museum
Canadian Automotive Museum
Museum celebrating Canadian motoring heritage with a collection of rare Canadian-built cars in Oshawa.
1 km · about 5 min drive
North AmericaCanadaOntario
Oshawa
Ontario, Canada · North America
About Oshawa
Oshawa is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Whitby, 1km from Canadian Automotive Museum.
Oshawa is in Ontario, Canada, with about 180,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Whitby, about 7 km away.
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the Greater Toronto Area and of the Golden Horseshoe. It is the largest municipality in the Regional MunicipalityRead more
of Durham. The name Oshawa originates from the Ojibwa term aazhawe, meaning "the crossing place" or just "a cross".
Founded in 1876 as the McLaughlin Carriage Company by Robert McLaughlin, and then McLaughlin Motors Ltd by his son, Sam, General Motors of Canada's headquarters are located in the city. The automotive industry was the inspiration for Oshawa's previous mottos: "The City that Motovates Canada", and "The City in Motion". The lavish home of the automotive company's founder, Parkwood Estate, is also located in the city.
Once recognized as the sole "Automotive Capital of Canada", Oshawa is now considered to be an education and health sciences hub, although General Motors still plays a significant role in the city's economy. After having been closed for about two years, the Oshawa car assembly plant reopened in 2021, when the first Canadian-made Chevy Silverado was completed. GM invested C$1.3 billion into plant retooling. Prior to reopening, GM said that the site would continue to be used for autonomous vehicle testing and production of vehicle stampings and other sub-assemblies.
Post-secondary institutions and a satellite family medicine program in Oshawa include Durham College, Trent University Durham, Ontario Tech University, and Queen's University Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program. Key labour force sectors include healthcare, retail trade, and educational services. In 2016, Oshawa was the sixth best place in Canada to find full-time employment based on data from StatsCan.
Downtown Oshawa is identified as an Urban Growth Centre in the Government of Ontario's Places to Grow initiative. More than 5,000 people work and more than 2,400 university students study in the downtown core. The downtown is a prominent centre for entertainment and sporting events (Regent Theatre and Tribute Communities Centre), food (50+ restaurants and cafes), and culture (The Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Canadian Automotive Museum). Oshawa is home to a Regional Innovation Centre and offers start-up facilities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Co-working offices are also located in the downtown area.
Where to Stay in Oshawa
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Oshawa.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Oshawa.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Oshawa?
Within an hour or so of Oshawa: Canadian Automotive Museum (1 km), Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (22 km), Toronto Zoo (28 km), Royal Ontario Museum (51 km).
Where is Oshawa?
Oshawa is in Ontario, Canada, about 7 km from Whitby.
Road trip
Drive to Oshawa
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Oshawa. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 175,383
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- Canada
- Region
- Ontario
- Timezone
- America/Toronto
- Coordinates
- 43.9001, -78.8496
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Canada
CAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Winter tyres mandatory in Quebec December–March.
Full driving guide for CanadaTags
Worth the detour from Oshawa
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
racetrack
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Canada's premier road course near Bowmanville, Ontario, with dramatic elevation changes and a storied history including 1960s-70s Formula 1.
22 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Toronto Zoo
Canada's largest zoo spanning 287 hectares with over 5,000 animals organized by geographic region.
28 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Royal Ontario Museum
Canada's largest museum of world cultures and natural history, topped by Daniel Libeskind's dramatic crystalline extension.
51 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
CN Tower
Soaring 553-metre communications and observation tower that defines the Toronto skyline.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
Toronto's spectacular aquarium at the base of the CN Tower with a stunning underwater tunnel and 20,000 aquatic animals.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Canada's Wonderland
Canada's premier amusement park near Toronto with over 200 attractions including 17 roller coasters.
56 km · about 65 min drive
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Oshawa.
Plan a trip around Oshawa
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Oshawa.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.