Agawa Canyon: Group of Seven

Day One

It doesn’t take long to reach areas of Ontario that feel very far away... the lure of cottage country and our beautiful inland lakes provide a natural setting that is hard to beat. We begin with a sightseeing cruise of the 30,000 Islands on the east side of Georgian Bay. This spectacular cruise brings us very close to many islands and "cottages", and the combination of sparkling water, rock, islands and trees makes it easy to see what attracted the Group of Seven to areas like this. We continue on to Sudbury for the night.

Day Two

This morning, you can choose between two outstanding attractions. Visit Science North, consisting of two giant stainless steel snowflakes joined by an underground tunnel carved out of two billion year old pre-Cambrian rock. It features hundreds of exhibits designed for direct hands-on use. Or, visit Dynamic Earth, exploring the geological processes and exhibits on earthquakes and volcanoes, and a fascinating underground mine tour. We then continue along the shores of the North Channel to Sault Ste. Marie. After checking into our hotel, we attend a special wine and cheese reception at the Art Gallery of Algoma, hosted by the curator, who will deliver a presentation on the Group of Seven. Then, we will enjoy an included Heritage Dinner at the Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site. This stone house, built in 1812, was owned by one of the area’s first settlers. Although we have already seen many beautiful areas visited by the Group of Seven over the last two days, the best is yet to come.

Day Three

We board the train this morning and ride in upgraded coaches on the train with ongoing commentary and historic images on TV screen monitors. At the Canyon Park stopover, we have a guided tour by an artist to view the painting locations. After an included boxed lunch onboard the train, we enjoy a presentation/discussion on the history of the Group of Seven. For those interested you can even attend a painting session on board the train. We disembark back at Sault Ste. Marie.

Day Four

Today we take a circle route home, taking in new scenery as we travel across Manitoulin Island and board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry from South Baymouth to Tobermory. Approaching the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, we see the unusual rock formations such as Flowerpot Island and again, we can appreciate the allure of our gorgeous Ontario landscape. We travel along the Bruce Peninsula toward home, arriving by early evening.