Local Attractions
Guelph and the surrounding area have plenty of attractions to offer visitors. Within Guelph there are many natural attractions including the University of Guelph Arboretum, which offers 165 hectares of natural green space and gardens suited for hiking or cycling. The Guelph Lake Conservation Area also showcases Guelph’s natural beauty. Sailing, fishing and kayaking are all popular water sports on the lake’s two sandy beaches.
Guelph’s most visible tourist destination, seen from any direction as you enter the city, is the Church of Our Lady Immaculate. Over 120 years ago, this church was built with local limestone in Gothic Revival Style by roughly 1200 Guelph families.
Golf enthusiasts will be pleased to find the five golf courses within the Guelph city limits, open for a round of golf in May.
Nightly entertainment can be found in the lively downtown core, which features many local restaurants and bars, each with their own characteristic flavor. Guelph has a thriving music scene and live local music can be seen almost any night of the week.
Some of the best scenery southern Ontario has to offer is at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area, a short drive outside Guelph. The Grand River rushes through the gorge, which has 22-metre high cliffs, riverside trails and scenic overlooks providing hikers with stunning views.
Images courtesy of 2013 Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.
Also, just outside of Guelph, is the African Lion Safari, Canada’s original safari adventure. Visitors can tour the seven game reserves housing over 1,000 animals via tour buses or the visitors’ own vehicles while animals roam freely in large contained areas.
Guelph is an hour drive to Toronto, Ontario’s capital city, which is full of must-see attractions. Toronto’s most iconic attraction is the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the western hemisphere.
Visitors can take a scenic ferry ride to the Toronto Island which provides a great photo opportunity of the skyline. On this escape from the downtown, vistors can enjoy boating or biking along Lake Ontario.
Toronto also has many unique neighborhoods, each showing their own cultural flare. Toronto's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in North America and borders on Kensington Market, a bohemian mix of vintage shops, funky restaurants, cafes and bars in addition to Latin American markets and food stalls.
Toronto is also full of educational activities. The Ontario Science Center offers hundreds of interactive visits; The Toronto Zoo showcases over 5,000 animals including the newly arrived panda bears; and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history.
Sports fans can catch a game from one of Toronto’s many professional sports team. The Rogers Centre is home to the baseball team, Toronto Blue Jays and the football team, The Toronto Argos. The Toronto Football Club (TFC) is Toronto’s newest sports team.
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Niagara Falls, is just a short drive from Toronto. The oldest and most iconic way to experience the Falls is aboard the Maid of the Mist. A diesel- engine boat will take you from the Canadian docks past the base of the American falls, then into the basin of the magnificent Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
The Niagara region is one of the worlds’ most acclaimed grape growing and winemaking district. Discover the best of the region’s vineyards by following the Wine Route of Ontario through the beautiful countryside by car, bike or guided tour.
Evening entertainment can be found at the Fallsview Casino Resort, one of the largest Casino gaming floors in the world. The casino features 3000 slot machines, 150 gaming tables and a theatre home to some of the best live acts in Canada.
