Summer may be over, but that doesn’t spell the end of great outdoor activities in Ontario. The province boasts plenty of fun things to do that are specific to the fall season.
Discover a few of the awesome activities autumn in Ontario has to offer!
1. Leaf peeping
Every fall, Ontario blazes with colour as the leaves turn to stunning shades of bronze, crimson and gold. The leaves create an incomparable backdrop for hiking and encourage Ontarians to get out into nature to marvel at the sheer beauty of their surroundings.
Algonquin Park is well-known for being one of the best spots for leaf-peeping, but the Bruce Trail, Muskoka and Niagara-on-the-Lake also offer spectacular scenery for nature lovers.
2. Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village (and elsewhere)
Upper Canada Village is one of the largest living-history sites in Canada, with authentic historical buildings assembled to recreate a typical 19th-century Canadian village. This picturesque site forms the backdrop of Pumpkinferno, an art exhibit featuring 7,000 handcrafted pumpkins lighting up the night sky along a kilometre-long path.
Similar pumpkin carving exhibits are on offer at Fort Henry in Kingston, Country Heritage Park in Milton, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Discovery Harbour in Penetanguishene, and Dynamic Earth in Sudbury.
3. Fall boating
Boating in the off-season is a great way to enjoy Ontario’s most popular boating destinations without the crowds. You’ll face less traffic on the road to your chosen destination, less crowded marinas, and you might even be able to benefit from reduced rates at hotels and restaurants!
For fall boating, it’s best to stick to destinations that are closer to larger population hubs. Many boating amenities in smaller communities shut down completely or offer very reduced hours after the tourist season is over, so places closer to a large town or city will be more likely to have services available.
Keep in mind that there may not be fuel at the dock in the off-season, so make sure you’re well-stocked with fuel and supplies before heading out, and don’t forget your Ontario boating license!
4. Celebrating the cranberry harvest in Bala
Every year, this little town in the Muskoka region celebrates the Bala Cranberry Festival, which has drawn an estimated half a million visitors over the last 35 years. Featuring an arts and crafts show with hundreds of vendors, a farmers’ market, live music and street performers, the whole town comes alive with excitement on the festival weekend in mid-October. The highlight, of course, is the culinary delights, which include candied cranberries and cranberry crêpes.
No cranberry-centric excursion would be complete without a visit to Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery, home of the 27-acre Cranberry Marsh, which produces 300,000 to 400,000 pounds of cranberries annually. Visitors to the marsh can take the Cranberry Plunge, which involves wading into a sea of floating cranberries!
5. The salmon run
Every year from early September to late October, salmon leave the waters of Lake Ontario and head upstream to spawn. This natural phenomenon is notable for the scores of fish that can be seen leaping in and out of the water as they fight to make headway against the current.
Etienne Brulé Park in Etobicoke, Highland Creek in Scarborough and Don River in North York are just a few of the places you can watch the salmon run in the GTA!
Fall in Ontario: Full of unique activities to enjoy
From gorgeous scenery to tasty seasonal treats, fall in Ontario has a lot to recommend it. Just slip a sweater on and head out to enjoy the unique activities the season has to offer!