Alderlea, meaning meadow of alder trees, is a well-preserved heritage building, built at the height of the Victorian era. It is one of the finest examples of Italianate villa architecture in Ontario. Following careful restoration, this 19th-century mansion has plenty to offer. Come and see how the house has been adapted for use as a popular heritage venue.

The Appleton Swamp is an extensive riverine swamp and marsh complex associated with the floodplain of the Mississippi River. The Gardiner, Grace and Neilson properties are all managed for the Ontario Heritage Trust by the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority with the purpose of maintaining the natural features and biodiversity of the properties. There is no public access to these properties for that reason. The properties are situated in the Appleton swamp, which is recognized as a provincially significant Class 2 Wetland and Life Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) due to the unique representation of riverine marsh, swamp and upland forest on clay plain. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a virtual boat ride through the Appleton swamp by watching the video below.

The Ashbridge family was one of the founding families of Toronto (formerly York); they immigrated to York from Pennsylvania in 1793. They are also the only Toronto family to occupy their land continuously for 200 years. Two acres of the original homestead and an 1854 house have been preserved to tell their story. The Ashbridge Estate, owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, is architecturally significant for the house’s simple Regency design with neoclassical elements. The grounds are also home to an urban farm, planted and cared for by Building Roots. As part of Digital Doors Open, explore this intriguing site through the video below.

The Auchmar Estate is considered to be the last surviving country estate on Hamilton Mountain. It was built for the Honourable Isaac Buchanan, a local Scotsman, entrepreneur, politician and civic leader in 19th-century Canada. Visit this Gothic revival manor house and learn about its storied past before strolling the walled and landscaped grounds that surround it. No parking on site.

Balfour House is Hamilton’s last great escarpment estate. Several prominent Hamiltonians have called it home since 1836, most recently the family of St. Clair Balfour. Owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and managed by the City of Hamilton, the building and garden are spectacular.

A Bruce Trail side trail traverses this spectacular property, located east of Barrow Bay in Northern Bruce Peninsula. The Dobson and Deal properties, where this bay is situated, are owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and managed by the Bruce Trail Conservancy. Over 268 species have been documented, including four species at risk observed on the property. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a virtual hike along this part of the Bruce Trail and see this property from the air by watching the video below.

Battlefield House Museum, part of which dates to 1796, was once home to the prominent Gage family. Learn about the stories of the people who built the house and the ongoing efforts to preserve and restore it. Explore the Dunington Grubb landscape (which includes the impressive Battlefield Monument) and hike around a 13.8-hectare (34-acre) patchwork of meadow and forest.

The Community Garden Program was initiated by the City of Belleville Green Task Force in 2012. It gives residents a place to grow vegetables and flowers in designated parks. Anyone living in the Belleville area can apply. No special skills are required. The gardens include the Bayview Heights Community Gardens, the Ponton Park Community Gardens and the West Hill Park Community Gardens. Garden beds are awarded in March each year by lottery. Each name drawn will be assigned a garden bed and given exclusive use for the season (May to October). The program is free. Each garden bed provides 3.7 square metres (40 square feet) of growing space. Learn more about the gardens and the rules of the program and COVID-19 guidelines here. And, for Digital Doors Open, take a virtual tour of these community gardens here.

The Bramalea neighbourhood was Canada’s first satellite city, a master-planned development designed as a self-contained community with places to live, work and play. Built in the 1970s, Bramalea embodies a perfect example of a complete community with desired amenities within walking distance from its residential areas. Near to transit, the neighbourhood includes a large shopping centre and robust parkland trail systems. One of the unique features of Bramalea is its neighbourhood divisions. It has pockets of neighbourhoods where all streets begin with the same letter. The N-Section of Bramalea boasts some city gems, including Bramalea Ltd. Community Park, with direct access to Franceschini Bridge! During Digital Doors Open, discover this vibrant neighbourhood, which features the Bramalea Ltd. Community Park and Dog Park, and the colourful Franceschini Bridge. The community park features two soccer fields, two baseball diamonds, walking trails, a playground and a leash-free dog park. Located over Highway 410, the colourful Franceschini Bridge connects the Bramalea Community Park to Esker Lake Trail for pedestrians and cyclists. Don’t forget to take a selfie on this colourful mural.

