June 21, 2024
Summer is in full swing, and with it, patios and pool parties, barbecues and loads of outdoor adventures. One of the best things about living in Toronto (besides the great restaurants, inspiring neighbourhoods, and incredible cultural scene) is our proximity to so many amazing regional attractions, and summer is the perfect time to explore them all. We’ve rounded up a list of nearby activities and events, with something for everyone. So fill up your tank (or reserve a rental from a trusted TO company– (1) Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Budget and Avis are all good bets) and get ready to make some memories. Oh, the places you’ll go!
Fun activities with a side of Ontario’s best wines.
An entire lineup of VQA events, less than a 90-minute drive.
This season, the VQA has put together a calendar of events that pair perfectly with Ontario’s finest wines. Sit back with a glass of apple cider or sparkling rosé every Friday at (2) Shiny Apple Cider’s Fresh Fridays event. Discover a postcard-perfect setting for your yoga practice at Yoga in the Vineyard, immersed in the beauty of the (3) Niagara Escarpment, or salute the sun as it dips below the horizon at Sunset Yoga & Wine. Bring your four-legged friends to the Muddy Paws Wine Trail event where you will enjoy award-winning wines, local cuisine, and live music, while the true stars of the show explore puppy photo booths, an obstacle course, yap-etizers, and more. The Muddy Paws Trail also features a doggie cooling station, ensuring your four-legged companion can stay refreshed and hydrated throughout the day.
Discover the way fruit was truly meant to taste with PYO farms.
Fresh produce, just 45-minutes away.
We may be spoiled for choice with city supermarkets offering a rainbow of fresh fruit and vegetables, but nothing comes close to the mouth-watering flavour of fresh-picked produce. There are so many spots just outside the city, where you can make a day of hand-picking what’s in season, under the sun.
At (4) Andrews Farm Market & Winery you’ll find a huge selection of pick-your-own fruits and veggies throughout the year, beginning in May with rhubarb and asparagus, and running all summer long with PYO strawberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches, plums, and pears. (5) Brooks Farms is another favourite, offering with an impressive array of berries (strawberries, gooseberries, Saskatoon berries and raspberries) fresh from the field. August means adventure at (6) Dixie Orchards, where you can pick apples, pumpkins, and hazelnuts, then stop in the sunflower field, with bright yellow blooms that stretch as far as the eye can see.
A short drive to adrenaline-pumping summer sports.
Choose your own adventure, 30-, 45-, or 90-minutes by car.
Calling all rock climbers! Push your limits and climb to new heights on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment at Mount Nemo, Kelso, or Rattlesnake Point, all part of (7) Conservation Halton parks just west of the city. Navigate the rapids of the (8) Elora Gorge with a tubing adventure, or launch across a 200-foot zipline and rappel down 80 feet, directly into the Grand River for a refreshing swim. Hikers can opt for some epic trails in the area, or head east to the (9) Scarborough Bluffs, where the views of the limestone cliffs, white sands, and crystal blue water may tempt you to jump into the lake, mid-hike.
Summer was made for road tripping.
Beautiful weekend stays, a few hours from home.
In the mood for a mini-getaway? Load up the car with snacks and sunscreen and head to (10) Sandbanks Provincial Park. With its shallow turquoise waters, three expansive beaches, and rippling sand dunes, Sandbanks feels like a tropical island getaway without the jet lag. You can rent kayaks and canoes on-site, and the park even lends out free fishing lines and tackle. A little further afield, you’ll find (11) Bruce Peninsula National Park, a place where the waters of Georgian Bay are so clear, you may start to believe you’re in the Caribbean. You can hike, swim, canoe, and scuba dive. And don’t miss the grotto, a natural sea cave where you can float in and marvel at nature at its finest.
When you’re not venturing out of town, you’ll still have plenty of ways to celebrate summer with the outdoor amenities built into every Shiplake community. Better living through every season, by design.
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