rumboogy Posted March 9, 2011 #1 Posted March 9, 2011 I am thinking of leading a group of Arkansas Riders on a longer ride and have been wondering about Ontario, Canada. Someone educate me on a couple of things regarding Ontario (sorry for my ignorance). I know we'll all need to have passports, but where or what is the best place to cross the border? What is the best time of the year to make a 14-21 day trip like this? What are some MUST SEE sites and things to see in Ontario? Thanks for any information. Wally
Squidley Posted March 9, 2011 #2 Posted March 9, 2011 Couple of major crossing points are in Michigan. The Ambassador bridge in Detroit to Windsor, or the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron about 70 miles further north which crosses into Sombra. There are a couple of ferries that cross the St. Clair River also 1 in Algonac, and 1 in Marine City. There is also the crossing in New York in Buffalo, some of the NY crew will surely chime in about that. If a ride is what your looking for you could go around the great lakes and come back south through the Chicago area. There is a lot of beautiful country in Ontario and some of those troublemakers will chime in too.
dray Posted March 9, 2011 #3 Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) you could also come through the Sault Ste. Marie area and cross the International Bridge. coming or going this way would also give you a look at the soo. locks and the Mackinac Bridge there is a lot to see in both Ontario and Michigan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sault_Ste._Marie_International_Bridge http://www.mackinacbridge.org/bridge-cam-20/ Edited March 9, 2011 by dray
ken Posted March 9, 2011 #4 Posted March 9, 2011 you could also come through the Sault Ste. Marie area and cross the International Bridge. coming or going this way would also give you a look at the soo. locks and the Mackinac Bridge there is a lot to see in both Ontario and Michigan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sault_Ste._Marie_International_Bridge http://www.mackinacbridge.org/bridge-cam-20/ I'll be crossing here in June. I can't wait.
bongobobny Posted March 9, 2011 #5 Posted March 9, 2011 I would recommend crossing at Buffalo myself as there is less traffic than trying to go thru Michigan, but that's IMHO. I guess it depends WHERE in Ontario you are planning to visit. We have 3 places to cross, the Peace Bridge in downtown Buffalo, directly accessable by Interstate, Niagara Falls, almost directly accessable by Unterstate, and Lewistown, indirectly accessable by interstate. Myself I prefer the Peace Bridge, normal crossing time anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours at peak travel time. Yes, you need either a passport or enhanced licence. You can not carry firearms into Canada, as well as a large amount of alcohol or an inordinate amount of cigarettes. For complete rules and regulations visit the Customs Bureau website. Speed limits are in Kilometers per hour. Like in the US you can get away with being slightly over but don't press your luck too far. In some cases if you are waaaaay over the limit they will impound your vehicle. American and Canadian money are basically at par right now but vary. Most Canadian places will take your money at par regardless if it is worth more at the time. There is a percentage if you exchange your money at the currency exchange. Most credit cards are accepted but there is a international transaction fee put on each purchase, but you get the exchange rate. Yes, the Western New York crowd will put on a get together if you come as long as we know a little in advance about it. There is also a large constituant of Ontario Ventureriders as well, and many times there is more Canadians than "Americans" at some of the stateside rides and get togethers!! Keep us posted! PS practice your language skills, eh! They do speak a slightly different language...
