Bordering the Great Lakes in central Canada, Ontario is the most populous of the provinces. It’s home to Ottawa, the capital of Canada and Toronto, the country’s largest city, both of which lie to the south; the north is an uninhabited region of forests and lakes.

In Ottawa take in the rainbow of blooms during the Royal Botanical Gardens’ Tulip Celebration in May, go museum hopping or watch the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony in summer at Parliament Hill. Vibrant and urban Toronto is a cultural mosaic with ethnically diverse neighborhoods, which contributes to its eclectic and international cuisine. The city has 5,000 restaurants, from trattorias to bistros to tavernas, in addition to museums, galleries, theaters and shopping.

The province’s best-known attraction is undoubtedly mighty Niagara Falls, but there are many other places of interest. See historic sites of the Underground Railroad, where American slaves escaped to freedom. Stop at Point Pelee on Lake Erie in September during the annual monarch butterfly migration, when these insects blanket the trees in an amazing display.

Experience aboriginal culture at a First Nations Pow Wow. Fly in a light aircraft in summer to Polar Bear Provincial Park to spot these giants in their natural habitat. In the colder months, enjoy the ice sculptures and snowshoe races at winter festivals, go ice climbing or ice fishing on one of Ontario’s 250,000 lakes and rivers, or travel by snowmobile on interconnected, groomed “snow highways.” There are also 800 golf courses and three world-class casinos.