Exploring the best of Toronto and Southern Ontario.

Happy Sunday evening, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend.

Before I get into today’s post, I wanted to share an exciting milestone – one I wouldn’t have even realized I’d hit if I hadn’t happened to look at my WordPress insights a few days ago. This marks my 100th blog post! When I started this blog last summer, I honestly had no idea if it was something I was going to stick with. I’d thought about starting a blog several times before, but always ended up abandoning the idea because I felt like it was too much work, or I didn’t have enough time, or I got distracted by another bright and shiny new idea. I won’t lie: keeping up a blog and a regular posting schedule IS a lot of work, but it’s also very rewarding! This blog is my creative outlet, a place where I can express myself and indulge my love of writing, and an excuse to continue doing what I love: exploring the best sights, attractions, restaurants and events in Toronto and Southern Ontario. Whether you’re a new reader or have been following along for some time, I am so grateful for your readership. Part of what held me back from starting a blog for so long is that nagging inner voice that told me nobody would read it or care about what I had to say… so if you’re reading this now, thank you from the bottom of my heart! And now onto today’s post…

Around this time of year, I always find myself reflecting on the summer: thinking about all the fun experiences had and memories made, and trying to cram in a few more summery activities before the season is over. I try my best to have a positive attitude, so I’ll start by saying that this summer has definitely been a fun and memorable one… but on the flip side, it’s also had some of the worst weather of any summer I can remember! Summer in Ontario is always a toss-up weather-wise, but this one has been especially volatile: will it be hot and humid? Gray and chilly? Windy and stormy? With ever-changing forecasts, this summer’s weather has been notoriously hard to predict and has made planning outdoor activities a challenge – I know I’ve definitely cancelled a few plans due to unexpected rainstorms! So that’s why today, I wanted to share a spot where you can spend time in nature and enjoy summery vibes no matter the weather (or season!) That spot is the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory.

Located in the city of Cambridge in Waterloo Region, the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is a must-visit for nature and animal lovers! This indoor tropical oasis is home to thousands of free-flying butterflies, along with exotic birds, reptiles, insects and fish. I recently visited with my best friend Victoria, and we had an absolutely amazing time!

The conservatory gardens are lush and fragrant, boasting over 100 species of exotic plants, flowers and trees. There’s a large fish pond with a trickling waterfall that you can walk underneath, and various other water features are located throughout the 10,800-square-foot space. It feels like entering a tropical paradise unlike anything we have here in Ontario!

The conservatory sources their butterflies from farms in Costa Rica and the Philippines. Butterfly farming is a form of sustainable agriculture that ensures natural populations of wild butterflies and moths are not being depleted. The butterflies are sent as pupae, and emerge from their cocoons in the conservatory. Visitors can even watch as newly-emerged butterflies take their first flight! The conservatory has approximately 2000 different butterflies and moths (belonging to 40 different species) at any given time, and they all fly freely throughout the space. All that to say: expect to see a LOT of butterflies, and if you’re lucky, one might even land on you! Pro tip that we learned from one of the staff: butterflies are drawn to light colours, so if you’re hoping to have one land on you, wear something white or light. It was only when I held my friend’s white sweater that one came to me! (Another tip while we’re on the subject of wardrobe: in order to simulate tropical conditions, the conservatory is kept very hot and humid, so I recommend wearing layers that you can take off if you get too warm.)

We saw so many different butterflies, but some of my favourite species were the Blue Morpho, Clipper and Zebra Longwing.

As I mentioned earlier, the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is home not just to butterflies but to various other animals as well! We met some beautiful birds, a very happy frog (check out that smile!) and perhaps the most unique creature we saw on our visit, a Malaysian Jungle Nymph. This large, bright green insect is the heaviest stick insect in the world, weighing up to 65 grams (which may seem light to us, but is pretty hefty for a bug!) Her handler was walking around the conservatory and inviting guests to come up and hold her. I’ll admit, both my friend and I were a little skittish at first, but we faced our fears and each took turns holding her. It was a cool experience but I couldn’t hold her for very long – she started making her way up my arms, and let me tell you, those legs are spiky!

I’ve always loved learning about interesting topics, and the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory does a great job at combining education with entertainment. There are signs located throughout the space where visitors can read more about the butterflies and other resident creatures, and there are several staff members on the floor who are happy to chat with you and answer any questions you may have. I have to give a special shout-out to the staff here: everyone was exceptionally friendly and welcoming, and clearly so passionate about the work they do, which was really great to see.

Timed-entry tickets are required for the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory and can be purchased here. General admission costs $20 ($15 for seniors, $10 for kids aged 3-12, and free for kids under 2.) The conservatory recommends leaving yourself 1-1.5 hours to fully explore, but you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like (within their operating hours, of course!) We spent two hours and really took our time experiencing everything. You can check out my Instagram reel of our visit here!

The conservatory is open year-round, so if you find yourself dealing with the winter blues in a few months, you can escape to a warm, tropical paradise for far less than a plane ticket! In fact, I think I’m going to add this to my winter to-do list for next year.

What are some of your favourite indoor activities for when the weather is unpredictable? If you’ve got any local suggestions, please let me know – I’d love to hear your recommendations!