The 500-kilometre
route between Montreal and Toronto is one of the most heavily travelled in
Canada. Highway 401, one of the country’s oldest expressways, is always busy,
and so are the trains that speed back and forth between Canada’s two largest
cities. Too many
visitors go the whole way without stopping.
That’s a
pity, because travellers that take the time to get off the highway at the
halfway point will discover a charming mix of history and beauty. And LGBT travellers in particular will
discover a region that is bending over backwards right now to welcome them:
From Kingston, Gananoque and Brockville through the picturesque Thousand
Islands of the St. Lawrence River, towns and businesses in this part of Eastern
Ontario are making a determined effort to woo LGBT travellers to rural areas
until now overlooked.
History is
found all over the region, one of the main areas of settlement in Ontario of
United Empire Loyalists – Americans who remained loyal to the British Crown
during the American Revolution and who left the U.S. after the country won its
independence. Military
history buffs will want to see Fort Henry, one of the big attractions at
Kingston, a small university city that was once the capital of Canada. The
current fort was built in the 1830s to protect the Lake Ontario entrance to the
Rideau Canal and is now a museum. All summer long, you can get a taste for
military life at the fort in the mid-1800s. (See the St. Lawrence Parks Commission for information about Fort Henry.)
Located at
the far eastern end of Lake Ontario, about 250 kilometres from Toronto, Kingston’s
charms are generally historic, though the students from Queen’s University add
spice to what is otherwise a relatively quiet place. The city has an eminently
walkable downtown and many nice small restaurants and – during the first two
weeks of June – a Pride Festival that culminates in a parade on June
16 this year. (See The Great Waterway for general information about the Kingston region.)
If you’re
looking to get physical, one of the best things to do in the region is bicycle. The
Waterfront Trail is a 700-kilometre-long bicycle path that follows the shores
of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River from Niagara to the Quebec border.
The ride
from Kingston to Brockville is about 90 kilometres on a mix of paved shoulder
and designated bike path. It’s classified as a ‘moderate’ ride, since cyclists
will discover a few rolling hills. And here’s a tip: since the dominant winds
are from the west, it’s generally easier to ride from west to east – which is
downstream as well. (By the way,
you don’t need a car to get to Kingston to start the bike trip. You can put
your bicycle on the VIA Rail train from Toronto, bicycle to Brockville, and
take the train back.)
Enthusiasts
will do the trip all in one day, but it’s easy to extend it by stopping for one
or more nights at Gananoque, a small town along the way. This historic tourist town, with its
waterfront and leafy streets, is going all out to be welcoming of LGBT
travellers, says Justin Lafontaine, the Ontario program development manager for
Travel Gay Canada.
“Tourism is
a big deal in this town,” Lafontaine says. “And the businesses are on board.
The town is definitely doing a lot of work.” Staff at many of the attractions are getting LGBT diversity
training, and the town is planning its first-ever Summer Solstice Pride
Festival for the weekend of June 22-24.
Looking for
accommodation in Gananoque? Check
out the Colonial Resort and Spa, 780 King Street West, or the Gananoque Inn & Spa, 550 Stone
Street South . For general information about the region, see Thousand Islands Accommodation Partners.
The other
big attraction here is the Thousand Islands themselves. And this is where the
rest and relaxation comes in. These
islands, in the St. Lawrence River, are home to cottagers – some of whom had
quite a lot of money to spend on their summer homes. More than a century ago
George Boldt, the owner of New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, built a
120-room castle on one of the islands. Boldt Castle is now a major attraction.
The best
way to see the islands is on a boat cruise. There are many companies offering cruises,
some of them themed. The trips can be as short as one hour, or as long five. (Tip:
The Thousand Islands straddle the Canada-U.S. border. Some of the islands are
in the U.S., and if you get off to explore those islands, including Boldt
Castle, you will need a valid passport.)
Gananoque
is one of the main embarkation points for Thousand Islands cruises. See Gananoque Boat Line Ltd for more information on cruises.
Brockville, this river-front destination at the eastern end of the Thousand
Islands, is another embarkation point for boat tours. Brockville will be hosting it’s second annual Pride Walk
July 21. This community led event
celebrates LGBT diversity in the region.
With several unique cultural and historical attractions in the area,
such as the Brockville Arts Centre and the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival,
it is a great summer time getaway.
With so
much to offer the LGBT traveller, celebrate this summer in the Thousand Islands
region.
Daniel
Drolet is an Ottawa-based writer and head of Éclair Communications. He is a member of Travel Gay Canada.
