6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer

Summer is a fantastic time to shake up your regular routine and explore some of the incredible regions and cities on offer in Canada.

To help inspire your next adventure, we’re sharing 6 great summer travel destinations in Ontario that will give you options to please every type of traveller.

Prince Edward County

The first destination we recommend checking out this summer is Prince Edward County.

Home to excellent restaurants, cideries/breweries, art galleries, boutique hotels, and wonderful rural towns, the New York Times describes Prince Edward County as « a Canadian island where hip meets historic. »

Located along the Lake Ontario coast, less than one hour from Kingston and around 2.5 hours from Toronto, Prince Edward County offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors with some paddling or a bike tour, or you’d like to explore the food and culture scene in towns like Picton and Bloomfield, the area is a popular choice for all styles of summer travel.

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Prince Edward County

With all the great food and drink options in the area, you’ll definitely want to bring your American Express Cobalt^® Card to take advantage of the 5x earning rates in the food/drinks category.

As one of our favourite (and most recommended) credit cards, the American Express Cobalt^® Card is a wallet must-have for when you explore Ontario this summer.

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American Express Cobalt^® Card

American Express Amex Membership Rewards

Annual fee: $191.88
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $255
Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months: Up to 15,000 points

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is a versatile American Express card, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt^® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer valued at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

American Express Cobalt^® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, and home food delivery. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line^® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers three kinds of merchants:

Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores (Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven): not part of 5X, 1 point per dollar.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	1
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt^® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt^® Card fees

Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas
1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,675

2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Bruce Peninsula

For travellers looking to take in some absolutely stunning natural scenery, a trip to the Bruce Peninsula is a great option.

The Bruce Peninsula is home to the beautiful, rugged shores and blue waters of Lake Huron and provides a jumping-off point for awesome outdoor adventures, both on land and in the water.

While visiting the region, you can try the following (and more!):

scuba dive the shipwrecks near Tobermory
hike part of the Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, which runs between Tobermory and Niagara
explore the limestone shores and visit The Grotto, Lion’s Head, and Flowerpot Island
go rock climbing or bouldering
take a kayak or canoe to explore the coast from the water
treat yourself to some ice cream and saltwater taffy in Tobermory

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Bruce Peninsula

The Bruce Peninsula is most easily accessed with a car, which will give you the ability to move between the many worthwhile sights and activities.

If you’re renting a car for your excursion, make sure you get a credit card that offers some car rental insurance coverage to save yourself from having to pay this cost out of pocket. Also, if possible, choose a card that also offers discounts and/or bonus privileges on the car rental cost.

If you’ve got your own vehicle for this adventure, there’s lots of ways to earn helpful perks and rewards on your fuel expenditures, so make sure to check out our top credit cards picks for gas expenses.

Manitoulin Island

For a unique summer travel destination in Ontario, take the Chi-Cheemaun ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world!

A visit to Manitoulin Island offers the chance to camp, hike, fish, swim, and more, and its also a fabulous opportunity to explore the rich Indigenous culture and heritage of the space.

While there, you can hike to Bridal Veil Falls, an 11-metre waterfall, spend the day Providence Bay Beach enjoying the clear water and white sand, or camp under the stars at one of the islands many campgrounds.

In fact, Manitoulin Island is home to a designated DarkSky Preserve, an area designed to protect the quality of the night sky, giving you a great view of the stars, visible planets, and maybe even the northern lights.

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Chi Cheemaun

If camping isn’t really your thing, you could always book a hotel, bed & breakfast, or an Airbnb to give yourself a nice bed and a few more amenities.

If you decide to go the Airbnb route and you collect British Airways Avios (perhaps with the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite) don’t forget that you can earn an additional 2 Avios per $1 spent on your booking (and on your Airbnb experiences) by simply going through RBC’s Airbnb portal. This is a great way to maximize your rewards earnings, getting you that much closer to a free trip!