Hike, bike, walk, run or cross-country ski along one of Brampton’s recreational trail systems, which offer more than 40 kilometres (24 miles) of guided and paved recreational trails throughout the city. Look for wayfinding signs along your route, and plan time to stop for new discoveries and adventures. Discover the best recreational trails in Brampton here – featuring the Etobicoke Creek Trail, Chinguacousy Recreational Trail, Don Doan Recreational Trail, Fletchers Creek Recreation Trail and Esker Lake Recreational Trail. These recreational trails also connect many of Brampton’s parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities. Did you know that Brampton has over 850 parks and multiple conservation areas? Learn more about them here. During Digital Doors Open, get outside and enjoy these spectacular locations! While outside, bring along the Nature Rubbings Activity and discover all the treasures that nature has to offer.

Named after Colonel John Butler, a hero of the American Revolutionary War, this complex was an integral component of the military facilities built in the Niagara region to replace those destroyed during the War of 1812. Situated inland, out of range of the American artillery across the river, Butler's Barracks comprised more than 20 buildings by 1854. The only structures that survive from this period are the Commissariat Stores, Junior Commissariat Officers' Quarters, Men's Barracks and Gun Shed. The site was used by the British until 1870, after which it became a training camp for the Canadian militia. The barracks near John Street have been fully reconstructed and act as the headquarters for Parks Canada’s Southwestern Ontario Field Unit. The Commons was used extensively over the past two centuries for military training. It was also the site of the Native Council House at the perimeter of Paradise Grove from 1812 until the mid 1820s. For Digital Doors Open, explore The Commons through the video below.

Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, the memorial to Camp X at Intrepid Park is dedicated to the men and women who were employed at the British Security Coordination spy training school and communications centre located here during the Second World War. The buildings associated with the site have been demolished or relocated. The memorial was erected in 1984. Over 500 special agents were trained here to go behind enemy lines and “set Europe ablaze,” as dramatized in CBC Television’s X Company. During Digital Doors Open, do some spy training with site expert Lynn Philip Hodgson (see the video below). Or explore the documentary on this acclaimed spy school. Discover what happened to the site after the war ended – and the fascinating role played by women here. And, students, explore the Camp X photo gallery and download images for school projects. Today, while no buildings remain, you can still visit and evoke this fascinating history.

The Ontario County Courthouse was built between 1852 and 1854. By 1964, however, the building had become too small to accommodate the county’s needs and a new courthouse was built on Rossland Road. In 1967, with assistance from the Canada Centennial Project, the original courthouse was reopened as a community centre known as the Whitby Centennial Building. Learn more about this building’s history and its role in Whitby’s past through the video below.

The Coldwater Canadiana Heritage Museum promotes, collects and retains the history of Coldwater and its surrounding area from 1830 to 1950. The museum is located on the original homestead site of 1836 settler Archibald Woodrow, with 2 hectares (6.6 acres) of park-like setting that includes a variety of heritage buildings, the Coldwater Heritage Trail and Heritage Gardens. Discover history that you can touch, hear and explore. You can take a peek at the museum from home by watching the video below.

The Corby Park Rose Garden is in the old east village of Belleville, a great area for exploring heritage homes, just a few blocks from the Bay of Quinte. The garden has a stunning water fountain and, at the centre of it all, you get a beautiful view of the entire garden — perfect for a family outing or wedding.

Originally home to Knox College, this building later served as a military hospital and laboratory. It is now the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. To create the faculty's new home, the restored historical building has been blended with a contemporary addition that continues to delight visitors. During Doors Open, take a self-guided tour.

