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Explore Ontario

Small Towns of Ontario

From the Ottawa Valley to Lake Huron, the Muskokas to the Niagara Escarpment — 322 communities with stories worth the drive.
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322

Ontario towns

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Ontario Picks

Where to start

Some of Ontario's most visited small towns on our platform

🌷 Spring 2026 picks
Muskoka
Gravenhurst
Gravenhurst
Steamship cruises on Lake Muskoka and the birthplace of Norman Bethune, Hero of China.
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Wellington County
Elora
Elora
Limestone gorge, artist studios, and Ontario's prettiest main street — 90 minutes from Toronto.
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Bruce Peninsula
Tobermory
Tobermory
Crystal-clear waters, Flowerpot Island, and the gateway to Fathom Five.
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Northumberland
Port Hope
Port Hope
A beautifully preserved riverside town with elegant 19th-century streets, famous for its spectacular salmon run and cinematic small-town atmosphere.
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Georgian Bay
Parry Sound
Parry Sound
Gateway to 30,000 Islands — Bobby Orr's hometown on the shore of Georgian Bay.
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Niagara Peninsula
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Charming destination with stunning scenery, wineries, and historic buildings along Lake Ontario.
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Northwestern Ontario
Kenora
Kenora
Lake of the Woods — 14,552 islands, world-class fishing, and Husky the Muskie.
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Perth county
Stratford
Stratford
World-class theatre festival, farm-to-table dining, swans on the Avon River.
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🚢

Waterfront & Lake Towns

Ontario has more freshwater shoreline than anywhere in the world. These towns sit right on the water — Great Lakes beaches, Georgian Bay harbours, and inland lake getaways.

Georgian Bay
Parry Sound
Parry Sound
Gateway to 30,000 Islands — Bobby Orr's hometown on the shore of Georgian Bay.
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Northumberland
Cobourg
Cobourg
Sandy beach on Lake Ontario, heritage downtown, and a waterfront boardwalk.
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Northwestern Ontario
Kenora
Kenora
Lake of the Woods — 14,552 islands, world-class fishing, and Husky the Muskie.
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Bruce Peninsula
Tobermory
Tobermory
Crystal-clear waters, Flowerpot Island, and the gateway to Fathom Five.
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Lake Huron
Bayfield
Bayfield
A charming lakeside village with a storybook Main Street, known for its sandy beaches, glowing sunsets, and easy coastal charm along Lake Huron.
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1000 Islands
Gananoque
Gananoque
A scenic river town and gateway to the Thousand Islands, known for boat tours, sparkling waterways, and postcard-worthy island views.
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🎭

Arts & Culture Towns

Theatre festivals, artist studios, craft breweries in converted mills, and main streets that feel like stepping back in time. Ontario's cultural heartland is in its small towns.

Wellington County
Elora
Elora
Limestone gorge, artist studios, and Ontario's prettiest main street — 90 minutes from Toronto.
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Mississippi River Valley
Almonte
Almonte
Picturesque town where stunning waterfalls complement its vibrant arts community and heritage.
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Rideau Canal
Merrickville
Merrickville
Often called the “Jewel of the Rideau,” this picturesque canal village is filled with stone buildings, working locks, and a vibrant community of artists and makers.
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Niagara Peninsula
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Charming destination with stunning scenery, wineries, and historic buildings along Lake Ontario.
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Perth county
Stratford
Stratford
World-class theatre festival, farm-to-table dining, swans on the Avon River.
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Waterloo Region
St. Jacobs
St. Jacobs
A charming village rooted in Mennonite traditions, famous for Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market, handmade goods, and a slower countryside pace.
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🏕

Cottage Country & Muskoka

The lakes, the loons, the docks at sunset. Ontario's cottage country is a state of mind — and these towns are the gateways to it.

