5 Ontario Boating Adventures You Need To Experience

Story by Steven Bull Jun. 04, 2024

As the host of Water Ways TV and, from 2014-2019 the host of PowerBoat Television, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of exploring boating destinations all across North America. As I tell everyone I can, Ontario is truly a boater’s paradise that has just about everything you could ask for, shy of tropical sandbars and palm trees in the height of winter. There’s big water with the Great Lakes that are more like inland seas, there are raging rivers for whitewater adventures, secluded streams meandering through Group-of-Seven-worthy forests, and 250,000 lakes. All told, Ontario is home to one-fifth of the world’s freshwater and a huge amount of that is for us boaters to explore and enjoy.

The list I could give you is virtually endless, but here are five must-boat spots with a range of boating styles for you to check out this year.

1. Bareboat Chartering – Le Boat on the Rideau Canal or Trent-Severn Waterway

A bareboat charter is when you captain yourself, and Le Boat is the undisputed world leader in these sorts of vacations. Starting in 1969 on the Canal du Midi, they now boast the largest fleet in the world. In Europe there are budget options, but when they opened in Smiths Falls on the Rideau Canal in 2018 – the first non-European base in company history – they only offered the Horizon line, which is their top-end offering. In 2024 they opened a base just outside Peterborough opening up a section of Trent-Severn Waterway for visitors.

The beauty of Le Boat’s system is you do not require a license or even any previous boating experience to take part. There is mandatory training ahead of every rental where they walk you through all the systems and then have a qualified skipper with you while you take it off the dock and perform some basic maneuvers to ensure you are comfortable. With built-in fenders and bow-and-stern thrusters, these are by far the simplest vessels I’ve ever operated, opening you up to endless opportunities.

They will suggest itineraries, but this is your journey to make your own. Whether you want to cruise into the heart of Ottawa and moor right downtown, in the shadow of the Senate Building with Chateau Laurier and the Parliament Buildings as your patriotic backdrop, or experience the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock in Peterborough, you can – and should! – do it by water.

PRO TIP: If you’re in Peterborough, make sure to check out the brand-new Canadian Canoe Museum which is on the shores of Little Lake. Opened with great fanfare in 2024, it boasts the world’s largest collection of paddled watercraft and offers opportunities to get out on the water yourself.

GETTING THERE: Le Boat has a base just outside of Peterborough for the Trent-Severn, and bases in Smiths Falls (1 hour drive from Ottawa, Smiths Falls VIA Station is 2.4km from the base) and Dows Lake in Ottawa.

2. Cruising or Renting – Boating in Toronto Harbour

I grew up in Toronto, near the water, and yet I never felt that “waterfront” feel that I did in other places like the East Coast or Florida. That is, until we bought our boat and decided to moor it at the Toronto Islands joining the thousand-or-so of other vessels spread across three yacht clubs and a private marina. When you add in the city-side marinas and those just outside the harbour at Ashbridge’s Bay or Outer Harbour Marina we’re into the multi-thousand count of seasonal boaters from personal watercraft to 60-foot yachts and everything in between.

Toronto, or York, as it was previously known, was chosen for its strategic harbour location. The Eastern Gap – the opening that freighters arriving with raw sugar for the Redpath refinery use and where you’ll find the cruise ship terminal – only opened up in 1858 after a massive storm cut through the peninsula that had been there for millennia. It was expanded and dredged but, to me, is a perfect reminder of the long history and tie to the water that Canada’s largest city has.

Of course, a more obvious historical example is the Gibraltar Lighthouse, built in 1808, which still stands proud today though no longer in service. It’s one of the city’s oldest structures and the oldest lighthouse anywhere on the Great Lakes. You can see it if you cruise through the no-wake zones that are the lagoons and cuts that run through the islands popular with larger tour boats and kayakers alike.

If you don’t have your boat base there, as I do, nor are able to bring your boat in, there are a few options to get out on the water beyond the tour boats that include tall ships like the Kajama and Empire Sandy. Skipperi opened a base in Toronto in 2023 and has Starcraft deckboats that you can use to explore at your own pace. Freedom Boat Club, the world’s largest member-driven club with more than 400 locations, has a base at Outer Harbour Marina. Similar to Skipperi but slightly higher-end boats and experience meaning a slightly higher cost. And there the more “traditional” rentals done at Harbourfront which has fishing boats, small-but-fun-looking powerboats, canoes and kayaks.

