Weekend Festivals, Events, Fall Colour Road Trips, Boat Cruises & Sighsteeing Tours

FESTIVALS, EVENTS and FALL COLOUR ROAD TRIPS

 

Fall Colours Ontario Weekend Road Trips  

Suggested "Fall Colour" routes and road trips.

Before heading out check the designated fall colour progression report for updates on leaf colour changes in resort and tourist regions north of Toronto.

Fall Colours Touring
The Apple Pie Trail : Collingwood to Owen Sound
It's country road and river touring time. Enjoy local wine and cide tasting, guided hiking, the Meaford Scarecrow Invasion and Craft Show, and unique Apple Pie Trail adventures.

Fall Colour Sightseeing Air Tour:

Georgian Bay Airways
Parry Sound

Book an amazing Fall Colour Sightseeing Air Tour over Georgian Bay.  A wonderful way to see the beautiful fall colour vistas.  The new 35 minute Fall Colours Tour will highlight the vistas of red, orange, and yellow from the air!
Stay at Resorts, Inns, Hotels in Parry Sound

Fall Colour Cruise Options:

Port Severn

Fall Big Chute Cruise September 20-October 11, 2014 Midland Tours Inc. offers 2 1/2 hour Fall Colour Tours on the Muskoka Trent-Severn Waterway departing from Lock 45 in Port Severn, Ontario. Stay in Port Severn 

Midland 

30,000 Islands Boat Cruise - Muskoka-Georgian Bay's 30,000 islands to October 17, 2014.  Stay at Resorts, Inns, Hotels in Midland Ontario

North Bay

Clarion Resort Pinewood Park-North Bay Accommodation and Chief Commanda II Cruise
North Shore Scenic Fall Tour Package:  Enjoy our 2-hour North Shore Scenic trip to view Lake Nipissing's open vistas, natural beaches, rising escarpments and fall colours. See Scenic Cruise Packages

Fall Colour Chair Lift Rides:

Sir Sam's Ski and  Bike-Haliburton
Scenic Chair Lift Rides -Great Activity for the Famiily
Saturdays and  Sundays during the fall until Thanksgiving.   Best seat in the Haliburton Highlands to enjoy the beautiful fall color changes?  Sir Sam's chairlift on Saturdays and Sundays. Great way to see the magnificient view over Eagle & Moose Lakes from the top of Sir Sam's Ski and Bike!
Stay at Resorts, Inns, Hotels Haliburton,  Minden
More information on the Haliburton Highlands Destination

 

Ottawa Valley Rural Ramble
September 1 - October 31, 2014
The Rural Ramble is a traditional self-guided driving tour throughout the Ottawa Valley featuring four themes: Adventure and  Exploration, Agriculture and Food, History and Heritage plus Arts and Culture.  Rural Ramblers’ will be able to customize their own Autumn touring experiences based on the themes and location that interests them the most.   Wander the website, select the Rural Ramble sites that interest you the most and plan your very own personalized Rural Ramble Route. 

More information on the Ottawa Valley Destination 
Book your hotel and resort accommodation in   Barry's Bay,  Ottawa and Ottawa Valley, Pembroke and Petawawa

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FAMILY FALL FUN


ROUNDS RANCH - Join the Fun

Elmvale   7 km. east of Wasaga Beach, 4 km west of Elmvale
September 23-October 26, 2014
Its PUMPKIN MANIA Season at Rounds Ranch so saddle up and get down here for some serious fun and farm filled adventures. Everyone gets a free pumpkin!
Enjoy the large corn & straw mazes, petting zoo, pony rides, water maze, barrel train, shooting gallery, duck races, pedal cart race track, western playground, zip lines, giant jumping pillows, tractor rides, swinging tire horses, bouncy ponies.  Great family fun for all ages.  
Stay at Resorts. Inns, Hotels in Wasaga Beach

Savour local foods at featured farmers' markets in cottage country

Celebrate Harvest Season With Good Things That Grow In Ontario

Fresh Crepes at Ontario Farmers' Markets

The best ways to enjoy fall harvest season is among friends and family over a meal made from Ontario ingredients.  Spotting Foodland Ontario's logo, while shopping at your neighbourhood grocery store or farmer's market north in resort destinations, is an easy way to find fresh local food. 

Many Ontario resorts specialise in culinary getaways with menus featuring Ontario recipes served with Ontario wines, ciders and beers.

Visit a local farm such as McLean Berry Farm in the Kawartha Lakes


Here are some other helpful ways for making locally grown goods a part of your summer months:

• Look for delicious fresh fruits and vegetables available now.
• Find some great barbecue tips using fresh local ingredients.
• Meet the people who produce your food and discover the wide variety of local food products available, including world-class Ontario VQA wine. Visit a local farmer's market or find a local on-farm market.
• Choose Ontario-brewed craft beer and cider to complement your next outdoor party

• 

  Fresh Virgin Sunflower Oil from Simcoe County Farms

Supporting local food is part of the government's economic plan to invest in people, build modern infrastructure, and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.

