Ontario's Country Charm

One of the nicest things about Toronto is the proximity of beautiful country settings. About a two hour drive from the city is Niagara-on-the-Lake, home of the famous Shaw Festival that presents world-class productions of famous plays. Many of Niagara-on-the-Lake period homes have been restored and tghere are dozens of quaint shops in which to browse. Elsewhere, the city of Stratford, complete with a river called the Avon, is home of the internationally-renowned Stratford Festival where stars such as Maggie Smith and Christopher Plummer have performed in plays by Shakespeare. Within an hour’s drive of Toronto are numerous attractive little communities such as Fergus and Elora with their vintage houses and brimming antique shops. The excellent farmers’ market at Saint Jacob was started by Mennonite farmers, not dissimilar to the Amish in the United States. There’s also a thriving flea market to enjoy.