Oshawa Tourist Attractions

Oshawa offers year-round activities and attractions for visitors and residents alike. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery houses over 3,000 Canadian art masterpieces, with a particular emphasis on the works of the contemporary group “Painters Eleven.” Founded in 1967, the Gallery sponsors up to six exhibitions at any given time, in addition to art classes and educational programs for residents of all ages.

Now a National Historic Site, the remarkable home of Col. R. S. (Sam) McLaughlin, Parkwood Estate, is one of Ontario’s most popular filming locations. Parkwood features characteristic inter-war years architecture and magnificent gardens. Visitors consider a tour of Parkwood a definite highlight in the Oshawa experience.

Heritage is critical to Oshawa’s identity and the city is proud to display fabulous murals painted by Canadian artists on several downtown buildings. These depictions represent Oshawa’s evolving character from its labour and automobile manufacturing roots, to its vibrant cultural and nature components.

Scenic Lakeview Park provides the setting for the Oshawa Community Museum’s three restored nineteenth-century homes, which attract thousands of visitors each year. The Canadian Automotive Museum is located in the heart of Oshawa. There, over 70 vehicles are displayed in an authentic 1920's car dealership. The Oshawa Municipal Airport is the site for two of Oshawa’s most intriguing museums, the Oshawa Aeronautical, Military & Industrial Museum and the Robert Stuart Aeronautical Collection. Visitors can have a first-hand look at tanks, scout cars, military hardware, photos, certificates, letters, radios, medals and other military memorabilia from the Second World War.  For more information, please have a look at the Oshawa Museum Guide.

There’s a lot to celebrate in Oshawa. Oshawa Fiesta Week is an annual week-long celebration that occurs every June. The Festival includes a spectacular parade, cultural entertainment and ethnic cuisine at pavilions located through the city. Approximately 50,000 people enjoy Fiesta Week each year. Coordinated by the Oshawa Folk Arts Council since 1961, the event nurtures goodwill and fosters community pride. Purple Woods Conservation Area, the site of the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority's annual Purple Woods Maple Festival, is a 17-hectare sugar maple forest and open meadow located in the midst of the provincially signficant Oak Ridges Moraine. The Maple Syrup Festival takes place every March.