Ontario and Quebec, Canada : leisure drive in the country side

Canada is our second home.  We have revisited this lovely country at least once every year in the past twenty years.  In particular, we like to drive through the country side in leisure.  This summer, we revisited Ontario and Quebec.  Beside seeing our families and friends there, we also revisited their beautiful country side.  Here we just pick a few photos for your viewing.  You may have already been there or you will like to visit there in the future.

Alqonquin Provincial Park in Ontario is one of the popular summer resort areas. It is a great place for camping, canoeing, watching wild lives or leisure walks in the wood. You can visit the Park in different seasons and see the colour changes in the nature.



(Ready for canoeing in the Canoe Lake near the West Gate of Algonquin Park)



(Camping in the shore of the Madawaska River)

(Swimming in the quiet Wadsworth lake)

The Ottawa Valley has been homes for many early European settlers.  English settlers stayed in the South side of the Ottawa River and French stayed in the North.  There are also few European settlement villages nearby.  If you drive along Highway 60 towards Ottawa, you will pass the small town Wilno which is the first Polish Settlement in Canada.  You will also see few motels and restaurants which are run by Dutch, German or Swiss families in the Outaouais area. Many diary farms can be found in both sides of the Ottawa River.  Traffic is light in the country side.  We like to drive through the country roads in leisure and enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

(Well maintained, wooded, century-old bridge near Fort-Coulonge)

(Restaurant operated by a German-Dutch family near Wakefield)

(Beautiful lupin growing along the road side)

Ontario and Quebec have many lakes.  They are great retreats for the Summer season.  In the 19th century, Ontario developed network of waterways for military and economic purposes.  Now, these waterways become popular routes for leisure boats.  We like to go for picnic near the water locks and watch leisure boats passing by.  This time, we stopped by Smith Falls and visited few historical sites there. Smiths Falls lie in the middle of Rideau Waterway which joins Ottawa, the capital of Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway in Kingston.   


(Campers enjoying their stay in Smiths Falls)



(Tallest structure in Smiths Falls)

Each year, millions of tourists and local residents in Canada and United States visit Niagara Falls.  Most of them spend their time seeing the great water falls or trying their luck in the casinos there.  We like to drive through the Niagara Parkway between Niagara-On-The-Lake and Fort Erie.  The Parkway is peaceful and beautiful.  We find that this can be comparable only by the St. Lawrence Parkway between Kingston and Cornwall.  You can try these scenic drives next time you are there.

(Seeing the Niagara Falls from the Canadian side)

(Leisure boats docking near the Niagara Parkway)

(House along the Niagara Parkway)