General Motors is the name that built Oshawa. About 175,000 people live here, east of Toronto, and the city grew up around the car plant and the McLaughlin family. That history shows up in the Canadian Automotive Museum, and the McLaughlin mansion at Parkwood, a national historic site, is the most interesting place to visit. Lakeview Park gives you a swimming beach and lake breeze, and the Oshawa Generals bring junior hockey to town in the colder months.
Downtown is slowly reviving, with a jazz festival in June and a university in the mix, though some blocks still feel rough after dark. Crime is around or a little above average, with car theft a particular issue. For the region, Oshawa is one of the cheaper places to live, and many people move here to be within reach of Toronto without the Toronto price. Winters are cold and the commute on the 401 can be long.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
June to September and during Oshawa Generals playoff runs
Quieter season
January to March
Nearest airport
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), 70 km west (about 1 hour by car
Highlights
Canadian Automotive Museum
Oshawa Community Museum and Archives
Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Parkwood National Historic Site (Parkwood Estate, R.S. McLaughlin's mansion)
Oshawa Valley Botanical Gardens
Lakeview Park and Oshawa Harbour
Tribute Communities Centre (Oshawa Generals hockey)
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.9/10Good
Connector Score8.1
34 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road and intercity train; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety6.8
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability6.0
Cost of living index about 105, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation5.0
Reachable by: road and intercity train. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness4.0
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability4.2
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.6
Known for 8 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.7
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.9
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.0
Known for beaches, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value6.0
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness7.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.3
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.7
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.2
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
34 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.0
Intercity train service, with 23 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Canada's Motor City; The Motor City; Home of General Motors of Canada
Founded
1795 settlement as Skae's Corners; 1842 renamed Oshawa; 1924 incorporated as a city
Languages
English (official and dominant); French is an official federal language with limited everyday use; main immigrant languages include Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, Tamil, Tagalog and Spanish; Oshawa is on the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island and Chippewas of Beausoleil
Airports
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), about 70 km west (about 1 hour by car; GO train to Union then UP Express); Billy Bishop Toronto City (YTZ), about 65 km west; Oshawa Executive Airport (YOO), small general aviation field in the city; Peterborough Airport (YPQ), about 55 km north with limited service
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (13% HST is added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Oshawa City Circle
For people considering Oshawa, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 175,383 (city, 2021 Census) and Oshawa CMA 415,311 are Statistics Canada figures recalled from the Focus on Geography Series (pages found via search; fetch was blocked by robots.txt, so lower confidence); land area 145.7 sq km per 2021 Census. Oshawa CMA includes Whitby and Clarington. Visitor URL is Oshawa Tourism and calendar is its events page, both seen in search results. Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, tipping, cost-of-living comparisons, crime index, rent, home prices and airport distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass. All money in CAD.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
8 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown Oshawa
Revitalizing
Lakeview and the waterfront
Parkland
Eastdale
Residential
Northwood
Residential
Kedron and north Oshawa
New suburban
Donevan
Older working class
Samac and Windfields
Family
Centennial and Central
Mixed
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Downtown Oshawa near Simcoe Street for events and the Tribute Communities Centre
Highway 401 corridors at Simcoe Street and Ritson Road for chain hotels and easy access
Lakeview Park area for a quiet waterfront stay
Whitby and Ajax for more options nearby. Tiers: budget motels along Simcoe Street and Highway 2
mid-range chains near Oshawa Centre
luxury largely in Toronto or Whitby
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Whitby (10 km; GO train, Durham Region Transit); Clarington (15 km; Durham bus, GO train); Ajax (20 km; GO train, bus); Uxbridge (35 km; car); Scugog (30 km; car); Bowmanville (15 km; bus, GO train); Pickering (25 km; GO train)
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$104/day
Lodging about CA$125 a night
Mid-range
$150/day
Lodging about CA$190 a night
Luxury
$240/day
Lodging about CA$290 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
105 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$1,950a month
Median home price
CA$800,000
Research notes
Roughly 5% above the Canadian average and about 10% below large US metros (approximate, from common indices); typical 1BR rent about $1,800-2,100 CAD per month on listing sites (Rentals.ca averages, approximate)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
CA$800,000
Mortgage calculator
Average home price roughly $750,000-850,000 CAD (Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Durham figures, approximate; detached about $900,000, condos about $450,000-500,000 CAD); average 1BR rent about $1,800-2,100 CAD; market trend: down from 2022 peak with slower sales and rising inventory (not verified this pass)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 13% HST): budget $100-150; mid-range $150-230; upscale $230-350. Peak season is June to September and during Oshawa Generals playoff runs; January to March is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $85-150 CAD
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown Oshawa near Simcoe Street for events and the Tribute Communities Centre
Highway 401 corridors at Simcoe Street and Ritson Road for chain hotels and easy access
Lakeview Park area for a quiet waterfront stay
Whitby and Ajax for more options nearby. Tiers: budget motels along Simcoe Street and Highway 2
mid-range chains near Oshawa Centre
luxury largely in Toronto or Whitby
Places to stay
2 listings in Oshawa, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
6.8
Good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 85; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Oshawa's Crime Severity Index is around or slightly above the national average (roughly 75-95, approximate, Statistics Canada and Durham Regional Police data); main visitor risks are car theft (a national issue on Highway 401 corridor), theft from vehicles and downtown property crime. Health care: Ontario OHIP does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospital: Lakeridge Health Oshawa (Emergency Department, the main regional hospital); Lakeridge Health Whitby and Bowmanville nearby. Hazards: cold snowy winters (-5 to -12 C), lake-effect freezing rain, humid summers with thunderstorms, occasional flooding on Oshawa Creek. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Most visitor areas are fine; use extra caution late at night in parts of downtown Oshawa around King Street and Simcoe Street and near some bars and social service sites, where street disorder, drug use and occasional assaults are more visible, and in a few older neighbourhoods around Simcoe Street South and Wilson Road where property crime is higher
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Oshawa (1 night)
3-day trip
Oshawa (1 night) → Toronto (1 night)
About 38 mi, 51 min of travel
5-day trip
Oshawa (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night)
About 159 mi, 3 h 14 min of travel
7-day trip
Oshawa (2 nights) → Toronto (1 night) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night)
About 239 mi, 4 h 49 min of travel
10-day trip
Oshawa (2 nights) → Toronto (2 nights) → London (1 night) → Hamilton (1 night) → Brampton (1 night)
