From amazing cafes to scenic fall views, Peterborough is the perfect hub for all your adventures in the Kawarthas. Our trip was the perfect mix of city exploring and nature escapes with easy day trips. Fall is an incredible time to visit and see the Kawarthas covered in beautiful oranges and yellows. Drive one of the scenic fall routes to soak in the colors. Here’s some places you can’t miss on your trip:
Downtown Peterborough has lots of wonderful local shops, restaurants and sights to explore on your visit. Here were some of our favourite stops:
My favorite part of Peterborough was the cafe district. The first thing that stood out to us was the picturesque buildings. As we explored we found so many wonderful finds from unique local shops to cute cafes. Some of our favourite stops were:
There’s lots of scenic spots to explore in Peterborough. In the summer you can head to Silver Bean Cafe for coffee by the water. In the fall, Lock 21 (pictured below) is an amazing spot to see vibrant reds and oranges. Grab coffee and walk along the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Get festive at this family farm near Peterborough. Join Buckhorn Berry Farm for Pumpkinfest, where they have fall fun for kids of all ages, including corn mazes, pumpkin bowling, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch and more.
They have a scary corn maze you can walk through if you’re brave. Even though it’s during the day, there are still sure to be some Halloween characters that will scare you. I may have screamed once or twice.
We loved watching the pumpkin cannon launching pumpkins at a distant target.
Take a scenic wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch. The pumpkin patch was lined with beautiful fall trees and lots of Instagram worthy signs hidden within the patch for the perfect photo opportunity.
There are lots of cool places to take a day trip from Peterborough. We explored Bobycageon, its name may sound familiar from the popular Tragically Hip song. Bobcaygeon is a cute waterside town. Explore the picturesque historic district and then stroll by the water. Many locals recommended going to Bigley’s, a popular shoe and clothing store in the area. We stopped by The Royal Moose Grill & Waterfront Patio for lunch with a view. I recommend getting their Crispy bobCaygeon Chicken, one of their most popular items.
Get an amazing panoramic view at the Doube’s Trestle Bridge. This easy and short walk will take you to a bridge overlooking a valley. In the fall you can spot lots of pops of colour. The bridge used to be part of an old rail line and now it’s a popular spot for locals. Afterward, stop at Craftworks and Antiques At The Barn for a great selection of antiques on the first floor and new home foods on the second floor.
Enjoy this Canadian treat as you wind through the Ontario Butter Tart Trail in the Kawarthas. We loved the Butter Tart Trail because it encouraged us to visit new places for this tasty treat.
In Peterborough, we went to Blackhoney Cafe and Whistle Stop for butter tarts. Both had incredible butter tarts. Blackhoney Cafe had an original butter tart with the perfect crust. Whistle Stop had various choices, including a cream cheese butter tart and a Skor butter tart. We couldn’t resist getting the skor butter tart, which was delicious.
Best Western Plus Otonabee Inn was the perfect stay for our trip. It has a great location along the Otonabee River. We were minutes from downtown Peterborough and had a central location for all our day trips.
Enjoy the view from your room’s balcony or the waterside gazebo. It was a peaceful view to start the day with and a perfect spot to enjoy your morning coffee as you watch the ducks glide through the water. On the second morning we were able to catch some incredible reflections of the trees in the water.
The continental breakfast has a selection of pastries, teas, coffee, and fruit. My favorite part was the hot item feature like the western omelet wrap. They even had butter tarts that felt like a nice tie-in to the Butter Tart Trail.
Julia Weber, also known as Little Miss Ottawa, is a Canadian travel blogger who loves finding adventures at home and abroad. Check out her blog here.
