Fall is here and with it comes some of our favourite things: apple picking, fall ingredients popping up on menus and delicious experiences sprinkled across the province like the pumpkin spice on top of our autumnal lattés.
Fall Fun Across the Province
This fall, discover unique experiences you’ll only find in Ontario in three can’t miss destinations — Guelph-Wellington, York Durham Headwaters and Sault Ste. Marie.
Don’t feel like reading the whole thing right now? No problem, skip ahead by destination.
- York Durham Headwaters
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- Rural Route Tour Company
- LegenDAIRY fun at Sheldon Creek Dairy
- Fall Festivals Galore
- Tour Holland Marsh Winery
- Fall Harvest Fun at Pingle’s Farm
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Discover Fall Fun in Guelph-Wellington
Extending across some of the province’s most fertile agricultural land, Guelph-Wellington is a hearty fall stew of unique fall experiences. The best way to sort through it all? The folks at Taste Real Guelph-Wellington have you sorted. Here are some of the top ways to enjoy the area this fall!
The Fall Rural Romp
When: Saturday September 28th
Where: Farms across Guelph-Wellington
Kick off the fall season with the #RuralRomp which takes place at farms, markets and other businesses across the area on September 28th. Perfect for family outings where you can sneak in a little hands-on learning as well as days spent with friends, the Rural Romp is a celebration of all things farmlife and fall fun.
From kids activities and cornmazes to farm tours and of course, some delicious fall flavours, this self-guided event is a can’t miss for foodies. You’ll find yourself doing everything from visiting a water buffalo or alpaca farm to sipping signature cocktails right at a distillery where its made and visiting with the bees at a local apiary.
A great lesson in where our food comes from, this is a chance to talk with farmers, experience rural life and of course, grab a bite!
Hot tip: Make sure you bring cash, a cooler and shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty. You can download the Rural Romp map in advance or pick one up at any of the #RuralRomp locations.
Monster Month in Elora & Fergus
When: The month of October
Where: Elora-Fergus
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In Elora & Fergus, folks really turn up for the scariest month of them all! Spearheaded by the folks at Tim Murton’s Twilight Zoo, downtown Elora comes to life with spooky sculptures, lanterns and other decorations while events pop up across the region including trick or treating at Feast On® certified Elora Mill, pumpkin walks, a Monster March Parade and even a Monster Mash Bash put on by Riverfest Elora.
Want to make a trip out of it? Elora and Fergus are home to some great dining to really round things out! Here are a few of our fav spots:
In Elora
- Elora Mill Hotel + Spa is a Feast On® certified restaurant whose menu changes seasonally, featuring loads of local farmers. We love their baked halibut in crispy brioche and kale tempura!
- La Fontana, also Feast On® certified, serves up wood-fired pizzas topped with local ingredients, fresh-made pastas like lamb ragu and chicken parm and also hosts cooking classes
- The Evelyn is an adorable bistro with a great cocktail list, a can’t-miss burger and other delicious dishes like their coconut curry
- The Lost and Found Café combines cozy, eclectic vibes, a great soundtrack and top notch cookies and coffee tucked away off the main drag
- Elora Brewing Company was started by five friends who love beer. Setting up shop in a historic 1800s building, their craft selection is top notch and they also offer bites like seasonal curries, beer mac n’ cheese and more.
In Fergus
- The Vault Coffee & Espresso Shop is located in a historic bank and has some seriously cool vibes. We recommend setting up in a window seat and doing a little people watching as you munch on a seasonal scone and tasty cappuccino.
- Scozia at Breadalbane Inn offers hit-the-spot, slightly elevated (but still cozy)dining including local craft cut steaks, chicken sandos, shepherd’s pie and more.
- The Outpost Bottle Shop is a great spot to try a bunch of different craft beverages (on site or to go) in one place. We recommend grabbing a pint of whatever’s on tap — it rotates all the time — and matching it up chimichurri beef panini, sausage board or queso fundido.
