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Welcome to the city of Ottawa, Canada's capitol! When you're ready, the first place you should visit is the Rideau Canal, North America's best-preserved "slackwater" canal. Right on the Rideau River lies a great scenic view for photography, as you get a terrific view of the city of Ottawa. This location is also ideal for ice skating in the winter, with a grand, open space to enjoy. The Rideau Canal opened in 1832, long before Canada became a country, and still operates today. After the War of 1812, there was a suspicion that the United States of America was planning to invade Upper Canada (present-day Ontario). The Rideau Canal, along with several others, was then constructed to allow boats to travel along the Rideau River, from Montreal, Quebec, to Kingston, Ontario.
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Hopefully you had a great time in Ottawa yesterday, but don't leave just yet! To start your day, head over to the scenic Parliament Hill and participate in a guided tour at the House of Commons, a must-see destination for any tourist visiting the capitol of Canada. You can visit and explore the place where Canadian Federal elections take place! As well as the building's dominant political significance, it's also a beautiful and historic building. Designed in the Victorian Gothic style, the House of Commons features remarkable architectural details and is a significant example of the rich cultural heritage of Ottawa. In addition to that, you can take a free 40-minute tour of the building to learn more about its history, view the astonishing pieces of artwork, and experience visiting one of Canada's most important buildings. Originally constructed in the West Block of the Canadian Parliament, the Parliament Buildings were opened on the 6th of June, 1866. A fire destroyed all of the Parliament buildings in 1916 (with the exception of the Library of Parliament). Consequently, a reconstruction effort started that year and finished in 1927. Just remember to book your tickets in advance, as they run out very quickly.
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For your final day in Ottawa, you'll be participating in a guided tour of the Senate of Canada Building, another major Parliament of Canada building. The tour lasts 30 minutes and, similar to the House of Commons Guided Tour, is completely free of charge. Located a block away from Parliament Hill, the building possesses major political significance and noteworthy architectural design. This place is where you can examine the distinguished Senate Chamber and learn about the work of the Senators. Until 1966, the building was actually the city's central railway station, called Ottawa Union Station. Therefore, the design of the building is quite contrasting to the House of Commons Building. The railway station operated from 1912 to 1966, until the tracks were removed and there were plans for the building to be demolished. However, the building remained intact, because one year later was Canada's centenary celebrations, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. The building became a visitors centre during the time, and was occasionally used for government meetings in the years after. However, the building didn't become the Senate of Canada Building until 2019, when the building was re-opened after 6 years of rehabilitation. Therefore, you'll be visiting a building that was reconditioned relatively in recent years. Be sure to take lots of pictures, and ask lots of questions!
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Queen Victoria of England chose Ottawa as the capitol city of Canada in 1857. Many people thought that the capitol would be in a larger city, such as Toronto or Montreal. Regardless, Queen Victoria decided that Ottawa would be a prime location, as the city was on the border of Ontario and Quebec, providing the sustenance of a river, as well as the diversity of both English and French speakers. The city was also far from the United States border, as the British Empire was at war with the USA from 1812-1815. Unlike Toronto and Montreal, Ottawa was farther north from the border and provided a higher level of defence.
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![Ottawa in the snow](https://images.dailyhive.com/20210210065329/canada-ottawa-cold.jpg)
After you have enjoyed the city of Ottawa, it's now time to head south to Toronto. Take Highway 401 West if you're driving, or travel by airplane and arrive in the city via Toronto's two main airports. The first place you should visit is the Taste of the Danforth festival. East of the Don Valley Parkway lies Danforth Avenue, which is also known as Greektown, due to its majority population being of Greek descent. The festival is a three-day event, as well as one of Toronto's largest. Attendance numbers have reached up to 1.6 million people in previous situations. The Taste of the Danforth festival has occurred annually since 1993, and has happened every year since then until 2020. As of now, the last was in 2019, but there are plans for it to take place again in 2023.The food served is primarily Greek food, which includes numerous types of meat, such as chicken, beef, and pork, as well as abounding ethnically Greek dishes, such as souvlaki, spanakopita, and gyros. Attendants can also participate in other activities such as beverage tasting, face-painting, and games. Nevertheless, you should try to attend one day of the festival, considering tomorrow you'll be leaving the city. A recommendation for you is to end the night by visiting Eaton Centre, the city's biggest mall in downtown Toronto.
