News Release
Forty-four per cent of 2,700 people polled by Trip Advisor (the world's largest
travel web site) chose a beach trip as their #1 vacation choice for
2012.
The other top choices were a cultural trip - 42%, a road trip -
40%, a city trip - 36%, and a guy or girlfriend getaway - 24%.
All five
can be experienced at Ontario Parks in 2012. Ontario Parks' five month
booking window means you can reserve your 2012 vacation now. Book early
for the best choice of campsites and roofed accommodation.
Beach trips
Did
you know that 106,844 kilometres of protected and maintained beaches
are in Ontario Parks? The longest and most popular is Wasaga Beach
Provincial Park on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron (14 km long). Many park
beaches remain well-kept secrets including Neys Provincial Park, on Lake
Superior. Even though the Group of Seven painters immortalized the
landscape at Neys on canvas, not many people know that Neys has one of
the finest beaches in northern Ontario. The beach at Inverhuron
Provincial Park on Lake Huron is also waiting to be discovered. Park
campgrounds recently reopened after being closed for many years. Nine
Ontario Parks on Lake Erie have beaches. Two of the best are at Long
Point Provincial Park, south of Woodstock. The park is part of a massive
sand spit and is a designated World UNESCO biosphere. Sand dunes at
Long Point rival the ones you see at Sandbanks, a busy provincial park
on Lake Ontario. Few people know that another nice beach is close to
Sandbanks. North Beach Provincial Park, a day-use park, is a ribbon of
sand sheltering tiny North Bay from Lake Ontario.
City trips
Visit
Toronto and stay in one of three Ontario Parks. At Bronte Creek
Provincial Park, west of Toronto, families can even sleep in a yurt.
Darlington Provincial Park, east of the city, has a nice beach. Sibbald
Point Provincial Park on Lake Simcoe, north of Toronto, has great
fishing as well as swimming. Kids love the natural heritage education
programs offered at all three parks.
Cultural trips
In
many Ontario Parks, natural heritage and cultural education programs
entertain as well as educate. The programs are available to anyone who
visits Ontario Parks for an overnight or for the day. At Wasaga Beach
Provincial Park, Wasaga Under Siege: A War of 1812 Experience will mark
the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 August 17-19, 2012. Hundreds
will re-enact the War of 1812 battle that was fought here. The new
Wasaga Welcome Centre will officially open. There will be music and
other park activities. Check Ontario Parks' calendar of events for more
natural heritage and cultural education activities planned for 2012. The
calendar is updated regularly.
Road trips
In
every region of Ontario, an Ontario Parks circle tour is possible. A
one-week road trip of eastern Ontario could include four or more
provincial parks with hiking, paddling, camping, yurt or cabin
accommodation, and even a wolf howl. The total driving distance between
nine Ontario Parks on Lake Erie is only 299 kilometres. Three of the
provincial parks, Port Burwell, Turkey Point and Long Point are within a
45-minute drive of each other. Ontario Parks' overnight camping permits
allow you to stay in one park and visit others using the same permit.
The same is true for day-use permits.
Guy or girlfriend getaways
For
guys, Wabakimi Provincial Park, near Armstrong in northwestern Ontario,
offers the fishing trip of a lifetime. VIA Rail services milepost stops
in the south end of Wabakimi three times a week. Area outfitters pick
park trippers up and offer guided fishing trips with lodge or cabin
accommodation. For girls, a perfect fall getaway is Lake Superior's
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Two and three bedroom cabins in the park
are available for rent in spring and fall. Park hiking trails lead to
incredible lake views and fall colours are spectacular. Annual
photography workshops led by a professional photographer are held on
fall dates. Air Canada, WestJet and Porter Airlines fly to Thunder Bay
International Airport which has car rentals for the one-hour drive to
the park.
For more information on Ontario Parks and to reserve your Ontario Parks vacation, log on to http://OntarioParks.com
For family vacation ideas at Ontario Parks, log on to http://www.parkreports.com/parksblog/?p=2359 This Park Blog post highlights winter events at Ontario Parks, http://www.parkreports.com/parksblog/?p=2372
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