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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Clarington
Clarington, Ontario
Give Clarington one day as a stop on the Highway 401 between Toronto and Kingston, not a base: Bowmanville's downtown plus one attraction, then move on.
Clarington is a partly rural municipality of about 92,000 people east of Oshawa, made of four communities: Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle and Orono. It is a car place on the 401, with a small historic downtown, a motorsport park, a zoo and a water park. Most travellers pass through on the way to Toronto or Kingston; one day covers it, and it works better as a stop than a base.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Clarington, Ontario
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for the water park and outdoor sights; May and Oct for quieter driving
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, few attractions open)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$80–130 excl. bed · Mid C$130–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911 · Durham Region non-emergency police 905-579-1520
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2–5 |
| Casual lunch | C$12–20 |
| All-you-can-eat sushi, dinner | C$22–23 |
| Draught beer in a brewery or pub | C$7–9 |
| Attraction entry, adult | C$10–20 |
| Parking at a conservation area | C$2 per hour or C$5 per day |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYZ · Toronto Pearson International
- About 1 h 15 min by car via the 401 and 407; allow more in rush hour.
- YTZ · Billy Bishop Toronto City
- About 1 h by car; smaller, fewer long-haul routes.
Typical fares
- GO train Oshawa → Toronto, one way
- about C$11–13, 45–55 min (check)
- Durham Region Transit single fare
- about C$3.50–4 (check)
- Taxi Bowmanville → Newcastle
- about C$20–30 (check)
Get around
A car is the practical choice: the 401 runs through the municipality and the 407 toll road ends at Highway 35 in the north. Durham Region Transit runs scheduled and on-demand buses inside Clarington and to Oshawa, where GO trains and buses connect to Toronto. GO Route 88 links Oshawa and Peterborough through the area. Distances between Bowmanville, Newcastle and Orono are short by road but slow without a car.
See and do
Known for
- Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport)
- Bowmanville historic downtown
- Jungle Cat World in Orono
- Cedar Park water park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oshawa | Car via the 401 west, or Durham Region Transit and GO Route 88 | 20–40 min |
| Whitby | Car via the 401 west, or GO train from Oshawa | 30–45 min |
| Toronto | Car via the 401, or GO train from Oshawa | 1–1.5 h |
| Uxbridge | Car via Highway 35 and regional roads north | 45–60 min |
Sleep
- Bowmanville (Liberty St S)
- Highway-side chain hotels, 5 min drive from the 401 and the downtown; best for one night with a car.
- Newcastle
- Smaller, quieter; a few rooms and the historic King Ave core.
- Cedar Park, north Bowmanville
- Campground with trailer and RV sites only, no tent camping; seasonal, roughly May–Oct.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Please | Please |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the washroom? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Sorry | Sorry |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- The 407 is a toll highway: cameras bill the plate, and rental companies add a fee.
- Attractions are spread out and several are seasonal; check opening dates before driving.
- Cedar Park does not rent trailers and does not allow tent camping.
- Winter driving on the 401 and side roads can be icy; snow tires help from December to March.
Clarington is a low-crime suburban and rural area; the real risks are highway driving, winter ice and unlit rural roads at night. Lock the car and keep to lit streets in the small downtowns after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Clarington yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport)
- Bowmanville historic downtown
- Jungle Cat World in Orono
- Cedar Park water park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Durham Region Transit: www.durhamregiontransit.com/
- Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: canadiantiremotorsportpark.com/
- Cedar Park Resort: cedarparkresort.ca
- Wikivoyage: Clarington (Ontario), revision 5214742 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5214742
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ClaringtonClarington, Ontario
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire and ambulance911
- Durham Region non-emergency police905-579-1520
No embassies in Clarington; the US consulate-general and most other missions are in Toronto.
English is the working language here; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/clarington-ontario). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.