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
American Express Cobalt^® Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$191.88	Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months Up to 15,000 points Get 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months	Apply NowCompare
FeaturedRBC Avion Visa Infinite Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offer35,000 points after approval; 20,000 after $5,000 in eligible transactions within 6 months; 15,000 credited 12–16 weeks after the first account anniversary. Eligible account must remain open and in good standing; offer terms and posting times apply. Up to 70,000 pointsEnds Nov 25, 2026 35,000 points after approval; 20,000 after $5,000 in eligible transactions within 6 months; 15,000 credited 12–16 weeks after the first account anniversary. Eligible account must remain open and in good standing; offer terms and posting times apply.	Apply NowCompare
RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$165	Welcome offerAfter $6,000 in 3 months 50,000 Avios After $6,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare
RBC Avion Visa Platinum Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 6 months Up to 70,000 pointsEnds Nov 25, 2026 After $5,000 in 6 months	Apply NowCompare
RBC Avion Visa Infinite Privilege Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$399	Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 6 months Up to 100,000 pointsEnds Nov 25, 2026 After $5,000 in 6 months	Apply NowCompare

Stratford

Our next pick for great summer travel destination in Ontario is Stratford and its world-famous Shakespeare theatre festival.

The Stratford Festival started in 1953 as a way to help revitalize the town after its economy suffered due to the decline of the railway industry. For the first few years, the performances were held in a single specially made tent, but now the festival boasts multiple permanent venues and runs from April to October each year.

While in area, in addition to taking in a show, you can enjoy a relaxing walk around Stratford’s beautiful downtown, perusing the local shops and stopping for a meal at one of the many excellent restaurants.

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Stratford Theatre

We recommend spending at least a couple days in Stratford so that you can take in a couple shows and explore the town at a leisurely pace.

If you’re planning to see a few shows during the festival, it’s a good idea to make the purchase with a credit card that has a high earning rate in the entertainment category. For example, the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card earns 5 Scene+ points per $1 on theatre tickets (and other eligible entertainment expenses).

Alternatively, you could choose a card like the CIBC Adapta Mastercard that adapts to your spending each month, giving you bonus Adapta points on your top three spending categories (including entertainment).

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 12 months Up to 50,000 pointsEnds Nov 1, 2026 After $7,500 in 12 months	Apply NowCompare
CIBC Adapta^™ Mastercard^® Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$0	Welcome offerAfter $1,000 in 4 months Up to 6,000 points After $1,000 in 4 months	Apply NowCompare

Niagara Region

The Niagara Region has some similar offerings to Prince Edward County in that its got loads of wineries, distilleries, breweries, and restaurants, but the area has been a destination for a lot longer than the County.

Tucked between Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the US border, the Niagara Region has an abundance of diverse activities on offer. Depending on what you like, you could explore the Niagara Escarpement (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve), take a boat trip to see the mighty Niagara Falls, or relax on one of the many sandy beaches.

Of course, no visit to the area would be complete without taking a trip to the local wineries, distilleries, and breweries for which the region is famous.

In fact, a trip to this region is an excellent opportunity to use up any annual travel or dining credits you may have through credit cards such as the American Express Platinum Card^®.

Not sure if you have a credit card that offers an annual travel or dining credit? Check our guide to credit cards in Canada that come with annual credits to learn about what’s being offered by each card.

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Niagara

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
American Express Platinum Card^® Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$799	Welcome offerAfter $10,000 in 3 months Up to 100,000 points After $10,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare
CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite Privilege* card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$499	Welcome offerAfter $6,000 in 4 months Up to 80,000 points After $6,000 in 4 months	Apply NowCompare

Wawa

To round out our list of recommended summer travel destinations in Ontario, we had to make sure we included one more northern adventure spot.

Wawa is located near Lake Superior about halfway between Sudbury and Thunder Bay. It’s a fantastic spot for paddling, hiking, fishing, camping, visiting the famous Wawa Goose, and more.

The area is home the southern edge of Canada’s boreal forest, a unique ecosystem unlike anything you’ll find in the southern part of the province. From Wawa, you can take guided trips into the forest by foot or by boat, or you can explore Ontario’s Boreal Driving Route, connecting multiple provincial parks and showing off the region’s vastness and beauty.