Cows + Cider
Where: Heartwood Farm & Cidery, 5438 Second Line, Erin, ON. (View Map)
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Join the folks at Feast On® certified Heartwood Farm & Cidery for Cider with the Cows! This unique experience brings you out onto the pasture with Farmer Val for an interactive-two hour exploration of regenerative farming practices. Val will lead you through a tasting of our cider (trust us you don’t want to miss this) alongside the cows and their calves. Get up close and personal as you learn about regenerative grazing and maybe even scratch a cow or two behind the ears.
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Heartwood Farm and Cidery has other great experiences to check out as well including overnight farm stays and more.
Guelph.Beer Bus
When: Enjoy the Guelph.Beer Bus this fall on September 14, October 12 or November 16
The Guleph.Beer Bus is a free city bus that runs on select Saturdays in Guelph (once a month) and brings you to four of the city’s breweries. You’ll get the chance to meet microbreweries all the way up to one of the country’s biggest. Running the route all day long, hop from one brewery to the next and take it all in!
Here’s a little bit about the spots you’ll visit!
Wellington Brewery
This Feast On® certified brewery is one of the oldest Ontario craft breweries and that expertise shows in each pint they pour. We recommend grabbing a classic Helles Lager or their Queen of Craft IPA which raises money for Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis.
Brothers Brewing
Started by twins Colton and Asa, Brothers Brewing is located in the heart of downtown Guelph. On warmer fall days, grab a seat out on the patio in the heart of the action or cozy up in their tiny taproom with a game and a pint.
Focusing on small-batch brews, Brothers Brewing has experimented with a ton of different beers and seltzers over the years including everything from Belgian dubbels and dark black lagers to their classic Tandem Helles Lager.
Fixed Gear Brewing Company
A brewery themed for cyclists awaits! We recommend kicking back with their Dutch Classic Blonde, Peloton German Pilsner or their Cherry Training Wheel Dry-Hopped Sour — yum! Of course, you can’t go wrong playing matchmaker with your beer and a pizza while you’re there.
Royal City Brewing
At Royal City Brewing, their quality beer lineup has seen everything from dry nitro stouts to peach radlers, juicy IPAs and everything in between. Pushing the envelope on brewery collabs has set them apart.
Of course, you need to try the food! Pair up your beer with some of the classic Belgian and German inspired eats like mussels, duck fat fries, large pretzels and more.
Sleeman Brewing Company
The biggest player in the Guleph.Beer Bus game, Sleeman Brewing Company has a history that dates back to 1834. Grab a glass of their honey lager and enjoy it out on the patio if the weather allows.
Wrinkly Bear Brewing Company
Brand new on the scene, this brewery is all about keeping things simple and delicious. Try their Scarlet Fox Amber Ale or Clumsy Bear Stout with some tortilla chips and salsa.
A Northern Fall in Sault Ste. Marie
The cool things about heading north in the fall is that if you time is right, you can actually experience fall twice! Enjoy the colours in Southern Ontario and then head north for a second changing of the leaves alongside beautiful pine forests, rocky shores and views of both Lake Huron and Lake Superior in Sault Ste. Marie.
Known as Algoma Country’s Friendliest City, Sault Ste. Marie is full of experiences that are extra fun in the fall. Keep reading to see what we mean.
A Fall Walk with Walk Among the Trees
Walk Among the Trees provides guided walking tours of some of Sault Ste. Marie’s most scenic and culturally significant areas. Co-owners Mario and Cheyene will help you to explore nature through their Anishinaabe culture as they tell stories, talk about their own history and you have meaningful discussions about Truth and Reconciliation as well as tradition.
We recommend experiencing their Hiawatha Walking Tour (you can even do it by moonlight!) and traversing the terrain with your guides as you take in the beauty of an on-site waterfall, marsh pond and the making of a Three Sisters Garden. You’ll likely see some neat wildlife along your way and of course be able to appreciate just how darn beautiful this part of the province is when it comes to life in the fall.
