This 176 km (1:40 hr drive) takes you from rich agricultural region to the rich industrial heartland of Canada. The climate here is impacted by being situated between three Great Lakes: Lake Ontario to the south, warm Lake Erie further to the south, and Lake Huron to the north. The cities you pass are some of Canada’s most important industrial and manfacturing hubs, many supporting the automotive industry in southern Ontario.
Highway 401 is a major east-west highway in Ontario, Canada, and the stretch between London and Toronto is a significant and busy section of the highway. Here’s a general overview of the route and some towns, attractions, and geographic features you may encounter along the way
This segment of the route starts in London, a regional hub with educational institutions like the University of Western Ontario. London features parks, museums, and cultural attractions. South of London, about mid-way to the shore of Lake Erie and the town of Port Stanley, is the industrial city of St Thomas.
A short distance from London, and on the north side to Hihgway 401, is Woodstock which is a town known for its agricultural heritage and is located in the heart of southwestern Ontario. It’s part of the scenic rural landscape.
About an hour into your drive and on the south side of the 401, you pass Cambridge which lies along the Grand Rive. Cambridge is known for its historic architecture, including old mills and factories. The town has a rich industrial history.
To the north of the 401 is Kitchener-Waterloo, a city with a diverse cultural scene and a strong German heritage. Kitchener is the south part of this town, and Waterloo is the north part of town, and you’ll find this city has TWO shopping districts and downtowns. Attractions in Kitchener include the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Victoria Park, the historic St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market, and the annual Oktoberfest celebration. The city is known for its picturesque landscapes and outdoor activities. Waterloo is known for its math & science-focused university and for tech companies like Blackberry, OpenText, and EPAM… and a lot of international giants put their Canadian headquarters and their research facilities in Waterloo, too. Attractions include the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, the University of Waterloo, and the Waterloo Region Museum. The 401 runs to the south of these cities.
Guelph lies about 10 km to the north of the 401, and is home to the University of Guelph. This city has a vibrant arts and cultural scene. Attractions include the Guelph Civic Museum and the Royal City Park.
Milton is located just to the south of the 401, and is to the north of Burlington and Oakville which hug the Lake Ontario shoreline between Hamilton and Mississauga. Located on the outskirts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Milton has a mix of urban and rural elements. The Halton Region Museum and Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area are notable attractions.
Just past Milton, you enter the densely populated part of the “Greater Toronto Area” or “GTA”, which is a subset of the “Golden Horseshoe” around the west end of Lake Ontario, stretching from Niagara Falls, to Hamilton to Toronto to Oshawa (and arguably, east of there).
To the north you will pass Brampton, and to the south of the 401 you will pass Mississauga. Brampton is known as the “Flower City” and had lots of greenhouses. Mississauga, which is an amalgamation of many communities in 1974 and it has evolved to be both a corporate hub (being so close to Pearson Airport) as well as a shopping hub best known for Square One Shopping Centre.
As you approach Toronto, you pass Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on the north side of the Highway 401. This is the busiest airport in Canada, with over a hundreds airlines serving almost every country in the world.
You then pass a series of complex interchanges, first Highway 427 North (to Pearson Airport), then 427 south (to downtown Toronto) you’ll encounter a complex network of highways, including the interchange with Highway 400. Then 409 West (for westbound traffic to get to Pearson Airport), then Highway 400 North (to York Region, Barrie, and the cottage country round Georgian Bay and the Muskokas).
Toronto offers a myriad of attractions, including the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum, and diverse cultural neighborhoods. But you are now
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