leon’s Centre
  • Take a hop on and off tour of the city with Kingston Trolley Tours
  • Enjoy lunch or dinner on a sightseeing cruise in the 1000 Islands
  • Get a glimpse into the history of Canada’s correctional service at the Penitentiary Museum
  • Visit Bellevue House, the former residence of Sir John A Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister
  • Take a stroll through downtown Kingston
  • Buy some fresh Ontario produce at the oldest continuous market in Canada, the Kingston Public Market
  • Learn about Kingston’s connection to maritime history at the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes
  • Admire the beautiful architecture at City Hall in Kingston, Canada’s first Capital
  • Check out the stunning model railway trains at the Pump House Steam Museum
  • Celebrate your love for the blues at the four-day Limestone City Blues Festival
  • Spend a few hours at the Military Communications & Electronics Museum
  • Take the family to Kingston Buskers Rendezvous in July
  • Hear the first-hand accounts of life behind bars from former guards on a Kingston Penitentiary Tour
  • Listen to spooky ghost stories from Kingston’s darker days on a Haunted Walk
  • Put on your wetsuit and explore the many unique dive sites off Collins Bay and downtown Kingston

Gananoque

Boldt Castle, one of the most popular attractions in Eastern Ontario
Boldt Castle, one of the most popular attractions in Eastern Ontario
  • Get your passport ready when boarding the boat to Boldt Castle, a turn-of-the-century castle built on an island on the American side of the St. Lawrence river
  • Fly thousands of feet in the air over the 1000 Islands on a Helicopter Tour
  • Conquer new heights on the Zip Line at Skywood Eco Adventure
  • Try your luck at Shorelines Casino, complete with slot machines, table games, entertainment, a buffet, a full-service restaurant, and more
  • Take in the view from the 400 ft tall 1000 Islands Tower
  • Spend the night in an oTentik at the Thousand Islands National Park

Brockville

Brockville Railway Tunnel
Brockville Railway Tunnel
Fort Wellington National Historic Site
Fort Wellington National Historic Site
  • Wander about Brockville, one of Ontario’s oldest cities
  • Travel along the St Lawrence river aboard the ‘WildCat’, the fastest boat in the 1000 Islands
  • Marvel at the early 20th century Edwardian mansion known as Fulford Place
  • Tour Fort Wellington National Historic Site which was built during the War of 1812 to defend Canada from an American invasion
  • Appreciate the dazzling light show as you walk through Canada’s oldest railway tunnel, the Brockville Railway Tunnel
  • Spend a day with the kids at Aquatarium, a 33,000+ sq ft aquarium and discovery centre that even has a ropes course
  • Take the kids to the Saunders Country Critters Zoo in Oxford Station
  • Brush up on your local history at the Blockhouse Museum

Morrisburg

Upper Canada Village, one of the best Eastern Ontario attractions for kids, by Dennis Jarvis on Flickr
Upper Canada Village, one of the best Eastern Ontario attractions for kids, by Dennis Jarvis on Flickr
  • Make believe you’re in Jurassic Park at Prehistoric World, which features life-sized dinosaurs
  • Step back in time at Upper Canada Village, where costumed actors depict life in the 1860s
  • Hike the nature trails at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Cornwall

  • Drop by the Experience Akwesasne Welcome Centre to find out about the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation which spans throughout Ontario, Québec and New York state.
  • Contemplate life behind bars on a tour of the 185-year-old Historic SDG Jail

Things to do in Ottawa & Countryside

  • Spend a few days exploring all the things to do in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city


Sources: wikipedia.org, http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/, https://www.ontariotravel.net/en/

Which one of these Eastern Ontario Attractions is your favourite? Let me know in the comments section below.

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Eastern Ontario Attractions Pin

Written by:
megan
Published on:
August 19, 2019
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Categories: Ontario, CanadaTags: 1000 Islands Tower, Aquatarium, Batawa Ski Hill, Bellevue House, Black River Cheese Company, Blockhouse Museum, Boldt Castle, Bonnechere Caves, Brockville, Brockville Railway Tunnel, Calabogie Peaks Resort, Cornwall, Experience Akwesasne Welcome Centre, Fort Henry, Fort Wellington National Historic Site, Fulford Place, Gananoque, Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Wellbeing, Haliburton Highlands Brewery, Haunted Walk, Historic SDG Jail, Kingston, Kingston Buskers Rendezvous, Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston Public Market, Kingston Trolley Tours, Lake on the Mountain, Lanark County Harvest Festival, Limestone City Blues Festival, Madawaska Valley, Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, Military Communications & Electronics Museum, National Air Force Museum of Canada, O’Hara Mill, Ontario Water Buffalo Company, oTentik, Ottawa, Oxford Station, Penitentiary Museum, Perth, Prehistoric World, Prince Edward County, Pump House Steam Museum, Sandbanks Provincial Park, Saunders Country Critters Zoo, Shannonville Motorsport Park, Shorelines Casino Gananoque, Skywood Eco Adventure, Smith Falls, Taste Trail, The Good Food Tour, The Regent Theatre, Thousand Islands National Park, Tyendinaga Cavern and Caves, Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Upper Canada Village, Valley Adventure Tours, Wilderness Tours Adventure Resort

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