Fall in Cottage Country

Fall in my opinion is the best time to visit Cottage Country. Not only is some of the summer madness and the crowds that brings dissipating but the weather in the fall is glorious. If you are considering renting a cottage in the fall, I would highly suggest it. The rates are cheaper and there is SO much to do. People come from all over the world to tour our cottage country to experience the gorgeous fall colour change. You can experience this in all the cottage regions. Below are some suggestions of just a few things you can do in Kawarthas, Haliburton/Muskoka and Thousand Islands/Rideau Canal areas.

• Muskoka and Haliburton
  1. Bala Cranberry Festival: Located in the town of Bala, this 35yr old festival runs Oct 14-16, 2022. Initially started to lengthen the season it has turned into a destination and has seen over ½ million visitors in this town of ~700 people. Stop by and see the crafts, listen to the music, and enjoy the food, fall fair and entertainment.
  2. Colour Changes: You can see the colour changes in these regions by car, boat, bicycling or by trails. If you choose to do the trails, we suggest: The Cranberry Hiking trail. Hardy Lake Trail and the Beetle Lake Trail.
  3. Treetop Trekking: Looking for something totally different to do the check-out Treetop Trekking in Huntsville where you can zip line and aerial game trek. They even have a night trek.

• Kawartha’s
  1. Fall Fishing: Kawartha’s is known as one of the best year-round freshwater fishing locations. You can catch large and small mouth bass, pike, pickerel, muskie and many more varieties of fish. The lakes are quieter in the fall, so it is a great time to head out on the water and fish.
  2. Kawartha Farm Festival: This is a festival that always runs the Saturday of the weekend before Thanksgiving. This is a self-drive tour to visit farms and rural attractions across the Kawarthas. You get to visit the animals and have great farm to table food.
  3. Change of Colours: As with all the regions in cottage country you can see the beautiful colour changes by car, boat, bicycle, or trails. Kawartha’s has many routes that you can hike, drive or cycle and the maps are readily available.

• Thousand Islands and Rideau Canal System
  1. Enjoy the Harvest: Check out Scheuerman Vineyard and Winery in Westport. They have local wine, and you can do wine tasting and dine on a wood fired grill. There is also Furnace Falls Farm which has local food, cooking classes and farm to table.
  2. Change of Colour: As with the other areas there are many ways to view the changing colours. The boat cruise through the thousand islands and through the Rideau Lakes and canals are both beautiful. You can also drive, hike or cycle to view the colour changes. The three trails we like are: Cataraqui Trail, Sugar Bush Island Trail and Foley Mountain.
  3. Artisans: This area is abundant in history and local artists. This area is dotted with studios and galleries full of paintings, photography, carving, sculpting, and writing. An amazing place to drive and check out the local artisans. Another great place to visit is Old Stone Mill National Historic Site. This is a working flour mill that grinds grain using the tools that were used in the 1800’s.

This is just a sample of what is available to do in cottage country in the fall. A boat ride and a paddle on the lakes is also a great activity to do in the fall. You can even see the change in colours this way!

As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Cottaging!