Wander Together: Multi-generational Travel Inspiration in Ontario
You’ve made the call – this is the summer your whole family comes together. For the first time in years, everyone will be in the same place. It’s your summer holiday, and nothing is going to stand in your way.
Multi-generational travel is an incredible way to build memories that last a lifetime, but planning it isn’t always easy. You need a destination that blends adventure, relaxation, and a little something to make everyone’s heart wander.
Keep reading to discover where your next unforgettable family getaway awaits.
Explore Together
Everyone in the family will enjoy a visit or stay at one of Ontario’s provincial parks. First, these locations were selected to become a park in great part due to the beauty of their environment and unique features. Their on-site education centres typically offer programming of interest to a variety of ages and each offers unique hiking trails to explore the flora and fauna of the region.
If someone in your group isn’t interested in roughing it in a tent, no problem – most provincial parks now offer glamping accommodations with a bed (you bring the linens), tiny kitchen, and on-site barbecue. Provincial parks are also a great place for a daytrip to hike or hit the beach.
Explore at one of these parks:
- Bon Echo Provincial Park
- Bonnechere Provincial Park
- Driftwood Provincial Park
- Murphys Point Provincial Park
- Silent Lake Provincial Park
- Silver Lake Provincial Park
- Sharbot Lake Provincial Park
- Lake St. Peter Provincial Park
Sustainable Tip:
If you're planning a hike, keep it short enough that it won't overtax the younger and older members of your group.
Play Together
Imagine a holiday that you will talk about at family get-togethers for years to come? Book a group getaway to Almonte Old Mill Manor in Lanark County and you will do just that. This is the perfect destination for a themed dinner party or murder mystery whodunnit, where everyone is a suspect!
The Manor can accommodate up to 12 overnight guests, and you will be the only guests on-site. The foodies in your group will love a three-course catered dinner, while those looking to take a break will enjoy the salt-water heated pool and hot tub.
Sustainable Tip:
Large groups are harder to accommodate – do your research ahead of time to make sure everyone can fit and reserve spots so you can all enjoy the experience.
Tour Together
Book a medicine walk with Christine Luckasavitch, Indigenous owner of Waaseyaa Cultural Tours in the Ottawa Valley. This hands-on experience invites participants to develop a deeper respect and understanding of plants in the Algonquin territory. Pembroke is known for it’s fabulous murals that celebrate the heritage and character of the region. Wander downtown and browse the large, colourful displays of original artwork that tell a unique story. Check out the map here.
In Smiths Falls, their guided walking tour will introduce you to the history and architecture of the community, then you can spend the rest of the day shopping, dining, or experiencing the beauty of the Rideau Canal.
Sustainable Tip:
Keep activity levels in mind when booking a tour to ensure everyone from the elderly to the toddlers in your group are able to take part.
Cruise Together
You don’t need to stay landlocked for your family getaway, you are in cottage country in Ontario's Highlands where the waterways are front and centre when it comes to leisure. Consider renting from Le Boat and you’ll have the best of both worlds: a floating cottage that you can navigate from dock to dock along the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal. These boats sleep up to 12 so you can really bring the whole family with you!
Plan your route to take you north on the Rideau Canal, and past Rideau Ferry. There the whole family will enjoy a meal at CC's on the Rideau - either inside the restaurant or outdoors on their fabuluos outdoor patio.
Sustainable Tip:
Stock up on food and drink before you leave Smiths Falls or at the convenience store in Rideau Ferry. Le Boat boats have a great kitchen so you won't need to dine out every night of your trip.
Relax Together
Relaxation is the whole point of a getaway, isn’t it? In Ontario’s Highlands one of the best ways for the whole family to relax is to plan a beach day. At the beach, the days feel longer, the water more refreshing, and you suddenly remember why you love summer so much.
Plan your multi-generational beach-cation using this list of the best beaches in Ontario’s Highlands.
Sustainable Tip:
Treat the beach with respect and if you bring a picnic lunch make sure it is glass-free. Pack out your waste with you to keep the beach pristine for the next visitors.
Learn Together
Learning a new skill as a group brings people together and helps them to connect or reconnect, always a plus when it comes to families in today’s busy world. A course at Madawaska Kanu Centre might be just the thing to make sure everyone is on the same page, and the course you choose can be intense whitewater instruction or a Zen-like combination of painting and canoeing.
Sustainable Tip:
Source a workshop or course that touches on mutual interests or hobbies for your group - the things that have conected you in the past.
