Confined in the same desk drawer since January 2020, my passport rests, yearning for a couple of new stamps or even just a quick jaunt across the border. But if a silver lining can be found in the document's quarantine, it’s the realization that getting outdoors and into nature is vital for our mental and physical well-being. And that we don’t need to go very far to get the benefits.

Hiking, biking and cross-country skiing have brought joy and well-being into our family’s lives over the past year. And so, we offer you 45 day trip ideas that will take you take into nature, no passport required.

Hamilton Waterfalls

The Hamilton Region is home to more than 100 waterfalls dotting the Niagara Escarpment that cuts through the city. Webster Falls is the largest and most popular though equally impressive is nearby Tews Falls with its 135-foot drop (second only to Niagara Falls). The Webster Side Trail leads to Dundas Peak, a lookout with jaw-dropping views of the valley.

Other waterfalls include Tiffany Falls, where a short walk along a forested trail and over bridges leads you to this beauty hemmed in by cliffs. Devil’s Punch Bowl (gotta love the name) consists of two separate falls that create one of the escarpment’s most impressive and geologically significant views with its layers of stratified rock.

Halton Region Conservation Areas

In the middle of Toronto and Hamilton is a protected greenbelt zone, where nature takes precedent over suburban sprawl. Six conservation areas offer interpretive trails and programming, and each offer something different to the visitor. Crawford Lake has a 14th-century Iroquois village to explore, in addition to the wheelchair accessible boardwalk around the lake, where evidence of the settlement was discovered. Rattlesnake Point has 6 miles of cliff edge and forest trails with five panoramic lookout points. A highlight of Hilton Falls is a 32-foot waterfall that cascades over the Niagara Escarpment. Like neighbouring parks Mount Memo and Kelso, it offers hiking trails showcasing unique geological features and historical ruins. 

For bird lovers, nearby Mountsberg is not to be missed. Its extensive wetlands provide a natural habitat for many native species, which visitors can observe at bird watching blinds. The area is particularly known for its birds of prey, and visitors can learn more about these majestic birds at the park’s Raptor Centre.

Prince Edward County

Famous for its windswept 82-feet sand dunes, Sandbanks Provincial Park is open year-round. Scale the dunes themselves, walk along the Cedar Sands Nature Trail (which brings you across dunes, through forest and along the river) or watch the kite surfers on windy days. Other conservation areas in this scenic region 225 kms east of Mississauga, include Macaulay Mountain, Massassauga Point, Beaver Meadow and Little Bluff. The latter boasts 65-feet high limestone cliffs overlooking the aqua-blue waters of Prince Edward Bay.

Provincial Parks

Sandbanks is just one of 330 provincial parks, which encompass over 8.2 million hectares of land and water. More than 18 of these protected areas are within a 210 km radius of Mississauga, ideal for day trippers who want to explore nature. Located on the shores of beautiful Georgian Bay, near Midland, Awenda Provincial Park (205 km) has boardwalks, forest trails and beaches. Closer to home is the very family-friendly Bronte Creek (25 km) with 648 acres of wilderness, campgrounds, trails, picnic shelters, a children’s farm and a play barn. 

Other provincial parks within day trip range, include Balsam Lake (175 km), Craigleith (135 km), Bass Lake (140 km), Darlington (90 km), Earl Rowe (80 km), Emily (160 km), Ferris (205 km), Forks of the Credit (50 km), Mark S. Burnham (160 km), McRae Point (150 km), Mono Cliffs (70 km), Presqu’ile (185 km), Rock Point (105 km), Selkirk (115 km), Sibbald Point (50 km) and Wasaga Beach (125 km).

Tip: Buy a Seasonal Day Use Permit to save money on entrance fees if you’re planning to visit often. Also, be sure to check the Parks Ontario website for seasonal opening times --Ontarioparks.com.

York Regional Forest

Despite its proximity to my home, I just recently discovered these protected forests that include 2, 400 hectares of wilderness in different parts of the York Region, and over 150 kms of hiking trails. It is now one of our family’s go-to destination for a nature fix. In spring, Ontario’s provincial flower, the trillium, is out in full force on trails like the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail and the Porritt Tract. Other locations we’ve checked out are the North Tract, 99 Steps Thorton Bales Conservation Area and the Joker Wild Trail.

The Bruce Trail

Hiking all 900 kms of the Bruce Trail from Niagara to Tobermory is on my bucket list, but until I find the time and stamina to undertake this challenge, I enjoy hiking sections of Ontario’s longest and oldest footpath and its side trails. At the eastern end of the Queenston Heights Park in Niagara, you’ll find the marker that indicates the beginning of the Bruce Trail. The Queenston Heights Loop follows the edge of the escarpment through woods and unto an old railway bed, which was once part of the New York Central Railroad. It’s now part of the Upper Canada Heritage Trail, where you can find monuments and historic buildings.

One of the most impressive features of the escarpment and the Bruce Trail is its many waterfalls. Check them out in places like Sleepy Hollows Falls near Burlington, Rockway Falls near St. Catherine’s and the Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in Vineland.

Pro Tip: An invaluable tool for finding trails and not getting lost is the AllTrails Hiking App, covering over 50,000 Canadian and US trails. The apps’ impressive planning capabilities allow hikers to research and choose a suitable trail based on difficulty, distance and activity. And then, the GPS tracking platform helps get you to the trailhead to record and share your hike if you wish. If you upgrade to pro, you’ll be able to download the trail maps for offline use, print them and create your own maps.