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The majestic Niagara Falls are a must-see for anyone coming to Ontario. Only a two-hour drive from downtown Toronto lies the three grand waterfalls separated by national borders. The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are on the US side of the border, whereas the Horseshoe Falls are on the Canadian side of the border. Today you'll be sightseeing at Horseshoe Falls. Here is a great place to take pictures, so when you arrive be sure to bring your phone or camera; this location is great for photography! A plentiful amount of water vapour will be in the air, and you might find it quite humid. However, the view is definitely worth it! There's a limited number of places on earth where you can see waterfalls similar to the Horseshoe Falls. Nonetheless, you can see the 57 metre (188 feet) high waterfall that has a flow rate of 2580.7 metres per second (681,750 gallons per second). The Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by flow rate. It is even utilised as a hydroelectric power generator, converting the motion created by flowing water into electricity. As the sun starts to set, and nightfall approaches, you'll be mesmerised by the scenic view of the falls at night, when they're illuminated with coloured lights. When you're ready, you can end the night at one of Niagara's numerous nearby restaurants, or take a peaceful long rest.
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Near the town of Tobermory Ontario, Bruce Peninsula National Park lies between Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay. The park possesses the eye-catching turquoise waters of Lake Huron. Set your foot forwards and trek the rocky shores, scattered along the coastline. You don't need to go to Fiji to see blue water and diverse wildlife. Moreover, it's time for a road trip! You'll be heading to Bruce Peninsula National Park, one of Ontario's five National Parks. The journey is approximately 4.5 hours long by car, not counting any stops. If you leave early in the morning from Niagara, you should arrive in the town of Tobermory before noon. This is where you arrive at your pre-booked cabin. The town is less than a 15-minute drive away from the National Park, so you can soon start exploring when you're ready. There are countless activities for park visitors, including hiking, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, photography, camping, fishing, mountain-climbing, and sightseeing at the Grotto, which is one of the main reasons for visiting the park. However, scaling the grotto is a task for experienced hikers, as a fall from the tall height can be fatal. There are also multiple trails for inexperienced hikers, which are easier and more relaxing. Activities for almost everyone can be found at this park. If you're into photography, this is one of the best National Parks for taking photos of the animals, plants, and park life. You're only here for one day, so you should spend as much time as you can being active around the park. At night, return to your cabin and take an excellent, long rest; you deserve it.
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It's unfortunate that this dream vacation has to come to an end so soon. Nonetheless, keep a positive attitude, in view of the fact that one of the best attractions has been saved for last. Furthermore, right off the waters of the imposing Lake Huron lies the nearby Flowerpot Island, containing two spectacular rock formations that resemble structures similar to flowerpots. The shape comes from centuries of erosion. The island is 6.5km away from Tobermory, and to visit the island, you'll need a boat ride. Thankfully, there are many ferries in the city that will transport you to the island for a reasonable price. The island is not very large, as it has a total area of 2 square kilometres (0.76 square miles). Here is a great place for some exercise, as the abounding rock formations provide a challenging yet thrilling hiking trail for visitors, providing amazing views of the fantastic scenery along the way. You'll spend approximately 4-5 hours viewing the flowerpots, lighthouse, cave, and hiking the entire loop trail. Accordingly, be sure to bring lots of water, for the reason that there is no tap water on the island!
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Hopefully you'll find this wonderful vacation appealing and worth taking. Ontario is an amazing, exemplary province, and we hope you'll have an outstanding time there!
Feel free to view these great resources filled with things to know about Ontario:
![Highway in Ontario](https://www.ontarioaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/things-to-do-in-ontario-canada-scenic-drive.jpg)