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City Guide - Toronto - Excursions | ||
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Excursions For a Half Day McMichael Canadian Art Collection: Situated 40km (25 miles) northwest of the city centre in the picturesque village of Kleinburg, the McMichael (tel: (905) 893 1121; web site: www.mcmichael.on.ca) possesses one of the largest collections of twentieth-century Canadian art. Works on permanent display include many by the country's most prominent painters - Emily Carr, Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven - a body of work matched in spirit by the gallery's forested setting. The gallery is also one of the few representing native American and Inuit works. Temporary exhibitions are hosted throughout the year. Although it is possible to visit the gallery by public transport, individual transport by car is recommended (Highway 400). The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday 1000-1700 (1000-1600 November to April) and Sunday 1000-1700. Admission costs C$7. Elora: Elora is a pleasant, pastoral town founded in the 1830s by settlers harnessing the water of the Grand River to power their mill. The mill still survives, functioning these days as the Elora Mill Country Inn. The town itself offers shopping, restaurants, horse-drawn carriage rides - but its real appeal is as a base from which to explore the surrounding countryside. The Elora Gorge is a three-kilometre-long (two-mile) scenic limestone gorge lined with cedars. The surrounding landscape - picturesque, gently rolling fields - is home to various Mennonite communities, a religious sect similar to the Amish who have chosen to live without technology. They can often be seen travelling along the side of the road in horse-drawn wagons, and their quaint farms make for soothing roadside scenery. Although coach transport is available, getting there by car is recommended (Highway 401). For a Whole Day Algonquin Provincial Park: Algonquin Provincial Park (tel: (705) 633 5572; e-mail: info@algonquinpark.on.ca ; web site: www.algonquinpark.on.ca ) is for many the archetypal Canadian boreal landscape - shimmering blue lakes, towering pines, and granite rock faces carved by the retreating glaciers. The park was established in 1893 in a rugged, beautiful region of southern Ontario and quickly became popular with canoeists and outdoor enthusiasts. For a day trip, it is probably wisest to take in the natural beauty from Highway 60, which runs right through the park yet still offers a decent chance for a deer or moose sighting. For a more active experience, visitors could take one of 13 hiking trails, while for educational input there is a Visitors Centre. Algonquin Provincial Park is located 300km (186 miles) north of Toronto. Individual transportation is recommended. Niagara Falls: The world-renowned Niagara Falls (tel: (905) 356 6061; e-mail: info@niagarafallstourism.com ; web site: www.niagarafallstourism.com ) has attracted visitors since the first human inhabitants set eyes upon it and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in North America. Although Niagara is not the highest waterfall in the world, it carries a staggering 168,000 cubic metres (219,600 cubic yards) of water per minute over a drop of 51m (167ft). The surrounding town of Niagara Falls is a notorious honeymoon destination; although a tad on the cheesy side, it offers lots of activities for the visitor, including a casino, and boat and land tours of the falls. The surrounding region offers winery tours, and nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake offers a wealth of theatres, tree-lined nineteenth-century streets and picturesque inns. Niagara Falls is located 130km (81 miles) west of Toronto and can be reached by coach, train or car. |