When planning a group trip this summer you’ve probably found a number of great, though common options. As fun as a weekend in wine country or a visit to Niagara Falls is, there just HAS to be more to do in Southern Ontario, right? Read on to see our top recommendations for great summer group trips from Toronto that are slightly off the beaten path.

Our Top Summer Group Trip Activities

We love taking groups wherever they wish across Southern Ontario. Whether it’s to see shows or sports games in Toronto, or to hit the Casino in Niagara or Windsor. Sports teams, church groups, corporate functions and shuttles – you name it, we go there!

Go Camping

With dozens of Provincial Parks and even more private ones, you can plan a weekend camping trip for your group pretty much anywhere you want to! Head into cottage country on the Bruce Peninsula, visit Algonquin Provincial Park or camp near the beach on Lake Huron or Lake Ontario. All are a short drive away, and it’s easy to get anywhere when you hire a bus to get you there!

No matter where you choose, camping is the perfect way for your group to unwind and get to know each other better.

Hiking the Bruce Trail

Enjoy the great outdoors together hiking Canada’s oldest and longest marked walking trail. With 900km to walk, you can pick any starting point, plan to camp along the way, and have your driver pick you up at the end. It’s not quite the Camino, but it’s a beautiful hike that is worth making time for!

Take a Boat Ride in the Thousand Islands National Park

Whether you prefer to kayak or hire a larger boat, spending a day exploring the Thousand Islands Paddling Trail is sure to be an amazing group trip. You can plan to camp on one of the many islands or stay in Kingston, at the far end of Lake Ontario.

Live the Resort Life

If your group just needs a chance to get outside, unwind and relax, visiting a resort might be the perfect option. With large cabins you can share or smaller ones that allow some independence there are no shortage of options here. Hit the water, take a hike or go for a bike ride at one of these beautiful Ontario resorts.

Plan a foodie getaway

Just a short drive from Toronto you’ll find the city of Kingston. Located on the shores of the St Larwrence River at the opposite end of Lake Ontario from Niagara Falls, this city is a foodie’s paradise. With more restaurants per person than almost any other city in Canada, Kingston is the perfect place to plan a weekend restaurant crawl.

Go see some waterfalls

Home to more than 100 waterfalls, the City of Hamilton is located along the Niagara Escarpment and a great destination for your summer group trip. Stay for a day or a few and see how many waterfalls you can get to!

Go for a dive

Located in Georgian Bay on the Bruce Peninsula the Fathom Five National Marine Park is a stunning place to don your scuba gear and go for a swim. With 22 well-preserved shipwrecks and a stunning landscape, your group trip will be a beautiful one.

Explore some Canadian history

Share some of our country’s indigenous history at Indigenous Experiences on the shores of the Ottawa River. Your group will get to know the Algonquin people by participating in many interactive experiences designed to welcome you into their culture.

Hit the beach!

What summer group trip is complete without a trip to the shores of one of Ontario’s Great Lakes? With small towns dotting the coastline and a long list of public beaches to visit, you can easily make a day (or a weekend!) out of it! Hop on the bus and let your driver do all the hard work of getting you there. Then spend your day soaking in the sun, collecting beach glass and enjoying the view.

Deciding among these amazing ideas is hard… transportation isn’t!

Once you have your group trip destination picked out, now it’s time for the nitty gritty of it all. Who’s coming? How much is it? Where will you stay? The one thing that doesn’t have to add stress to your planning process is the question of how you’ll get there!

Hiring a school bus to transport your group trip to and from wherever you choose to go for your excursion is the easiest way to get everyone there safely.