Durham Region Tourism
Welcome to Durham- Just minutes east of Toronto lies Durham Region, a place with rolling hills, farms and small towns. Discover a pleasant mix of rural charm and urban sophistication. Durham Region has something for everyone.
Durham Region is situated in the highly developed and populated economic centre of Ontario, known as the Golden Horseshoe, that stretches from Oshawa to Niagara Falls. Durham Region lies immediately to the east of the City of Toronto within the Greater Toronto Area and encompasses an area of approximately 2,590 square kilometres (1,000 square miles). The area is characterized by a variety of landscapes and communities. A series of major lakeshore urban communities contrast with a variety of small towns, villages, hamlets and farms. The relatively flat lakeshore area contrasts with the topography of the Oak Ridges Moraine to the north. This diverse landscape of woods, headwaters, ridges and hollows gives way to rolling farmlands and lakes to the north. Here the municipality spreads into the prime recreational lakelands of Simcoe, Scugog and the Kawarthas.
Durham Region lies along a continuous urbanized lakeshore and shares prime access to the Great Lakes and northeastern markets of the continent, encompassing some 120 million persons. The area is well known for the strength of its manufacturing sector that is continually undergoing rapid diversification. Durham Region is endowed with a young, skilled labour force. It has all the utilities, transportation and social infrastructure associated with modern metropolitan communities. The single most significant economic factor for the Region has been the dramatic increase in residential development.
Sample of Durham Region Attractions:
Explore the wonders of nature ! Discover some fascinating animals, including Lions, Tigers, Jaguars, Snow Leopards, Wolves, Bears, Monkeys, and many more. Meet the World’s rarest feline the Amur Leopard, from Russia’s Far East.
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) is the leading racing and automotive performance facility in Canada. And more than that, now it is a unique entertainment venue, suitable for most any occasion. In addition to our major international races, we have hosted events ranging from corporate needs to fashion shows, to weddings. Our state-of-the-art facilities offer the flexibility and capacity to accommodate any event.
Parkwood, The R.S. McLaughlin Estate
Parkwood is one of Canada’s finest and last remaining grand estates, featuring architectural, landscape and interior designs of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Once home to auto baron R. Samuel McLaughlin (founder of General Motors of Canada), Parkwood is praised by Canada’s Historic Site and Monuments Board as ‘a rare surviving example of the type of estate developed in Canada during the inter-war years, and is rarer still by its essentially intact condition, furnished and run to illustrate as it was lived within.’
The Thomas Foster Memorial in the rural hills of Uxbridge Township was inspired by the Taj Mahal and is a magnificent building with solid copper three dome roof, solid bronze doors, the interior is solid marble in different colors complimented by 22k gold mosaics that shine all he way to the top dome. Fridays at the Foster which are concerts each Friday night from May to October are highlighted by the excellent acoustics and personal setting.
Revisit the era when steam gave way to diesel. Our heritage train is ready to take you through the beautiful Moraine countryside from Uxbridge to Stouffville and back. Join us and celebrate the beauty of a train from an era gone by, but preserved for your present day enjoyment.