About

About Mark and Laura

Welcome to Travels Beyond Toronto!

We’re Mark and Laura, a married couple with two beautiful grown up daughters, and native Ontarians with an abundant curiosity for exploring the diverse towns, natural wonders, and hidden gems that Ontario has to offer.

Over the years, we have spent countless summer weekends piling into the car and setting off on adventures around the GTA and beyond. Our trips were filled with exciting discoveries, from charming small towns like Port Hope and Stratford, to bustling local markets in St. Jacob’s and Aberfoyle, and even the occasional quirky roadside attraction… think, The Big Apple! These weekends fostered our love for exploration and showed us that there’s always something new to experience, no matter how familiar a place might seem.

We always made a point to visit a mix of popular tourist spots and lesser-known locales, always eager to uncover hidden gems and unique activities. Tubing down the Grand River was a family favourite, but so too was enjoying an ice cream cone after a day building sandcastles at Cobourg Beach. Whether it’s taking a scenic drive to a nearby town, enjoying a picnic by the lake, or exploring local festivals and fairs, our family trips always fueled our desire to seek out new experiences. And now we can’t wait to share them with you.

Of course, no adventure would be complete without indulging in some delicious local cuisine. Being self proclaimed foodies, we love seeking out hidden gem eateries. Whether it’s a family-owned diner serving up comfort food classics or a trendy bistro showcasing innovative dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, we’re always eager to support Ontario’s vibrant food scene.

We also really enjoy uncovering off-the-beaten-track sites that often go overlooked by guidebooks and travel brochures. Whether it’s stumbling upon a family- run dairy farm that sells some of the best chocolate milk we’ve ever tasted, or discovering an historic landmark hidden in the heart of a bustling city, these hidden treasures never fail to surprise.

We hope to inspire fellow adventurers to discover the wonders of Ontario for themselves. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor planning your first trip to the province, we invite you to join us on this journey as we uncover hidden gems, savour the flavours, and marvel at the beauty of Ontario, one town at a time.