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Southeastern Ontario is the capital region of Canada as well as Ontario with Toronto and Ottawa. The mix of inspiring sights of either Lake Ontario or any of the inland waterways of this region makes southeastern Ontario an aesthetically beautiful region.

Travel between the major city regions along Lake Ontario and visit parks to truly get a bit of everything from this five-day road trip.

Day 1: Toronto

Known as, “New York City run by the Swiss,” Toronto has as much variety of entertainment, shopping, and dining as New York. It even has the advantage of famously clean sidewalks and friendly occupants. Though the CN Tower may be the most famous attraction in the city, there really is a bit of everything.

Goodfellas Wood Oven Pizza

Fully licensed to be authentic, Goodfellas Wood Oven Pizza is the perfect destination for pizza lovers. Travelers can grab Neapolitan-style wood oven pizza, salad, and other Italian-style dishes. Everything here is homemade with a rustic Italian flavor.

  • Address - 1 Old Mill Dr, Toronto, Ontario M6S 0A1 Canada
  • Contact - (855)433-5527
  • Cost - $$-$$$
  • Must-Try - Napolitana
  • Menu

Scaramouche Restaurant

Scaramouche Restaurant aims to provide its patrons with an excellent fine dining experience. They are dedicated to making sure all their visitors have a memorable dining experience and will enjoy the cuisine prepared by chef/owner Keith Froggett.

  • Address - 1 Benvenuto Pl, Toronto, Ontario M4V 2L1 Canada
  • Contact - (416)961-8011
  • Cost - $$$$
  • Must-Try - PEI Oysters and Grilled Octopus
  • Menu

Related: 5-Day Bucket-List Road Trip Circuit: Explore Quebec

Day 2: Sandbanks Provincial Park

Located on a peninsula in Lake Ontario, Sandbanks Provincial Park offers sandy beaches, dunes, and white cliffs. This park is excellent for beach activities, swimming, cycling, and even wine tours. This is a beautiful location for the relaxing second day of this road trip.

The County Wine Tours

There are few better ways to spend a day than cycling around Prince Edward County to sample wine and taste great food. It is always wine-o-clock with The County Wine Tours.

  • Contact - (844)218-0900, info@thecountywinetours.com
  • Cost - $175 per person
  • Distance - 18-20 km
  • Book Tour

The Tambo Snack Bar

For travelers that love burgers, fries, pies, and milkshakes at a great price there are not many better places than Tambo’s snack bar. Be sure to try their poutine and fuel up for a beautiful day at Sandbanks Provincial Park.

  • Address - 1368 County Road 12, Picton, Ontario K0K 2T0 Canada
  • Contact - (343)263-4386
  • Cost - $-$$
  • Must-Try - Poutine and Milkshakes
  • Website

Day 3: Ottawa

Ottawa is well a planned and maintained city that sits at the center of Canada’s politics. It is an excellent location for tourists for its impressive architecture, art exhibits, and museums. Its canal even becomes the world's largest ice-skating rink during the winter.

Gezellig

Gezellig offers a hospitality-focused fine-dining experience. Their focus on local dining fairs and ingredients makes this a destination for spending an evening.

  • Address - 337 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 0E7 Canada
  • Contact - (613)680-9086
  • Cost - $$$$
  • Must-Try - Steak Tartare and Grilled Octopus
  • Menu

Absinthe

Since 2003, Absinthe has provided an excellent dining experience to Ottawa. Absinthe is a modern bistro that works with local ingredients. They are both innovative, and sophisticated with their French culinary techniques.

  • Address - 1208 Wellington St W, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2Z7 Canada
  • Contact - (613)761-1138
  • Cost - $$-$$$
  • Must-Try - Beef Wellington
  • Menu

Related: Road Tripping The Canadian Pacific Northwest In Two Weeks

Day 4: Algonquin Park

Since 1893, Algonquin park has entertained visitors that wish to explore its network of rivers and lakes, catch sight of wildlife ad spend the night at one of its variety of camping destinations. As the penultimate day of the five-day trip, this is an excellent opportunity for travelers to relax in nature.

  • Daily Parking Pass - $18.00/vehicle/day
  • Daily Parking Pass along Highway 60 - $21.00/vehicle/day
  • Travel Distance - 276 km, 3 hours 4 minutes
  • Google Maps

Hiking Algonquin Park

With over 83 trails Algonquin Park is a fantastic location with stunning hikes that take visitors through the forests and along the lakes and rivers of the park. Most of the trails here are moderately difficult but still accessible to most visitors. Here are five of the highest-rated hikes in the park that are perfect for a day trip.

  • Track and Tower Trail - (Moderate, 7.9 km) 2 hours 12 minutes, map
  • Centennial Ridges Trail - (Moderate, 9.7 km) 3 hours, map
  • Algonquin Lookout Trail - (Moderate, 2.1 km) 37 minutes, map
  • Booth's Rock Trail - (Moderate, 5.8 km) 1 hour 42 minutes, map
  • Mizzy Lake Trail - (Moderate, 11.7 km) 3 hours 44 minutes, map

Camping Algonquin Park

Algonquin Park is full of hikes, stunning lakes, and a variety of camping options. During a visit to the park, travelers can enjoy some nature and choose between relaxed and comfortable accommodation or spending the night in the backcountry.

Day 5: A Stop At Barrie Before Returning To Toronto

On the way back to Toronto it's worth taking a stop at Barrie for a grilled sandwich from the Grilled Cheese Social Eatery and to visit the Spirit Catcher Sculpture or Heritage Park along the water. Travelers may also be interested in visiting the Ardagh Bluffs. Once Travelers return to Toronto they can enjoy the city one last time before reaching the official end of this road trip.

Grilled Cheese Social Eatery

The Grilled Cheese Social Eatery is an excellent location for a lunch stop in Barrie to refuel. Its goal is to provide its patrons with quality and comforting grilled cheese sandwiches. This is a great spot for any traveler passing through.

  • Address - 53 Dunlop St E, Barrie, Ontario L4M 1A2 Canada
  • Contact - (705)252-5937
  • Cost - $
  • Must-Try - Cuban and The Classic
  • Menu