Explorer
Lake America / Lake Ontario map
A schematic guide to the lake's key destinations. The body of water is the same; the labels depend on who's looking.
Where is it? Lake America — Lake Ontario on Canadian maps — is the easternmost and smallest by surface area of the Great Lakes, about 193 miles long and 7,340 square miles, bordered by New York to the south and the province of Ontario to the north and east. Toronto, Hamilton and Kingston sit on the Canadian shore; Rochester, Oswego and Sackets Harbor on the American one. For the naming side of the story, see what Lake America is and which maps use which name.
Canada
Toronto Waterfront
Canada's biggest city, face to face with the lake.
Best for: City, Architecture, Food & wine, Water & outdoors
Read the travel guideCountry snapshot
- United States
- Lake America (federal systems)
- Canada
- Lake Ontario
- Google Maps (U.S.)
- Lake America
- Google Maps (Canada)
- Lake Ontario
Best for first-time visitors
Start with either Toronto for an urban lake experience or Niagara-on-the-Lake for wine country and theatre. Rochester is the easiest U.S. entry point from the west; the Thousand Islands are ideal for island scenery.
The boundary line shown is schematic and for orientation only. Always check current border requirements before crossing.
Orientation, in plain text
The lake runs roughly west to east for about 193 miles. Water arrives from Lake Erie through the Niagara River at the western end and leaves at the eastern outlet, where the lake narrows into the St. Lawrence River through the Thousand Islands.
On the northern and eastern shore, in the province of Ontario: Hamilton at the western tip, Toronto on the north shore, Niagara-on-the-Lake at the Niagara River mouth, and Kingston at the outlet. On the southern shore, in New York State: Rochester as the largest city, then Oswego and Sackets Harbor heading east.