7 stunning motorcycle routes to explore in Ontario
Arguably the ultimate cottage country tour, the Georgian Coastal Route takes you towards the turquoise blue waters of the Bruce Peninsula National Park, across Manitoulin Island, and to the base of the La Cloche mountains. While the entire tour typically takes seven days, sections can also be completed over a weekend with plenty of motorcycle-friendly hotels and restaurants along the way.
Named the “top motorcycle weekend in Ontario,” you can’t go wrong by heading out on the twisting Highway 129. There’s no end to the stunning scenery on the route (think waterfalls, boreal forests, and roadside cliffs) as you skirt around Lake Superior’s shores.
Fun, but challenging, this tour is best suited to skilled motorcyclists with a taste for adventure. The 120-kilometre hilly route may test your skills as you follow a loop around Elliot Lake, towards Blind River and Iron Bridge, including along some rough roads. While there are museums and historic sites to visit along the way, the real draw is the Elliot Lake Motorcycle Rally, which is hosted every June.
Close to Ottawa, this 1000-kilometre tour takes you through Ontario’s Highlands, including the Centennial Lake Road and Calabogie. There are countless attractions (breweries, museums, and dark sky preserves, to name a few) to visit along the way, but make sure to schedule an extra day (or three) to camp overnight in both Algonquin and Bon Echo Provincial Park.
While busier than some of the other northern routes that wind through cottage country, this one isn’t to be forgotten—and that has very little to do with Niagara Falls. Starting out in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the journey will take you along twisting and turning roads to Queenston and onwards to Fort Erie, where you can rest with a waterfront picnic.
Want to get out of Toronto for the weekend, but don’t want to go too far? This 350-kilometre trail along Lake Erie will take you through rolling farmland and alongside stretches of water dotted with lighthouses and beaches. It’s clear why this is the path many take to Friday the 13th, the infamous annual motorcycle event held in Port Dover.
Running from the St. Lawrence River to the eastern end of Lake Ontario, this ride has countless back road options. You might encounter a wooden railway bridge (keep an eye out for it on County Road 36/Bollingbroke Road); have to steer through three hairpin turns (County Road 12); or lookout over the islands along the 1000 Islands Parkway. No matter what itinerary you map out, you’re bound to encounter breathtaking views.