Finally, wind down together as you share a little cedar tea and bannock bites with homemade blueberry sauce that is seriously SO good. The blueberry sauce is made with fresh wild blueberry foraged by family of Cheyene and Mario.
Those with a bit of nerve will love the haunted walks hosted by Walk Among the Trees each October. Keep an eye out on their website for details on how you can enjoy a nerve-wracking (but fun) walk in the woods full of fright!
Discover Indigenous Culture and Outdoor Adventure with Thrive Tours
Thrive Tours is an outdoors company based around sharing Indigenous learning and we love their work around foodways. Owned by Brad Robinson, a member of the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Amanda Cora, Thrive Tours offers a wide variety of experiences perfect for embracing fall.
You can select one of their pre-made tours on their website that range everything from full day paddling excursions on Lake Huron where you can take in the views from the best spot (the water) to guided forest hikes, women’s wellness adventures, bushcrafting skills development workshops and more. Alternatively, give them a call and book a custom tour based around what you’re hoping to get out of the experience.
When we visitied, we explored Ojibway Park with a short walk and beautiful Smudging Ceremony as well as music from Brad before heading out onto the blue waters in our canoes. Post-paddle, Brad, Amanda and their team helped us cook up a great meal with the infusion of Indigenous ingredients.
We enjoyed pizzas topped with Brad’s signature tomato sauce from his garden, sage-infused wild rice, zucchini and maple syrup drizzled ground bison while sipping on homemade cedar tea. Of course, we topped it all off with some s’mores and even apples roasted over the fire — yum!
Harvest Fun at Thomson Farms
Where: 4057 Third Line W, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
From mid-September to August 31st, Thomson Farms invites visitors to enjoy a little fall fun on the farm. You can go for a wagon ride, pick out the perfect pumpkin from their patch, get lost in the corn maze and even test out the corn cannon. They even have some late-fall berry picking on offer!
When you’re done, we recommend heading over to their wine bar and patio to sip on their signature cider, grab a bite (grilled cheese, anyone?) and kick back with a view of their beautiful spring fed pond. Before heading out, be sure to visit the farm store on site to shop jams, wines, ciders and other locally grafted goods.
Add Days to Your Agawa Canyon Tour Train
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The Agawa Canyon Tour Train is one of the most highly anticipated things to do in Sault Ste. Marie each fall. This full day train ride departs from Sault Ste. Marie at 8am sharp and takes passengers on a full day trip up to Agawa Canyon past Northern Ontario’s rugged beauty, gorgeous fall colours and some of the most spectacular views you’ve ever seen. Once at Agawa Canyon, passengers deboard for 90 minutes where they can explore the colours, go for a hike and be inspired by the view that inspired much of the Group of Seven.
When you’re back in town though, we recommend staying a while and exploring The Soo’s excellent restaurant scene. Here are just a few of our favourite spots!
The Breakfast Pig
Where: 265 Bruce St, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
The Breakfast Pig is Sault Ste. Marie’s first and only Feast On® certified restaurant, showcasing their commitment to local in every bite. Dive into a range of off-the-wall breakfast options like French toast topped with fried chicken and peanut butter and jelly from Thomson Farms, Korean Pork Eggs Benny, pancakes stacked with M&Ms and warm cinnamon apples and so much more.
Ernie’s Coffee Shop
Where: 13 Queen St E, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
This 1950s diner-turned-unreal-restaurant is a must visit. In fact, locals were telling us we couldn’t miss it at just about every place we went to! With intimate, unpretentious vibes you’ll enjoy dishes that are in constant rotation based on the seasons. The menu changes so much in fact, you’ll find it on a big chalkboard. We enjoyed a gnocchi verde, chicken sandwich and green goddess salad that were all lights out. Paired up with some great cocktails, this is a can’t miss spot in the Soo.
