Best Observatorys in Canada

Stayed an entire week just recently, and had a great time! Off season, so was super quiet. Peaceful, clean park with excellent washroom facilities. The WiFi was not reachable from our site, but who cares? That's not what matters when you're camping :) We didn't do much "on site" things as we were in the area for hiking, but it was a wonderful spot to set up a home base at. We will be returning for sure when we venture this way again.

I had a wonderful time here. The site is not only gorgeous with its lovely trails and natural setting, but the buildings are in great condition, and the historical interpreters (all dressed in period costumes) offered a lot of information. Though I live in Ottawa, I hope I get the chance to come back here some day.

This is a great spot in Thunder Bay for families with kids or anyone interested in learning about Indigenous culture. You can reach the fort from the main entrance either by a 10-minute walk on a paved path or by shuttle. I recommend taking the walk to enjoy the natural surroundings. Make sure you plan to spend at least 1.5 hours here as there’s plenty to see. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and the site offers an engaging experience into the lives of Native people.

Amazing immersive history of the fur trade! Our guide was great fun and we had a blast. We drove all the way from Missouri to have our vacation in Canada and I would recommend this stop to everyone who comes here!

$12 entry for almost everything, no parking fee. A very informative site with immersive experience. Staff are very knowledgeable about the history and culture, everyone is very friendly. Join the tour, you can learn about the history, ask questions and this will make your day special. I suggest you spend 3 hours to 5 hours in here, and FYI, this is close to the airport if you need to catch a flight after this.

The year is 1815 and as you walk through the park you feel transported back in time. Young actors in period costumes engage you and explain what life is like for them. It's the middle of the Great Rendezvous, when the fur trappers and the European traders bring their wares to Fort William, the inland headquarters of the North West Company, the world's largest fur trading enterprise. You see the quarters where the French Canadian Voyageurs were housed, and the quarters and banquet hall where the management of the company were treated to 12 course meals on fine China. Quite impressive! We all enjoyed our visit.

Wonderful experience. Had a blast at Fort William Historical Park. It felt like stepping back into the 1800s! The staff in period costumes were super friendly and the reenactments were fun. We did the guided tour at 2PM. Just in time for the 'arrival' enactment at 2:30PM everyone was immersed in their roles. We even got to try firing the muskets.

Lots of parking and clean washrooms. If you have the Attractions ON Passport Magazine and Coupon Book (we found at Terry Fox Monument) they have a 2 for 1 coupon for this place. Well worth it. Definitely check it out.

J'ai été déçu car je me préservait cette visite à mon départ tôt le matin. Je ne vois pas l'intérêt de regarder dans des télescopes vers midi. Donc matin où soir. Mais non c'est fermé mais en plus les télescopes étaient enfermés dans des couvercles et barré au cadenas. Alors déception, ma dernière visite prévue avant mon départ de la réserve ne c'est pas fait.

Great experience.. tour guide was amazing, very knowledgeable!!!. I saw a snapping turtle which was not technically part of the tour but was cool. Clean, and well maintained homes.

I also think it was haunted, mainly the jail area because I heard noises.

I would definitely go back!!!

We booked a night with the stars through the Richmond Hill website.

We were greeted at the front of the observatory by a volunteer from RASC (Royal Astronomical Society of Canada or Rascles lol). Upon entry we learned about the dome, its history and why it's built the way it's built.

(Accessibility is limited because of the age of the historical site, so stairs are you're only option.)

As we enter up to the telescope landing, you're greeted by a red light (allows you to still see, but isn't as aggressive as white light. (As a nightshift worker I had a deep appreciation for this.) and standing in the middle of the room is the colossal telescope weighing in at literal tones.

Lucky for us, the night was clear, so the dome was open and before we had entered the building the team of volunteers had trained the telescope for us.

We learned about the equipment used, and the mechanics of the telescope (From the concrete rebar foundation sitting 30 feet underground, to the mirror tip,) as they maneuvered it from its first train to the second. (Communication is integral).

We also learned about the history of the people who built it, and used it to make it the historical land mark it is today.
We were taught about constellations, star clusters, black holes, lightyears, planets, light pollution and my particular favorite diffraction gratings. (No spoilers, you'll have to go yourself).

Overall a once in a lifetime experience, the volunteers from RASC were knowledgeable, and eager to talk about their passion.

I find myself looking up more than I used to, so thank you to the volunteers from RASC who delighted our minds.

A nice place with an easy trail.

Because my husband loves astronomy and star-gazing, this is a must-go place to visit for him. I was also intrigued by the giant observatory, plus the visitor centre building that was displayed as a museum. There were many detailed photos of planets, stars, nebulas, etc. plus they sell items too at the gift shop. There were many helpful volunteers around that helped guide and explain the observatory's history and current events. I highly recommend getting a free self-guided tour too!

The overall building and greenery outside is well-kept. David Dunlap Observatory serves as an important history in Toronto for it's astrological findings. It's free to visit with ample parking space.

I had the desire to see this observatory two years ago, but because of the epidemic and other reasons this building was not opened. Today I finally came to visit it. The exhibition hall was very nice, the customer service staff was very welcoming and the volunteers here were also very good. I will come back next time.

Amazing place, we were lucky to stop by and see it on the York Region doors open events. I wishi it was more accessible .

Here is a historic treasure in Richmond Hill. It's great that it has been preserved. A very well kept site. Everyone should go for the self guided tour, it's free. Great walking trails on in the park area, picnic tables too. More trails are being added, so it's quite the site for a hike, open meadows and wooded sections. Even goes south to Elvis Stojko Arena. It's close to home so I'm there many times a week. I saw a deer in one wooded area this week.

Favourite place for star ⭐️ lovers and astronomers!
The observatory is full of history and a place where you can see stars over the largest telescope.

I walk my dog here weekly. Many different paved and cleaned trails to take, surrounded by brand new large homes. The most majestic walk is actually the entrance from Hillsview to the Observatory but keep your eyes open, deer still roam this area.

Make sure to visit on a cloudless night. Amazing views and great experience. Campsites are clean and not too rocky!

Killarney being one of the few dark sky preserves in the province affords it some incredible views of the stars!

Breathtaking view at the top!