gunkylump Posted March 9, 2011 #6 Posted March 9, 2011 One of the most scenic routes is from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa. Highway 17 follows Lake Superior, truly scenic....in my opinion the most scenic route in Ontario...but there are others that will differ. Be vary wary if travelling after dusk....the moose congregate on the roadsides...and roads.....and they aren't user friendly. You can actually travel from Wawa over to Chapleau, and down highway 129 to the Thessalon area, which puts you right back on to Highway 17, which is the Trans Canada Highway....really a cattle trail compared to your superslabs stateside. Travelling from Espanola to Little Current on the Manitoulin Island, and catching the ferry across Lake Huron is also very scenic...but call ahead for reservations to ensure you get on the ferry...it's busy! The ferry runs from South Bay Mouth to Tobermory...or vise versa.....depending on your lean....to. The Mackinac bridge is in my mind at least is a must see, from there you're an hour out of the Soo, MI. Prince Edward county is very picturesque, a few free to use ferry rides to island hop...and lots of water to ride alongside. The Peterborough area is very pretty, up to Bancroft, and even Algonquin Park. Heck, I'm getting kind of homesick here...lol..I've lived in pretty much all of these areas of Ontario.....(you move a lot in the mining industry....) I don't like riding through the GTA..the Toronto area...way too much traffic for me! Try to work your way around it if you can. There is some great riding in the Niagara Escarpment area..... Heck, I could go on and on. The Ottawa River Valley.... I'm gonna quit now......if you've got any questions, let me know, I'll do what I can to help you out! gunk:shock3:
KarlS Posted March 9, 2011 #8 Posted March 9, 2011 One of the most scenic routes is from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa. Highway 17 follows Lake Superior, truly scenic....in my opinion the most scenic route in Ontario...but there are others that will differ. Be vary wary if travelling after dusk....the moose congregate on the roadsides...and roads.....and they aren't user friendly. You can actually travel from Wawa over to Chapleau, and down highway 129 to the Thessalon area, which puts you right back on to Highway 17, which is the Trans Canada Highway....really a cattle trail compared to your superslabs stateside. Travelling from Espanola to Little Current on the Manitoulin Island, and catching the ferry across Lake Huron is also very scenic...but call ahead for reservations to ensure you get on the ferry...it's busy! The ferry runs from South Bay Mouth to Tobermory...or vise versa.....depending on your lean....to. The Mackinac bridge is in my mind at least is a must see, from there you're an hour out of the Soo, MI. Prince Edward county is very picturesque, a few free to use ferry rides to island hop...and lots of water to ride alongside. The Peterborough area is very pretty, up to Bancroft, and even Algonquin Park. Heck, I'm getting kind of homesick here...lol..I've lived in pretty much all of these areas of Ontario.....(you move a lot in the mining industry....) I don't like riding through the GTA..the Toronto area...way too much traffic for me! Try to work your way around it if you can. There is some great riding in the Niagara Escarpment area..... Heck, I could go on and on. The Ottawa River Valley.... I'm gonna quit now......if you've got any questions, let me know, I'll do what I can to help you out! gunk:shock3: Agree 100% with everything he said (except Prince Edward county and that's only because I've never been there). The Lake Superior circle tour is also a great ride.
Greener Posted March 9, 2011 #9 Posted March 9, 2011 Try this site. http://www.gorideontario.com/motorcycle/
gunkylump Posted March 9, 2011 #10 Posted March 9, 2011 BEST time of year and TEMPERATURES. July or August is best.....weather can range all over the map...especially up around Lake Superior.....can be as high as the 90's or freezing cold there....southern Ontario would be much the same as New York or Michigan....... June and September can be really nice as well...but luck of the draw there..... gunk
Wizard765 Posted March 10, 2011 #11 Posted March 10, 2011 I agree July and August. Southern Ontario can be in the high 80s to mid 90s. If we know when you are coming I'm sure some of us will show you the sites. Personally I really like the Muskokas and a ride from their across the province on 118 is fantastic. Great road and lots of lakes etc.. I know that if I have some notice I would love to take you on a tour.