 

 

 

ONTARIO FOOD FACTS

• Ontario’s agri-food industry contributes more than $34 billion to the province’s GDP and supports more than 740,000 jobs.
• There are over 200 farmers’ markets in Ontario some of which are featuring VQA wines from local wineries.
• Ontario’s flower and vegetable greenhouse industry accounts for approximately $1.34 billion of revenue.
• The province’s Local Food Act allows Ontario to work with sector partners to set targets and goals to increase awareness, access and sales of local food in markets, schools, cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants throughout the province.
• Since 2003, the province has invested more than $116 million to support sales of Ontario foods.

More Tips For Fresh Ontario Food

• Check out Foodland Ontario for seasonal recipes
• Get fresh – visit an Ontario Farm such as McLean Berry Farm in the Kawartha Lakes 
• ontario.ca/agriculture-news

Weekend Fairs & fall festivals in Ontario September 4,5 and 6

Food Fests, Harvest Fairs and Festivals North of Toronto 

First place award for pumpkins 

Ottawa Valley Rural Ramble 

September 1 - October 31, 2014
The annual Rural Ramble - a free self-guided driving tour featuring four weekends during the fall months of Adventure and Exploration, Agriculture and Food weekend, History and Heritage weekend and Arts and Culture.  Book your hotel and resort accommodation in 
More information on the Ottawa Valley Destination

Fun themes highlight events..the sheep in wolf clothing

Agricultural summer and fall fairs  in Ontario resort destinations offer family fun. Entertainment and amusement park fun are for families during the vacation and holiday season. See complete list of summer fairs over the Labour Day Weekend.

More Fall Fairs

Owen Sound Fair September 4th, 5th & 6th, 2014!Featured Accommodation:  Walter’s Falls The Falls Inn or Georgian Bluffs Evergreen Forest Resort B&B

Orillia Fair
September 5-7, 2014
Featured Accommodations: Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre , Carriage Ridge Resort, Comfort Inn, Attractions: Dave Beckett Studio/Gallery
Attractions: Hardwood Ski and Bike

Worm Rodeo Country Fun Fair 
Sat. Sept 6, 2014
Where the Country Meets the City at  Highway 11 & Highway 93.  'Grace United Church' and 'Seniors Wish Barrie' are bringing families a day of Worm Rodeo fun on Sept. 7 at Chappell Farms.  A fun day with the kids, with games, talent contest, raffle draw, live auction, worm charming and more.
Stay overnight in Barrie and Horseshoe Valley area resorts, hotels and inns.

Arts and Studio Tours

Highlands East Plein Air Arts Festival  

September 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th

Highlands East is a treasure trove of scenic subject matter perfect for any kind of plein air artist. We hope you will enjoy your four days here being inspired, creating and getting to know other artists who love to depict the wild and natural world!

-->Click here for more 

Beach Resort weather continues in Ontario

Ontario Beach Resorts

This month features two resort destinations one for private resort guests at Bonnie View Inn in Haliburton  and the beach at  Killbear Provincial Park near Parry Sound. 

Banana Boat Rides in Haliburton

Ontario beach resorts are plentiful in resort destinations north, northeast and northwest of Toronto. Beach activities at Ontario resorts are private for registered guests and offer boating and water based activities.

Favourite destinations can be found on Ontario Lakes such as Lake Ontario, Lake Simcoe, Georgian Bay, Muskoka Lakes, Halliburton Lakes and Algonquin area lakes.

 

 

Ontario Beaches Public and Private

Swimming at sunset off a Georgian Bay Beach

Ontario beach directory has more than 60 public beach locations for day trips as well as beach locations in both Provincial and National Parks north of Toronto.

Visitors often explore to find their own favourite Ontario Beach.  Beach resort destinations often surprise first time visitors with Ontario's fresh clean waters, and open beach space
Very often beach volleyball, sailing and rowing regattas or sup races are fun activities. Find more Ontario public beaches

 

 Ontario Beach Sunsets 

There are often delightful surprises while watching a Beach Sunset

Autumn boat cruises on Ontario lakes north of Toronto

Barrie Boarding of the Serendipity Princess

Cruise Ontario Lakes and Waterways

Canadian waters are waiting in resort destinations north of Toronto. Discover Lake Simcoe or Georgian Bay with a Midland Tours cruise.
The Serendipity Princess cruises out of Barrie Ontario, and the Miss Midland out of Midland Ontario.
Book your Georgian Bay Cruise, OR Book your Barrie-Lake Simcoe Cruise

Resorts, Lodges and Hotels Offer Cruises during the  Fall Months

Merganser Ducks and fledges along Ontario shore line

Ontario resort destinations offer some of best romantic lake cruises north of Toronto. 

Many resorts offer sunset cruises in as part of their summer getaway packages. 

Pontoon boats offer closer views of the shorelines and provide opportunities to see local flora and fauna up close.