Keep in mind that when travelling to smaller towns, its a good idea to make sure you’ve got a solid all-around Visa or Mastercard with you since smaller retailers and outfitters don’t always take American Express.

6 Places to Visit in Ontario this Summer - Ontario Summer 2025 Wawa

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
SponsoredTD First Class Travel^® Visa Infinite* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$139 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate	Welcome offerAfter $7,500 in 6 months Up to 160,000 points After $7,500 in 6 months	Apply NowCompare
Scotiabank Passport^® Visa Infinite Privilege* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$599	Welcome offerAfter $20,000 in 6 months Up to 80,000 pointsEnds Nov 1, 2026 After $20,000 in 6 months	Apply NowCompare
ExclusiveNational Bank World Elite^® Mastercard^® Apply NowCompare	Annual feeFirst Year Annual Fee Rebate$150 $0First Year Annual Fee Rebate	Welcome offer$150 annual fee rebated First Year Annual Fee RebateEnds Nov 4, 2026 $150 annual fee rebated	Apply NowCompare

How to Save Money on Accommodations

When planning a summer trip, one of the big things to consider is where you’re going to stay. Do you want to stay in a beautiful hotel? Maybe a cozy bed & breakfast? Or maybe you prefer to book an Airbnb so you can have the whole place to yourself.

With accommodations being one of bigger expenses during a trip, let’s explore some strategies for using points and credits cards to save money on this part of your summer travels.

Enjoy free stays with Marriott

A great way to save money on accommodations when travelling is to use Marriott Bonvoy points to book a stay at one of Marriott’s 8,000+ locations, including those in Niagara Falls and Kingston (near Prince Edward County).

You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points every time you stay at a Marriott-brand hotel, and you can also earn points by spending on a Marriott co-branded credit card like the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card. Once you’ve got some points saved up, you can easily redeem them for free stays around the world.

Plus, both of the co-branded Marriott Bonvoy cards have the added bonus of giving you automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and an annual Free Night Certificate, making it even easier to save money and relax on your vacation.

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months Up to 70,000 points After $3,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare
Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$150	Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months Up to 80,000 points After $5,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare

Save on independent hotels and Airbnbs

If you’re looking to book a smaller, independent hotel or an Airbnb, there’s lots of ways to save money on this part of your vacation budget.

One versatile option is to use credit card points to help offset the expense. Many credit cards let you use your accumulated points to pay for eligible travel expenses when you’ve used that card to pay for them. For example, you can offset the cost of your Airbnb or other accommodations using the following loyalty program points:

American Express Membership Rewards
Scene+ points
NBC À la carte Rewards
CIBC Aventura
BMO Rewards
AIR MILES

Check out our guide to saving on Airbnb bookings to learn more!

Other ways to save on your accommodations costs include using a rewards portal to make your booking, using an annual travel credit from one of your credit cards, paying for the booking using a strategic credit card to earn maximum points, and more.

We’ve written a guide to saving on independent hotels using these methods and others, so if you’d like to save some money this summer, we recommend you take look.

FAQs

What’s the weather like in Ontario in the summer?

Ontario’s summer weather varies tremendously. Depending on where you are, you may experience cool evenings/nights, very hot and humid days, thunderstorms, gorgeous sunny days, and more.

To get a good idea of what weather to expect on your trip, it’s best to search for the specific town/region that you’re visiting, and when in doubt, pack layers, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent!

Do I need a car to travel in Ontario?

Although you don’t NEED a car to travel in Ontario, having one will certainly make your trip easier and give you more options.

If you want to travel without a car, there a few public and private transportation options that can get you to many of the destinations in our guide above.

The Park Bus can take you from Toronto to the Bruce Peninsula, Killarney National Park (near Manitoulin Island), and more. The Stratford Festival runs the Stratford Direct bus service from Toronto.

Additionally, you’ve always got the option of riding a bicycle to explore a number of these locations; in particular, Prince Edward County, Bruce Peninsula, and Manitoulin Island make for wonderful cycling locations.