8 Offbeat Towns to Visit in Ontario

More people visit Ontario than any other Canadian province. However, most tourists stick to big cities like Toronto and Ottawa or major attractions like Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes. Practically no one ventures off to small towns for sightseeing, even though these places offer fascinating sights like Wellesley’s puzzling tombstone, Burk's Falls’ eerie sculptures, and Moonbeam’s playful nod to extraterrestrials. From the birthplace of Winnie-the-Pooh in White River to the cheese-loving town of Perth, these hidden gems showcase Ontario's quirky side. Be one of the rare tourists to uncover these offbeat Ontario towns.

Wellesley

If you ever wanted to solve a puzzle on a headstone, head to Wellesley. This rural Ontario township has a cemetery called Rushes, the main attraction of which is the Bean Puzzle Tombstone. In the 1860s, a man named Dr. Samuel Bean buried two wives under a 225-character coded epitaph captioned with "Reader meet us in heaven." It allegedly took until 1947 for someone to crack the code and ascend with Bean and his wives. See if you can do the same. Although the original tombstone is hard to read, a clear replica stands beside it.

In addition to that one-of-a-kind tombstone, Wellesley is awash with unique wonders like the 1860 Heidelberg Restaurant & Tavern, where one can enjoy delicious ribs and mashed potatoes, and the 49-year-old Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival. To take it all in, September is the best month to visit Wellesley.

Burk's Falls

The less known but no less spectacular Ontario "falls," Burk's Falls, has a series of small manmade waterfalls. But you will probably fall for a different village feature: Midlothian Castle and its 100-plus "screaming heads" sculpted by the castle's owner, Peter Camani. A retired art teacher, Camani began building the avant-garde castle on his 310-acre property in the 1970s. Several years later, he started decorating the grounds with 18-foot sculptures, most of which resemble screaming heads. Some of his more recent constructions are screaming headstones made by mixing cement with cremated people's ashes. For a more relaxing time out, visitors can stop by the Welcome Centre, which is full of great information, friendly faces, and cascading river views. Moreover, those visiting in September can attend the annual Harvest Festival for an even more offbeat time in Canada.

East Garafraxa

When you think of Canada, what comes to mind? There is a good chance you thought of maple syrup. Eating maple syrup or other maple treats in Ontario is not exactly an offbeat excursion, but touring a maple syrup museum is. The township of East Garafraxa, with a population of about 2,600, contains the Maple Syrup Museum and Heritage Barn Maple Gift Shop. It is slathered in maple-making artifacts and surrounded by maple-making trees as part of the Elliott Tree Farm. Elliott sits on the border between East Garafraxa and Erin, the latter of which is a larger town with even more oddities like the ancient Busholme gastropub and the quirky Maddie Hatter tea shop. From a fizzy drink to a relaxing green tea, these spots have everything you need in liquid form.

Moonbeam

One association you likely would not have had with Canada was aliens—until you learned about Moonbeam. This tiny Ontario township was supposedly named for the mysterious celestial lights seen by settlers. Although they were probably the now-explainable Northern Lights (or else the name origin is doubtful), Moonbeam residents leaned into their extraterrestrial identity by erecting an 18-foot-wide flying saucer in 1991. After admiring the fake UFO next to the visitor center, look for real ones in the clear skies of nearby René Brunelle Provincial Park. This quaint park boasts an area of 3,000 ha full of opportunities for camping, hiking, swimming, and more. Adventurers can head out onto Remi Lake or adore the rushing water of Spruce Creek for a tranquil vacation in Ontario’s wilderness. Afterward, stop by Della-Pieta for a refreshing pizza or sandwich.

White River

Winnie-the-Pooh is Canadian. In fact, he is from the small community of White River, Ontario. Upon the outbreak of WWI, soldier/veterinarian Harry D. Colebourn bought a bear cub from a hunter in White River, named it "Winnie" after his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, made it a mascot for overseas action, and then donated it to the London Zoo. Christopher Robin Milne often saw Winnie and named his teddy bear after her (yes, Winnie was female), which inspired his father's iconic tales of the Hundred Acre Wood.

White River commemorates its unique literary history with a Pooh park, a Pooh statue, an information center with Winnie and Colebourn memorabilia, and a yearly Pooh festival. Winnie's 36th Annual Hometown Festival just passed, but try to make the 37th edition next August.

Perth

Perth is cheesy. We mean that literally and a tad figuratively. In 1893, Perth produced a 22,000-pound (10,000 kg) block of cheese to promote Canadian cheesemaking at the Chicago World's Fair. Unfortunately and more than a tad hilariously, the "Mammoth Cheese" crashed through a floor upon arrival. It still got its day in the sun, though, which was extended for several unspoiled decades via the construction of a concrete replica that was upgraded with a new model in 2009. Beyond the Mammoth Cheese replicas, this 6,500ish-person town has a statue of Big Ben and Ian Millar, a decorated jumping horse and rider from Perth, overlooking Stewart Park. Another Perth preserve was christened Last Duel Park to honor the site of the last fatal duel in Upper Canada. Take out your camera and say "cheese" at those strange yet scenic spots.

Mississippi Mills

Mississippi Mills is a town of about 14,000 people located just north of Perth. It was incorporated in 1998 by amalgamating the communities of Pakenham, Ramsay, and Almonte. The last of those is the birthplace of another possibly surprising Canadian: the creator of basketball. Yes, one of America's most popular sports was invented by a man from Almonte, Canada West-turned-Mississippi Mills, Ontario. Dr. James Naismith is commemorated in town with a statue, his preserved childhood home, and even a museum. Skip the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, and visit the Dr. James Naismith Museum in Mississippi Mills. While you are at it, stop at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum and the Grand Falls on Mississippi, offering everything from fabric exhibits to outdoor views.

Cochrane

Although you can see a yellow bear in White River, white bears abound in Cochrane. The twist is that those bears are real. This northeastern Ontario town has "the largest, and only, facility in the world dedicated purely to the care of polar bears." At last count, three rescued polar bears roam 24 subarctic acres of the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat. The habitat straddles a Heritage Village and Snowmobile Museum for the exploration of humans. Lastly, if you thought Cochrane could not get any more Canadian, it is the birthplace of Tim Horton, the late hockey player and founder of the namesake restaurant chain. This history is honored with the Tim Horton Events Centre, which contains an arena, pool, community hall, and Tim Horton museum.

Wrapping Up

Why settle for the well-trodden paths of Toronto, Ottawa, or Niagara when Ontario’s small towns offer such rich and quirky experiences? Wellesley’s mysterious tombstone, Burk's Falls' eerie sculptures, and Moonbeam’s playful nod to the unknown are just the beginning. Explore the birthplace of Winnie-the-Pooh in White River, snap a cheesy photo in Perth, or learn about the origins of basketball in Mississippi Mills. These hidden gems may lack skyscrapers or famous waterfalls, but they brim with character and charm. Discover a side of Ontario that most tourists overlook—and make memories that are uniquely your own.