BradT Posted March 10, 2011 #12 Posted March 10, 2011 I agree July and August. Southern Ontario can be in the high 80s to mid 90s. Personally I really like the Muskokas and a ride from their across the province on 118 is fantastic. Great road and lots of lakes etc.. . If riding from Arkansas to Southern Ontario cross in Port Huron less traffic than the Detroit area. The Sault is a long way up but nicer roads once you cross. From the Sault heading east into the Muskokas and you will not be disappointed. You can get to the Muskokas from Southern Ontario as well but couple hundred miles of highway. As Wizard said temps are not really that hot but the Humidity can be a bear. Attached is a 500 mile day ride we like to take a couple times a year. Brad
Marcarl Posted March 10, 2011 #13 Posted March 10, 2011 I find that the best ride around here is the one that starts and ends at home, my home that is. In between, any ride is good, except when you get too close to any major cities, and it never too far to go around,,, we don't have Chicago here. Temp are great from mid May to mid October for anything south of Huntsville, (north of Toronto) although sometimes it can get a little cooler at night. North of Huntsville, if you want to be guaranteed warm riding, best plan on July and August. We have flat country, London to Windsor, Farming country, London to Niagara Falls (a must see) and north to Toronto, Owen Sound line. Cottage Country with lakes and streams north of the farming line, to North Bay . Frontier Country north of North Bay. West of Peterbourgh to Ottawa, lots of hills, twists, and turns and a lot less population, and gas stops. Tell us how much time you want to spend here and we'll give you lots of riding routes and things to see. My wife and I can easily spend 2 weeks riding south of the cold line and not get bored. Don't worry about the language issue, we understand almost any foreign tongue, heck we have no problem with Bob, so we do well even with speech impediments. Your money is good at par all over the province, at least for now. We're so poor, we'll take a chance on almost anything. We don't normally make trouble for ourselves or any foreigners, but there are times that we have fun,,, mostly at a foreigners expense, so you can feel quite safe,,,, not just because our jails are filled to the max. Sleeping accommodations are all over the map, normally within a days ride of where you leave in the morning. North of the cold line you might want to plan a little ahead. You can motel or camp, either is available and quite handy. We normally ride until we want to stop and then find a place to sleep. Occasionally we found it difficult to find a vacancy sign, but that's rare. Prices range from $50 for 2 beds to the skys the limit. Plan on $80 for a good night rest, but more in the resort areas. Nice thing is, if you don't like it where you are, mostly an hour or two will get you into completely different territory. The weather is mostly changing, if you don't like what we're having right now, just wait a while, and maybe it'll change for the better. Mostly though, if you're not tied to any planned route you can ride around the bad stuff, if you get my drift. Sights to see: Niagara Falls,,, could be an easy 2 day visit. Queenston, if you're interested in Canada, US history, but also nice country to ride. Part of the Niagara Falls area. CN tower, Toronto and our 'famous' Blue Jays. They haven't won the Stanley Cup for a long time. Walk from one to the other. You may want to spend some time at Canada's Wonderland, north of Toronto, not cheap but it'll take all day. Roller coasters and such. Thousand Islands in the Kingston area is picturesque. Some history there as well. Ottawa, our nations capital. Only an hour to get into, but it seems we can never get anybody out of there. Nice but very time consuming due to traffic. On the whole, we have the best province. We may not have it all together, but together we have it all. We have country, country and more country, and just enough towns and cities to keep you happy. Anything else you want to know???? no problems, short answers are my specialty. And oh, almost forgot, MarCarls' Meet & Greet is on May 28,,,, all day, starts at 12 and finishes at 1, Best happening north of the border. If you can't make it for that, guess we'll have to plan for another. Shucks I hate that!!!!!:happy65:
Aussie Annie Posted March 10, 2011 #14 Posted March 10, 2011 Okay, will take the opportunity to ask the canucks a question. Coming from Oz should I come with some Canadian currency?? We have Travelex Visa's in $US.....but will we get hit with international fee if we use??
mraf Posted March 10, 2011 #15 Posted March 10, 2011 One thing I noticed when traveling in Ontario was the traffic signs for major roads are very,very small but the signs for local roads are Freaking huge. Not something bad but something annoying if your trying to get around.
