Ontario is beautiful, vibrant and ignites all the senses. A trip to the province can tick off a number of Canada’s signature experiences, with the world-renowned Niagara Falls, Canada’s historic capital city Ottawa and the bright and bustling city of Toronto, all in its realm.
Travellers to Ontario are in search of a cosmopolitan city, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and stunning natural landscapes. However, during this time Ontario can still be enjoyed from the comfort of home, thanks to a selection of virtual offerings.
Below are five of the best virtual experiences to discover Ontario through your own eyes:
Experience the jaw-dropping Niagara Falls virtually
One of nature’s greatest wonders, Niagara Falls, is on everyone’s bucket list. 150,000 gallons of water pass over the 57-metre-high falls per second, and visitors can get up close and personal to the falls and the Niagara River on a number of tours, even whilst they’re at home. Check out this collection of 360-degree videos to virtually experience the world-famous attraction.
Fly over 1000 Islands National Park on a 360° helicopter tour
The stunning 1000 Islands National Park is made up of picturesque granite islands and windswept pine trees, making it a popular holiday location for locals and travellers alike. Each island provides the opportunity to explore secluded bays, camp out in nature and take to the water by kayak. Usually, the islands are only accessible by boat but thanks to an amazing 360° helicopter tour, armchair travellers can get a taste of the park themselves. Visit YouTube to explore the islands, thanks to 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours.
Get your heart racing on a virtual rollercoaster at Canada’s Wonderland theme park
Canada’s Wonderland is bringing the amusement park experience to homes across the world with virtual rides on 16 rollercoasters, 11 thrill rides and seven family rides with first-person ‘point-of-view’ (POV) videos. The videos are a great way for children, who might not be tall enough to ride in real life, to get a feel, or, perhaps you can dare a non-thrill seeker to test their stomachs and take a look. For a more exhilarating experience plug in your VR headset and load the videos to a phone or gaming system. Visit the Canada Wonderland YouTube channel and click on their playlist to choose either Roller Coaster POVs, Thrill Ride POVs or Family Ride POVs.
Direct from the stage: Shakespeare on demand
The Stratford Festival is North America’s largest classical repertory theatre company, based far away from Shakespeare’s original UK home in the city of Stratford in Ontario. Each season the group performs classical productions, contemporary dramas and as you guessed, Shakespeare plays. Those who are missing their night at the theatre can kick back and watch many of Shakespeare’s best loved plays performed by the group for a couple of pounds. The full list of productions and how to watch on demand can be viewed online.
Get arty and be entertained: The ‘Makers of Kingston’ showcase their skills and put yours to the test
The small city of Kingston, located between Toronto and Montréal, is a city of musicians, makers, and creators, with a vibrant arts and culture scene that engages residents and also entices tourists. Visit Kingston has invited the ‘makers’ to take over their social channels, performing concerts, guiding parents through craft creating, showcasing their artistry and sharing their passion and creativity with the world. The upcoming schedule of ‘makers’ videos can be viewed here and includes stained glass art tutorials, storytelling and a bilingual music class for children. Do not worry if you’ve missed one though, as past videos can be also be viewed online.
