Upper Canada Village’s Pumpkinferno, Sep 30 – Oct 30, is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year. (photo: Rob Stimpson)
Sure, the crisp air and bright foliage may be enough to entice us off the couch in the fall, but for local or long-distance travellers looking for great places to visit in Ontario, autumn has way more perks to keep us happy: no summer crowds, better deals and some of the best local experiences of the year. From harvest-inspired food fests, to voyageur canoe tours, to 1000 Islands helicopter trips, there’s plenty of things to do in southeastern Ontario this season. Here are a few ideas in 8 areas across the region.
Bay of Quinte
Lake on the Mountain Brewery is just one stop on the Cheddar & Ale Trail, a self-guided tour of the Bay of Quinte region’s breweries, cider houses and cheese factories. (photo: The Great Waterway)
Home to more than 200,000 people between Quinte West and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, the Bay of Quinte region is known for its fishing and love for the cheese, veggies and other bounty its farmers produce. But insiders also know that Bay of Quinte is a hotspot for golfers, gourmands and theatregoers. Throw in an 85-kilometre waterway, 30 conservation areas, 12 crafter breweries and cideries, and you’ve got the makings for a fall trip for the ages.
2 hours from Toronto
3 hours from Ottawa
3.5 hours from Montreal
Bay of Quinte Fall Activities
Cheddar and Ale Trail
Black Bear Ridge Golf Club
Guided Group Paddles
Belleville Farmers’ Market
Boofest (October 31)
Hike a Conservation Area
Prince Edward County
Fall Countylicious goes from October 28 – November 20 this year. (photo: The Great Waterway)
Though recently dubbed the “gastronomic capital of Ontario” for its 30-plus wineries and gourmet eateries, the County has always been a hidden gem of Ontario travel. Why? Because of gems like Sandbanks Provincial Park and its three sandy beaches or The Regent Theatre and its ever-improving lineup of movies, music and festivals. Whatever your reason for going, expect tasty eats and drinks sourced from stunning local farms, a thriving arts community, and laidback rural island vibes.
2 hours from Toronto
3 hours from Ottawa
4 hours from Montreal
Prince Edward County Fall Activities
Fall Countylicious (October 28 – November 20)
Creepfest Film Festival (October 28 – 30)
Taste Trail
Campbell’s Orchards
From the Farm Cooking School Class
Wassail (November 19 – 20, November 26 – 27, December 3 – 4)
Arts Trail
Land O’Lakes
The Dark Sky Viewing Area is is the most southerly point in Ontario where the night sky is so pristine. (photo: Terence Dickinson)
With over 5,000 lakes, almost 600 trails and a population scattered across small towns like Napanee and Tamworth, Land O’Lakes allows you to experience the best of the Canadian outdoors. And when you do, you’ll discover a few of the 356 native bird species, rolling farmlands and beautiful provincial parks that includes the 5,000-hectare Frontenac Provincial Park. Not the outdoors type? Hit up MacKinnon Brothers Brewing, the Lennox & Addington County Museum and Archives or the United Empire Loyalist Heritage Centre and Park.
2.5 hours from Toronto
2 hours from Ottawa
3.5 hours from Montreal
Land O’Lakes Fall Activities
The Frontenac Challenge
Geocaching
Classic Drives
Dark Sky Viewing Area
Hell Holes Nature Trails & Caves
Fall Restoring Yoga Retreat (November 25 – 27)
Cottage Fishing Adventure – Guided Fishing Tour
Kingston 1000 Islands
Fort Fright is a month-long scare fest inside Kingston’s Fort Henry. (photo: The Great Waterway)
Maybe you know Kingston as the home of The Hip or as Canada’s first capital or as the place to find Kingston Pen. The point is, this vibrant city on Lake Ontario, home to over 100,000 people, has been famous since before Confederation. Today, its world-class restaurants, bustling downtown and renowned arts hubs like The Grand Theatre, The Tett Centre and Isabel Bader Centre keeps it on the map.
