The kids may be going back to school in three weeks (sorry kids), but there are still roughly 40 days of summer left in Ontario. Late August and early September are great times to visit the province, with cooler weather and fewer crowds than July or early August. Here are some top spots from my travels around the province.
DURHAM REGION
The Sunflower Farm, Beaverton, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I had a great trip to this area two summers ago. Less than 90 minutes from Toronto, Beaverton has a wonderful spot called the Underground Bake Shop with outstanding croisstants, quiche and other treats. The Sunflower Farm is great for social media posts and nature lovers. Forget-Me-Not Alpaca Farm allows you to pet and feed alpacas. Greenmantle Pottery on Concecssion 6 in Uxbridge is absolutely fabulous, as is Concession 6 Studio just up the road.
PETERBOROUGH AND THE KAWARTHAS
The Trent Severn Waterway in Lakefield, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO
My wife and I had a marvelous, four-day trip on the Trent-Severn Waterway near Peterborough earlier this summer on a lovely, 42-foot boat supplied by Le Boat. Before we left, we stocked up on great food in Peterborough. At Chasing the Cheese we bought some Five Brothers smoked cheese from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese in southern Ontario, as well as Le Mont-Jacob and Le Riopelle de l’Isle from Quebec. The Food Shop features more than 20 local suppliers. We had great muffins, gourmet tortilla chips from La Hacienda and wonderful Sam’s Granola. For dinner just prior to our trip we stopped in at One Fine Food for a terrific dinner. a marvelous salad with arugula, goat cheese pomegranate seeds, shaved fennel and pumpkin seeds for a nice crunch. The ravioli with sausage was very good, and came in a rich tomato-basil sauce. The excellent bucatini with seafood was served with at least a dozen plump, juicy mussels, decent scallops and good, meaty shrimp. The attached shop sells an amazing variety of food, including charcuterie, home-made lasagna, butter chicken, pasta sauces and fresh produce. The next morning we grabbed very good coffee and outstanding quiche from Hard Winter Bakery. They also make perfectly flaky, oozing-with-butter croissants that would make a Parisian baker beam with joy. During our boat trip I enjoyed fine short rib pasta at The Loon restaurant in Lakefield. Stoney Lake and Lovesick Lake were two of the highlights of our boating trip on the Trent-Severn. Back in Peterborough, the new Canadian Canoe Museum is an absolute sensation.
AMHERSTBURG
Bryce McCloskey and Annie Xu at Dancing Swallows Vineyard in Amherstburg, Ontario, JIM BYERS PHOTO
Richard Peddie, the former CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, opened a lovely book store called River Bookshop a few years ago. He also owns a great home décor shop called White Woods Home, and has plans to build a hotel overlooking the Detroit River. Dancing Swallows makes lovely chardonnay and other wines. The grounds feature a big old maple tree and outdoor seating. There’s great craft beer just down the road at GL Heritage Brewery. Just a few yards from that is a fun place to stay called The Little White Church, a former place of worship that’s now a fun Air BnB. Looking for a great cup of coffee in a modern, splashy café? Caffeine and Co. is your kind of place, a bright and shiny, Instagram-worthy spot in downtown Amherstburg.
OTTAWA
The Alt Hotel Ottawa is a chic spot in the city centre. – JIM BYERS PHOTO
The National Gallery is a gorgeous facility just steps from Parliament Hill. You feel like you’re entering a new world as you walk up the ramp towards the main galleries. Of course there’s Canada’s Group of Seven and their famous landscapes, but you’ll also find cutting-edge displays from artists you may not have heard of but wish you had. Not to mention works by the likes of Rubens, Degas and Monet. Copper Spirits and Sights is a tremendous rooftop bar atop the stylish Andaz hotel, with excellent views. The Fairmont Chateau Laurier remains one of the most regal places to stay in Ottawa. I also love the Alt Hotel in downtown Ottawa. They’re building a new one at the Ottawa Airport that should open in the fall of 2025. It will be the first hotel at Ottawa International that’s directly connected to the airport.
NIAGARA FALLS
Niagara Falls, Ontario. Kalen Emsley/Unsplash Photo
It’s hard to beat a visit to the Niagara Region. The Hornblower Cruise trips to the base of Horseshoe Falls is one of the best ways to understand (or try to understand) the power of the water at Niagara Falls. I also enjoy the Journey Behind the Falls, where you take an elevator down into a tunnel that allows you to see the falls from behind, and to stand at an outdoor platform near the base of the falls. Amazing. If you’re hungry, Table Rock House Restaurant offers splendid food and amazing views of the falls. Nature lovers should not miss a walk at Niagara Glen, which takes you through beautiful forests and ultimately leads to the Niagara River itself. The revamped Niagara Power Station has an amazing indoor show you have to see to believe.
NEWMARKET
A room at the new Postmark Hotel in Newmarket, Ontario. Photo Courtesy Postmark Hotel
The Postmark Hotel opened Friday, August 9 in Newmarket. It’s a gorgeous, 55-room boutique hotel with local art and is carved out of a 1914 post office. It’s from the same group that owns Gladstone House and The Broadview Hotel in Toronto, which is terrific and super stylish. The Postmark should be a real game changer for the city.
BONUS FOR U.S. VISITORS: The Canadian dollar is struggling badly, and you’ll likely get about $1.35 CAD or a bit more for a U.S. dollar if you exchange your greenbacks in the States before you visit.