friesman Posted March 10, 2011 #16 Posted March 10, 2011 Okay, will take the opportunity to ask the canucks a question. Coming from Oz should I come with some Canadian currency?? We have Travelex Visa's in $US.....but will we get hit with international fee if we use?? Most places will take US money, but you may be charged a bit for the difference. Right now the 2 currencies are so close there isnt much difference. I had some US left over when I got back from the cruise in January and just spent it where ever i wanted with no issues anywhere and I only got charged 2% exchange rate once, everyone else was at par. Also, you could walk into any bank and exchange some US for canadian when you get here and as you need it, but we take almost any credit or debit card that you may have if you dont want to carry much canadian cash. Brian
chabicheka Posted March 10, 2011 #17 Posted March 10, 2011 One thing I noticed when traveling in Ontario was the traffic signs for major roads are very,very small but the signs for local roads are Freaking huge. Not something bad but something annoying if your trying to get around. Thats just to make sure people using our highways have good eye sight. So for you with bad eye sight, we want you to stay on the slower local roads and we have made sure you can 'read' the signs by making them Freaking huge.
mraf Posted March 10, 2011 #18 Posted March 10, 2011 Thats just to make sure people using our highways have good eye sight. So for you with bad eye sight, we want you to stay on the slower local roads and we have made sure you can 'read' the signs by making them Freaking huge. OH. Thank You.:rotfl::rotfl:I knew there was a reason.:rotfl:
saddlebum Posted March 10, 2011 #20 Posted March 10, 2011 One thing I noticed when traveling in Ontario was the traffic signs for major roads are very,very small but the signs for local roads are Freaking huge. Not something bad but something annoying if your trying to get around. If you saw huge signs in Ontario I would sure like to know where . . Any sign I see I got to climb the friggin pole to see what it say's and I live here
dray Posted March 10, 2011 #21 Posted March 10, 2011 If you saw huge signs in Ontario I would sure like to know where . . Any sign I see I got to climb the friggin pole to see what it say's and I live here how tall are them pole's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
sleepy2 Posted March 13, 2011 #22 Posted March 13, 2011 Think Ontario signs are bad then look out if you go to Quebec!!!!
Guest PlaneCrazy Posted March 13, 2011 #23 Posted March 13, 2011 I am thinking of leading a group of Arkansas Riders on a longer ride and have been wondering about Ontario, Canada. Someone educate me on a couple of things regarding Ontario (sorry for my ignorance). I know we'll all need to have passports, but where or what is the best place to cross the border? What is the best time of the year to make a 14-21 day trip like this? What are some MUST SEE sites and things to see in Ontario? Thanks for any information. Wally If you really want an enjoyable ride, then I would suggest not crossing over into Southern Ontario. There's some nice towns and areas along the Great lakes, but for the most part, SW Ontario is getting to be one big city sprawl and you don't want to go anywhere near Toronto on your bikes, if you can avoid it. If you do want to do the tourist thing in Toronto, I would suggest stopping at the edge of the city at one of the furthest subway stops (Kipling Station in the West or Kennedy in the East) Park your bikes there and just take the TTC Subway downtown. It's very handy. Instead, I would suggest you stay in New York and enjoy their roads and head up to Ogdensburg, then cross over there. I live in Ottawa and that is one of the most popular crossings for people in this area. From there, you can go almost anywhere, but my choice would be to head towards Ottawa and then west up through Calabogie towards North Bay and Algonquin Park. Some of the best motorcycle roads in Ontario up that way and it's all beautiful. Late July, early August is the hottest time of year. It can be 25-30 degrees around then (85'ish in Fahrenheit) Towards the end of August and early September, it's still warm during the days but a little cool at nights. But the leaves are changing and the bugs are mostly gone by then and that's why I love fall riding.