The “Devil’s Monument” flowerpot is the only complete flowerpot on land along the east side of the Bruce Peninsula. A series of steps from the main Bruce Trail down the escarpment enable hikers to access the base of the flowerpot. The LeFeuvre-Chupac, Minhinnick, Schneider properties, where this feature is located, are owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and managed by the Bruce Trail Conservancy. As part of Digital Doors Open, take a virtual hike along this part of the Bruce Trail and see this property from the air by watching the video below.

Dundurn Castle is one of the finest examples of high regency-style architecture in the country. Constructed in the 1830s for Sir Allan Napier MacNab (railway magnate, lawyer and politician), the buildings deteriorated under subsequent owners, but were restored in the 1960s to their original splendour. Today, Dundurn Castle tells the story of the MacNabs and the people who served them.

The Elora Gorge, operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority, is one of the most beautiful and spectacular natural areas in the Grand River valley. Riverside trails look down 22 metres (72 feet) over scenic views of the water below where kayakers and canoeists make their way through the rapids. While the area has gradually reopened amidst COVID-19, visitors are encouraged to check their website to see what’s open and what’s not (camping, hiking, cycling, fishing and canoeing are allowed, for instance, but not tubing, picnic pavilions or the splashpad). For a digital experience, download their brochure and map, explore their Flickr photo album, or enjoy the aerial tour of the region below.

The former home of Canadian landscape painter Doris McCarthy (1910-2020), Fool’s Paradise is a charming cottage on the spectacular Scarborough Bluffs. McCarthy donated the property to the Ontario Heritage Trust so it could remain an inspirational space for future generations of artists. Today, the Doris McCarthy Artist-in-Residence program has welcomed over 40 artists to live and create by the Lake.

This magnificent Edwardian mansion evokes the opulent lifestyle of Canada’s industrial and political elite in the early 1900s. Senator George Taylor Fulford made millions of dollars from "Pink Pills for Pale People" – a patent medicine he manufactured in Brockville and sold around the world. Today, his mansion – owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust – is a highlight along the St. Lawrence River. Check out this video from Visit the 1000 Islands to learn more about the man and the house. Enjoy the aerial drone tour below of the resplendent Fulford gardens, laid out by the renowned Olmsted brothers (who were famous for designing New York City’s Central Park). And take a virtual tour of the site here.

George Brown House is a Second Empire-style house built for George Brown between 1874 and 1876. Its elegance reflects his prominence as a leading politician, founder of The Globe newspaper (now the Globe and Mail) and a key figure in Canada’s Confederation. The house is one of Ontario’s best-preserved and documented urban examples of the Second Empire residential style.

Great Manitou Island – owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust – is the largest island in the Manitou Islands Provincial Nature Reserve. Great Manitou Island is 84 hectares (210 acres) in total. It includes a small beach area and is suitable for day use only (no camping is allowed) and water-based recreation like swimming, boating or walking along the beach. Ontario Parks manages the Manitou Islands, including Great Manitou Island, on behalf of the Trust. As part of Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about this site.

Brampton is home to many forested trails and destinations. As part of your Doors Open experience, go for a hike or a drive by following this self-guided tour to see the extraordinary beauty of Canada’s autumnal landscapes. Witness the leaves change up close by visiting one of Brampton’s recreational trails and destinations — including the Etobicoke Creek Recreational Trail, Chinguacousy Recreational Trail, White Spruce Park, Eldorado Park and Heart Lake Conservation Area. These pedestrian and cycling trails are a tranquil and scenic feature of this city. While outside, bring along the Nature Rubbings Activity and discover all the treasures that nature has to offer.

Griffin House is a modest one-and-a-half-storey wood-frame residence that was built in the Georgian style with clapboard siding and six-over-six sash windows. Constructed by Englishmen in 1827, it was purchased by Enerals Griffin and his wife Priscilla in 1834 – both born as slaves in Virginia, but who escaped to Canada. On this site, with their 20 hectares (50 acres) of land, the Griffin family lived as part of the Ancaster community for 150 years. Today, Griffin House stands as a testament to the determination of African-American men and women who escaped slavery and found peace in Ontario. For Digital Doors Open, watch the video below to learn more about this fascinating property.