The harbour is busy, particularly in the height of summer, with water taxis, ferries, and all of the various boats enjoying the waters so it can get choppy but there’s a reason every postcard of the city is of the skyline as seen from the water. The view is simply stunning!

PRO TIP: The beaches on the “outer” side of the islands facing Lake Ontario and not the inner harbour are Blue Flag certified for cleanliness meaning they are safe to swim. However, check the City of Toronto’s Beach Safety website for the latest conditions, particularly in the height of summer. Most of the time you’re good to go swimming off a boat in front of a sandy beach with the CN Tower visible in the distance is something that – like photos of the skyline from the boat – never gets old.

GETTING THERE: Union Station is a short walk to Harbourfront – which is also serviced by TTC streetcars. If you fly into Pearson, you can take the UP Express train directly to Union. Both Porter and Air Canada also fly into Billy Bishop Island Airport which is home to the world’s shortest scheduled ferry.

3. Houseboating and Fishing – Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods is one of those places that I refer to as an on-off switch. If you’ve ever been there, you know it’s one of the most stunningly beautiful and serene lakes in all of North America offering both wide open stretches and a seemingly endless archipelago of islands providing protected waters. Or, you’ve never heard of it because it’s “way up north”.

Located in the northwest part of the province, Lake of the Woods borders Minnesota and Manitoba and is an angler’s paradise, an incredible freshwater sailing destination and a long-time hub for houseboat vacations.

The annual LOWISA (Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association) Regatta attracts sailors every year with 2024 marking the 58th anniversary of the weeklong celebration of sailing and fun on the water. The regatta typically features a series of races over several days, with courses set around the various islands and landmarks on the lake. Arguably, the social aspect is as appealing as the racing itself and this, but science has proven you can’t keep sailors from racing if you get enough of them together!

Kenora is the biggest Ontario city on the lake and home to Jeff Gustafsson, a professional angler who made history in 2023 becoming the first Canadian ever to win the Bassmaster Classic – known as the “Super Bowl of bass fishing” to many – and it’s $300,000 USD top prize. He still does some guiding on the lake when he’s not on the tournament circuit, but he’s just one of many guides that will take you out for one of the greatest days on the water you’ll ever have with guaranteed fish.

Given the more remote nature , it’s not home to thousands of cabin cruisers like Toronto Harbour is, but it does have a good number of houseboat rental options. I first experienced Lake of the Woods on a houseboat adventure out of Sioux Narrows during a PowerBoat TV shoot, but there are options in Kenora, Clearwater Bay, and Morson well. You can get ones big enough to have a few families aboard and find a totally secluded bay or small island and make it your private oasis. It remains one of my all-time favourite boating adventures to date (and I’ve boated in 7 provinces, 1 territory and 13 States since then!).

GETTING THERE: One of the easiest ways to get to Lake of the Woods is fly into Winnipeg and drive 2.5-hrs to Kenora (219-km).

PRO TIP: Considered by many to be home to the best beach in Kenora, Coney Island is only accessible by boat but there is a shuttle. If you don’t have time for a full houseboat vacation and fishing isn’t for you, you can still get out on the water with a 2-hour cruise aboard the M.S. Kenora.

4. Cruising – The North Channel

What I initially intended with this was cruising in your powerboat or sailboat, but this should also reflect the growing cruise ship culture on the Great Lakes with world-renowned companies like Viking Cruise Lines and their stunning Octantis ship regularly plying these waters as it runs between Montreal, Toronto and Chicago.

The North Channel, including Sault Ste. Marie, is a freshwater cruising must-do for any serious boater. This stunning stretch of water between Manitoulin Island and the mainland offers some of the best cruising grounds in North America. With its crystal-clear waters, rugged landscapes, and charming small towns, the North Channel is perfect for exploring by boat. The area provides numerous transient slips and marinas, making it easy to find a safe harbor and enjoy the breathtaking scenery and wildlife

This is one of the highlights for any “Looper” because of the stunning natural beauty, clean waters and boat-centric economy from Little Current and Killarney to Blind River and the border city of Sault Ste. Marie. The Great Loop is a 9,700-kilometre (6,000-mile) circumnavigation of eastern North America running from Chicago down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, around Florida and up the eastern seaboard to New York City where Hudson River connects to canals that get you back into the Great Lakes system. The fact that the North Channel is consistently “on the podium” of top three highlights of the entire journey for most Loopers speaks volumes to how incredible it is.