Sunset Noodle House
Where: 133 Spring St, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
We recommend grabbing some pork belly bahn mi, pad thai and Vietnamese coffee to go here to enjoy down at one of Sault Ste. Marie’s many water-front parks. The flavours are full and bright and the colours are just as spectacular. Feel like dining in? Sunset Noodle House has just reopened their dining room after extensive renovations and it looks fantastic. With an elevated menu, you’re sure to love it!
Georgie’s Shawarma
Where: 75 Elgin St, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
Authentic Syrian cuisine awaits at Georgie’s Shawarma. We love their Untraditional Shawarma with slow-roasted chicken thigh with garlic sauce, hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickled turnip and cucumber and the falafel wrap as well! Enjoy it in the warm and inviting restaurant or take it to go on your next adventure — your choice!
Peace Restaurant
Where: 250 Queen St E, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. (View Map)
Fairly new on The Soo’s culinary scene, Peace Restaurant offers up a menu of Asian fusion with dishes like tuna crudo, edamame, char siu tofu and more. We recommend heading here on a date night or with friends as their small plates are perfect for sharing. They’ve also got a wicked craft cocktail list made with high quality (often local) ingredients.
Experience Autumn in York Durham Headwaters — Central Counties
York Durham Headwaters finds itself smack dab in the middle of southern Ontario, stretching from Orangeville in the West past Oshawa in the East and covering some really beautiful landscapes, talented food producers and fantastic farm fun. Turning up the heat on autumn experiences, here are a few we think you will love!
A Moo-tiful Time at Sheldon Creek Dairy
Where: 4300 Concession Rd 5, Loretto, ON. (View Map)
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Owned by the Den Haan family, Sheldon Creek Dairy makes creamy yogurts, kefirs and of course milk plus much more at their dairy farm in the Sheldon Valley. All of their products are made from their herd of 100% Holstein Cows (those are the splotchy black and white ones we know and love) and that freshness shows in just about every sip.
Feel like visiting? There are loads of ways to check out Sheldon Creek. First, the Farm Store is open seven days a week and not only stocks their own delicious products but also that of local makers serving up everything from baked goods and frozen meals to eggs, meat, ground beef, honey vinegar and so much more.
To kick things up a notch, we recommend checking out their events calendar which usually includes a great roster of live music as well as customer appreciation days and more. Folks can also opt to visit the farm itself and meet that lovely herd of Holstein heifers by calling ahead to book a farm tour. We can’t think of a more udderly appealing way to spend a fall day!
Rural Route Tour Company
Taking folks from downtown Toronto across Central Counties (aka York, Durham, Headwaters), their tours make for an amazing day out of the city and onto rural roads. With a number of tours throughout the region there is sure to be a curated tour for your travel type. Here are a few we think you’ll like:
The Backroads, Barrels and Brews Tour
Sip and savour your way across small batch breweries and cideries and let Rural Routes Tour Company take care of your ride! You’ll get the chance to taste at spots like Feast On® certified Heartwood Farm and Cidery, GoodLot Brewing — and organic hop farm and brewery — alongside other stops like Adamo Estate Winery, Mono Brewing and others depending on the day. Book now.
Sideroad Sippers Tour
Enjoy the beautiful backroads bursting with colour as you take in a Sideroad Sippers Tour this fall in Durham Region! Sip on Feast On® craft cider and beer at stops like Slabtown Cider and Second Wedge Brewing along with other small-batch craft beverage makers in the area like Ocala Winery and have a few snacks to boot! Book now.
Not into alcohol? No worries! Rural Routes Tour Company also offers non-alcoholic options on their tours.
Rural Makers Tour
Discover the creative side of the Central Counties as you take part in this 8-hour tour which brings you to a local apiary, winery and lavender farm to see behind the scenes and enjoy a tasting. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious two-course prix-fixe lunch at a historic local restaurant. Book now.