2.5 hours from Toronto
2 hours from Ottawa
3 hours from Montreal
Kingston Fall Activities
Fort Fright
Haunted Walks
Wolfe Island Corn Maze
Kingston Penitentiary Tours
Kingston Food Tours
Kingston Zombie Walk (October 22)
Ghost & Mystery Trolley Tour
Rideau Heritage Route
Hop on a Voyageur Canoe Tour this fall, departing from spots up and down the Rideau. (photo: Simon Lunn)
Stretching over 200 kilometres between Kingston and Ottawa and incorporating 47 locks, 16 rivers and 2 lakes, the Rideau Canal is a gorgeous marvel of engineering might. And up and down its banks you’ll find quaint villages and welcoming locals wanting to show and tell its story. At Fort Henry, for example, it’s the story of Canada’s beginnings up close. At Rock Dunder, near Morton, a snippet of the Canadian Shield’s four-billion-year-old tale. While Jones Falls Locks is a testament to the ingenuity that went into building this waterway.
3.5 hours from Toronto
1 hour from Ottawa
2.5 hours from Montreal
Rideau Heritage Route Fall Activities
Hike Rock Dunder
Voyageur Canoe Tours
Merrickville Walking Tours
Foley Mountain Conservation Area
Lombard Glen Golf & Country Club
Cheese Makers’ Tour
Hike the Rideau Trail
Gananoque 1000 Islands
Fall is the best time of year to take a 1000 Islands Helicopter Tour. (photo: Kouri’s Kopters)
Called “The Gateway to the 1000 Islands” because it sits close to where the 1,864 islands begin, Gananoque is an ideal jumping off point for a cruise, hike, scuba diving trip, round of golf or even helicopter tour. And though it has a population of just 5,000, Gananoque boasts a surprising range of fantastic dining options, not to mention acclaimed theatre and musical productions at the Thousand Islands Playhouse on the banks of the Saint Lawrence.
3 hours from Toronto
1.5 hours from Ottawa
2.5 hours from Montreal
Gananoque 1000 Islands Fall Activities
1000 Islands Helicopter Tours
Hike Gananoque Trail System
Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course
Tour Gananoque Brewing Company
Skywood Eco Adventure Park
Thousand Islands National Park
Skydive Gananoque
Brockville 1000 Islands
The Brock Trail is at its brightest and best during the fall. (photo: The Great Waterway)
With attractions like Canada’s oldest railway tunnel, Fulford Place and the Brockville Museum, you might think Brockville’s population of 22,000 is all about its history. But you’d be wrong — there’s far more. The “City of the 1000 Islands” also celebrates its present and future at places like the Brockville Arts Centre, which is one of the finest medium-sized theatres in Canada, and the new Aquatarium, a state-of-the-art, 27,000-square-foot learning centre all about the waters and wildlife of the region.
3.5 hours from Toronto
1 hour from Ottawa
2 hours from Montreal
Brockville 1000 Islands Fall Activities
Mac Johnson Wildlife Area Fall Festival (October 22)
Hike The Brock Trail
Escape Room (October 18 – 30)
Brockville Farmers’ Market
Brockville Country Club (Golf and Curling)
Brockville Tasting Tours
Haunted Walk on Temperance Lake
Cornwall and The Counties
Upper Canada Village’s Pumpkinferno was named “Tourism Event of the Year” by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. (photo: Rob Stimpson)
Anchored by the City of Cornwall, population 46,000 and one of Canada’s oldest permanent settlements, this region includes six other townships: North Stormont, South Stormont, North Dundas, South Dundas, North Glengarry and South Glengarry. When taken together, they all show off the history of Upper Canada, the beauty of the Saint Lawrence and the vibrancy of small town Ontario. Highlights here include Upper Canada Village, a 19th-century replica village; Cornwall’s Waterfront Trail, a multi-use trail that spans the city’s entire waterfront; and the Glengarry Highland Games, the largest highland games celebration outside of Scotland.
4 hours from Toronto
1 hour from Ottawa
1.5 hours from Montreal
Cornwall and The Counties Fall Activities
Pumpkinferno
McMaze Family Fun Farm
Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Rurban Brewing
Seaway Food Festival Restaurant Week (October 13 – 22)
Martintown Haunted Mill (October 31)
Hike Glengarry Trails
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Gorgeous photos, makes me want to go to Ontario.