Sault Ste. Marie is the largest city in this part of the province and has transient marinas for visitors and boat ramps for the land-based boaters amongst us. From “the Soo” you can head through the locks into Lake Superior or Lake Michigan or head east and explore St. Joseph Island and the small but mighty town of Hilton Beach which only has a population of 198 but has a marina boasting 160 slips. If that doesn’t speak to the boating culture in these parts, I don’t know what does!

But you don’t need to be on a bucket list journey or on a luxury cruise liner to get on the water. There are resorts like Killarney Mountain Lodge that give you the waterfront experience with rentals options or the ability to tow your own boat. Fishing guides and kayak camping adventures expand the offerings to explore. No matter how you do it, be sure to add this to your boating bucket list one way or another. You won’t be disappointed!

PRO TIP: If you’re boating near Little Current, tune into “Cruisers Net” hosted by long-time volunteer Roy Eaton with the Little Current Yacht Club. He provides a weekly radio broadcast for boaters “out of the loop” of regular news, weather and other relevant and important information boaters want to hear.

GETTING THERE: Arriving by Boat you can start in Sault Ste Marie (a.k.a. “The Soo”) or access the North Channel from Lakes Michigan or Superior by transiting the “Soo Locks”. Little Current is approximately 125-nautical miles from Port Severn and the final lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway System. You can also fly in to Sault Ste. Marie Airport on Air Canada, Porter or Bearskin Airlines.
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5. Steamship Tours – Lake Muskoka on RMS Segwun

With a quarter-million lakes, Ontario’s connection to boats is as natural as they come. From canoes and kayaks of the First Nations to the steamships that once dominated the waters, opening up regions like Muskoka to cottagers and summer lodges.

Where I fell in love with being on the water, near the family cottage in Huntsville, has a canal that was dug out expressly for the purpose of along steamships to take visitors from the train station downtown to the resorts a couple lakes away. Deerhurst is one of the few “originals” that remain but the steamships are long gone. Except in Gravenhurst.

Here you’ll find the RMS Segwun and the Wenonah II. The latter is a modern build designed to look like an original but the Segwun is the real deal. It is the oldest steam-powered vessel in North America, and has been on Lake Muskoka since 1887. It’s also one of only three vessels anywhere in the world that retains the RMS – Royal Mail Ship – designation, although it no longer is used to transport the post.

Even if you have a cottage on these waters, I can’t recommend a cruise on the steamship enough. A step into the past with all the comforts of today – including historical commentary and a dining room – while the driving is left to the capable hands of the captain and all you have to worry about is what photos to take.

The Muskoka Steamships & Discovery Centre provides what you expect in a museum to learn about the rich history of boating in the region from steamships to the private wooden boats which, for a time, were made in large numbers in this region. In fact, the Murray Walker Boathouse at the centre houses a rotating collection, changing every year, of privately owned vintage vessels sits on the site of the former Ditchburn Boat factory.

Boating is largely a summer activity, admittedly, but the “shoulder seasons” (spring and fall) are some of the best times to get on the water. In particular, I recommend going for a cruise in the fall to see the stunning explosion of colours as the leaves change colour.

PRO TIP: If you can plan your visit to Gravenhurst to be on a Tuesday, drive 25 km northwest to Windsor Park in Bala where – for more than 50 years – SWS Watersports has performed a incredible waterski show, free to the public, that includes a pyramid of waterskiers, jumps, wakeboards and all kinds of crazy tricks that members of national teams perform with ease. Bring cash if you can though, because they pass the hat after the performance and if you love it, you can leave them a tip – but that’s not required. Nor is a folding chair, but it makes it even more comfortable because the show goes on for a while!

GETTING THERE: By car is the main way to get anywhere in Muskoka but there is a daily Ontario Northland bus to Gravenhurst which takes around 3-hours, and a bus to Huntsville which takes around 4-hours.

Ontario Means Water. Literally!

The name Ontario comes from Iroquois word “kanadario”, which translates into “sparkling water”. There is a true embarrassment of riches when it comes to opportunities to get out on the water whether it be stand-up paddleboarding, racing a sailboat or cruising leisurely from port to port.

Our province gives you just about anything you can imagine, whether you want to get away from it all or boat into major urban centres and hit up museums and concerts.

Pack your bags, chart your course, and set sail on an unforgettable journey through Ontario’s boating paradise. As I say on the show, “Some memories can’t be made on land.”

See you on the water!

NOTE: This is sponsored content produced in partnership with Destination Ontario