Trader Posted March 14, 2011 #24 Posted March 14, 2011 Northern Ontario and Eastern Ontario are beautiful to ride in and beautiful to see. Rock outcrops, thousands of Lakes....twisties one after the other! I find Toronto to Windsor flat and boring (IMHO) A superslab (the 401) runs from Windsor Thru Toronto to the Quebec border if time matters If you cross at Buffalo or Niagara Falls, the Niagara Penninsula is very nice but plan to take Hwy 3 or Hwy 20 to head from Niagara Falls to Hamilton. is much nicer than the QEW (another superslab) From there you could take Hwy 6 north (which leads to Tobermorry and Manitoulin Island) and either head East past Algonquin and towards Ottawa, or West to the Soo If you cross at Sault Ste Marie, head to Manitoulin Island Ferry to Tobermorry (Bikes are first on, first off) then either go to Niagara or stay north as you head east towards Ottawa. I find the north shore of Lake Ontario is a bit "ho-hum"...but there a lots of interesting little towns...and you don't have to ride the slab....there is always Hwy #2. (Toronto to Kingston) Picton (Prince Edward County) is pretty. If you end up in Toronto I agree that you want to park you bikes out of downtown and take the subway. If you want to head to Ottawa, go cross country....maybe by Hwy 7. It is a secondary hiway...mostly 2 lane, slower but more interesting than the 401 In Ottawa there are fantastic museums of Art, War, Nature, Transportation, Aviation, and Man. You can take a tour of the Parliment buildings....pretty cool architecture there too! A little known fact is that Kingston was the first capitol of Canada (for about 1 1/2 years) . The fear was that Kingston, being right on the n. shores of Lake Ontario, was too vunerable to US attacks. (the big meanies!) So they moved it further North to Ottawa Ottawa is only a little over an hour by Hiway to Kingston/ Gananoque . Very pretty area...1000 Islands cruises....can cross back into NY at Watertown. So no matter where you go, Ontario has lots to offer. Major downside of cruising Ontario is that gas is right now sitting at about $5.00 per US gal (1.25 per litre)
Marcarl Posted March 14, 2011 #25 Posted March 14, 2011 Northern Ontario and Eastern Ontario are beautiful to ride in and beautiful to see. Rock outcrops, thousands of Lakes....twisties one after the other! I find Toronto to Windsor flat and boring (IMHO) A superslab (the 401) runs from Windsor Thru Toronto to the Quebec border if time matters If you cross at Buffalo or Niagara Falls, the Niagara Penninsula is very nice but plan to take Hwy 3 or Hwy 20 to head from Niagara Falls to Hamilton. is much nicer than the QEW (another superslab) From there you could take Hwy 6 north (which leads to Tobermorry and Manitoulin Island) and either head East past Algonquin and towards Ottawa, or West to the Soo If you cross at Sault Ste Marie, head to Manitoulin Island Ferry to Tobermorry (Bikes are first on, first off) then either go to Niagara or stay north as you head east towards Ottawa. I find the north shore of Lake Ontario is a bit "ho-hum"...but there a lots of interesting little towns...and you don't have to ride the slab....there is always Hwy #2. (Toronto to Kingston) Picton (Prince Edward County) is pretty. If you end up in Toronto I agree that you want to park you bikes out of downtown and take the subway. If you want to head to Ottawa, go cross country....maybe by Hwy 7. It is a secondary hiway...mostly 2 lane, slower but more interesting than the 401 In Ottawa there are fantastic museums of Art, War, Nature, Transportation, Aviation, and Man. You can take a tour of the Parliment buildings....pretty cool architecture there too! A little known fact is that Kingston was the first capitol of Canada (for about 1 1/2 years) . The fear was that Kingston, being right on the n. shores of Lake Ontario, was too vunerable to US attacks. (the big meanies!) So they moved it further North to Ottawa Ottawa is only a little over an hour by Hiway to Kingston/ Gananoque . Very pretty area...1000 Islands cruises....can cross back into NY at Watertown. So no matter where you go, Ontario has lots to offer. Major downside of cruising Ontario is that gas is right now sitting at about $5.00 per US gal (1.25 per litre) Lot of good facts about Ontario,,,,, Hope you can keep it all straight,,, now just to ride Ontario!!!!!
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