Rural Routes Tour Company has even more tours so be sure to check out their website!
Fall Festivals Galore
Central Counties might just be home to some of the best fall festivals out there! What could be better than picking the perfect pumpkin, strolling a farm with a PSL in hand or getting lost in a corn maze? We’re here for those classic Ontario fall vibes with no shame and loads of excitement on deck. Here are a few of the awesome fall festivals to look forward to in YDH:
Farm to Fork in East Gwillimbury
Explore one of Canada’s fastest growing agricultural areas as over 20 farms open their doors on October 5th for tours, shopping, tastings and more. #EGFarmtoFork
Pumpkinfests
Richmond Hill, Downey’s Farm and Sweet Peas Farm all host a Pumpkinfest each fall that will have you appreciating all things autumn. Enjoy everything from wagon rides, giant jumping pillows and petting zoos to corn mazes, autumn themed photo ops and dog shows. Each one is a little different but of course, they all end in you picking the perfect pumpkin.
Dufferin Farm Tour
For over 25 years, farmers in Dufferin have opened their doors one day each year for the Dufferin Farm Tour. If you have wee ones, bring them along to meet the farm animals and learn about where their food comes from. This self-guided tour will bring you to several farms and admission is one non-perishable food item for the local Food Bank.
These are just a few of the many fall festivals happening in the Central Counties this fall! Check out their events calendar for more.
Visit Holland Marsh Winery
Where: 18270 Keele St, Newmarket, ON. (View Map)
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Run by the Nersisyan family whose lineage dates back to an old Armenian winemaking town just a hop skip and a jump from what is thought to be the winemaking birthplace, Holland Marsh Winery is a third generation vineyard and winery worth exploring this fall.
Offering a variety of tours and tastings for all palettes and interest levels, we recommend booking the VIP Tour and Tasting if you’re coming with a group or their Enhanced Tour & Tasting which can be booked any Wednesday-Friday at 4pm.
You’ll get a chance to match up with one of the winery’s team of experts on a guided tour of the vineyard (an unmatched experience on a crisp fall day), learn about production in their facilities and then follow it up with a tasting in the cellar of select and reserve wines. Fall is harvest time so you’re picking a perfect time of year to visit. Sounds pretty grape to us!
Pingles Farm
Where: 1805 Taunton Rd, Hampton, ON (View Map)
When it comes to fall fun, few places know how to do things up like Pingles Farm in Durham Region. Every year, this Feast On® certified farm hosts a Harvest Festival worth writing home about. You can enjoy all the things you come to expect of a Harvest Festival — think corn mazes, wagon rides, and a play land for the kids but there’s so much more than that!
On top of the expected classics, guests to the farm can also enjoy pick-your-own pumpkins, apples, corn, strawberries, tomatoes and even sunflowers in September.
The food might just be the best part though. Pingles whips up a drool-worthy menu of dishes featuring ingredients grown on site and sourced from nearby food producers like their Fancy Farmer crown with Roasted corn hot-off-the-fire dipped in chipotle butter & crushed Doritos, then topped with southwest sauce, shredded applewood smoked cheddar, bacon bits & green onion and their Harvest Fiesta fries with Topped with bacon, pickles, southwest sauce, & applewood smoked cheddar.
Of course, please don’t leave without grabbing one of their over-the-top fall drinks. These gram-worthy concoctions are to die for. We recommend the Pumpkin Spice Coffee — it’s topped with whipped cream, pumpkin dust & a pumpkin spice doughnut!
Want something a bit more adult? Their caramel pumpkin frozen cider is a must. Visit the Thirsty Goat on site for a great selection of adult craft cocktails, wines and local beers and ciders.
Enjoy Fall Adventure Across the Province
We hope you have a great time no matter which destination you choose! We’re pretty sure you will. Want some more ideas? Check out this blog where adventure and your taste buds will collide.
Adventure and Taste Buds Collide in These Three Ontario Destinations