Muskoka
Gravenhurst
Gravenhurst
Steamship cruises on Lake Muskoka and the birthplace of Norman Bethune, Hero of China.
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Muskoka
Bracebridge
Bracebridge
A lively Muskoka town built around a series of waterfalls, known for its scenic riverfront, family attractions, and classic cottage-country charm.
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Kawartha Lakes
Bobcaygeon
Bobcaygeon
A laid-back canal town where boats pass through the heart of downtown, known for its lakeside lifestyle, fishing culture, and iconic Canadian music reference.
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Haliburton Highlands
Haliburton
Haliburton
A creative highlands town surrounded by lakes and forests, known for its blend of outdoor adventure, sculpture trails, and vibrant arts community.
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Muskoka–Haliburton Hig…
Dorset
Dorset
A tiny lakeside village perched between Muskoka and Haliburton, known for its iconic lookout tower and sweeping views over forests and lakes.
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🌲

Northern Ontario Adventures

Big skies, boreal forest, and towns where the nearest city is hours away. Northern Ontario is where Canada feels the most like itself.

Georgian Bay
Parry Sound
Parry Sound
Gateway to 30,000 Islands — Bobby Orr's hometown on the shore of Georgian Bay.
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Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
Set on the vast shores of Lake Superior, this northern gateway city is famous for the dramatic Sleeping Giant cliffs, rugged wilderness, and the inspiring legacy of <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Terry Fox</span></span>.
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Northeastern Ontario
Cochrane
Cochrane
A true northern outpost known for its polar bear habitat, legendary train to the Far North, and access to vast wilderness landscapes.
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Northwestern Ontario
Kenora
Kenora
Lake of the Woods — 14,552 islands, world-class fishing, and Husky the Muskie.
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Thunder Bay District
Nipigon
Nipigon
A rugged northern stop on the shores of Lake Superior, known for its iconic bridge, legendary fishing, and access to vast wilderness landscapes.
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Northeastern Ontario
Haileybury
Haileybury
A peaceful lakeside community on Lake Temiskaming, known for its historic character, wide shoreline views, and resilient past shaped by the Great Fire of 1922.
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Find Your Town

322 Ontario towns on the map

Search by name or browse — every pin links to a town page

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We've launched 322Ontario town pages so far — and we're adding more all the time. If your town isn't on the map yet, we'd love to hear from you.
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Ontario’s small towns are supported by 13 Regional Tourism Organizations that promote tourism across the province. 1000towns complements RTO marketing by giving individual communities national visibility — connecting travellers from across Canada with towns they’d never find through regional campaigns alone.

People of Ontario’s Small Towns

You know their names

Notable Canadians with roots in Ontario's small communities

Featured Megan Oldham | Olympic Freestyle Skiing Champion
📍 Parry Sound, Ontario
Megan Oldham | Olympic Freestyle Skiing Champion
Parry Sound's newest Olympic champion — gold in big air, bronze in slopestyle, and the whole town showed up to welcome her home.
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Alexander Graham Bell | Telephone Inventor
📍 Brantford, Ontario
Alexander Graham Bell | Telephone Inventor
Alexander Graham Bell was a scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone.
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Leslie McFarlane | Creator of The Hardy Boys
📍 Haileybury, Ontario
Leslie McFarlane | Creator of The Hardy Boys
Ghostwrote the first 21 Hardy Boys novels from a small northern Ontario mining town.
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Meet more people →

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Travel guides

Guides featuring Ontario towns

Curated guides, hidden gems, and stories from the towns that make this country extraordinary

🌷 Spring 2026 picks
Fall Summer
Top 10 Towns with the Perfect Picnic Spot
Top 10 Towns with the Perfect Picnic Spot
From lakeside parks to riverside trails — the best picnic destinations in small-town Canada.
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Summer Winter
Top 10 Towns with Unique Festivals
Top 10 Towns with Unique Festivals
Elvis festivals, pumpkin regattas, and ice-fishing derbies across small-town Canada.
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Fall Summer
Top 10 Farmers’ Markets in Small Towns
Top 10 Farmers’ Markets in Small Towns
Local produce, artisan crafts, and community spirit — Ontario markets lead the way.
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Browse all guides →

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We work with municipalities and tourism organizations to give small towns the visibility they deserve — through enhanced town pages, Google Ads promotion, and featured content.

53% of our 132,000 annual visitors are from Ontario.
 
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Any changes to the place info will be reviewed by 1000 Towns of Canada.